Yeah! Burger - Westside Atlanta on Howell Mill Rd

Yeah! Burger can be found at 1168 Howell Mill Road, Suite E, Atlanta, GA 30318 in what's being collectively called Westside. Other than it being on the West side of Midtown, I'm not quite sure why it's called that but there you go. The restaurant is across the street from Room and Board behind the Saltworks Gallery.

 

Yeah! Burger is another of those boutique burger joints that seem to be popping up everywhere in Atlanta - the concept is simple. You peruse a menu while waiting in line, when you get to the counter you select your meat (grass-fed beef, organic bison, turkey, veggie, gluten-free vegan or grilled/fried chicken breast), your bun (artisan white, whole wheat, gluten-free, vegan or none), your cheese (American, cheddar, pepper jack, provolone, blue, swiss, goat or pimento) and your topping (too many to list). There are also a handful of specialty burgers with names like the "All-American" or "California Love" if you can't make up your mind. In all, this is a bit like being at a Subway or Maddio's Pizza where you can get exactly what you want. Of course there's a price - the burgers themselves range from $6.99 for the turkey to $9.99 for the bison and just about everything (with the exception of the very basics) incrementally increases the price. For your mac-daddy burger expect $10 or more depending on how much you load up. You also select any sides you may want or a Hot Dog or three (I'm very fond of the sweet potato fries and onion rings here or the napa coleslaw). There are also some salads and kids selections if you are so inclined (I'm not, of course). 

For drinks you can go all out and get a handspun milk shake or soda, or go from a larger-than-expected selection of adult beverages. Craft Cocktails, Wine by the Glass or Beer - both draft and bottled with a decent selection of craft ales and Belgians. Anything by Monday Night Brewing is worth ordering, in my opinion but there are many local craft options. The great beer list + burger options + sides produce an awesome trio to entice even the pickiest hipster. Speaking of hipster, this is "in town" so you're sure to fine the bearded lumbersexual or semi-washed hipster stumbling around at Yeah! to provide loads of visual entertainment (granted, many of them are students but I play 'em like I see 'em). 

The burgers here are perfectly executed and I must say I've enjoyed my several visits (don't worry, you wont confuse my shaved head with the Muppet-like coifs around) and I believe you will enjoy the food here too. The dining room is modernist (makes sense being so close to Room and Board and Knoll) with some fun, retro-styled graphics. Whomever did the design did a top notch job - the whole package is just stunning. Give this one a try, even if you've tried others and they just didn't make the cut. You'll be glad you did.

-- John

(shorter review also posted to Yelp)

Nakato Japanese Restaurant - Cheshire Bridge Rd Atlanta GA

You can find Nakato at 1776 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324 near the corner of Cheshire Bridge Rd and Piedmont Rd - the main entry is on Cheshire Bridge where you can valet, or there's an overflow lot on Piedmont where you can park and walk through Nakato's beautiful Japanese gardens.

I'm hesitant to write about Nakato - how do you review an institution? This Japanese restaurant, featuring "Hibachi" (a US term, it's actually teppanyaki - the large metal griddle is called a teppan), traditional Japanese favorites and sushi, is so diverse, good and wonderful that's it's difficult to categorize, other than to describe in general how good everything is. The restaurant has been in Atlanta since 1972 and many other chains can point to Nakato as their birthplace (former employees from Nakato started Kobe and Kanpai of Tokyo but there are others). For full disclosure, I was once a hibachi chef at Kanpai of Tokyo in Knoxville TN while a student at UT - it was an interesting experience.

First a bit about Japanese cooking - in general there's more of a subtlety to Japanese cuisine to which most Americans aren't aware. The dishes tend to emphasize the flavor and texture of the materials rather than covering everything up with strong sauces and heavy spices. Because of this it's very necessary for all the ingredients and component parts to be extremely fresh. With that philosophy, you can pretty much tell if what you're getting is fresh or not, as the ingredients are either prepared before you or lightly cooked to prevent the destruction of the delicate nuances of flavor in the food.

I started going to Nakato roughly 20 years ago - the second time I lived in Atlanta (the first time was in the mid-80s). Some of my friends knew the bartender so we would go for drinks and an appetizer, sitting in their well-stocked bar. Over time we started doing meals there, initially the teppanyaki and sushi, migrating to the traditional dishes and finally going exclusively for the sushi and sitting before Chef Kaki and his staff. Unfortunately Kaki has decided to return to his fair country and has been replaced - I haven't had the opportunity to experience the new chef but I expect he is of the same quality.

The last time we sat at the sushi bar, Kaki suggested the aji (horse mackerel) and skipjack sashimi - both were fantastic! The skipjack was served on thin sliced onion with Japanese mint and garlic ponzu - the flavors were out of this world. The aji was prepared both sliced and with a slight toss of green onion - the combination of both types of fish created a great balance that complimented one another. These were indeed the stars of this show - we ordered some other nigiri and a couple of rolls just to round things out - all were exceptionally fresh and well prepared.  Add an Asahi Dry and some saki, a house salad and miso and you've got a well-rounded meal.

The service, both by our server and Chef Kaki himself, was both excellent, as was the conversation. The Nakato dining room isn't as loud as most sushi houses you encounter so it wasn't necessary to scream at everyone (something I hate about noisy restaurants). In all the experience was fantastic and something that surprises us whenever we dine there.


We've come to Nakato on several occasions by invite for specials or for special events. The restaurant usually has some sushi deals going on for happy hour so that's a great time to go if you're on a budget. Also, checking in with Yelp will usually provide you a free roll. The daughters now managing the restaurant are always providing new and interesting ways to experience Japanese cooking and culture - one great time to come is during the Japanese Festival in September - there's always something going on that's interesting during that time - I especially like the Sake tastings. If Sake isn't your thing, try the Hitachino Nest brand that Nakato carries - this unfiltered Japanese beer is really special.

I'm always hearing a lot about other Japanese restaurants, especially when I hear about the sushi, the chef, etc. I will still go to experience each, as I love food and sushi in particular. However I've never understood why Nakato isn't talked about more - the fish here is some of the best you will ever see - they get drops from Japan that they pick up at the airport. I don't know of many other restaurants in town that do the same. The preparation is top notch, the service exceptional and the location near Piedmont about as centrally located as you can get. What's not to like?

-- John

(shorter review also posted to Yelp)

Happy Sumo 2 - Mt Vernon in Dunwoody

You can find Happy Sumo II at 155 Mt Vernon Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30338 near the corner of Abernathy Rd and Mt Vernon Hwy in the large shopping center anchored by Office Depot. The restaurant is on the Mt Vernon Hwy side of the "L" shape, close to the Chick-fil-A. Other places to eat in the same shopping center are Galla's Pizza, Royal Oak Pub, Twisted Kilt and Atlanta Bread Company. Parking is in the lot immediately surrounding the restaurant or the larger lot closer to the main shopping center. The building is quite quaint with typical Japanese/Asian elements, including a huge gong by the door and a sometimes working water wheel.

With the departure of the very popular Kobe Steakhouse at the Prado, I believe Happy Sumo II is the next closest alternative for the hibachi (sic) style Japanese restaurant in the area. This location has occupied this space for as long as I can remember, with very small changes since the first time I visited in the early 2000's. It's a large space with a decent-sized sushi bar and multiple rooms, filled with teppanyaki griddles - flat stainless-steel surfaces heated by gas flames, where the chefs ply their wares. And ply them they do, in the typical process made popular by Benihana and the local Nakato, the chefs here twirl utensils, season the food in a "show" at the table, and ignite various bits on fire to the delight of customers.

First regarding the sushi - I've always ordered and received exceptional sushi and sashimi at Happy Sumo - especially when ordered from the sushi part of the restaurant. I believe the chefs here are quite talented, however most of their talents are squandered making up rolls you can buy at Kroger or Publix. That being said, while the fish isn't as fresh as what is served at Nakato or Hiyakawa, it's still of better quality than most of the frozen crap you get at most of the local Sushi restaurants and buffets. I also prefer the style of spicy tuna and spicy salmon they do here in the rolls - there's an infusion of sauce that I like much better than the spicy dusting you get as some places. The sushi here is solid and the lunch specials are affordable (you also get rice and a salad when you order the combos).

For dinner, the teppanyaki is very passable - I mean it is difficult to mess up this style of cooking - other than to over-or-under cook everything. Even with all the flailing about the seasoning is actually fairly sparse - if you're worried about sodium tell the chef and he'll adjust to keep it down. Also, I like the gochujang they serve here as their hot sauce - just make sure you ask for it as it's not something they typically put out as one of their sauces they offer (traditionally it's mustard sauce and ginger sauce - here they also ad a creamy sauce for the seafood). Most of these "hibachi" style meals come with soup and a salad - either miso or a chicken-based stock for the soup and a light iceberg lettuce salad with ginger dressing - both at Sumo fit the classic formula quite well.

For the cooking action, which really what most people come to a hibachi restaurant to experience, the chefs here are mediocre, displaying a minimum amount of skill culminating in a "volcano" and/or a flambe of shrimp or similar. Sometimes they just squirt some oil, then alcohol to use as an accelerant to maximize the whoosh of a big fire (the oil acts as a sustaining fuel). Other than flipping a few shrimp tails and beating on the table with a utensil, the chefs tend to play down the show here. And therein lies the rub - I've found that most of these restaurant, especially close to town, have worked towards a minimum show for the customer - and really, as long as the food is exceptional that doesn't bother me personally. The problem is that most who come here (and similar restaurants) are paying and expecing something more. Everything these days just seem so tired. It's a sharp contract to visiting smaller restaurants of this type way out in the burbs - those chefs are still laying out the show and seem to be having fun doing this.

 

To wrap things up - the service here is above average. The sushi is good but not great. The teppanyaki is good while the show is mediocre. I think if you're into this style of cooking or work in the area, this is a fair place to aggregate with coworkers or friends. It can be quite fun, especially if you liberally sprinkle in the alcohol (to drink, not to cook) and have some good personalities in the crowd. Some of the chefs can be quite engaging, others seem so introverted you wonder why they're doing this for a living. The service here can be a bit iffy but generally won't piss you off. Prices seem to be the same for lunch and dinner but I just may have not noticed - if there's a separate menu it wasn't apparent the times I've eaten here.

Kanpai!

  -- John

(shorter version of this review also posted to Yelp)

Indigo Coastal Shanty - Brunswick GA

You can find Indigo Coastal Shanty at 1402 Reynolds St., Brunswick, GA 31520 - this is a small restaurant with a big deck and plenty of flavors. It's also the one of the best restaurants in Brunswick and the surrounding areas (like nearby St Simons, Sea and Jekyll Islands).

Emerging like a phoenix from the ashes of the popular Cargo Restaurant in downtown Brunswick, chef Kate B. and crew opened this down-sized establishment to thrill locals and visitors with world coastal cuisine. More than a Caribbean restaurant, Indigo Coastal Shanty fuses Asian, Indian, Creole, African and other exotic flavors into a melange of taste sensations at very affordable prices. This small restaurant powers a spice-filled one-two punch of great fresh ingredients with beautiful preparation and presentation, something you rarely see in remote destinations, yet tucked away in this little corner of Georgia.

For full disclosure, I have a bit of a connection with Indigo Coastal Shanty and the chef, Kate B, having originally worked with her at Indigo, her mom Alex' place in Atlanta (Indigo Coastal Grill on N Highland Dr). This was the last restaurant where I worked as a chef before hanging up that hat and taking up software development.

What I love about Indigo Coastal Shanty is that there are many very familiar items on the menu, only subtly different enough that the offer something more, a true improvement and interpretation of what we had at Indigo in Atlanta. The original restaurant is missed to this day by locals, but can be re-experienced down in Brunswick for those both Jones-ing for the original and looking for new vistas. I joined several other previous Indigo employees at a bit of a small reunion that centered around the visit to the Shanty. Besides plenty of rest and relaxation at the local beaches, we all enjoyed our visit at the restaurant and a sampling of what it had to offer.

Curried Mussels - these are pot-cooked mussels in vino and curry for an exotic aroma and flavor - delicious

Crispy Fried Plantains with Avocado Puree - this is an old standby from the Indigo days and a great starter.


Jerk Chicken with black-beans and rice, slaw and pineapple salsa - another very popular Indigo dish and one of my favorites from back-in-the-day. Often copied by other restaurants but always lacking in that certain something - this is the real deal at the Shanty!

Charleston Sauté... Shrimp  with ham, tomatoes, peppers and fried okra served over cheesy grits (the original dish we called the Low Country Saute - this is definitely an improvement!)

Pineapple Upside Down Cake - delicious mix of sweet and sour tangyness!

Cajeta Brownie - not one can resist the power of cajeta!

My other recommendations are any of the Southern favorites like the Fried Green Tomatoes. Also, check out the fantastic deck for a nice dining experience under the perfect blue skies! In all, a fabulous evening with great food, good friends and fantastic memories!

-- John

(shorter version of the review also posted to Yelp)