We wanted to do something fun and creative together, so why not write about the deliciousness that we get to experience. Atlanta is a fantastic food city—there are so many diamonds in the rough culinary world of chain restaurants of this bustling, sprawling city.
We all have our favorites, but we’re making a concerted effort to branch out and dive in to what the city has to offer. I don’t know about you, but we eat every day. Why not share a little bit and offer up our collected experiences for others. You may not agree with our take or our selection, but you do have to eat.
So read our blog, try our favorites, and let us know what you think!
Our first post will be dedicated to the dinner we ate out with Sam's father and step-mother on Sunday. Here are the details:
Location:
Nino’s Italian Kitchen
11070 Alpharetta Highway
Roswell, GA 30076-5605
The economy sucks. We see it everywhere we go, bars closing down. Neighborhood hangouts changing names so the next sucker can sink $200k into a run-of-the-mill bar/grill concept. I’ve been all over the U.S. traveling for work and I see these places all the time. Joey’s Asian Bistro, John Doe’s Country Grill, blah blah blah. Always empty, always over-priced, always underwhelming.
Nino’s Italian Kitchen looks like another one of those experiments on the surface. You’ll immediately recognize the layout as a converted Applebee’s, but they’ve managed to make it feel a bit more upscale and toned down—sorry no letter sweaters or cotton gins on the walls. There’s a nice central bar area, thankfully devoid of cougars and IT professionals looking to mingle. It’s a nice atmosphere for a laid back family dinner or a casual conversation over good wine and a full menu of Italian classics.
I prefer to eat at Italian restaurants that have a staff capable of filling in as extras on the Sopranos. Check!
We were quickly seated and handed the 2 page menu. There’s a good selection of wines Italian and domestic wines ranging from $5 a glass to $200 a bottle--yes, we had the expensive one thank to a "convenient" waiter's mistake. Appetizers range from $5 to $15, Entrees from $11.50 to $18. The menu has all the Italian staples you’d expect—pastas, chicken, beef, fish, pizza, salads.
The following contains the careful selections of 4 adventurous Italian's with skilled palates for quality food and above anything a love for all things garlic:
Beverages:
Katie: Something white
Sam: Something red
Appetizers:
Caprese Salad: sliced tomatoes topped with fresh mozzarella, basil, roasted red peppers, a touch of olive oil and drizzled in aged balsamic reduction. Nothing to write home about, but good--fresh tomatoes and spices, firm mozzarella.
Bruschetta: toasted bread topped with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, red onion, fresh mozzarella, and drizzled with an aged balsamic reduction. Very good, slightly warm bread. I hate when Bruschetta comes on a super crispy piece of bread that either hurts your mouth to bite into, or snaps violently spraying your dinner party with Italian veggie gore. Tasty!
Entree':
(Katie) Pollo Marsala: sauteed chicken breasts in a delectable sauce of mushrooms, garlic and Marsala wine. When I go to an Italian resatuarant I like to judge the quality of food they serve based on the most complicated dish to make: chicken marsala. The sauce is the catch. It can break very easily if it is not done right and turn into garbage. This chicken marsala absolutely melted in my mouth. The sauce was a light gravy (just perfect!) and was not too oily. Also, it was obvious that the quality of marsala wine they used was very high. The better the wine quality, the better the product; it showed on my plate and in my palate. It was served covered in a blanket of mushrooms and swimming in the sauce. The flavor was bold and had a good balance between spices and the marsala wine. Perfecto!!
(Sam) Eggplant Involtini: lightly breaded and fried eggplant wrapped around a generous filling of seasoned ricotta cheese topped with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and then baked. Nice twist on your normal eggplant parm--like manicotti but with eggplant instead of pasta. 1/8 inch thick, nicely breaded, lightly fried--really good. Had it with a side of spaghetti, nice robust red sauce. Tastes like they may use a bit more paste in their house sauce, which I like. Not spicy, but definitely has a flavor toward the bold side.
Nino's provided us with an elegant and intimate Italian experience here in the suburbs of Atlanta. The atmosphere was quaint and quiet. The furniture was up to date and dark (very Italian), there were lots of windows with a very enjoyable bar area in the center of the room. The staff was impeccable, not to mention Nino himself was out mingling with the crowds. Overall, I'd say the food was outstanding! I would go back! Next time, I'd love to try the Zucchini Fries for an appetizer and the Baked Penne for an entree. Who knows, maybe we'll even get crazy and get a dessert!
It’s nice to eat at a place that’s true to what it should be. They don’t have a crazy expensive menu or some exotic presentation style. It’s just simple, honest, delicious Italian food in a comfortable, clean, classy setting. Well executed and well prepared. There aren't a ton of places you can get in and out of for less than $50 with meals this good and a few glasses of wine. I hope Nino’s is around long enough for locals to take notice and give it a try—there’s no reason for them to have empty seats any night of the week.
We gave it:
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