Bistro Niko – Video Feature

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Categories: Food, Video

Goin’ Coastal

More than three quarters of the earth is covered by oceans and they contain 80 percent of all life on the planet. Yet the majority of this water is either fished at capacity or overfished. Our eating habits drive the market so it’s important for us to choose sustainable seafood options.

Enter Goin’ Coastal, a neighborhood restaurant opening this week in Virginia-Highland with a Southern focus on fresh fish and seafood. The new joint is avidly committed to only serving fish that are caught with consideration for their long-term viability and done so without harming the oceans’ ecosystem. As executive chef Zach Kell told us, not only are sustainable fishing practices the responsible way to go, they deliver the highest quality and best tasting seafood.

We had a chance to check out the laid-back spot before it opened and try out a few selections from the menu, which features seasonal and locally sourced options. Memorable fare included Fried Gator Tail, She Crab Soup, Coastal Scallops, and Yellowfin Tuna with Mango. Not to mention, they served some of the best hush puppies we’ve had in Atlanta.

With an atmosphere surrounded with old fishing photos, weathered lumber and chalkboards noting the daily catch, Goin’ Coastal should fit right in with its neighbors at N. Highland and Virginia Ave.

Categories: Food

Hemingway

“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived that distinguish one man from another.”distinguish one man from another.”

If Ernest Hemingway were still alive today, the sportsman, soldier, Nobel Prize-winning writer and man of adventure would turn 111 this month. To pay homage to the legend, and to help distinguish your own life, take on one of these Hemingway-themed experiences:

Read: A Farewell to Arms
One of our most revered American writers, Hemingway is known for his straightforward prose and terse dialogue. Loosely based on his own experience in World War I, this classic novel is a journey through courage, manhood and the crushing weight of the world.

Run: With the Bulls
Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises put this thrill-seeking tradition in Spain on the map. We’ve experienced this mythical adventure first-hand, but nothing we tell you can replace the raw adrenaline you feel when a 1,000 pound bull barrels towards you on the streets of Pamplona.

Wear: Thomas Raymond & Co’s Hemingway Footwear
When he won the Nobel Prize in 1954, Time magazine called Hemingway “a globe-trotting expert on bullfights, booze, women, wars, big game hunting, deep sea fishing, and courage.” If you want to follow in his footsteps, you’ll need a good pair of shoes to pull all that off.

Watch: To Have and Have Not
Hemingway’s novel of the same name was adapted for film in 1945 featuring a sultry on-screen (and off-screen) romance between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The classic film noir follows a tough expat fishing boat captain who becomes a smuggler in the Caribbean.

Head: To Hemingway Days Festival in Key West
In the 1930s Hemingway lived, sailed, fished and wrote in Key West. The remote Southern island is proud of its one-time resident and celebrates his birthday with a festival July 20-25 that includes a $50,000 marlin tournament, a white beard look-alike contest, and a short story competition led by his granddaughter.

Categories: Attire, Culture, Events & Activities

Lightning Bolt

Back in the ‘70s, Lightning Bolt was one of the most iconic surf brands of its day. Somewhere along the way the label wiped out, but recently the company was relaunched, bringing back its old school style of surfwear. For its 2010 summer line, Lightning Bolt went back to its roots to craft deigns authentic to the originals. Headed by Jonathan Paskowitz, pro-surfer and one of nine kids raised in the bohemian “first family of surfing,” Bolt hopes its return inspires more of a classic look at the beach.

It’s good to see a brand that has some history make its way back on the scene. It’s also good timing since the cuts have returned to where they should be (above the knees, guys).

Check out their Pelican, Backdoor Pipe, and Pipe Classic boardshorts on their website along with old photos from the original Lightning Bolt surfing team. Select items are available at Bill Hallman in Atlanta or online at Revolve Clothing.

Categories: Attire

Top 25 BBQ Recipes

Grilling BBQ should be fun, relaxing and rewarding. That is the thought behind Adam Perry Lang’s newest book: BBQ 25 – The World’s Most Flavorful Recipes Now Made Foolproof.

Lang, a veteran of La Cirque and Daniel in NYC and current “meat maestro” of Mario Batali’s Italian steakhouse Carnevino, released this, his second title, as a follow up to his New York Times bestseller and comprehensive guide to outdoor cooking, Serious Barbecue.

BBQ 25, a collection of the 25 recipes “you will use 95% of the time” – is a distilled field guide for any man looking to serve flavorful meals while working with limited resources. Each recipe is designed to maximize results in minimum time. It includes directions that are visual, easy to follow, and contains steps for preparations and cooking method, making the marinade and grilling process equally manageable. The book is chocked full of color photographs and utensil pictorials to illustrate the grilling process and presentation.

Lang’s advice, “Sometimes all you want is instant gratification. Relax, have fun, embrace simple ingredients and make them into something spectacular. Enjoy the stuff that surrounds you, and cook while having a beer, hanging with your family or watching a game with your friends. You want recipes that are straightforward, easy-to-follow and look really professional, with flavors that blow your mind.” Sounds good to us. $12.65

Categories: Food, Knowledge