Cafe Istanbul

Cafe Istanbul is a little Turkish haven, somewhere in East Atlanta. To call it a restaurant would be doing this fine, Middle-Eastern Mecca a grave injustice. For Café Istanbul is so much more! The succulent kebobs strike the right note with all those who visit but it’s the ambience – the traditional floor seating, dim ornate lamps, pots and earthenware that authentically decorate every wall, the belly dancing, thick Turkish rugs that trim the walls and cover every inch of the floor and the ubiquitous hookah, that make Café Istanbul an out of the ordinary experience.

We took M&S here, while they were visiting Atlanta. I tried a pomegranate martini and absolutely loved it. They sure do know their alcohol here, that’s all I can say. SK downed a couple of cold Turkish beers. We ordered a sampler from the appetizer menu. The couscous salad, the hummus and the baba ghanoush were my favorite. For the main course, we split a couple of plates of lamb & chicken kebobs. This was served with fragrant jasmine rice.

The highlight of the whole evening though was the apple flavored hookahs that we ordered and the gyrating belly dancer. Ah! To have that figure and fluidity! SK, of course, was a sport and went up and did his version of the shimmy shake with her.

I give this place a big G star.

Pura Vida

Pura Vida was an absolutely wonderful Latino restaurant that we went to a couple of weeks ago. "Pura Vida" is apaprently the most oft' used phrase in Costa Rica. Literally translated, it means "Life is Great" or "Living it Up". That's exactly what this little restaurant in the heart of Virginia Highlands embodies - the constant belting of Salsa numbers, the impromptu dancing and cha-chas and the loud chatter of guests amid the din and clang of glasses and silverware; just my kind of place.

This is a tapas only place. SK had a special sugar-cane Mojito while I had a very potent sangria. We sampled an assortment that included the sizzling mushroom, the salmon which was the day's special, the garlic shrimp and the chicken empanadas. Everything except the shrimp was great. Somehow I always go wrong with shrimp - a tad bit too undone for me. For dessert we had a home-made coffee ice-cream. I would love to go back to Pura Vida, perhaps with a big bunch of friends. Until then, 'Live it Up!

Thrive

Thrive; yet another chic lounge in downtown Atlanta. Located in the Centennial Towers, Thrive is the perfect melting pot for the after-hour work crowd. The seating plush, service impeccable and food as good as any of the other lounges I've been to in recent times.

Thrive has a wide sushi bar. I, however, opted for the regular menu. It boasted many unusual items including arugula, edamame and halibut. The most noteworthy item, to me, was the french onion soup. It was served in an oversized, scooped out white onion with a warm roll of bread. Delicious! Though there was nothing you could fault this place with, I know I wont willingly visit again. Some inexplicable vibe left me feeling a little out of sorts... go figure!

Eros

Eros - World Tapas Bar, opened its doors about 3 months ago in Buckhead, Atlanta. It's one of the biggest restaurants I've seen so far. They boast a circular bar, ample indoor dining and of course a huge patio overlooking Piedmont Road. On certain nights, the patio is converted to a dance floor with a live DJ. At Eros, everything is blue. The light fixtures, the menu and the tableware; baby blue is the theme; an unusal choice for a tapas bar, I think!

The food, as the name suggets, is from all around the world. From Japanese sushi to British fish and chips to Indian kebabs, there are at least fifteen different countries represented on the menu. The tapas were all $5 on an average. My favorite was the dessert; banana flambe with ice-cream. The baklava seemed equally tempting; maybe next-time!

Straits

Straits is a restaurant that recently opened its doors in Buckhead, Atlanta. It’s a part of a chain, with its flagship restaurant in San Francisco. The cuisine is primarily Singaporean with a fusion of other Asian cuisines as well. Straits is owned by the one and only Ludacris so needless to say this place is super chic and pretty pricey!

SK took us here for my birthday this year. The food was excellent. I would suggest the Potong Kari Ayam; a traditional Singaporean curried chicken served with Jasmine rice. The plating was excellent and they have really pretty dinnerware. The best part though was dessert; a fancy concoction of strawberries, vanilla ice cream and chocolate. They even had a candle for me to blow out!

Unlike most restaurants that close early on weekdays, Straits is open until much later and even on a week-day they had a steady stream of customers. The music is loud, the lights dim and the crowd trendy. Good choice SK.

Eclipse di Luna

Eclipse di Luna is perhaps the best tapas restaurant that Dunwoody has to offer. I've been here twice in the recent months and both times was amazed by just how crowded and popular this place seems to be. The tag line says ' A Different State of Mind' and that's perhaps pretty accurate. You have to be in a mood to kick back and enjoy a leisurely time with friends and let the sizzling chic undertone that this restaurant offers seep in.

The outdoor seating is great with the wrought iron furniture and the live band playing inside adds to the uniqueness of this place. They have a wide assortment of tapas. I have enjoyed the spiced potatoes and the fried calamari the most. However, what takes the cake is the cake, literally! The Tres Leche on the dessert menu is a soft sponge cake soaked in cream and an assortment of other ingredients that were simply mouth watering. So the next time you want to dine at the Perimeter, stop by Eclipse di Luna. It’s worth it.

Strip

Strip is yet another trendy restaurant prominently located in the heart of Atlantic Station. It belongs to the immensely successful heretoserve chain of restaurants and is just as popular as Twist, Shout or any of the others.

Strip primarily serves steaks and sushi so unless you enjoy one of these foods I would not recommend this restaurant to you. In spite of the expansive salon, the open patio and the rooftop, this restaurant is always teeming with Atlanta’s hippest looking for the perfect weekend hotspot. A reservation is therefore absolutely necessary. I think it’s a perfect place to lounge around with friends, especially if you’re not overly concerned about spending too much! I’ve been here just once, more than a year ago, and had an absolutely swell time.

The picture alongside at Strip is definitely one that goes down memory lane.

Shout

Shout is a chic lounge located in the heart of midtown, on 14th street to be precise. It’s probably one of the hippest places that Atlanta has to offer. There’s always a Hummer or two idling right outside, people milling around waiting for tables, a steady hum of hip-hop and fluorescent lighting that boldly states ‘Shout’.

I don’t think that Shout caters just the one cuisine. They have tapas that range from sushi platters to noodle bowls to samosas. The samosas are actually pretty good; just for kicks ask your server what a ‘samosa’ is. It’s entertaining when he describes it as an Indian pâté stuffed with vegetables.

The dining area is pretty huge and the mirrored walls give it an illusion of being even bigger than it really is. The seating is intimate; there are cozy booths that are big enough for a group of friends and tables for two that allow for close conversation. The kitchen is in full view of the tables and you can see the chefs and the sous chefs in action. Shout also serves a type of ‘Roomali Roti’ which the chef will make in front of you; roti twisted and thrown up in the air with a whole lot of pizzazz! More than the food however, I think this place is infamous for its bar.

They also have a roof-top that is usually reserved for private functions. When not in use, they have a live band and the dance floor is open for all. Their tagline states - Food Fun Flirt. I think it's all that and more.

Twist

I’ve been to this midtown sushi bar a couple of times, and have always left satisfied. It is absolutely necessary to make a reservation, else be prepared to wait for a good forty-five minutes or so. Twist is loud, chic and relatively expensive. It has outdoor seating as well as an extensive bar and saloon. This is not a family place. It’s pretty versatile though; a good place for a girl’s night out, to catch up with friends or for a hot date.

The service is quick and the complimentary assortment of breadsticks with the little mound of butter is absolutely delicious. Apart from their extensive sushi menu, they also have a regular menu with quite a few items that are worth writing home about. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Spanish style fried potatoes and the calamari. To me though, the most notable item on their menu is on the dessert section: the chocolate fondue, served with fresh fruits and marshmallows.

Twist is located at Phipps Plaza at Lennox Square. It belongs to same group that owns Noche, Posh & Strip, amongst others. If I had to use one word to describe all of them it would be ‘stylish’. There’s an AMC movie theatre in the same plaza; I think a midnight show is a good way to end the night.

Twist definately gets a G-Star.

Noche

Ah! Virginia Highlands. I’d love to live there. There’s something so up-market about Virginia Highlands that I can’t help liking that place. If you drive too fast, you’ll definitely miss this restaurant. It seems like a tiny, little bistro from the outside but once you enter you’ll realize it opens up into a wide airy patio. I think it’s a perfect place for a nice romantic dinner. Candles on the table, cosy tables for two, soft lights, the works! The most distinctive feature of Noche is that the style of the menu is like none other. They do not have appetizers, salads and entrees. The have an eclectic variety of different foods, small-portioned and all served at rates ranging from $4 - $6. Definately try the cheese platter.

Parking, a tad bit of a problem.


I give this place a G-Star.