Food Snob on a Business Trip. (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: how much, houses, to live in)

[Mathew&Bella]

Hello there!

I'm going on a business trip to my company's headquarters in Alpharetta, and I'm a self-admitted Food Snob.

When I told a friend of mine that I'd be near Atlanta, he told me to be sure to hit Chik-Fil-A. I shuddered in horror.

I'm very picky about restaurants. I love a place where the salad greens are fresh, the meats are tender, the veggies are crisp, the dishes are imaginative, and where the staff is friendly and helpful. Nice decor helps a lot too.

Don't get me wrong, here. I am not a fan of pretentious AT ALL. So many places invest so much into atmosphere and presentation that it seems they've forgotten about the quality of the meal. That's a strong turn-off.

I have seen the "Good-eats in Atlanta" post, but I guess I am looking for something that is not just good, but a little bit special.

Any fellow Food Snobs out there?

(PS...any Food Snobs coming to Long Beach, CA can contact me for the delicious places 'round here!)

Matthew

[billl]

How much are you willing to pay?

[George Chong]

And what area of town do you want to be in?

[Mathew&Bella]

I doubt that I'll have much time to be anywhere but Alpharetta or the northern side of Atlanta proper, but certainly do not mind traveling for a special meal.

The price doesn't matter as much as the quality of the food and the experience. I know several pricy restaurants here in the LA Area that differ vastly in quality. I also know a few very modestly priced restaurants that deserve just as much (or more) praise as the fanciest place in town!

[sweettea1]

Pasta Vino
Exit 10
Best Italian in Atlanta

[billl]

If you're in the Alpharetta/Johns Creek area and want a different experience, try Sia's on Medlock Bridge. It's pricey but its wonderful food and a good experience. The fare is fusion food, with influences from french, asian, and southwestern cuisine. Dress is business casual and it is politely enforced (i.e.: no jeans and no shorts).

Sia's Restaurant - Creative American Cuisine

(Warning: the website has obnoxious music)

I've also enjoyed the tapas menu at Blue Grotto, which has restaurants in Johns Creek and Sandy Springs: Blue Grotto - Tapas Bistro, Atlanta, GA

I haven't come across any places that serve superior food at a modest price. They probably exist, but I haven't found them yet. There was a mexican place by our house that I was very impressed with, but sadly they didn't survive more than a few months. Most of the fare in the north suburbs is predictable chain restaurants. Usually satisfying, but unremarkable.

[VJP]

Di Paolo on Holcomb Bridge. Albeit not in alpharetta.

[rackensack]

On the Atlanta Cuisine message boards, the northern Atlanta suburbs are often derided as "BOA", short for "Bloomin' Onion Acres", in reference to the inexplicable crowds at places like Outback, Red Lobster, Chilis, etc. While that reputation is indisputably deserved, there are some exceptions hidden here and there. Probably the favorite foodie destination in this part of the world is Little Alley, a tapas-style place in a strip shopping center on Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell, between Alpharetta Highway and GA 400. The interior is tasteful and nice, however, and the food is superb. Red Salt is a pub in downtown Roswell specializing in a comfort-good style menu that just opened, and my understanding is that the ownership is connected in some way with Little Alley -- haven't been there yet myself.

Sedgwick Restaurant Group operates a couple of places in Alpharetta and Roswell -- Vinny's on Windward (on Windward Parkway in Alpharetta) and Bistro VG on Crossville Road on the west side of Roswell -- that are good, with good atmosphere, though not brilliant. Aqua Blue on Holcomb Bridge Road east of 400 has excellent food, heavy on seafood with an Asian twist (including a selection of sushi) in a very adult, non-chain setting (but probably nothing you can't get done as well or better in Long Beach); the same owners have a pub in John's Creek at Jones Bridge Road and Old Alabama Road, called Marlow's Tavern, that has very high-quality food in a more casual , but still upscale, setting.

A little farther afield, Ritter's on Lower Roswell Road in East Cobb County is what you wish all those chain places around the malls were like: comfortable, casual, welcoming surroundings, with good food prepared well.

For great food in a much more casual, informal environment, Bill Greenwood has two places on Green Street in downtown Roswell -- Greenwoods on Green Street is best described as a Southern meat-and-three place as it might have been run by a 300-pound Alice Waters disciple in an old house in Berkeley in 1972. The biggest part of the dining area is made up of an old log cabin from Kentucky that's been grafted onto the side of the house, with no mortar between the logs of the interior walls, so that they function more as screens or dividers rather than walls. The whole is wrapped up with outdoor dining patios that are screened from the street by walls and a profusion of plants. (OK, the Alice Waters bit oversells it somewhat, but it's the best way to convey something of the sensibility). Portions are insanely large, however, which perversely keeps many people from having room for the pies, which may be even better than the rest of the food.

Across the street, Swallow at the Hollow offers up extremely good barbecue and ribs, sides, and amazing biscuits and cabin bread in an old barn; after 8 pm on Friday and Saturday nights it's also a live music venue, affiliated with the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, bringing in rising Nashville-singer-songwriter types.

Neither SATH or Greenwoods are open on Mondays or Tuesdays.

That's a start, anyway. Let us know what does or doesn't appeal about those and we'll try to refine or come up with more suggestions.

[dens]

I am a food snob as well...here are my recommendations
I am very familiar with this area as I live off Exit 9
Try Vinnys on Winward off Exit 11. Cabernet is up there too....never been there as I do not like steak but hear good things
Try Bistro VG in Roswell....right by Alpharetta
Also I used to live in Long Beach years ago and loved this place called 555...does it even exist anymore...right on Ocean.
I am not a fan of Alpharetta area restaurants but you seem trapped there...now open it up to Buckhead and I can come up with great places.

[CMMom]

I had an excellent meal last night in downtown Historic Roswell at a brand new restaurant called Indigo. It's their first week in operation, so no web site yet. It's on Canton St. in the former Yellowfin location. The chef is excellent, and has cooked several times at the Beard House (no small feat). Excellent wine list as well.

Good steakhouses in Alpharetta include Cabernet and Pampas Argentinian Steakhouse. Pampas is not like the Brazilian steakhouse deals we have here; it is authentic Argentinian food.

I had a good meal recently at Trattoria 141 as well (Italian). It's a little further down Old Milton Parkway toward Duluth/Johns Creek, but not too far from Alpharetta.