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Sweetwater 15 Years of Heady Beers

By Tom Maicon at February 22, 2012 | 11:13 am | 0 Comment

Can you believe it has been 15 years since Sweetwater began brewing beer? Back then, Kevin McNerney (now at 5 Seasons Brewing Prado) was the brew master and life was grand on Fulton Industrial. Today, the brewery resides in a new, much larger, swankier building — evidence that this local microbrewery (at what point does one become a mega brewery?) is kicking more...

Beer 15 Years of Heady Beers, Kevin McNerney, Sweetwater brewing Co.

Pick of The Week: We Suki Suki

By Tom Maicon at February 20, 2012 | 1:40 pm | 2 Comments

I have always said that every neighborhood needs a good banh mi sandwich shop. Well, that's exactly what residents of East Atlanta Village got last week when We Suki Suki (479 Flat Shoals Ave, East Atlanta Village, Tel: 678.431.7729) opened its doors. This tiny Vietnamese deli — call it a dive — doesn't have a single table or chair, or even a bathroom for that more...

Tom Eats banh-mi, dac biet, East Atlanta Village, Q, We Suki Suki

Pick of The Week: Freight Kitchen & Tap

By Tom Maicon at February 14, 2012 | 3:26 pm | 2 Comments

Some of you loyal followers out there have grown up with us and remember the Pick of The Week column I published weekly online for several years. That column ultimately fell victim to a crumbling economy and was discontinued. Well, after several heated board meeting discussions, a flung meatball or two and a few cold brews — it's officially back and I'm happy to say more...

Tom Eats Chris Pease, Freight Kitchen and Tap, woodstock

Taka: Too Sexy For His Sushi

By Tom Maicon at February 7, 2012 | 2:58 pm | 0 Comment

I was recently scouring local food blogs when I stumbled across one of those entries in which the author confesses a slutty food affair, you know, usually with a forbidden morsel or eating establishment that no self respecting food snob would dare be caught eating, nonetheless enjoying. Well this article, read at a site called Marie, Let's Eat, a wordy Marietta food more...

Tom Eats Marie Let's Eat, Ru San's, Taka Sushi and Passion, uni ravioli

Atlanta: Growler Town, USA

By Tom Maicon at February 7, 2012 | 12:54 am | 3 Comments

Okay, I can admit when I am wrong. Way wrong, in this case. Employing my obviously not-so-sharp powers of prognostication last year, I looked deep into my crystal ball and predicted the growler fad would be as quick lived as a cheap fourteen-ounce pour. For those who don't know, a growler is a sixty-four or thirty-two ounce refillable glass container for fresh more...

Beer , News & Events Amber Waves, atlanta, Avondale Estates, Caren West, Caren West PR, Eleanor Benson, Growler Town, growlers, Harry Hager, Hop City Craft Beer and Wine, Kraig Torres, Marietta, Moondog Growlers, The Beer Growler

Let There Be Light

By Tom Maicon at February 3, 2012 | 9:39 am | 0 Comment

Atlanta has clearly been shorthanded in its number of brewpubs and breweries over the years, but a few newcomers have recently popped up giving us some much needed diversity. Of the local newcomers, I've been most impressed with Wild Heaven who has quietly put out a small handful of skillfully brewed beers, including their latest attempt — a small American Ale more...

Beer Eric Johnson, Let There Be Light, Nelson Sauvin, Nick Purdy, Sorachi Ace, Taco Mac, Wild Heaven

Killer Crab Dip & Po’boys in the Hood at Nicky’s

By Tom Maicon at January 12, 2012 | 8:21 pm | 0 Comment

Anybody out there remember Big Fish? For those who don’t, it was a fish shack that opened on the corner of Holcomb Bridge and Spalding Drive somewhere around 2005, I believe. The restaurant served killer po’boys and a highly addictive little Charleston crab dip that was so good the snobbiest of Charleston transplants couldn’t help but give a nod. The restaurant more...

Tom Eats Big Fish, Nick Caliendo, Nicky's Seafood

Son of a Brew!

By Tom Maicon at January 12, 2012 | 8:20 pm | 0 Comment

Local brewer Chris Terenzi held the position of brewmaster when Wrecking Bar Brewpub opened last summer. As inventive as he was, I thought his beers, with the exception of only one or two, seriously lacked depth and body just as all bad homebrew I’ve ever had the displeasure of tasting. But Terenzi’s stint as brewmaster at the popular Inman Park brewpub came more...

Beer Bob Sandage, Chris Terenzi, Colin's Wee Heavy Scotch Ale, Nathan's 13 Minute Amber Ale, Wrecking Bar Brewpub

Boga Taqueria opens in Alpharetta

By Tom Maicon at January 12, 2012 | 8:19 pm | 0 Comment

I typically stay away from overly Americanized taquerias, not because I have a need to sneer and pull the “authentic” argument, but because flavors tend to be bland and generally, not the kind of food I’m looking for. But Melanie is in the mood for Mexican and Boga Taqueria (12890 Hwy 9, Ste 160, Alpharetta, 678.366.9996) has been getting some positive Internet more...

Tom Eats alpharetta, Boga Taqueria, El Macho, Mexican, South American

Dempsey Does it Again!

By Tom Maicon at January 12, 2012 | 7:43 pm | 0 Comment

Local homebrewer Randy Dempsey, the lone man behind O’Dempsey’s, impressed us all right out of the gate with his first release back in Spring of 2010, a conservative Irish red ale he dubbed Big Red Ale. Nothing fancy or edgy, it didn’t push the envelope in any way, shape or form, but that solid Irish red ale — his first attempt at pro-brew — proved to most of more...

Beer O'Dempsey's, Randy Dempsey, Russian Imperial Stout, Thomas Creek Brewery, Your Black Heart