Atlanta Cuisine

Orange, grapefruit, tangerine, peach, even mango and a little toffee are the flavors associated with this wonderful American Pale Ale by Lagunitas.  Smooth creamy mouthfeel slowly recedes to a bitter dry finish.  You won’t find that stiff hop bite that comes with an IPA, but should be heady enough to please most hopheads.  It’s an easy drinking beer at 6.3%abv.    

If there were a “forgotten soul” award for restaurants Hot Wok (6277 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Doraville, 770.936.8880) would be busy clearing window space for another accolade.  Nearly a decade ago this Indo Chinese restaurant racked up one raving review after another.  But today, it seems as if nobody knows it exists.  It’s a shame because the food is still as good as ever.

I’m happy to report that the scary empty Friday’s Plaza shopping center has received a long overdue face-lift, and now has “coming soon” banners beginning to pop up over doorways.  Hopefully this new flurry of activity will spill over to Hot Wok’s dining room.

Tropical warmth drifting up from our friends to the south brought summer a little early this year.  Heavy hanging heat and drenching humidity lend themselves well to lazy days at the pool, road trips, and barbeque parties.  Summer as a whole lends itself to a specific kind of beer, beckoning for something light, crisp, and refreshing. 

Beer’s history is riddled with references to seasonality, drinking styles that paired well with the season.  Somehow, a St. Bernardus 12 lacks some of its hypnotic appeal drank while cutting the yard on a hot summer’s day, just as a Victory Prima Pils’ fantastic refreshing qualities are lost if enjoyed in front of a fire in a cabin surrounded by snow. 

However, to enjoy Summer with a nice crisp, refreshing brew, you don’t have to turn to your multi-national conglomerate’s idea of a lager.  Here are five fantastic summer brews for all tastes made by craft brewers.

We currently have three ‘que joints in the metro area I’d consider top-tier: Fox Bros. BBQ located in Inman Park, BBQ1 East Cobb, and Swallow at The Hollow in Roswell.  The one thing all these places have in common is the ability to apply a deep smoky flavor to the meats.