Gravity Pub (Atlanta Georgia) - Dive Bar

Gravity Pub
Dive Bar
East Atlanta
1257 Glenwood Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30316-1964
(404) 627-5555
http://www.gravitypub.com/

DARIO THE AVERAGE MAN WRITES:

The Foodie has been telling about Gravity Pub since last year. She raves about how it is such a great place and how she  loves to hang out there and play the jukebox. To be honest, I never really thought that I would like Gravity Pub. I went in fully expecting some weird hippy bar but wait.........................It was a weird hippy bar but it actually did have a unique vibe.

It was not crowded at all which I really like and it had a very homely feeling even though it was my first time there. Have you ever been somewhere and enjoyed yourself and then when someone asks you why, you don't have an answer. Well, that is how Gravity Pub was for me. We sat in a booth with wooden seats and the only entertainment was a jukebox and an interesting battle of the minds of the sexes. Why do women not want certain men yet they want that guy to want them? Hmmmmmm... Think about that ladies and get back to me so I can write a book and make a million dollars. Anyhow, I guess I should say something about the food. I orderd some hot wings. Excuse Me....... SOME HOT AS HELL WINGS!!!!!!!!!!

Oops, did I put that picture up? Sorry, I meant HOT AS HELL WINGS!!!!! Aaah, that's better.

They were very hot and I can't remember up to this very moment why garlic flavored wings tasted like drummettes dipped in Cayenne Pepper. Aside from having swollen lips everytime I took a bite, the wings were actually a lot tastier than I thought they would be. Nonetheless, I experienced first hand that Gravity Pub is definitely not about the food, music or much of anything but again somehow, I will go back. Crazy huh? Don't ask me.......I guess it is just one of those things. It is kind of like when people use "THUNK". It makes no sense at all but you still say it. I said it yesterday.

( B-) - Good Homely Atmosphere To Hang Out With Friends

Happy Eating,
Dario "The Average Man" Mobley

The Vortex Bar & Grill (Atlanta, Georgia) - American (Traditional)

The Vortex Bar & Grill
American (Traditional)
(404) 688 1828
Little 5 Points
438 Morehead Avenue
Atlanta Georgia, 30307
http://www.thevortexbarandgrill.com/


BIG FAT CHILI DOG
Cover out big weenie with one of three styles of homemade chilis, shredded jack & cheddar cheeses and diced red onions. It's big, fat and messy.                                                                                         6.50

The Porter Beer Bar (Atlanta,Georgia) - American, Bar Food

The Porter Beer Bar
American, Bar Food
Lower Five Points
1156 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA
(404) 223-0393 ‎
theporterbeerbar.com


DARIO "THE AVERAGE MAN" WRITES:

 
The Foodie and I really did plan to leave the house a lot earlier than we did. We were scheduled to go to the Little Five Points Halloween Parade at 4:00 pm so the plan was to sit down and get some food at about 2:00 pm. So, at 3:00pm, we finally arrived at The Porter. Wow, I wonder if we are both turning into complete and utterly ridicolous procrastinators.
 

Anyhow, we did get there and there were two things that were really good about this place. Firstly, even though there were tons of people there, we got seated really fast. That was refreshing. The second thing was that they served brunch until 4 pm on Saturday. Initially, I was not in the mood for brunch but after scanning their menu, nothing really reached out and grabbed me. At that point, the Foodie informed me that The Porter served brunch. I scanned through the brunch menu and quickly decided on this:

Stu’s Biscuits n’ Gravy* 9.75

chicken sausage gravy, scrambled eggs
Items with a * Get a choice of potatoes resole or southern style cheese grits

I got the southern style cheese grits for my other item and I have to say that the food was amazing. I really liked the country gravy prepared over the eggs and the biscuits. I was actually searching for my eggs when my food initially arrived to my table but after I cut into the dish, I realized my eggs were just underneath the gravy. The gravy had a really zesty, slightly spicy flavor and that did the trick for me. The Foodie did not like it but I really did. She ordered the Shrimp and Grits dish but I did not taste it this time because I had my own side of cheese grits. I just realized that we really eat a HELL OF A LOT of grits. Wow, before I started visiting Atlanta frequently, I characterized grits as a cheap meal along the lines of syrup sandwiches, butter sandwiches, grilled cheese and ketchup packets. I don't feel bad now because just about every restaurant in Atlanta serves grits and that makes it seem much more than an aboriginal American corn-based food common in the Southern United States consisting of coarsely ground corn. Can you tell I copied that definition from Wikipedia? I must tell you that the wikipedia definition and adding shrimp to the dish makes it SUPER classy. I use the word super way too much by the way.

Wow...... It actually does look better it that picture. I feel really really classy now. I better stop watching VH1 reality TV now. I mean.......I better stop mistakenly watching VH1 reality TV. Anyhow, the shrimp and grits served in Atlanta is slowly erasing my asscociation of grits as the porridge that the Bears were eating in the Goldilocks fairy tale.:

Anyhow, everything turned out really well and we finished our food in nick of time. We got to the parade at 3:55 and enjoyed ourselves. My grade of The Porter is:

A - Good Food and Fairly Quick Service

Happy Eating
Dario "The Average Man" Mobley

Tijuana Flats (Altamonte Springs,FL) -Mexican

Tijuana Flats
Mexican
(407) 478-5974
2401 W State Road 434
Longwood, FL 32779-3694
(407) 478-5974
www.tijuanaflats.com

Ah, Tijuana Flats.  Not sure I understand the appeal, but maybe it was a case of just ordering the wrong thing.  It's no secret that I'm a die-hard fan on Chipotle - from the soft taco's bread to the white cheese to the awesomely seasoned steak - and it's hard to find a good steak taco to top that.

However, I found my steak taco at Tijuana Flats to be extremely disappointing.  The steak was too salty, the taco was nothing special and the cheese was average.  I did enjoy the restaurant's original concept of a try-any-hot-sauce-you-like bar, which I think is an obvious big-hit with the hot-sauce lovers.



I do love my steak tacos...a lot - and I recommend, if you're in the Atlanta area, you stop by Tin Lizzy's for some of the amazing and affordable variety.  And if you're anywhere in the U.S. near at Chipotle, then you already know what the deal is. :)



Always hungry,

Angela "The Foodie"

Cuba Libre Restaurant-Rum Bar (Orlando,Florida)- Cuban

Cuba Libre Restaurant-Rum Bar
Cuban Cuisine
(407) 226-1600
9101 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819-8124
http://www.cubalibrerestaurant.com/



Papas Rellenas
Roasted garlic potato croquettes filled with beef picadillo. Sweet and spicy guajillo pepper sauce, crispy onions and Manchego crema

Tres Amigos
Trio of empanadas on tomatillo relish: Beef picadillo, olives and raisinsChicken, corn and Jack cheesePulled pork, roasted poblano and charred tomatoes.Baby spinach salad, goat cheese ranch dressing


Camarones con Cana
Pan seared sugarcane skewered jumbo shrimp, mango BBQ glaze. Crispy Anaheim pepper stuffed with creamy quinoa, sweet potato and cheese. Roasted Cubanelle crema. Guacamole Cubano.



Paella Nueva
A paella of pan roasted Mahi-Mahi, shrimp, clams, mussels, squid and black rice. "Mojito" salsa verde and chipotle allioli.

Lil Dizzy's Cafe(New Orleans, Louisiana)- Cajun, Creole

Lil Dizzy's Cafe
Cajun/Creole/Louisiana, Coffeehouse/Cafe
(504) 569-8997
1500 Esplanade Ave
New Orleans, LA 70116-1805

DARIO "THE AVERAGE MAN" WRITES:

"How yall doing?"

"If you ain't got your name on the list, please see my right now"

"I don't want to hear that bullshit."

"Tell him to get me a bus pan....... Right now!!!!!! "

"If I was not here, this place will be outta control"

Those were the many sounds uttered out of the Creole-Cajun owner of Lil Dizzy's Cafe. I want to be clear when I say that Lil Dizzy's is small, cluttered, noisy and the service was not the greatest. Really, this place was almost like waiting in line at your favorite club.

The most surprising thing about my experience at Lil Dizzy's is that everything that would typically make a  restaurant experience horrible actually contributed to the uniqueness of this place. The crowded, cluttered feel with the unedited dialect actually made it feel like I was eating at a family member's house for Thanksgiving or some other holiday. Strangely, I enjoyed that type of environment because it put me in a state of relaxation and comfortablity. With all the forgetting to bring silverware and the owner using foul language to get his crew running right came the best and most unique brunch that any place in the world can offer in my opinion. It can only be done like this in New Orleans. Here is what the buffet consisted off:

Macaroni & Cheese, Gumbo, Ribs, Fried Chicken, Hot Sausage, Eggs, Grits, Creole Potatoes, Red Beans

Yes!!!!!! I actually ate Ribs, Grits, Hot Sausage, Eggs and Red Beans all in the same meal. Wow, doesn't that sound like the most diverse meal you can ever have? The diversity of the Brunch Menu was almost like watching an episode of Grey's Anatomy.

Anyway, THE FOOD WAS ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, AMAZINGLY PERFECT. That is what I call an overuse of adverbs......... or adjectives.......How about just an overuse of words? Anyhow, a restaurant in New Orleans rarely ever fails to deliver in  unique cuisine flavor and Lil Dizzy's definitely followed that trend.

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!!!!!

Laissez les bons temps rouler is a commonly used phrase in New Orleans. It is one of those weird sayings that you will know if you are from the "Big Easy". This phrase often comes up during Mardi Gras season on local T.V. and radio. It is said to be some sort of  French phrase that means "let the good times roll". I read that it was originally attributed to the Cajuns whose French ancestors came to live in Lousiana in the pre-colonial days.

Lil Dizzy's delivered tremendously and good times were rolling baby. In fact, the good times were rolling up until the point when I got home. I realized that I went to a buffet and messed around and gouged myself.

A - Great Food with a Homely Feeling

Happy Eating,
Dario "THE AVERAGE MAN" Mobley

Smitty's Seafood (Kenner, Louisiana)- New Orleans Style Seafood

Smitty's Seafood
New Orleans Style
(504) 468-1647
2000 W Esplanade Ave
Kenner, LA 70065

Catering, Fresh & Boiled Seafood, Hot Lunches, Shrimp, Seafood Boils & Fish Frys, Seafood Boats, Platters, Oysters, Overstuffed Po-Boys, Etoufee, Fish Fry's, Gumbo, Jambalaya, On Your Site Seafood Boils


Good Service
Went Twice
Shrimp - overcooked
Hot Sausage - not great