Saturday, June 19, 2010

Wahoo! Grill-Decatur, GA

Wahoo! Grill is located on College Avenue in Decatur, Georgia. It bills itself as a simple yet exquisitely well-balanced neighborhood restaurant. We heartily agree! In fact, we had dinner at Wahoo! Grill the night we were engaged! This is our first to Wahoo! Grill since that night.

Food (23 out of 25)

The menu is quite diverse. If Wahoo! can claim anything as a specialty, however, it is their seafood. After all, Wahoo is a tropical fish…

We had the crab cakes as an appetizer. They were very well prepared! Loaded with crabmeat and accented with scallions, red peppers, and herbs, the crab cakes were served alongside a finely prepared remoulade sauce. For our entrees, we had the Wahoo!, which was sautéed with spices and served atop a bed of whipped potatoes. It was garnished with a salsa of cherry tomatoes, mandarin oranges, and Vidalia onions. Steamed asparagus was served as a side. The other entrée consisted of two chicken breasts lightly breaded with parmesan cheese and baked until golden brown. Instead of the customary peas with bacon, we chose to substitute mashed potatoes. The chicken was also accompanied with five-cheese macaroni.

Both dishes were well-prepared, but the Parmesan chicken appeared bland on the plate. A more colorful plate would have been nice. The fish was served hot, but the juices from the cold salsa made the hot fish cool and a bit mushy.

Value (22 out of 25)

For our meal, including the customary 17% gratuity, we paid $55. We drank water and iced tea. We felt that this price was fair, but thought that the appetizer, which was $13, was a bit overpriced.

Ambiance (23 out of 25)

The ambiance of Wahoo! Grill was wonderful! The art was very tasteful, the exposed brick gave the restaurant a casual feeling, and the open bar and kitchen made for a wonderful atmosphere. However, the front of the restaurant was a bit cramped, especially the doorway.

It also bears mentioning that parking can be a bit awkward, as the restaurant sits very close to College Avenue, a busy four-lane street.

Service (19 out of 25)

Our service was, unfortunately, quite slow. The waiter seemed to be a bit overwhelmed and forgot several things we requested. She failed to provide us with our check and with our credit card receipt in a timely manner and became a bit of a nuisance, coming over to the table at least five times before our meal was served.
The kitchen was also very slow. We waited 45 minutes for our entrees.

Total 87/B (Very Good Experience)

All in all, Wahoo! has become one of our favorite Atlanta hotspots. The only hesitation we have going forward will be visiting on weekends—when the restaurant is quite crowded. We look forward to visiting the patio on subsequent visits.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Palate-Decatur, GA

April 23, 2010. Palate-Decatur, GA. Palate is a delightful cafe and bar in the Oakhurst neighborhood of Decatur. Their outdoor patio looks out over the street and is very relaxing.

FOOD (24 OUT OF 25)

We started our meal with bruschetta. It was served with fresh garden tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, and mozzarella cheese. Oftentimes, the tomato juice can make the bread squishy, but this bread was delightfully toasty and crunchy!

For our main course, we had one entree each. One was maple-grilled salmon with lima bean and black-eyed pea garnish and garlic smashed potatoes. The second was meatloaf, served with herb buttered green beans and garlic smashed potatoes with an added side of macaroni and cheese. The meals were both excellent! The salmon was cooked just right and the maple grill seasoning was not too overpowering, but it was noticeable. The mashed potatoes were delicious! As someone who is not usually a fan of lima beans, we both very much enjoyed the garnish! The meatloaf was also very well-prepared, but it was covered in a ketchup-based red sauce that was a bit overpowering. The macaroni and cheese was among the best we've had!

We also ordered two glasses of wine. With the salmon, we had the California Cellars 2004 chardonnay and with the meatloaf, we had a Duck Pond Merlot from Washington state. They were both very good matches!

AMBIANCE (23 OUT OF 25)

The restaurant is very nice, but the patio could have been a bit better-kept. There were lovely trees that overhung the patio, but that meant that the patio was in need of a good sweep! When the server arrived at the table, he brought two glasses and an old wine bottle full of water. The effect was very appealing! The interior dining conditions also looked very nice.

SERVICE (21 OUT OF 25)

The biggest problem with the service was getting a table. The restaurant was very near empty when we arrived, yet nobody was at the door or at the bar to greet us. Finally, a cook walked out of the kitchen and handed us some menus and told us to have a seat anywhere we liked. It appeared that two servers and two cooks were working that evening. This was simply not adequate for a Friday night!

COST (25 OUT OF 25)

For an appetizer, two entrees, and two very good glasses of wine, we spent about $50. The most expensive dish on the menu was under $15 and there is something there for everyone. The wine, which is the signature offering of Palate, is organized into four tiers. Tier one is the cheapest and tier four is the most expensive. Most of the wine is imported.

FINAL SCORE 93/A Exceptional

Palate has immediately left an impression on us and it will surely become a regular hot spot for us as we settle into Decatur. We were in disbelief at the cost versus the quality! We will certainly be back often!

Visit Palate on the web at www.palatewinebar.com

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Cafe Lily-Decatur, GA

Recently, we visited Cafe Lily in downtown Decatur, Georgia. This small and seemingly informal restaurant is actually a well-known Decatur eatery. The menu offers a multiplicity of options for vegetarians, seafood lovers, and carnivores!

AMBIANCE 19 out of 25 points

Before we begin with our critique of Cafe Lily's ambiance, we'd like to mention that while we did go into the restaurant briefly, we sat outside. We are certain that our critique would have been different, had we sat inside. With that said, however, the outdoor seating was very cramped. Only two planted bushes separated us from the parking lot and the street. Sitting in one of the chairs caused me nearly to tumble backward onto the ground! However, from what we observed, the indoor seating was very pleasant. There were white linen table cloths covering the tables with complementing linen napkins. The water goblets and plates were also very tastefully decorated, as was the decor on the inside of the restaurant.

We were given menus for wine, specialty cocktails, and dinner. However, the menus did appear a bit soiled.

SERVICE 23 out of 25 points

Our server was quite friendly and saw to it that we were well taken care of! She was quick to offer suggestions, ask about our food once we received it, and was happy to return an unsatisfactory serving of mashed potatoes to the kitchen. She was present when necessary and absent when necessary. We were quite satisfied.

FOOD 17 out of 25 points

The food was costly for what we were served. Both of us had a chicken dish, but after we were served, we realized that we could have very easily made both dishes at home for a fraction of the cost. While the food was good, we were looking for a culinary experience that was a treat for us. We were satisfied by the food, but not impressed.

COST 18 out of 25 points

We ordered an appetizer to share and two entrees and our total bill was around $50. When we saw the menu, we immediately began thinking of ways to minimize the cost of the meal, as the entrees were extremely expensive. Instead of ordering what we really wanted, we were forced to order cheaper dishes because of the price.

However, we did feel that the pricing of the drinks and some of the salads and soups were adequate. We feel that dining at Cafe Lily for lunch would also be more cost-effective.

FINAL SCORE 77 out of 100 = C (Adequate)

When all was said and done, we were satisfied with our meal, but not at all impressed with our experience at Cafe Lily. On subsequent visits, we will consider sitting indoors and dining only at lunch.

Visit Cafe Lily on the web at www.cafelily.com

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Saul Good-Lexington, KY

March 10, 2010-Saul Good, a locally owned restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky boasts an eclectic menu, a great bar, a classy history, and a new kind of dining experience. We have visited before, but as is the case with all great restaurants, we returned for more of the same great taste!

FOOD (25 out of 25 points)

We ordered a bacon cheeseburger for each of us, which is customarily served on a toasted Kaiser bun, your choice of cheese, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, and pickles; and all burgers are accompanied by Saul Good’s signature fries. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate fondue. One of the interesting things about the Saul Good menu is the fact that the desserts are located at the front of the menu—and for good reason! They’re delicious! The chocolate fondue comes with your choice of dark, milk, or white chocolate fondue with waffles, rice krispy treats, strawberries, bananas, and pretzels for dipping.

Our burger was cooked to order and the most impressive part was that the huge Kaiser bun was not crunchy, but fresh! The fries were covered in spices and served piping hot, not dripping with grease. The portions were the perfect size!

AMBIANCE (18 out of 25 points)

The biggest disappointment with our dining experience was the ambiance. Our table for six was located at the back of the restaurant and was made from three mismatched tables that were shoved together. One third of the table had a tablecloth on it, the other two thirds were left bare. When we sat down, we noticed that the table was dirty and had a chunk of sauce on the back of the menu, soiling the tablecloth and our hands.

The music was also extremely loud. The restaurant was packed—25 minute wait for a table for 6 at 7:00 on a Wednesday—and the music, coupled with a full house made it extremely difficult to carry on a conversation with the person across the table, let alone from one end of the table to the other.

SERVICE (25 out of 25)

Simply put: the waiter was present every time we needed anything and was not present when we were enjoying our meal. She was efficient, friendly, courteous, and attentive. She was everything that a good waiter should be and not one thing more or less.

COST (24 out of 25)

The total cost of our meal—two burgers, three beers (two domestic drafts and one microbrew), and 2/5 of the dessert was $33. For the quality of the food, we felt that this price was fair, but if we had bought the desert just for ourselves, it would have been too expensive.

FINAL SCORE: 92 A (Exceptional)

As it turns out, the restaurant lives up to the name! It really is Saul Good!

Visit Saul Good Restaurant and Pub on the web at: www.saulgoodpub.com

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Regatta Seafood Grille-Lexington, Kentucky

March 6, 2010- Regatta Seafood Grille is located in Lexington Green Shopping Center near Fayette Mall, the University of Kentucky, and Nicholasville Road. Offering classic seafood fare, Regatta has been a locally-owned staple of the Lexington community for many years. The menu is diverse, but true to the theme of a classic Atlantic Yacht and Boating restaurant. Located near a small lake, the restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating (during appropriate seasons, of course). The menu accommodates lunch and dinner and on weekends during the late spring, summer, and early fall, live bands usually perform on the lakeside patio. This restaurant is quite special to us because it’s where we had our first date more than two years ago! Every time we go, we’re greeted with a familiar menu and with new special treats!

FOOD: (21 out of 25 points)

We ordered one appetizer and one entrée to share this evening. Our appetizer was breaded and fried zucchini slices with shredded Parmesan cheese. The zucchini was served with a spicy dill sauce. Our entrée was called the “Captain’s Combo.” We had several options to choose from, but we decided on the crab cake (served with a fried green tomato) and the salmon with a side of mashed potatoes. Most entrees—including ours—come with bottomless house salad and bread. We ordered sweet iced tea and water to drink but upon the waiter’s suggestion, I tried the blueberry pomegranate iced tea. I did not care for it and exchanged it for the standard sweet tea.

The appetizer was served piping hot and was absolutely delicious! The presentation was exquisite! Our only disappointment was that the zucchini was a bit mushy in the middle, leading us to believe that the zucchini was a bit old. In order to remain crispy, zucchini must be served fresh.

Our entrée, as we mentioned, was the “Captain’s Combo.” Like the appetizer, it came out piping hot and was plated very well! As we mentioned, we split the appetizer. While many restaurants will bring out the whole entrée on one plate with an extra plate, the kitchen staff separated our entrée for us, which was delightful! It was perfectly portioned and separated. It was garnished with a lemon and fresh herbs.

The crab cake was exquisite! It was fluffy, packed with excellent flavor, and as all crab cakes should be, it was more crab and less cake! The fried green tomato was a flavorful complement to the crab cake. The mashed potatoes were absolutely fantastic! We agree that they were perhaps the best side dish we’ve had in a very long time! The salmon was good, but we feel that it may have been cooked at too high of a temperature. We recognize that salmon is among the most difficult fish to cook, but our filet was a bit charred on the outside and the center was a bit mushy. If the salmon had been grilled at a slightly lower temperature, the consistency would have been flaky and delicious throughout, cooking evenly and keeping its flavor and moisture!

VALUE: (24 out of 25 points)

The total cost of the meal was about $32. For that price, we got one glass of sweet tea, unlimited salad and bread, an appetizer, and an entrée of crab cake and salmon. For a meal of this size at a restaurant of this quality, we felt as though we got a very good deal. We both left feeling very satisfied!

SERVICE: (21 out of 25 points)

There was a 35-minute wait for dinner, which we spent in Joseph-Beth Booksellers, browsing. When we entered the restaurant to be seated, the host was waiting to show us to our table. Our waiter was very polite, but did not return to check on the table once our appetizer and drinks came out. We had to wait for several minutes before finally asking another server for a different drink when we decided the blueberry pomegranate tea was not for us. However, our server was very knowledgeable of the menu and did not charge us for our beverages.

It also bears mentioning that the server took our bread plates and salad plates, but brought more bread and salad to the table, with no place to put them. We had to ask another server to bring plates to the table.

AMBIANCE: (23 out of 25 points)

We had one of the best tables in the restaurant! However, the view of the lake was obscured by construction going on outside on the patio. For such a crowded restaurant, we were able to talk at a relatively comfortable volume and felt as though our table provided us with an appropriate amount of privacy, allowing for a better dining experience.

The restaurant is also very beautiful and carefully provides a nautical theme without coming off as cheesy or cheap.

OVERALL SCORE: B+ (89 out of 100 points)

Regatta remains a very special place in our hearts and we very much enjoyed our culinary experience! We will be back!

Check out Regatta on the web at: www.regattaseafood.com

Welcome to Our Blog!

Hello and welcome to our blog! Together, the two of us have had many good memories that were made over great food, served at great restaurants! We hope you enjoy browsing around our blog and try some of the restaurants we have recommended!

If you do find yourself at a restaurant we've recommended, please drop us an email at dashofpepperandatasteofsalt@gmail.com Also feel free to send us recommendations of places you'd like for us to try!

Generally, you'll find recommendations based around Atlanta, Georgia and Lexington, Kentucky. We live in Atlanta and have family in Lexington, so most of our culinary adventures take place in these places. However, we will also occasionally blog about other places we've visited.

Our recommendations are based on four categories, each worth 25 points. The categories are:

Value (How good is the food compared to how much it costs?)

Ambiance (How is the environment of the restaurant? What does the food look like on the plate?)

Service (How good was the wait staff?)

Food (This is simple... How good was the food?)

We add up the points for these four categories to reach a final score, worth 100 points. We also assign letter grades as follows:


100-90=A (Exceptional Experience)
89-80=B (Very Good Experience)
79-70=C (Adequate Experience)
69-62=D (Sub-Standard Experience)
61-0=F (Unacceptable)


This should go without saying, but we would like to note that all of our blogs are opinions! If you would like to read our opinions and use them to choose your next culinary adventure, we're glad you stopped by. If you're looking for a debate, we suggest you go elsewhere!


Bon apetit!