welcome to elaney!

Those of you that know us well (and particularly our co-workers) know that we love a good sandwich.  It’s one of the many things that we got from emum, and we really took this one and ran with it (wish some of the other emum virtues had been so adamantly adopted).  We will spare you the details of our love affair with the turkey sandwich (we can’t complain about people talking about their eating habits on facebook and then do the same thing here), but just trust us: we love a sandwich for lunch.  That’s why we were delighted to discover this list of 14 best sandwiches in Atlanta (btw, DailyCandy is great again.  We just rejoined and love their redesign – much smarter.  Even stole the post title).  #1 is Victory Sandwich Bar in Inman Park…which we’ve been dying to try.  Plus, the list includes one of our other random favorite finds:  Papi’s (a hole in the wall cuban restaurant in Midtown).  Bun appetit!

As is the meal!  We’ve been wanting to try STG Trattoria since it opened, despite its opening to mixed reviews.  The AJC gave it 2 out of 5 stars, and we’d heard so-so anecdotal responses as well.  So why did we want to try it?  Few of the obvious reasons:  Italian is our favorite, we love trying the new spot in town, it’s in our neighborhood, yada yada.  However, we really wanted to try it because it was opened by the owner of Bocado.  And while we don’t love Bocado (the menu is just weird), we do like that it’s a fun place to have a midrange night out (it’s not Fourth & Swift but it’s not Zoe’s).  And if there is any category of restaurant that Atlanta is missing out on, it’s the nice / midrange spot.

So perhaps it’s because our expectation was low, but we really liked it.  We sat outside, but the inside is really charming too (the entryway doubles as a wine cellar).  We had two apps:  the beet salad and the pork meatballs…both yummy.  And then the pork sausage pizza.  We don’t have the most discerning palate when it comes to pizza napoletana, as we’ve never really met a slice we didn’t like, but we thought this iteration was satisfying as well.

All and all, a good Thursday night restaurant.

As previously mentioned, I am completely obsessed with the new BEP song ironically titled “Just Can’t Get Enough,” and I’ve been listening to it on repeat for 8 days.  On an essentially unrelated-note-but-I-really-just-wanted-to-talk-about-the-BEP-song-again-and-the-name-kind-of-lends itself, I’ve decided officially on my favorite Atlanta restaurant (get it – the one I “Just Can’t Get Enough” of?): Sotto Sotto.

Inman Park’s Sotto Sotto is such a great neighborhood Italian spot.  The atmosphere  has a good “just trendy enough” vibe, the pasta dishes are classic, but taste innovative, and the wine list is filled with tons of delicious wine you’ve never even heard of!  It’s the perfect first date restaurant.  Not to mention, Julianne Hough and Ryan Seacrest have been spotted there numerous times.  Personal favorite dish is Spaghetti Pescatore – rich with scallops, clams, shrimp, and calamari.  Sotto Sotto actually shares a kitchen with Fritti – also a great spot for pizza.

We’ve spent the last two days in downtown Atlanta in trade show craziness, so we have not seen The Bachelor.  And you best not be telling us / posting on Facebook / texting who got sent home after the Fantasy Suites (and yes, we presume that if one of the girls turned it down, she got sent home).  However, while we were not where every self respecting woman should be on a Monday night (glued to her TV), we were in a nice second.  Work dinner at Empire State South.  Apps?  Dessert?  That last glass of wine?  Well, thanks work dinner, don’t mind if I do.

Empire State South does an excellent good of crossing Southern gourmet with a modern feel.  The location is at the top of a high rise downtown, but the second you walk in, you feel like you are an a cozy (yet trendy) kitchen.  The menu includes classics like Shrimp and Grits and pork tenderloin, as well as food for the more adventurous paletes like a Charcuterie app and pork belly (a personal fav – so bad but so good).    Best new spot we’ve tried since Iberian Pig.  High marks!

There is a line in American Wife (probably the highlight of our summer reading) about how being at a community pool with kids splashing and grilled cheeses being grilled at the snack bar and Mickey Mouse ice cream bars on the 10 minute break (oops, may’ve added the last one) represents her feeling as happy as she can possibly be.  Oh!  How we can relate to the sounds and smells of summer at its most honest!  So, what else represents the childlike sensibilities of summer?  Try a popsicle from King of Pops.  Check out the cart of pops at the “corner” of North Ave. & North Highland, right across from Manual’s Tavern, Mon-Fri 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sat-Sun noon to 8 p.m (they are also at Souper Jenny and Irwin Street Market and a few other places).  Delicious, festive, and one more way to stay cool.

Once upon a Columbus, GA, it only took night out a Carrabbas and some Raisinets from Carmike for a happy elaney to make.  Nowadays, we have so much more to choose from and there are so many fun things to do!  Just a few we are looking forward to over the next few weeks:

• Boutique Bargains Clearance Sale:  This weekend July 23-24 is the 2xs a year warehouse sale from boutiques all over ATL.  Featuring merchandise from Lena La Rose, Tulipano, Fab’rik, and Lexie + Jane, the sale takes place in Atlantic Station from 10 – 6 and is totally worth the trip!
• Fox Film Festival:  Check out old and new films (including SATC 2 on August 12th) at the Fox!  Enjoy a festive wine tasting before watching a film on the original big screen.
• Castleberry Hill Art Stroll:  It happens every second Friday of the month, but August is the month for us!  Wander in and out of Atlanta’s eclectic galleries and restaurants and find some new art at the city’s “Best Art Stroll.”  Plus, appreciate the neighborhood and experience the perks of in town living.

Love to hear your ideas too!

As we mentioned yesterday, lately we’ve struggled to find elaney inspiration and we need some new angles!  So for the rest of this week and next Mon / Tues, we are kicking off elaney Restaurant Week!

How It Works:  We pick our favorite ATL restaurant by genre and then we open it up to you to weigh in.

Today’s Genre:  Sushi

Favorite Sushi Restaurant in ATL is an easy pick, because while ATL has plenty to choose from, we think most are either average (Genki) or waaay to expensive for sushi (MF Sushi Buckhead).  Harry & Son’s in the Highlands is the clear choice.  Consistently good food  and reasonably priced.  The restaurant feels like a fun night out to dinner (good atmosphere), but it doesn’t break the bank.  Plus…it’s delicious!  First runner up is Wasabi, super chic in Castleberry Hill.

Peanut Gallery…what do you think?!