Perfect Patios for Fall

This is an announcement, just in case someone other than my mother reads this blog (hi mom!). I have really been slacking lately on updating, mainly because I'm lazy, and partly because I recently got engaged (see below) so all of my focus has been directed towards stationary and whether to have bubbles or rose petals thrown at us (any thoughts on this?)




I have eaten on some great patios lately and I want to spread the word!

D.B.A. Barbecue in Virginia Higlands has been on our list of places to try for a while. The B.F. (now fiance!)purchased a coupon from one of those deal sites, and since we rarely venture outside of Buckhead for dinner, we thought it'd be worth the trip for discounted food. Parking kind of sucks here, but probably just because it was pretty packed the night we went. The weather was gorgeous, and they have a great patio to take full advantage of that. We started with some adult bevs, Firefly and Lemonade for me, beer for the F.H. (future hubby). For an app we had the Warm White Cheese and Corn Muffins with Honey Butter and they were amazing!




The menu is pretty large for a basic BBQ joint, and though the Beef Brisket was tempting me, I couldn't resist the Pulled Pork Sammy with Sweet Potato tots. They have an assortment of sauces, ranging from spicy to sweet, but if you're like me, mix a little of both.




Yummy! As a side note, the F.H. got the same sandwich, but with Mac and Cheese. The Mac and Cheese was good, but my tots were better. I win! I'd definitely recommend D.B.A. to anyone in need of a BBQ fix.


Keeping with the theme of patio-dining, we also went to Einstein's in Midtown recently. Just to clarify (because for some reason, people often get confused about this place...) I am not referring to the bagel place. I am referring to the awesome restaurant off of Juniper. Anyway-- Einstein's has some great drink specials for the thrifty-- like $5 martinis-- along with a creative menu.

I began my meal with Creamed Corn Hush Puppies, which I tried not to share, but the F.H. got his paws on one. Also, I ate most of them before I remembered to take a photo. Oops.



Next I had the Pot Roast Raviolis. These were hands down one of the best things I've eaten in a while. The meat was so tender and velvety, and the sauce was so rich-- perfect comfort food!



A regular person would've stopped eating at this point but I pushed the limits of stretchy pants and kept going. I tried the Crab Cake-- pretty basic but good.



I also took a few bites of the F.H.'s Shrimp and Grits:



and got to try my friend Ashley's Angus Steak Taco that she raves about:



Everything at Einsten's consistently tastes great and the prices are a steal for the quality of food. Also, the patio is one of the best for people-watching.

It's officially fall now, which means Atlanta's best weather is happening now. Park it on a patio now and enjoy it while you can!

~Blair Branch

D.B.A. Barbecue is located at 1190 N. Highland Avenue in Virginia Highlands.
404.249.500

Einstein's is located at 1077 Juniper Street in Midtown.
404.876.7925

Three Sheets brings chic to Sandy Springs

Not one to venture OTP very often, the B.F. and I trekked a whole ten minutes a few Fridays ago to try the lounge-y small-plates spot, Three Sheets.

Nestled back in the City Walk shopping center and boasting an amazing second story patio complete with its own bar, Three Sheets serves up small plates with style.

Having basically starved myself all day to save up for a calorie-bomb that evening, I arrived ravenous and ready to order. We started with the French Fries. Though they seem basic enough, these fries are anything but fast-food variety. The fries seem double-dipped in batter, with a slight crisp to the outside. The trio of dipping sauces served with them-- sriracha aioli, chimichurri and ketchup, made them perfection.

Being a fan of all things cheesy, we tried Spicy Mac and Cheese. This southern soul-food dish was delicious! I love when the cheese bakes over on top and forms a yummy crust that bursts with gooey-ness when you dig in for a bite. Ahh…my diet has met its nemesis.

The last thing we needed was more food, but since we wanted to try some more dishes, we selected a few plates from the dinner section of the menu. The Trio of Sliders come three ways—Caprese-style with tomato, mozzarella and basil, roasted chicken salad with bacon and jalapeno and the classic—Angus beef with lettuce, tomato and sriracha aioli. Diners are able to mix and match any way they want, so we chose two Angus and a chicken salad. While the chicken salad was delish, the Angus slider was amazing, and I wish we would’ve gotten all three Angus-style.

For our second main dish, we chose the Applewood Smoked Cheddar Grilled Cheese with tomato bisque. This dish is comfort food at its best. Just greasy enough and served on thick sourdough, this sandwich was the star of the meal, and the creamy tomato bisque on the side makes a perfect dipping sauce. I’ve been craving this sandwich for days, and I think it’s my new favorite meal—anywhere.

My stomach knows no limits, and though I was stuffed, I insisted we try a dessert. My devotion for chocolate steered me in the wrong direction when making the dessert choice. Though the Chocolate Mousse Cake was great, I was thrilled when a friend at our table ordered the White Chocolate Mousse Cake with Raspberry Filling. It was light, fluffy and a perfect finish to our heavy-ish meal. It should be noted though, that I ended up sufficiently staining my white dress with both cakes, so I’m not really sure which one I like best.

The service during our meal was great, especially considering that we went on the first night that the rooftop patio was open, and there was only one server for the whole area. Three Sheets is a great spot for after-work drinks and bites, a birthday celebration or a girls’ night out. Three Sheets also has live music and DJs Tuesday-Saturday nights.

With the chic yet chill ambiance, delicious food and friendly staff, I think I’ll be making the trek to Sandy Springs more often.


~Blair Branch



Three Sheets is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5pm-2am.
Three Sheets is located at 6017 Sandy Springs Circle in Atlanta.
404.303.8423