Day 39: No Calorie Left Behind

Today, Mark and I attended the food festival, Taste of Atlanta and thoroughly gorged on all sorts of 'new things.' Between the two of us, we sampled over 15 dishes from local restaurants, and if it weren't for the number of "food tickets" allocated to us, we could have gone for more. I only allow myself this pleasure once in a blue moon so I feel justified in letting loose for a couple hours.

I can't remember all the names of these dishes, nor all the places that I got them, but I can guarantee you that every dish was from a restaurant I have never been to. 

Since I'm sure you'll ask, my favorite was the chicken and waffles, because it's a southern classic that I finally had a venue to experience. There's a really unique combination of sweet, baked, fluffy waffle that contrasts so perfectly with fried, salty chicken. Truly a treat. And I skipped the entire 30+ person line, which put me in a splendid mood to enjoy said indulgence.

And since I'm sure you'll ask about this too, my least favorite was the Kobe sliders because (I think) I've hyped up what my first experience with Kobe beef would be. I thought it would be life-changing and make me realize what the best beef in the world should taste like. However, eating ground meat of any sort takes away the original texture (the highlight of the Kobe beef in the first place), and any burger additions will take away from the original taste. Putting it on a bun subjects a beautiful meat to white bread...which is certainly not my favorite. The slider was itself quite yummy, but not what I hoped. Despite my first impression of beer-fed beef, I'm not giving up yet. I'm still holding onto the notion that when I get my first Kobe beef steak that it will change my life.

What we ate, in order:

Pork, grits and pickled okra

"Black bottom cupcake" with cream cheese frosting and chocolate chips on top

Krispy Kreme doughnut topped with fresh, hot chocolate sauce

Moroccan lamb sausage and spicy aioli

Porcini ravioli with champagne cream sauce. Doesn't make for a super attractive picture, but it was tasty!

Jim and Nick's Ribs with slaw. YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY

Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffle, wrapped newspaper. What's not to love?

Shrimp and polenta with yellow tomato salad

Ran into Kate while she was waiting on rosemary and olive oil ice cream! So sweet I could eat her up too.

Figo bruschetta  with caramelized onions, goat cheese and apricots

Figo bruschetta with tomato and capers (and other things that I've forgotten)

Cheese plate: Gouda, honey-infused goat cheese, charcuterie and crackers

Duh, Grilled artichoke with remoulade

Kobe beef slider with brie

And P.S. I never claimed, nor ever will claim, that I am any sort of photojournalist. I can't take a decent picture to save my soul, but if anyone wants to teach me, that would definitely count as a "new thing" and I would be ever-so-grateful (hint hint).