Johnny Rockets, Atlanta GA

So Johnny Rockets, a deeply 1980s concept restaurant which occasionally attempts to evoke the 1950s, invited some local media to come visit their newly reopened store at Phipps Plaza and learn about their company. The store in the Phipps Plaza mall had been there for many years, but the entire mall food court was gutted last year, along with several clothing stores on the upper floors, to make way for the Legoland Discovery Center. By all accounts, this attraction is doing very good business – there seems to be a ridiculous amount of things to do here – but the restaurant’s shindig was held at the time that Legoland closes each weekday, so we didn’t see any rampaging mobs of children, or gangs of obsessed grown-ups desperately digging through the bins in the gift shop looking for the last, elusive bricks that they need in order to replace the red half-height two-by-sixes that they lost when their Harry Potter Quidditch set fell off the mantle and some of the Legos fell into the fireplace.

Yeah, that’s right, I said LEGOS. I PLURALIZED your brand, Lego. And I might do it again. Continue reading “Johnny Rockets, Atlanta GA” →

Moxie Burger, Marietta GA

As soon as I learned that there was a place called Moxie Burger in Cobb County – it’s in Paper Mill Village over off Johnson Ferry, where Cobb thumbs its nose across the river at Fulton, taunting “Ha-ha! We have more lanes than you!” – I wanted to visit, because I am shallow enough to appreciate businesses just because of their name. Very, very few people around these parts seem to care for the soft drink Moxie. If locals have even heard of it at all, it’s a surprise. Most people who do try it recoil from the bitter taste, baffled as to how something that still has fizz could taste so flat. Continue reading “Moxie Burger, Marietta GA” →

Atlanta Cheesecake Company, Kennesaw GA (CLOSED)

Every so often, dealing with teenagers, you hit a wall. A couple of Saturdays ago, we told our daughter to get ready, as we were going out to lunch. She asked where we were going, and Marie said that we were heading out for cheesecake. Continue reading “Atlanta Cheesecake Company, Kennesaw GA (CLOSED)” →

Del Taco, Kennesaw GA

Meanwhile, back in Atlanta…

Earlier this month, Del Taco finally opened their second Atlanta-area store. Previously, you may recall, the chain, with something like 500 stores in twenty states – California home to about 320 of them – targeted Atlanta for a major expansion. They are still talking about a five-year plan that will bring sixty stores to our market, but right now that’s still a big flaming pie in the sky. They’re moving quite slowly, building on the success of their store in Snellville with a second up here in Cobb, across I-75 from Kennesaw State University. We visited on their grand opening day for my daughter to suck down helium from balloons, and to have some tacos, of course. Continue reading “Del Taco, Kennesaw GA” →

Tom’s Folly, Atlanta GA (CLOSED)

Wrapping up my recent trips to the eastern side of Howell Mill Road and the neighborhoods there, I stopped by Tom’s Folly after I noticed the restaurant, which is set up in an old bank building, and found the name charming. I didn’t know anything about the place when I opened the door, although my heart sank as I saw the “only 18 and over” sign, stepped in, nearly choked to death from the smell of old cigarettes, and made my way back outside to the front patio. Continue reading “Tom’s Folly, Atlanta GA (CLOSED)” →

Patrick’s Sub Shop, Atlanta GA

Asked what she would like to have for supper a couple of Saturdays back, Marie settled on cheesesteaks. Rather than going by our favorite place in the region – Roy’s – we decided to go hunting. It looked like there would be a good possibility at this new food truck park on Howell Mill and 75. Have you heard about this thing yet? Not having succumbed to the food truck hype, I remain skeptical. It sounds like the same thing as a mall food court to me. Continue reading “Patrick’s Sub Shop, Atlanta GA” →

Mustard Seed BBQ, Atlanta GA (CLOSED)

When a new user review at Urbanspoon reminded that Mustard Seed was one of many, many Atlanta barbecue joints still out there for me to visit, I put it on my to-do list right after a farewell trip to Harold’s, which was closing after sixty-five years. Then I decided, upon reflection, that it was really the stew that I liked most about Harold’s and elected to visit both the same afternoon. Then the staff at Harold’s, evidently choosing to let closing-time malaise infect their morning routine, unlocked the door at eleven without actually having any stew ready. I only visited that restaurant once – it was the last “new” barbecue place that I enjoyed together with my dad – and couldn’t contribute to the overwhelming community sense that the old place had been falling apart in disappointment and lost opportunities for many years, but it was hard to leave that place without shaking my head and thinking that the nay-sayers might have a point. Continue reading “Mustard Seed BBQ, Atlanta GA (CLOSED)” →