Haven Restaurant and Bar, Brookhaven
I went to Haven in Brookhaven last night, in the cute new area cropping up on Dresden where Verde is (GREAT taco spot with organic and gluten-free options). The ambience was a sort of casual but upscale, with most patrons (well-to-do professionals still in their business clothes) eating and drinking at the bar. One wall is covered with wine bottles and allows on-lookers to peak into a partially open kitchen.
Tuesday nights they feature a burger special, where you can order the burger with all the fixins they have put together, along with one drink off a list of about 4 white wines, 4 reds, and 6 beers or so; all for $15. It’s a pretty good deal considering regular menu entrees are $20 to $30, and the burger will melt in your mouth. This is not for the picky eaters though – there are no substitutions on the burger. Check it out if you’re looking for a delicious but wallet-conscious meal with a more upscale vibe on Tuesday.
www.havenrestaurant.com
Lobby at Twelve, Atlantic Station
“I had heard about that restaurant in the lobby of Twelve Hotel in Atlantic Station, but I have never been there.” This was the reaction I got from most people when telling them I was having dinner at Lobby at Twelve. I can see why. While the main sign is on the right side of the complex, the restaurant is on the left; and the door that has a sign on it for the restaurant is blocked to traffic, and the actual entrance has no indication of what is inside.
Have no fear – here’s the deal. When you turn onto 17th Street, the restaurant is just on the left, almost on the corner. Turn into the ovular parking area in front of the restaurant / hotel / Kay Jewelers. There is complimentary valet for three hours for those dining at Lobby, and if the valet attendants do not approach you immediately, be patient; or, you can find them inside the lobby of the hotel. Also, they have a great website with directions, that you can access here.
I was pleased I stuck it out through figuring out the entrance and parking situation. Lobby is well decorated, with rich brown colors and an upscale but not stuffy feel. The friendly staff is eager to direct you toward their seating options; either at the circular bar, in the lounge area, or in the main dining room. They also have a long food bar where you can sit at stools and look into the kitchen. Friday and Saturday nights, Lobby features a live band in the lounge, playing mainly R & B classics. The singer has a fantastic voice and did justice to the timeless tunes he played.
Lobby is one of the very few restaurants in town that offers drink specials on Friday and Saturday nights. Their “Reserve” wine list, usually “reserved” for those you can afford a bottle of wine for $84 and up, features 50% off every bottle on the weekends. Their list is very comprehensive but not overwhelming, and some of the bottles on the list are an absolute steal for the half-off price.
I will definitely go back here for the wine and music. The food, well, it was good. It really was. But it wasn’t great. The menu features such usuals as calamari, Caesar salad, iceberg wedge with blue cheese and toasted nuts, salmon and risotto, and an ahi tuna entrée. What I tried of those were good – executed well. I was looking for more creativity. When I try a new restaurant, I want to try food that I’ve never had, and frankly I have had salmon and risotto before. Their menu also includes several brick oven pizzas, which truly are delicious. We had the veggie one – eggplant and asparagus I believe. The crust was thin and crisped just enough, and the cheese was perfectly melted.
Good for:
- great, cheap bottles of wine
- good music
- a small group outing (4 to 6 people)
Uncle Julio’s, Sandy Springs
I was generously invited to the VIP soft opening of the new Uncle Julio’s in Sandy Springs. It’s the franchise’s second location in Atlanta (the first is in Midtown), and it was my first taste of this upscale Mexican restaurant. I had a little trouble finding the Sandy Springs location, in the Perimeter Square Center at the corner of Peachtree-Dunwoody and Hammond Drive. If you’re looking it up on a GPS or Mapquest, it will guide you down Hammond, but you can find it best by turning on Peachtree-Dunwoody.
Once we found the building, the complimentary valet was a plus. The restaurant is on the corner lot of a complex, and the exterior is almost completely glass. They have wrapping patios around the first and second floor, and some dared to sit outside even on this chilly November evening. We were greeted by several parties upon arrival and swiftly informed about the “deal” for the night. Sometimes when I go to a new place, I am not exactly sure what to expect or where to go when I get there, but the professional staff at Uncle Julio’s were clear with their instructions and my options.
Ok, so they put some serious dough into this place. The entire interior was designed to look like a “traditional” Mexican hacienda – and an upscale one at that. It houses extravagant chandeliers, Mexican tiled accents on the walls, a grand staircase up to the second floor, and more. There is a bar on the first floor and another on the second, with plenty of seating and big screen TVs for the happy hour and sports crowds. Their drink list is long enough that anyone can find what he or she is looking for without being overwhelmed by the choices. I recommend a Cadillac Margarita on the rocks with 1200 Anejo – delicious!
I did say this is an “upscale” Mexican restaurant, so do not expect $3 beef tacos here. The menu is priced for a more business professional clientele with the dough to spend. I was feeling adventurous (after all, I wasn’t paying for the food), so I ordered the Matamoros – frog legs with drawn butter and steak and chicken fajitas. It came with rice and charros beans as well, and was way too much food for just me. So although the entrees are priced from about $17 to $25, most could easily feed two people. Note to self: next time, come with either 1) an appetite, or 2) a companion. My “plus one” had the Guadalajara, which was also chicken and steak fajitas, charros beans, and rice, but it had butterflied shrimp stuffed with seasoned crab meat and bacon wrapped – absolutely delicious! They were grilled just enough to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, sprinkled with lemon juice and drizzled with a tad of drawn butter; they melted in my mouth. Uncle Julio’s sticks mostly to the usual upscale Mexican dishes but cooks them well and offers a bit of the more unusual fair with dishes like frog legs and quail.
I completely appreciate well-cooked and clever food, but I am really a stickler for good service and ambience, and I would have to give Uncle Julio’s a 9 on both. (sorry, 10s are reserved for perfection, and very few are perfect). I am always excited to discover a place with good drinks and a great patio, and I cannot wait for the weather to get warm again so I can catch happy hour on their deck. The décor is “authentic” without being cheesy, and the staff was overly helpful, well-spoken, and professional. They have obviously been trained well, and as an ex-food and beverage employee, I appreciate that greatly.
In a tamale husk, you have got to check out the new Uncle Julio’s. As of November 17, they are open for lunch and dinner every night. Whether you work in the area and are looking for a new lunch spot or after work happy hour, if you’re sports team is playing, it’s girls’ night, or if you are taking the lady out for a night on the town, Uncle Julio’s can fulfill any of these. Bueno appetito!
