Miso Izakaya, Atlanta, Georgia

We only recently stumbled upon Miso Izakaya. Well, stumbled may not be the right word. More like, it's been on our list of "restaurants to try", but it was never top of mind until we heard, from several different people, great things about it. We're always a little skeptical of authentic experiences intown (albeit not impossible).

 
Miso Izakaya is hip, but that doesn't impact the traditional preparation of the food. Perusing the sushi menu, I've learned from experience that gimmicky-sounding maki rolls often cover up the fact that the food isn't all that good. Not so with Miso.

 
For our late night cravings, I settled into a standard salad with ginger dressing.

 
I went a little overboard with the sushi, especially eating so late in the evening, but the rolls were nicely presented with care. I had the avocado, inari, cucumber maki; a cucumber and wakame salad maki; and inari nigiri.

 

Zoës Kitchen, Atlanta, Georgia

My sister has been talking about trying Zoës Kitchen for a few weeks, so we met up at the Buckhead location on Peachtree to give it a whirl. She was under the impression it was a Cajun, but it turned out to be a salad and sandwich fast-casual restaurant.

 
Oftentimes, my palate overrides my veganism. None of the vegan items (which are clearly marked with a 'V' on the menu) seemed appealing, so I opted to try the Side Greek Salad and Veggie Pita Pizza.

 
 
All in all, it was tasty, fresh and fast. I think I'll have to try the kabobs next time.

Sheik Burritos n Kabobs, Atlanta, Georgia

This was my second visit to Sheik Burritos n Kabobs. In my first attempt, I so desperately wanted to like this place, but I found the mixture of flavors confusing.

This try was much more successful. I ordered the same burrito, the Happy Vegan, but I paired it with something I usually don't get: eggplant. Their eggplant-based sauce which they call Bad-Man-Jon was just what I needed to turn my attitude about this place around.

 
Upon a few bites, fresh ingredients are revealed which is why I gave Sheik a second chance. Freshness ranks high in my books. Who knew beets, tofu, and spinach would make such a great combination? But the sauce is what elevated the meal to the next level.

 

Grindhouse Killer Burgers, Atlanta, Georgia

After watching the buildout of Grindhouse Killer Burgers on Piedmont Avenue, we met up with our friend Jacklyn to try out this new burger joint. The Atlanta market for burger places is getting crowded fast, yet we're still looking for the best veggie burger of them all. The Grindhouse menu features a vegan-friendly, bean and quinoa burger.

 
I find that most vegetarian burgers rely heavily on grease and not proper seasoning. Although, it was on the greasy side, the burger was pretty tasty and much better than the over-salted veggie burger at Yeah! Burger.

I really liked the space and found the diner feel to be comfortable and inviting.

 
And who doesn't like a mural of robots?

Dulce Vegan, Atlanta, Georgia

I had some time to cross over to the East side neighborhood called Kirkwood, where a little bakery/cafe called Dulce Vegan recently opened it doors. The cute eatery features lots of baked vegan goodies, wide selection of teas, and daily sandwich specials. 
 
I ordered the special sandwich of the day which was a tofu pesto sandwich with spinach, balsamic marinated tofu, pesto walnut spread, and tomato. Fresh and delicious, it was the perfect compliment to a summer-like day. I had a few minutes to catch up with myself, drink some tea, and read a little. I also indulged in a banana chocolate chip cupcake that was just the right amount of sweetness.

Atlanta Food and Wine Festival

I was fortunate enough to get a VIP pass to the inaugural Atlanta Food and Wine Festival held in Midtown Atlanta. Demonstrations were held at the Loews Atlanta Hotel.

 
I've eaten at Proof on Main in Louisville, Kentucky a couple of times when I was there for work. I had one of the most fantastic meals of this year consisting of seasonal and pickled vegetables. So, I took the opportunity to attend The Misunderstood session demonstrated by Michael Paley, Chef at Proof on Main.

Class description:
Beets, rutabaga, turnips and Brussels sprouts rarely get their due. Misunderstood and underappreciated, these lovely vegetables hae boundless potential. Through this cooking demonstration, participants will learn how to transform these humble goodies into delicious dishes.

Chef Paley showed the audience a variety of salads and made it look incredibly easy to prepare. Best of all, everything was vegetarian if not completely vegan!

 
The next session I participated in was with Eric Ziebold of CityZen in Washington D.C. Although I haven't dined there, I will have to stop in and try the vegetarian tasting menu that they serve. His session Braising in the Spring also caught my eye because it focused on vegetables.

Class description:
Cover cropping protects and rejuvenates soils, while fostering balanced, biologically-diverse ecosystems. Science aside, cover crops also taste great! Through this cooking demonstration, participants will learn to uncover the vibrant tastes of nutritional greens.

While this session focused on cooking with cover crops such as kale, mizuna, fava beans, and kohlrabi, Chef Ziebold did not shy away from the use of butter and cream. However, instead of using animal stock to add richness to the braising, extra virgin olive oil and some garlic can do the trick much lighter technique for spring eating.

 
Upon concluding this session, I met up with some friends and we headed over to the festival tasting tents.

I found an Atlanta local favorite, King of Pops.

 
The tents were divided up into Southern cooking themes. After looking at every section, I couldn't find anything vegetarian until my friend Debbie pointed out the canapes at the Empire State South table.

 
 
After the quick bite, I went over to thank Hugh Acheson, owner and chef of Empire State South, for providing the only vegetarian-friendly dish in the tasting tents. He was very generous and offered me additional portions!

 

 

We concluded the day in the Street Cart Pavilion, where I was able to find two more vegetarian options. The Crooked Spoon, from Orlando, Florida, was serving cheesy grits.

 

 
Klausie's, from Raleigh, North Carolina, had two types of vegetarian pizza. I tried their traditional veggie, and it was pretty tasty!

 
I applaud the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival for putting on a top notch event in a city that often overlooks the finer details. I hope in the future that they consider adding a Vegetable section in the tasting tents. It's unfortunate that as a food group, it was largely ignored despite the recent movement for sustainability and supporting local farmers. All in all, I had a great time attending the cooking demonstrations and being amongst foodies.

Gluten-Free Expo at Whole Foods, Buckhead, Georgia

My local Whole Foods' latest event, the Gluten-Free Expo, showcased a variety of gluten-free products from local, regional, and national food manufacturers. It was interesting to see how these products were being marketed as well as talk to the representatives of each brand.
 
I started with Emily G.'s jams, because they were being served on my latest (and very yummy) discovery, Blue Diamond's Nut Thins cracker.
 
 
The Tipsy Onion and Garlic jam name and ingredients seemed less than tantalizing, but I can vouch that it surpassed my expectations in taste. It was mildly sweet with hints of onion and garlic, and I was tempted to get a jar on the spot! 


The next item I came across was Udi's Gluten-Free Granola. I sampled the Cranberry flavor and wasn't impressed. It was bordering on flavorless, and I tried desperately to taste the cranberries, much to my dismay. I will have to blame the miniscule tasting cups they were being handed out in. The representative from Udi's educated me on the wide variety of products they make, such as breads, bagels, and muffins. I would caution those with egg-free diets to check the labels on these products since she pointed out that these baked goods may be gluten-free but not necessarily egg-free. By the way, "dairy-free", I found, is not the same as "vegan". Apparently eggs fall outside of the dairy label.
 

So this next table I visited, I didn't actually try the product. The representative from Genesis was offering samples of their Mangosteen, Acai, and other highly concentrated juices. She said one of their juices tasted like barbecue sauce, but it was the most cleansing. That didn't quite sell it for me, so I moved on.
 
 The last product I sampled is something that I have been eyeing during various trips to the store so I was very happy to try it. Seasnax is being touted as a new crunchy, flavorful, low calorie snack that is an alternative to chips. I tried the Toasty Onion, and it was quite good. However, I think I'll keep getting my seaweed at the Asian supermarket.