Adieu Atlanta

You know you're a foodie when you are in the middle of one meal and chatting about your next! Because of such conversations I was able to find the last few places on my trek through Atlanta before I headed back home to the sunny west coast; )

I was told I needed to check out East Atlanta as that's where the "real" locals hang. So I did and I found Cenci. Cenci is a vegan/veggie bar and club as well as awesome restaurant. How freakin' cool!!! They are only open for dinner and most nights they have a dj. I would suggest the philly, chicken fingers, egg rolls, and collard green rolls with your jams ; ) Cenci is located at East Atlanta Village
1259 Glenwood Ave, Atlanta, GA 30316, (404) 627-0533.

Dan and I wanted to catch a flick and unwind so we found a theatre at the new Atlantic Station. Packed with restaurants, bars and entertainment, this little commune of fun had some cool places like Doc Green's and The Lobby among many more super trendy and happenin' places to eat, drink and hang. At Doc Green's, I grabbed a nice portobello wrap to sneak into my 3 hour movie. They had fresh salads, soups, sandwiches, flatbreads and more. After the movie we sauntered over to The Lobby for a nightcap and I thought my margarita would go well with some fresh guacamole and chips. It was very nice inside and seemed the quite to nightclub. You can see what else is bumpin' at Atlantic Station online.

Lastly, but not leastly, where do you go for 24 hour vegan and not vegan where the owner has tons of birds hangin' around the joint? R. Thomas Deluxe Grill is where! It's funky, to say the least, with a menu that everyone can find something they would like. For instance, I had the veggie sloppy joe wrap while my dinding partners had burgers. We all were full and none of us had to sacrifice our tastebuds in the process ; )

So, for now I bid adieu to Atlanta but it, and its dishes, will not be soon forgotten!

A+ For Atlanta!!

I couldn't stop with just 1 post seeing as how Atlanta had a restaurant crammed in every nook and cranny of the city so here with go with number deuce! A hipster brunch spot, a ridiculously awesome vegan gourmet eatery, a seasonal feast and a vintage diner with a modern twist, you are sure to find something you will devour ; )

Who doesn't like brunch? Ok, that was rhetorical but I'm sure I'd be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't enjoy sleeping in and still being able to order breakfast ; ) At Ria's Bluebird you can get breakfast or lunch or both! You can also get vegan or not which was great for my sugar and me as a good vegan breakfasty brunch is hard to come by sometimes. Not only was the food yummers but the feel of the place was great. Think country diner meets hispsterville and that's bluebird. The cool Atlanta crowd with the Georgia presence and bluebird theme is a nice combo and I dug it. I also dug my tofu scramble with cilantro pesto! Not far fomr downtown, find at more about Ria's Bluebird!

Now, my barometer for convincing vegan food is my omnivorous counterpart. I've only seen him chow down, with pleasure, on a super vegany meal at 2 restaurants. Now there are 3. Cafe Sunflower made the list with their soy steak, tofu and veggie fajitas and vegan spinach and artichoke dip. I went over the edge with the moist and ridonkulously awesome strawberry shortcake!! It was stupid good, even for the non-vegan and with 2 locations, Cafe Sunflower has got to be your number 1 visit next time you're in town.

Seasons 52 is a pretty sweet concept and I had no idea it was becoming a chain. Gladly I popped into their location in Buckhead and enjoyed their winter market vegetable plate and shared a cheeseless flatbread with my boy. The menu changes weekly as the seasonal ingredients do which makes for an innovative and ever exciting dining experience. They promote healthy, organic and fresh meals and that rocks! See if a Seasons 52 location is coming to your town.

For a late night treat after some partying in the Highlands, the locals like to head over to the Majestic Diner. For 8o years this hot spot serves up southern faves and comfort foods and doesn't leave out the tree huggers ; ) I had a veggie burger and took in the interesting crowd.
The Majestic can be found at 1031 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306-4215, (404) 875-0276.

Don't change the channel, we've got 1 more Atlanta post coming next week!!

All Hail Atlanta!

"Welcome to Atlanta where the players play!"- Jermaine Dupri

And play I did! Oh yes, and gorge my greedy little face I did too ; ) The hustle and bustle of the Atlanta metropolitan area is intoxicating. Already a big city, it's getting even bigger. Cool sky rises, modern shopping areas, the world of coca cola museum and aquarium as well as the nooks and areas tucked away for the hipster crowd, I had no problems getting into a groove here. So as one would imagine, there would be no problems finding some good eats in the capital of the south!

Fighting the city traffic, i made my way into the World Peace Cafe just in time for a quick dessert. We knew we had limited time in the city along with lots of obligations so I wanted to make sure I made it in. Run by the Rameshori Kadampa Buddhist Center in Sandy Springs, the cafe is mainly volunteer operated. But you'd never know it as the place runs like a dream and the food is even better. I was able to grab a minty chocolate cupcake before they all headed home but the menu looked great! Brekfast to dinner, fresh juice to dessert, they've got a veritable cornucopia of awesome veggie food. Feed your karma and your soul at World Peace Cafe!

We stayed in the heart of downtown at the Marriot Marquis. In it I had my lovely Starbucks waiting for me every morning as well as 2 restaurants and a bar. Having rolled in late, we were pretty hungry and weary so we popped into High Velocity. Located in the main lobby of the hotel, it's a chic sports bar with a fun menu. I was stoked to find a bunch of vegan and health friendly options at a sports bar so I had a taste of a few things ; ) I shared the lemon hummus with veggie sticks (almost no calories!!) and a black bean soy burger piled high with mushrooms and onions with my babe. It hit the spot just before we hit the sack.

The next day I had a hankering for soul food. What better place for such a meal than Atlanta and what better place in Atlanta than Soul Vegetarian. They've got locations all over the world and have a neat concept. A fully African-American run business that originated in Israel, this cafeteria style diner also boasts a fresh juice and home made ice cream bar as well as a holistic center that offers all kinds of services including colon hydrotherapy! I happen to like the 1 sto shop idea ; ) I chowed on a ginormous portion of soy mac and cheese, collard greens,salad, corn bread and I had to split the vegan gyro with Dan as my stomach wouldn't fit it all. Don't leave Atlanta without going to 1 of the 2 locations of Soul Vegetarian.

Another place with a few locations is The Vortex Bar and Grill. It's a hoot!! I was laughing my ass off just reading the menu and so will you (the website is just as kooky). It was cold out so I went with a steaming bowl of veggie chili and a side of sweet potato fries. There isn't a soul who couldn't find something on this menu as well as find this place quite the place for a fun night out!

Ok, so, I'm sure you can guess there is alot more to cover here in Atlanta so stay tuned next week for more!!