steak

Tuesday’s Treats #38

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Bullfish Grill

Location: Pigeon Forge, Tn

This restaurant is INCREDIBLE! The spicy barbeque shrimp are so amazing, and the smokey pimento cheese appetizer is just as great. It’s been so hard to choose which one to get!
  The shrimp and grits are off the chain, and the steaks and burgers are just as yummy. They prepare the shrimp a little different than I’m used to for shrimp and grits, because they lightly get them; however, it’s a really delicious dish. If shrimp and grits just aren’t your thing, they have a pretty diverse menu, too; so, it should be fairly easy to find a few items you will enjoy. 😉

We had two desserts here. The keylime cheesecake was pretty good. As I’ve stated before, I’m a little picker than some when it comes to keylime and cheesecake; so, I wouldn’t say this was incredible. However, it was tasty, and the caramel cheesecake was out of this world! Oh my!


This restaurant is located right on the main strip as you come into Pigeon Forge (from Sevierville); so, it’s really easy to find. The location is great, too, because you can walk from here to the Christmas Inn, the Christmas store, which are some of my favorites, and to MagiQuest, which our boys love! If you need a coffee for that trip, Starbucks is close by, too.

You can check out their website here.

*Please note, the last time we went in, which was back in the summer, they were in the process of adjusting some of their menu items; so, I don’t know what their final decisions were. The waiter had said management was talking about replacing both the pimento cheese plate AND the cheesecake!! 😔 So, maybe you can go in and tell the manager you had read this wonderful review on those two items, and you were really looking forward to them…maybe they’ll reconsider! (‘Cuz, when we heard, we “fussed” about it, too! 😉)

Tuesday’s Treats #37

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Osaka Hibachi & Sushi

Location: Cumming, Ga



  

Tuesday’s Treats #28

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Bare Bones Steakhouse

Location: Buford, Ga.  

For one of the best steaks you’ll put in your mouth, drive on past The Mall of Georgia and head toward the historic town of Buford, Georgia. In the old Bona Allen Tannery Building, the owner of Bare Bones Restaurant is grilling them up right! He has direct connections with a meat company out of Norcross; so, the steaks are cut and delivered fresh everyday.

My husband and I went here for the first time the other night, and we were highly impressed! From what I’ve been told, they have redone the building perfectly. You feel like you’ve walked into an upscale steakhouse yet not so upscale that you can’t show up in jeans and a cute top. The hostess is dressed in jeans and a plaid button up, and I saw the owner bustling around in his suit and tie. They asked if we had reservations, but seated us quickly even though we did not. They have booths and tables and a grand room in the back for really large groups.


We split the 22 oz Chateau Briand Filet with a side of Logan Turnpike Grits with cheese and a salad. Can I just say, “Oh. My. Word. That’s a lot of meat, but, oh, what a good steak!!” The grits were phenomenal and the wedge salad was incredible with the bacon, tomatoes and pecans (We got it with Ranch dressing instead of blue cheese). We were told by the hostess that everything here, except the bread and the cheesecake, is made in house, and you can tell! The grits were creamy and delicious…”Southern style” made just right.

Even though, we were almost full, and we had already had a portion of our steak boxed to go, we ordered the blackberry cobbler with homemade ice cream for dessert. Oh. My. Goodness!! That’s heaven in a bowl! It was served in this cute little white “crock,” and I’m so sorry, I don’t have a pic of this. We dove into it way too quickly, and it disappeared before I thought to take a photo. Just trust me when I say, you’ve got to get you some!!

These guys opened up back in the fall/winter of 2015, and they seem to be going great. I hope they do well. They are a great addition to the cool upgrade of downtown Buford. Here is their website; so, you can find their location and see the menu.

Tuesday’s Treats #27

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Austin’s Cattle Co.

Location: Valdosta, Ga.

This place is a hidden gem in Valdosta. You wouldn’t quite expect the quality, as its location is unassuming and connected to a motel, and usually motel restaurants are, at best, hit and miss. Well, this is a “bullseye hit!”

It seems to be locally owned and cared for by people who care about quality as well as service. It’s hard to tell from appearances, if the owners own the motel, or they may not be affiliated at all with the motel; however, it is evident the restaurant is of top priority. From the front door to the tables to the food, everything is extremely clean and treated with “A+ quality.”

The steaks were cooked to perfection and seemed to melt in your mouth, and the veggies were cooked exactly as they should be, not squishy and soggy, and the taste was scrumptious! The menu is quite extensive with choices not only of steak but chicken, salads, burgers, etc. Our waiter was delightful and helpful with the menu, and she was quick to keep our drinks refilled and assist in any way she could.

If you’re in the Valdosta area, and you want an incredible steak, this is the place to eat! Check out their website here.

Tuesday’s Treats #18

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Madison’s

Location: Highlands, NC

Madison’s is located inside the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands. They have inside seating, a wine garden with outside seating, and even a rooftop terrace where you can choose to have your meal. We have eaten both inside and on the rooftop terrace and enjoyed both immensely. We have friends who had lunch in the wine garden and just loved the patio feel with the sound of the waterfall trickling nearby.

Let me stage for you and tell you about one of our favorite moments here… Now just imagine: a lovely rooftop terrace, with beautiful shutters, table settings and cushioned seating, overlooking the little town, and a gentle summer breeze blowing in the “heat” of summer with ceiling fans gently rolling. The temperature gauge rising no more than about 70-72 degrees, because you’re at such a high elevation! The waiter brings you a pleasant cheese and cracker tray for an appetizer, “just right” sweet Southern tea, mini biscuits and cornbread made fresh daily, and your meal consists of fish and chips and the best shrimp and grits you’ve ever tasted. You sit around the table with family and friends and feel like royalty… Yes, it was that wonderful!

The food is incredible, and we haven’t had one thing yet that we didn’t like! As I mentioned before, their fish and chips are great, and they serve it in a really cool style. (See pic below) Their fries are more like miniature potato logs, and the dill/tartar sauce is great. I don’t have it pictured, but they also have a great cheese tray which comes with several cheese, currant and several other delicacies that are just fantastic. They have a pimento cheese burger that is just as fantastic, too.

As I’ve also mentioned, they have some of the best shrimp and grits I’ve ever put in my mouth…and being a Southern girl, that’s quite a bit! They serve the dish in a cute little crock/skillet; so, your grits stay nice and warm throughout the duration of the meal. However, they’re usually gobbled up so quickly, it’s difficult to let the grits grow cold anyway. Haha. The grits are so creamy, and the shrimp are just right, never chewy.

It is simply a fine Southern meal to remember! If you have time, and can afford it, be sure to stay a night or two at the Old Edward’s Inn, too. It is breathtaking!

I will include the whole website on this blog; so, you can find all your needs. When you go to the site, if you just want info on Madison’s, click on the little circle icon in the top right hand corner, and a drop down menu will appear they has “dining” listed. Click there, and it will direct you to the restaurant. If you’d like to know more about the town of Highlands, you can read one of my past Wednesday’s Odes telling all. It is a delightful little town!

Tuesday’s Treats #16

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Fogo De Chao

location: Atlanta, Ga 

I had never eaten at a Brazillian Steakhouse until the other day during our “Night on the Town.” Oh. My. Goodness. You can really hurt yourself when eating there! They have an enormous salad bar, appropriately called, The Market Table, and then, when you’re ready, the waiters start bringing out the meats!

You have a little coaster, which is red on one side and green on the other, and you use this to let the waiters know if/when you want more. The room seems to almost “move” as each waiter goes from table to table with a skewer stacked high of individual types of meat, such as top sirloin, bottom sirloin, house sirloin, filet of lamb, ribs, pork loin, chicken legs and chicken sausage. You can choose what you like, and you can have as much as you’d like.

The food is absolutely fantastic, and because it’s simply slices of meat that each waiter gives you, it’s pretty easy to not realize how much you’ve really eaten until you are about to bust! 😉

They also have an incredible array of desserts, if you can actually stand putting another thing in your belly after all this! They have New York style cheesecake with strawberries, Creme Brûlée, Turtle Cheesecake, Molten Chocolate Cake and Key Lime…just to name s few!

Here is their website to find all the information you need. 😊

Tuesday’s Treats #14

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Hilltop Grill

Location: Athens, Ga


Hilltop is a great local steakhouse restaurant in Athens that we love to frequent when we can. They have to best bacon-wrapped shrimp appetizer that you’ll put in your mouth! They have incredible burgers, sandwiches and a various assortment of different plates. One of their sides I love is their grits. Oh. My. Yum! Their sweet tea is good ol’ Southern Sweet Tea, and their dinner rolls are the delicious yeast kind that melt in your mouth with a little butter on top.

They have special “lunch plates” Tuesday-Friday for lunch, and the price isn’t bad at all. These are like roasted pork loin, meatloaf and even turkey and dressing. Their salads and soup are great; they usually have a special soup of the day. The “icing on the cake” is their hilltop brownie. Oh. My. Word! It’s to die for!! 😉 They have several other desserts, but that one is my favorite.

The atmosphere is really cool, too. It is nice enough for linens on the table, and you can come dressed “to the nines,” or you can come dressed for game day, and you’ll feel perfectly welcomed. Just know, if you come on game day, you better come early, cuz this place will be packed!!

Here’s their website to get more information.

Tuesday’s Treats #13

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Ray’s in the City

Location: Atlanta, Ga

Prailine Basket

 

Yes, I did start this post with a yummy looking dessert, and believe me when I say, “It tastes even MORE incredible than it looks!” Oh. My. Goodness! (If you’re attempting to diet, I’m giving you fair warning you may not want to continue this read. lol. 😂)

Ok, I’ll start at the beginning. My husband and I stayed at the Ritz Carlton one night last month, because he was asked to be the chaplain for the day at the State Capitol. What an incredible day! Ok, so, that’s for a whole different post…

Anyway, we arrived in Atlanta early; so, we could have an easy evening and go out for dinner. We walked from The Ritz to Ray’s in the City, and it was such a pleasant little trek. We checked out several restaurants via Trip Advisor (best app for restaurant ratings, by the way!), and we had a tough time narrowing it down. Ray’s looked cool and inviting; so, we decided to give it a try. I am so glad we did!!

key lime pie

 

They sat is in one of the only four booths in the place. The rest of the seating is tables and chairs and the bar area. We were really close to the bar, and I wasn’t sure how the noise level would be, as we were looking for a more romantic atmosphere, but it was totally fine. They had live music, right next to us, and the lady singing was amazing. She was really sensitive to the needs/desires of the crowd, interactive with those who wanted to be and left alone those who didn’t. She did a lot of Rolling Stones and 70s-type music, and she did it right. A group at the bar requested “Rollin’ On The River,” and she had the place rockin’, or Rollin’ rather; everyone was getting into it. She, also, had an assistant that could make his electric guitar “talk.” They were both great, and it was so enjoyable.

AMAZING Shrimp and Grits!!

 

Now, for the food…it was simply “Off The Chain!” We ordered a shrimp appetizer first (I’m sorry. I can’t remember the name!) I had shrimp and grits, my husband had swordfish, and you see the desserts we had: a praline basket and a slice of key lime pie (both made in house!) Oh. My. Word!! We were totally stuffed by the end of our meal, and we were thankful for that short little walk we had back to the hotel!

I’ve heard there’s a Ray’s on the River, as well, and we plan to visit that one some day soon, too. If you’re in downtown Atlanta, and looking for a great place to eat, my suggestion is Ray’s in the City! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! 😉

Here’s their website and more pics for your enjoyment….ps. Just looking at the website and realized they’ve got virtual tours of some of their locations. How cool!

  

this is a pic from The Ritz

 

Tuesday’s Treats #10

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Ted’s Montana Grill

Location: Several locations in the Atlanta area – Georgia

Since, this week is my birthday week, I thought I’d post one of my favorites for Tuesday’s Treats. Hope you enjoy! 😊

   
Yes, I started this post off with their yummy dessert, the Apple Pecan Crisp. Oh. My. Word. This will send you right over the top! My husband and I love apple pie; however, we’re hesitant on crisps, because, too often, those who prepare them lean too heavily on the breading crumbles (that end up being too soggy), or the filling is more like the canned-fruit-topping-fillings than something fresh and homemade. Well, this dish is incredible! They begin with whole, thick slices of Granny Smith apples, add a touch of cinnamon and make the crumble topping with pecans and oats; so, the combination tasted more like a fresh-out-of-the-oven, heavenly goodness!! Yum!

You may not be the type for desserts first; so let me back up to the main entrees. They have sandwiches, burgers, chicken and steak options. It’s a real “man’s steak and potatoes” kind of restaurant. They are known for their bison burgers, which are incredible, and they have several different types to choose. Every burger variety has the option of beef, bison or chicken. One of our son’s favorites is the Red Rock Bison Burger. I’ve screenshot the monsteracity for you from the website. I usually can’t get a pic fast enough when my son’s involved! Haha.   

I have ordered the Farmhouse salad with salmon and with roasted chicken; both variations are amazing. That salad is huge, and I usually can’t finish it. The menus calls for roasted chicken, but I think I prefer the salmon more, because it’s a little more healthy for me…since, we also get an appetizer and that yummy dessert! Ha. 

Lately, I have also been ordering a side of their squash casserole. Oh. My. Goodness! This is made just as it should be!! The squash isn’t too squishy, cooked with buttery goodness, and it is topped lightly with a light bread crumble. Amazing. 

My husband usually gets the bison cheeseburger with fries, and our youngest has had their chicken fingers with fries. Again, everything is delicious! Oh, and the other day, my husband ordered  the daily special of bison chopped steak, green beans and roasted corn. Oh my word, again, it was all incredible, but that corn was out of this world!! It was roasted kernels with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Amazing, again. 

The appetizer we often order is the Bison nachos with extra chili, because we love the bison chili that is on them! Oh, and there are three other things you’ll definitely want to try while you’re here… They put marinated cucumber slices “(homemade pickles 😉) on the table to begin your “Out West Experience.” These are so yummy. I could eat the whole bowl…well, I usually do, because they’re not so much the favorites of my husband or kiddos. They, also, have fresh squeezed lemonade, made just the way it should be: tart enough to make you pucker but sweetened just right. If apples just aren’t your thing, be sure and try the Kahlua Fudge brownie. I’m not real crazy about Kahlua; so, that was brought on the side, but Oh. My. Word. This is pure sin! (Lol.) It is so rich, you’ll want to share it or take it home, but it’s definitely worth ordering! 

(…I’m sorry I don’t have a picture of that yumminess. Our son dove into that while I was enjoying the apple pecan crisp, and I totally missed the opportunity!)

So, if you’re in The Atlanta area, be sure to look up Ted’s Montana and see if it’s located near you. Even if you have to drive a little bit, I promise you, you won’t be disappointed!   

Yeah, I left one more pic of that yummy deliciousness…

You can find all their locations and menu options here. 

**Note: the burger photo is property of Ted’s Montana, as shown by the copyright. I neither own nor possess this photo. Simply screenshot this from their website to display with written description of item.