Watershed

406 W Ponce De Leon Ave
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 378-4900

I see a lot of 3s and 4s on Yelp and I usually get slammed for rating too low. Well here is a 5 for you Watershed!

I'm not sure if my expectations were so low or that I had been so unimpressed with my previous visit at this Decatur restaurant years ago, but Watershed's food blew me away.

I had heard so much about this famous Fried Chicken on Tuesday. Seriously, how good could it be? I was proven wrong. The chicken lived up to the hype. Of course, I happened to get there fairly early and not have to stand with the grumpy people outside who may or may not land a plate of the chicken, but I thought it was a really great experience.

My friend and I sat at the bar and the service was wonderful as well. The bartender explained in detail how the chicken was made, although I can't really recall the whole process since I was devouring this perfectly golden dish. The chicken was evenly cooked and was perfectly seasoned. The veggies and mash potatoes were beautifully presented and delicious as well.

Don't worry, I'm not just judging based on the chicken. My friend's salmon croquettes were good as well and dessert, though simple, was a winner.

Go on a Tuesday when you get off relatively early. Every Atlantan should try! Best fried chicken in Atlanta.

Taka - Sushi and Passion; Atlanta, GA

Neighborhood: Buckhead
385 Pharr Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30305

(404) 869-2802
www.takasushiatlanta.com



MY YELP REVIEW

This is more like a 4.5 given the city and pricing.

I was pleasantly surprised by my experience at Taka. People have been talking up this place for a while, but I've never made my way over to the restaurant until earlier this year. Despite the good reviews on Yelp, I'll be honest, I was pretty skeptical and wasn't expecting much. We've been disappointed with quite a few sushi recommendations in Atlanta that didn't live up.

Our experience was a good one. We had some excellent cuts of fish, and I'll probably go back. (Actually I have been back)

First Impressions: The parking lot is tiny, but we were able to find parking with no problem. The interior was tasteful although I didn't really get much of a chance to soak that in since we decided to be seated outside each time. The outdoor seating is great for a nice relaxing spring day.

Service: The service was pretty good. It wasn't anything spectacular or memorable in this department, but I have no complaints at all.

Food: Fresh fish. Great with the traditional menu but some of the rolls are quite nice. I think it was the tuna tartar roll that has a nice twist to with a wrapping that has smokiness to it. I also had some of the best Ama-ebi here. Overall, I thought the sashimi was pretty well selected, although I feel Tomo has better consistency in quality. I had a grilled seabass here that was delicious. One disappointment was the uni, the time we ordered it. Also, the pork belly pales in comparison to that served at Tomo. (Although you'll pay much more at Tomo for it)

One thing that I've noticed is that Taka has a blog. I'm not sure how well he keeps up with it but he makes information available about the freshest selections and specialty items he is currently serving. You can tell this man has passion for what he does!

All in all, a good experience. It is one of the only four Atlanta restaurants that I will go to for sushi.

Google in talks to buy Yelp?

Hmmm...

Restaurant Charlie - Las Vegas, NV

I went to a conference in Las Vegas earlier this year and haven't reviewed this until now.

Let me start off by saying that I loved every bite of food at Restaurant Charlie. Every bite. I had fish there that surpassed my experiences eating at a restaurant next to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, which I might add is incredible in itself.

The reason why this place does not get a five is the atmosphere. The ambiance is sleepy. For whatever reason, I did not like sitting in the restaurant at all, even though we had the most beautiful view. Despite delicious course after course, I was itching for the moment to be released from overly subdued atmosphere.

Unlike some of the reviews I've read on Yelp, I thought the service wasn't bad. Our server seemed a bit nervous and awkward, but he was nice and professional. The table-side presentation and nice touch of being all served in one swoop was nice as well.

I cannot even begin to pinpoint what dishes to order, although the trout does stand out in my mind. At my table, we ordered a number of items to try. There were no disappointments. Also, save room for dessert. We had something with honey, although I cannot remember what it was called. It was phenomenal though.

Of all of my fine dining experiences in Las Vegas, the food here was THE BEST. I've been highly disappointed with the food of other famous restaurants in Vegas. Restaurant Charlie had exceptional quality in ingredients and cuts of fish. I give this a thumbs up! I only caution about the ambiance.

Yogilicious: Dallas, TX

3000 Blackburn Avenue • Suite 160
Dallas, Texas 75204
(214) 521-7888
On McKinney Avenue & Blackburn Street

http://www.yogi-licious.com

I'm a fan of this place. I've tried Pinkberry and several of the pinkberry/red mango copy-cat places, and I had a better experience here than any of the others. The flavors were all pretty good. The yogurt was lighter in consistency than at other places, which was a bonus. The flavors that stood out in particular were the plain and cookies and cream.

I like the model of adding your own toppings and weighing, rather than be constricted by two or three toppings. BTW, graham cracker grounds are a nice compliment to the yogurt.

In any case, thumbs up in my book.

Tei Tei Dallas, TX

I'm not going to review this one on yelp because I can't justify giving it a four, but I don't want to give it a three either but it fits somewhere in there.

It has been a long time since I have written. Trust me, there are many places I would have liked to blog about but it has been a bit hectic in my life lately. I am trying to get back into the groove of things though.

This entry has nothing to with Atlanta. After recommendations from friends and a bit of help from Yelp, we ended up at a place called Tei Tei Robata Bar located on North Henderson. The area seems to be a center of good eats, or at least restaurants with many people lined up to get in. The restaurant wasn't incredibly large, but there was a separate bar area where you could drink and have appetizers while waiting for a table, and be enticed by the smokey aromas of the grill.

It was a fun environment with an attentive staff and friendly manager. This certainly helped with the experience because the food did not live up to the recommendations. Off night? I'm not sure. The food was still good and I'd probably be willing to try it again. Also, in all fairness, we had all recently returned from Japan. (unfair comparison)

I think the best course of the night was the sea bass.

All in all, I'd like to try this place some time again in the future. I wasn't particularly "wowed" by anything on the night we went, but I think it has potential. The restaurant was formerly part of another group (with one called Teppo) so it appears that perhaps they are trying to find their bearings right now. The staff also seem quite passionate for the restaurant, so I'm hoping for better on return. As for now, it is a bit more trendy and glam than solid good eats. It is worth a try for a fun night though.

Easter Brunch @ Sweet Melissas 3/5

There were so many places with Easter brunch that sounded pretty good. I wasn't sure if I was going to be in town so we didn't make reservations anywhere. Rather than try to find a place with a spot, we decided on trying Sweet Melissa's in Downtown Decatur. I can't really say I'd eat there again, although the food wasn't BAD. It just wasn't anything that I am going to yearn for again. Aside from the very nice servers, the place does not seem deserving of the good reviews on Yelp and others.

They also had some live music, which was fine. Not too loud.

We ended up trying both recommendations from the server...some Mad Platter and the Sunrise scramble. We also ordered a biscuit due to the reviews as well as some cheese grits. I'd give this place a 3 when you consider the nice service and all, but I wouldn't recommend it. Honestly, I'd rather eat breakfast at the hospital where I'm doing my rotation this month.