Urban pL8
Let’s get one thing out of the way: every time we see the name “Urban pL8” it makes us think of a boy band or a hip hop artist. Thankfully, the food and the atmosphere trump the name on the door. Chef/owner Betsy Pitts, a Bacchanalia and Floataway Café alum, prepares flavorful food in the midst of a place that’s comfortable and affordable.
The menu has quite a range and changes frequently to adjust to seasonal, local ingredients. For dinner we tried and liked the mushroom pizza with mozzarella, tomatoes and green onion; the vegetable and brown rice stir-fry; and pan-seared scallops with sundried tomatoes. We went back for brunch and enjoyed the turkey sausage and red pepper scramble with Vidalia onion, collard greens and feta; and the veggie scramble with cheddar and salsa.
Tucked off Huff road on the Westside, the look is a simple, garage space in one big room including the bar and kitchen. If the weather’s nice, take advantage of their covered patio situated next to a functioning vegetable and herb garden.
The food selection, space and service at Urban pL8 all has a very laidback, inattentive feel to it, but that’s part of the appeal. Although it’s not upscale, don’t rule it out as a date option for a healthy night out. Entrees range from $8 to $17. Dinner is served Wed to Sat, lunch Tue to Fri and brunch on Sat and Sun.
Courtesy of Farm Burger
Gourmet burgers are all the rage these days, but one new beef shack wants you to get below the chargrilled surface and ask, “What am I eating and where was it raised?”
Located in Decatur, Farm Burger has an answer: southeastern cows that are 100% grass-fed and free from antibiotics and hormones; the meat is then aged two-weeks before being ground daily. All this, they hope, produces a delicious and ethical burger.
Well, they’re right. The burgers we had were fantastic. Their menu is simple: a handful of house specialty burgers and a generous list of ingredients for those wishing to build their own. We tried the No. 1 Farm Burger, the No. 4 (topped with pickled beets, green garlic, arugula, lara chenel goat cheese and mayo) and two custom-designed burgers; one with tomatoes, smoked paprika mayo, arugula, caramelized onions, gruyere and house-cured bacon. We also tried the sweet potato and FB fries (spicy garlic, herbs, parmesan) which were both good, not excellent, though a side of the Farm Burger dipping sauce gave them some extra umph.
Farm Burger serves a limited selection of beer and wine as well as salads for those who wish to balance the red meat. The salad we tried was surprisingly flavorful; the seasonal ingredients leaving their mark.
The small, but comfortable space resembles what a burger-serving hipster barn should look like. The feel is clean and modern, yet generously warmed with lots of wood. You stand in line to order, so try to arrive a little before the normal lunch/dinner hour to get a jump on the crowd. Farm Burger
Louisana Crawfish Co.
Spring is by far the best season in Atlanta. The city comes to life through its blooming azaleas, dogwoods and bradford pears. However, that’s not all. The people of Atlanta emerge, ready to soak in the sun, enjoy our patios and decks, and begin the warm-weather ritual of outdoor cooking.
While traditional backyard fare around the city consists of chicken, pork, burgers and steaks, we know there is a underground club of devotees who are quietly longing for something else: the savory bayou delicacy of crawfish.
Mudbugs, as the committed call them, are the South’s lobsters. Salty, juicy and terrifically messy, consuming them is truly full contact eating. However, where to find them is the standing issue for Atlantans. Paying for overpriced, undersized portions at the local bar is for beginners. The experienced want them fresh, large, and lots of them.
Enter the Louisana Crawfish Co. This family-run company is arguably the best in the business at raising and shipping fresh, LIVE (when in season, Jan. – June, frozen when out of season) crawfish anywhere in the country via FedEx overnight. Prices for live crawfish run $3.69 – $6 per pound, minimum order of 10 pounds, but they recommend three pounds per person when coupled with corn and potatoes (overnight shipping is included in the price).
The company also sells all the spices, seasoning and cooking gear you will need and will talk you through the elements of a great boil if you give them a call. Additionally, they offer a variety of other foods, including Alligator, Turtle, Turduckens, and Gulf Shrimp.
We first used them last summer and found their customer service was fantastic, their packaging solid and the taste didn’t miss a beat.
©iStockphoto.com/antb
“Street food” may be getting some traction as a trend in cuisine circles but it’s still not a common phrase you hear much yet around Atlanta. Chef Deedee Niyomkul, the daughter of the owner of the famed Nan Thai and Tamarind Seed, hopes to change that with Tuk Tuk. Named after the small, three-wheel taxi found in the heart of Bangkok, Tuk Tuk attempts to bring the food of Thailand’s street vendors into the former Taurus location at the edge of Buckhead and Midtown.
As far as the atmosphere, the only thing remotely close to the feel of a Bangkok street is the option to sit on their superb second-story patio looking out over the traffic on Peachtree. Beyond that, the dining room is a clean, modern Asian space that doesn’t inspire you, but it also doesn’t detract from the food either.
Hardcore dining critics can dive into the debate of what exactly on the menu constitutes “street food.” Our experience at Tuk Tuk delivered a good balance of traditional Thai favorites and casual small plates that ventured into a mix of authentic and modern creations. We tried and liked the Mieng Kum, Moo Yang, Pad Zee U, and Kra Pow Moo. Most small plates and entrees run $8 to $14.
When individuals join together behind a shared vision of service, powerful things can happen. This is exactly what a de facto group of young Atlantans have done for the Atlanta Youth Academy, a revolutionary school that provides holistic, private-school quality education to the less fortunate in Atlanta. The Friends of AYA was formed seven years ago to formalize the passion so many in Atlanta feel for the school. The group holds top-notch social events several times a year to continue raising awareness and funds to help the organization.
Thursday, April 22, the Friends will be hosting a Southern Shrimp Boil at the Atlanta Brewing Company. With the city finally warming up, there’s hardly a better time to enjoy some beverages and low country boil, all the while supporting a great cause. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 onsite and include your drink and grub. You can purchase tickets online here.
Atlanta Brewing Company is located at 2323 Defoor Hills Rd. NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. (404) 355.5558.
