{a-town eats: 5 seasons prado}

{5 seasons prado}

A few weeks ago Jesse and I had a hot date night and decided to check out 5 Seasons Prado. 5 Seasons is actually a local craft brewery with some pretty excellent brews. We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals and have added it to our list of favorite places.

In summary:

  

Atmosphere:

{open layout}

{perfect for large parties}

It was raining pretty hard the night we visited, but luckily 5 seasons was so warm inside that we completely forgot about the crummy weather. Despite having such an open layout, the lighting and table placements allow for intimacy amongst smaller parties such as ours. I loved all the wood accents and stone details. I imagine this would be a great place for a private party or rehearsal dinner. They had a few games playing on their smaller screens---yet they stay away from the whole sports bar feel. They also had a large projection screen which implies to me that they might have some big events from time to time.

Service: Our waitress was M.I.A. for most of the night. We had to know everything we wanted every time we saw her as it was likely we wouldn’t see her again for a long while. I have strong feelings about this. I hate when they hover over you and barely let you enjoy your conversation, but I also can’t stand when you never see them at all. I worked in this industry in college and no matter how busy it got, there was always a way to make every table feel taken care of (outside of crazy needy patrons). It didn’t take very long to receive our starters, but the food took awhile. Luckily, it was well worth the wait.

Food:

{i will return just for this}

{so good}

{i needed some “mussel” to lift this plate…hehe}

For his main course, Jesse got the Georgia Organic Grass Fed Burger w/Natural Cut Fries & I got Beer Cheese Soup for my starter and Beer Braised PEI Mussels for my entrée. We both split a Housemade Spent Grain Bread Boule which was very reasonably priced. From the bites I stole, I thought Jesse’s burger was amazing. Those who say they can’t understand the hype about organic meat have never had this burger. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned just right. Jesse thoroughly enjoyed it and reminded me that I did not order it sooo…nananana boo boo. My beer cheese soup was soooo good. It had a nice and smooth texture, with earthy flavors and a surprising kick. I ate every spoonful but resisted licking the bowl (not too ladylike). The mussels were pretty good; not the best I’ve ever had. The portion I received was so hearty I was stuffed before I could finish. They also added bread and corn so it felt more like a meal (despite the fact that it was on the small plates menu). I love when restaurants don’t skimp on portions…it makes me want to go back because I know I won’t have to order ten things off the menu in order to make a full meal. We didn’t order any dessert (I could barely move by the time we got to the end of our meal), but next time we will have to save room. I did try a glass of their cheapest cabernet which was very good, and Jesse got a few of their brews which he thought were rather good.  

Moola: All the food prices are very reasonable. We had a groupon now deal which cut our bill down some. If I ordered everything I wanted off the menu, our final tab may have been a bit ridiculous and Jesse would have had to roll me out of the restaurant. I would say it was in the upper mid-range. The drink prices also fell in the reasonable range. No need to shell out $15 to quench your thirst.

Additional Notes:

{Enjoying my vino}

The drink menu had good variety. I was very pleased with the wine selection.

I think we’ll be back again sooner than later…I now have a craving for the beer cheese soup.

{a-town eats: three sheets}

Jesse and I ventured out again recently and checked out Three Sheets, this little tapas bar in Sandy Springs. I love tapas as they are basically just fancy appetizers. When I found this place I knew that we had to check it out. The menu was very appealing and it looked like it had a trendy atmosphere.

{three sheets}

In summary:

Atmosphere: For some reason I thought that Three Sheets was a restaurant, but in reality it is more of a social club. We went on a Wednesday night and it wasn’t very busy (although their website suggests they definitely have their share of packed nights). Walking in we saw a very cool piano on one side with candles dripping all over it, a large open dance floor, and lots of private lounge areas with unique lighting and large modern couches. We were sat in a private area in the back where the majority of our lighting came from the tiny tea light on our table (until Jesse blew it out). I wouldn’t say it’s the best choice for a dinner date, but a good pick for an after work meet-up with friends.

Service: When we walked in we were a little confused because we were expecting a restaurant, however someone immediately noticed and helped us find a comfortable spot. Our waitress was nice and came to check on us frequently. It did take awhile to get our check but that didn’t necessarily ruin our experience.

Food: The menu has very good variety and unique options. There didn’t seem to be anything I wasn’t interested in trying. Sometimes places like these tend to over complicate their menus and confuse customers; however Three Sheets kept things pretty simple, listing sauces and basic ingredients for each item. To start we ordered albondigas (filet meatballs) and the trio of french fries which came with ketchup, ranch, and a spicy sriracha aioli for dipping. I was a little disappointed that we only got three meatballs and they weren’t really that big. They tasted pretty good though. There were more than plenty of french fries for the two of us and the dipping sauces complimented them well. There was nothing really special about the fries---they were hot and crispy but that’s about it. I once had a great trio of fries in Sacramento at this place called Cafeteria---BBQ (which tasted just like BBQ chips), Sweet Potato, and Garlic Parmesan---and on top of variety in fries they had three different sauces to compliment them. Now that was a memorable trio.

For our main courses, Jesse got a trio of sliders---BBQ pulled pork, angus, and grilled chicken---and I ordered the grilled cheese w/tomato bisque. We shared of course! Of the sliders, the BBQ pulled pork was my favorite because it had a jalapeno coleslaw that gave it a nice kick. The grilled chicken was a little dry for my tastes, but the angus was pretty good. My grilled cheese was just okay---I was not a fan. It was very dry around the crust and didn’t exactly have the gooey middle I was looking for. The cheese used was applewood smoked cheddar, but I didn’t really get that smoky flavor. Smoked Gouda might’ve been a better choice. The bisque on the other hand was an unexpected surprise. I’m not usually a fan of many things tomato, but I couldn’t get enough of this bisque. It had a very light earthy flavor and was perfect for dipping my grilled cheese in. I consumed every last drop.

We didn’t have any dessert because we were stuffed by the end. They do have a nice selection to accommodate many different palates.       

Moola: All the food prices are very reasonable. You can try many different items without having to break into that piggy bank. If you add in several drinks though, you might want to think of splitting those tapas with friends.  

Additional Notes: The drink selection is extensive. They have their own specialty cocktails and plenty of beers and wines to choose from. I got a glass of the Dreaming Tree cabernet, which complimented my meal well. The drink prices are what you’d expect of a place like this.

They have a specific dress code and it is not exactly casual. It’s a nice place so pull out those dress shoes!

If you check out their website, you’ll notice that they post upcoming music acts as well as foodie events (which are very reasonably priced).

In the end, it was pretty good. We may not return by ourselves but will definitely consider taking some friends there. I’m curious to see what it’s like on a busy night.

{a-town eats: tin can fish house & oyster bar}

Hello Again!

As Jesse and I explore our new town I thought it might be nice to share some of the places we’ve been checking out. Most recently we visited Tin Can Fish House & Oyster Bar, this great little seafood joint in Sandy Springs. Jesse has recently joined the seafood wagon and is slowly trying all the good stuff he’s been missing out on all these years. I’ve been a fan for as long as I can remember and am very happy to have discovered this place to satisfy my cravings.

{tin can fish house & oyster bar}

In summary:

Atmosphere: A little dark, but really warm and inviting. It was a slow Sunday evening, but I’m sure it picks up on other nights. The décor fits the theme without suffocating you with it. They have lots of nice pieces on the walls and a very open layout.

Service: Our server was fantastic! He brought out waters when he came over to greet us and checked on us often throughout our visit. We had arrived closer to closing time but neither he nor the rest of the staff ever made us feel like it was an inconvenience. Our food also arrived in an adequate amount of time and was nice and warm.

Food: The menu is pretty simple and straightforward with the perfect amount of options and variety. Jesse got a burger and I got their oysters rockerfella and mussels cooked in a traditional white sauce. The oysters were substantial and very delicious and there were more than enough mussels for one person in the half pound pot. The white sauce was also nice and light and complimented the mussels very well. Jesse ordered his burger medium but he thought it was a little more on the raw side. For dessert we had a brownie sundae which was decent but not quite what we were hoping for.

Moola: The prices are all pretty reasonable and you definitely get your money’s worth in respect to portion sizes.

Additional Notes: They have a pretty nice beer selection with good variety of domestic and craft brews. I do think the beer prices are a little high though. I was also disappointed that they advertised Abita beer, but only had one of their brews---I was kinda hoping to get a Purple Haze.

Even though it was slow, it was nice that they kept everyone spaced out so that we weren’t all cramped in the same section. This gave Jesse and me the opportunity to have a good intimate conversation.

Overall, we had a wonderful meal and will definitely be returning!