Freight Kitchen and Tap
Earlier this spring I had the day off and a growling stomach. I decided to head out to Woodstock to check out Neel Sengupta's Freight Kitchen and Tap. With little traffic during the day, I made it up there from Decatur in less than 30 minutes. I was delighted to see the cute downtown area and even more excited to try out the great food and drinks. First the restaurant is full of ambiance. Located in an old train depot, you are able to walk through the large doors, and across the original wood floors. The inside is at the same time modern and rustic. You can really get a feel for what it might have looked like back in the day, but more than appreciate the cool bar, and cozy nooks for guest dining.
Then you peruse the menu, the culinary team of Chef Kyle Shankman and Bar Manager Chris Pease have developed tastes that appeal to everyone, but are far from ordinary. The beer list got my attention as I was able to choose from a great selection of rotating local and regional draughts as well as some favorite and unusual bottles.
For lunch the appetizers such as house made pickles, pimento cheese, and poutine caught my eye. We were wooed by the soup a hearty pork and green chile bowl that melted in your mouth. According to the menu and my taste buds, the pork was roasted 8 hours! The flavors were set off with citrus sour cream a perfect way to start our meal. For the main course we sampled two of the sandwiches. I couldn't resist the "Stake" sandwich a rich filet of beef sliced and served on a warm baguette with grilled tomato and blue cheese dressing. We also had to try the burger (a measure of any good restaurant). We opted for the "Steam Engine" basted in BBQ sauce and topped with caramelized onions, mushrooms, swiss and cheddar; paired with the sweet potato fries it was a hit.
Overall Freight delivers in flavorful food, unique drinks and charm. I cannot wait to head back up to Woodstock to enjoy the dinner menu and take on some of their house cocktails!
Wurstkuche Venice Beach
We discovered Wurstkuche in Los Angeles through a great Huffington Post article showcasing Zagat's best single item focused menus in America. It is important to note that I found the article through a friend, Neel Sengupta, partner in Crepe Revolution here in Smyrna/ Vinings. They made this short list for their tasty crepes. If you haven't tried their great specialties or one of their wine or beer nights you should! They offer a laid back atmosphere with high end flavors.
Now back to Wurstkuche, after reading the article, my mouth was watering to try all of these great spots. I was excited to know my in-laws were also eager to try their city's contributor. Driving through Venice, you could easily pass this place among the bike shops, boutiques and bars, but once you head inside, the space certainly stands out. The room is a rough and rustic combination of barn wood panels and smooth concrete. The front counter gleams full of their selection of about 20 types of house made sausages. What caught my eye however were the numerous taps running the length of the room. Not only do they sell gourmet sausages prepared in inventive ways, along with sides of thick cut Belgian fries, they have about 20 beers on tap, and many more in bottles. I was in heaven. It was hard to choose, but I decided on the mango and jalapeno chicken sausage served on a soft toasted bun with caramelized onions and hot pickled peppers and nice cold Houblon Chouffe.
Lucky for me my family members all ordered a variety of sausages. I sampled everything from the duck with bacon and jalapenos to the traditional bratwurst. Each sausage had a distinct flavor and style. I am envious of my in-laws proximity to this little gem. Now I have one more reason to love LA.
Now back to Wurstkuche, after reading the article, my mouth was watering to try all of these great spots. I was excited to know my in-laws were also eager to try their city's contributor. Driving through Venice, you could easily pass this place among the bike shops, boutiques and bars, but once you head inside, the space certainly stands out. The room is a rough and rustic combination of barn wood panels and smooth concrete. The front counter gleams full of their selection of about 20 types of house made sausages. What caught my eye however were the numerous taps running the length of the room. Not only do they sell gourmet sausages prepared in inventive ways, along with sides of thick cut Belgian fries, they have about 20 beers on tap, and many more in bottles. I was in heaven. It was hard to choose, but I decided on the mango and jalapeno chicken sausage served on a soft toasted bun with caramelized onions and hot pickled peppers and nice cold Houblon Chouffe.
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| Tasty Lunch |
Lucky for me my family members all ordered a variety of sausages. I sampled everything from the duck with bacon and jalapenos to the traditional bratwurst. Each sausage had a distinct flavor and style. I am envious of my in-laws proximity to this little gem. Now I have one more reason to love LA.
Young Augustine's
I know I promised Paris postings, but apparently when you leave your job for over two weeks, things pile up a bit. I am ready to dive back into the blog and tell you all about Paris, but first I need to back track to my last meal in the states.
Young Augustine's has become my new favorite hangout. Its in the laid back neighborhood of Grant Park, features amazing food, fun bar games, an ever changing beer list, and its less than a mile from my house! I have been going there for a while now, but my last night before leaving for France, I finally took the initiative to take some photos.
The atmosphere here is casual and cool. They reopened in the space that was once The Standard, altering the menu and bringing in a more pub-like feel to the patio and interior.They have a great inside bar as well as a separate room for darts, but I am consistently drawn to the patio. There are patios on the back and side of the building giving views of downtown and Oakland Cemetery. In back they have two large size bocce ball courts.
The menu is an eclectic gourmet version of pub food. They offer small appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and heavier entree options. For starters I always begin with the homemade pimento cheese. It is served with a crusty baguette and a variety of house made pickles including pickled tomatoes, onions, and their amazing house made kimchi. This time I decided to try a new treat, pork belly sliders. These little bits of heaven were an small light buns with crispy yet moist slices of pork belly, just a little kimchi, and of course Duke's mayonnaise!
For entrees, its hard to go wrong with their fish and chips. The fish is lightly tempura battered and the chips are cooked in duck fat. Diets aside, everything tastes better in duck fat.I have to mention their tarter sauce which is I think the best I have eaten. For lunch I have requested this fish over a large salad. It was the perfect way to indulge in that amazing fish and still stay awake back at the office!
The carnita tacos are served with the kimchi. and sour cream. This is an interesting but delightful combination of salty sweet and sour flavors. In addition the steak (also served with the duck fries) was well marinated, tender and cooked to order.
The beer list rotates weekly to feature micro brews, some local names, as well as many national favorites. They have an excellent selection of IPAs and my favorite Belgian style beers.
I have heard they have dessert, but cant seem to stop myself from just ordering another beer and sitting back to watch the sunset over downtown. Young Augustine's is my new favorite hangout. I suggest you stop in and prepare to be impressed.
Young Augustine's has become my new favorite hangout. Its in the laid back neighborhood of Grant Park, features amazing food, fun bar games, an ever changing beer list, and its less than a mile from my house! I have been going there for a while now, but my last night before leaving for France, I finally took the initiative to take some photos.
The atmosphere here is casual and cool. They reopened in the space that was once The Standard, altering the menu and bringing in a more pub-like feel to the patio and interior.They have a great inside bar as well as a separate room for darts, but I am consistently drawn to the patio. There are patios on the back and side of the building giving views of downtown and Oakland Cemetery. In back they have two large size bocce ball courts.
The beer list rotates weekly to feature micro brews, some local names, as well as many national favorites. They have an excellent selection of IPAs and my favorite Belgian style beers.
I have heard they have dessert, but cant seem to stop myself from just ordering another beer and sitting back to watch the sunset over downtown. Young Augustine's is my new favorite hangout. I suggest you stop in and prepare to be impressed.