The Mermaid Oyster Bar

NYC has a million and one seafood joints... A lot of them are good but this one is fun, hip and cozy in one of my favorite hometown hoods. Da Village. MacDougal Street has some of the best eats in the city and all on one street. Artichoke is across da street, Minetta up the street, Meskerem a stone's throw away, Luxor cafe and Kati Roll to name a few but Mermaid is da bomb...

(My little buttercup)

(East Coast Little Necks and Oysters - Sans beard)

No need to close your legs... The best smelling kind of clam laid out in front of my snout to lick and slurp. So fwesh and good.

(Lobster roll, Old Bay fwies and slaw)

(Side shot. Squirt)

Not your standard Maine style lobster roll in a top split buttered bun but it's no chopped liver either... Wait, I love chopped liver, nevermind. The roll is very nice but I prefer the top split bun to hold in the lobster. With rolls like this, the filling falls out way too easily. Speaking of the filling... The lobster was chunky, sweet, moist, tender, lightly dressed and seasoned. Perfect. The Old Bay dusted fries were crispy and delicious but a tad salty. The slaw was pretty weak and bland... It was like no one even tasted it.

(Mousse thinger)

(Fortune Teller fun!)

This was so cool. It's a plastic film in the shape of a fish that you put on the palm of your hand and it tells your fortune depending how it curls or flips based on the heat you're giving off. I think mine was "fickle". No shit, Sherlock.

This restaurant just oozes New York City standards that most restaurants around the nation can only wish to achieve. I'm not talking about fine dining achievement but a wonderful menu that you can eat on a daily basis. There's a lot more great stuff on the menu but I'll save it for next time.

Burp.

3.5 Stars.

79 MacDougal Street
New York, NY 10012
212-260-0100
http://www.themermaidnyc.com/oyster/

Ça Va Todd English

How's it going, brah?

I'm fucking starving, boo. Feed me!

So, I'm back home and up in Times Square area for business and needed a good place to chow down a quick snack before lunch... I fucking hate tourist central but where to eat, where to eat? Ah, Todd English is around the corner and I heard he was an ok chef (I kid, I kid), why not give it a try? They got a great deal for déjeuner, they call it the Ça Va"Restaurant Week", three courses for $24.07 that's available year round and rotates weekly... Even though, it seems like it's just for NYC resto week. Enough, about the little details, let's get to the quick and dirty...

(Lobster Bisque & Lobster Sandwich)

The bisque was vibrant, silky smooth, creamy, fragrant and just tasted fucking amazing. I mean, just look at it, you know it'll be good. The lobster sandwich was basically a lobster roll in slider form. Shit was awesome. I could eat 3 rounds of this and be happy.

(Pate)

Pretty much classic French pate course. It wasn't sack blowing out of this world good but it was tasty.

(Lamb Tenderloin)

Cooked perfect. Look at that color! It was so good, as with the Peruvian purple mash taters, too. Mary had a little lamb, Little lamb, Little lamb, Mary had a little lamb, It's flesh was cooked medium rare.

(Monkfish)

Can you believe this dish at this price point? This was incredible. The monkfish seared perfectly outside and moist and firm inside. Then you got artichokes, new potatoes and tomato puree/sauce. So fresh, so bright, so guuuud! You know, these frogs are good for something since we liberated them from the krauts.

(Sorbet - Mango & Raspberry)

(Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake)

Todd English did it again! Great food and a great deal in any language... Even if you don't speak Engrish. Run, don't walk... And don't take a cab or a subway because you'll never make it on time.

Garçon! Check, pweez! I got lunch rez in 20 minutes downtown... Or I can just stay here for lunch since my fat ass is planted already.

Burp.

4 Stars.

310 W 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
212-803-4545
http://www.cavatoddenglish.com/

The Shed at Glenwood

Wednesday night sliders night time!

At $3 a piece, they are a steal and the selections are all wonderfully tasty and filling. These ain't no ghetto ass Krystal's burgers... Not that they aren't good when you're fucked up because they are, especially, when you got the munchies. Anyhoo, back to these little beauties. Lance et al don't mess around on these simple party favors. There's something for everyone. 3 is enough for a normal height human being and a feast if you're a midget... Oh shit, my bad, I meant a little person, someone who is 3 sliders high. And then there's the pouch, me. I have to order everyone of them...

(Heirloom Tomatoes & Fresh Mozza)

(Simple Summer Salad)

(Gazpacho)

(Brisket)

(Baby Back Rib (just remember to take out the bones, duurr), Fried Trout, Chorizo)

(Prosciutto & Fig, Fried Chicken (mmm, cheekan), Fried Green Tomato)

This place rarely disappoints. No matter what you get it's consistently good whether you get a simple slider or a more filling entree. One of the best neighborhood joints in the city. I wished it was closer to me... Wait, that would be bad. I would be three-effin-hundred pounds.

3 Stars.

475 Bill Kennedy Way
Atlanta GA 30315
404.835.4363
http://www.theshedatglenwood.com/

The Vinings Fish Company

One can only wonder why, The Burger Club, didn't work out during the great orgy of the burger debauchery of yesteryear like dogs in heat. I mean everyone was inhaling any and all available man meat like the heydays of Backstreet. But then BC quietly had a sex change and emerged as a seafood joint. It just seems like they don't know what they want to be. Are they doing a tucky? Turn around and bend over, is there a fruit basket back there? But seriously, can a seafood joint work not only way inland but also way out in Vinings as well? Let's get our fishing gear and see what we catch... It's ok, I got Valtrex just in case.

(Hushpuppies - Dericious dog balls)

Hush Puppies - Shut yo mouth! These were actually pretty tasty, most others are dry as a 70 yr old wimman. Dip them in the bisque and store them in your cheeks, it's ok, no one is looking... Except me because there is nothing sexier. Oh wait, wrong blog.

(Lobster Bisque - Well, that's what they called it)

Lobster Bisque - A couple chunks of claw meat and a pretty weak, watery and oily soup... Or is that rusty pipe water? Is there anyone in Atlanta that can actually make a decent bisque that's worth the price they charge? Don't answer that, I already know. Next...

(Lobster Roll- Maine Style)

I have a weakness for lobster rolls, if Taco Bell made one I would get it. At $26, this lobster roll better rank way up there with the best of them. Sorry, Charlie, you lose. No such luck. Just look at this poor specimen. The bread was dry toasted, no butter, no flavor, no use. The lobster meat which they claim is 1 1/4 lb. was mostly claw meat and bits of what look to be tail meat. I assume they meant precooked weight but there was no way this was even close to a 1 pound sea roach. This chicken of the sea of a hoagie roll was extremely lackluster on all points of a $26 sandwich. Basically, a total rip-off and an insult to anyone with taste buds. Don't ask about the fwies. Just move along, move along...

(Fried Shrimp & Chips (Green beans sub)

Six medium size shrimp that had a steroid bath in gooey thick batter and fried to a greasy gut bomb popper. I love fried shit but come on, Sanchez, I don't want it to slide down my throat, right past my intestines and right outta my colon before I even pay the check. But the green beans were pretty fwesh but under-seasoned.

Service was scarce during lunch hours but friendly enough... The place was pretty much empty. Getting the check proved difficult, I circled the entire place looking for the server until I walked by the kitchen and there he was, chomping away on gratis vittles. I woulda too, since there were no customers there to eat the food.

I don't see much hope for this place. The location looks prime but the shops around there were as dead as this place. If burgers couldn't sell here, then the $26 lobster hoagie roll is definitely out of the question... So, are my future dinner reservations.

No rating.

4300 Paces Ferry Road
Suite 150
Atlanta, GA 30339
678-888-9036
www.greatfoodinc.com/vfc/The_Vinings_Fish_Company.html

IL Localino

Where do you even begin with this place, it was such a hot mess of a freak show... Oh, that's right. I'll start with walking through the door and getting cock blocked by what looks to be tables stacked 3 high, wrapped up in table cloths which doubled as a liquor/wine shelf. Take a look around and it's just shit upon shit all over the place, not just regular old shit... But gaudy and kitschy shit. I thought I walked into an episode of Hoarders.

I know this joint has been around for millenniums but shit dude, you don't have to keep everything you find on the side of the road. That poster of the new Bartle & Jaymes Fuzzy Navel Wine Cooler is not helping the cause, I kid I kid. They need to do an episode of Intervention up in this piece, STAT. This is Goodfellas meets Three's Company. Seriously, I thought I saw Janet's hairdo and Jack's camel toe pants by the corner table... Ralph Furley was explaining what the word coitus meant to Chrissy in the bathroom.

I'll admit it, I was somewhat entertained with the gross amount of junk in there and the blasting of bad 60's, 70's and 80's music... That is until the smoke machine started squirting away at my scungilli with white smegma. The service is overwhelming, what happened to one server per table? The staff in old school waitron gear (vest, apron and all the doodads) were like vultures circle jerking around looking for a piece of ass. Worse than a used car salesman. Pushing and pushing to order drinks and apps over and over again. When asked about the summer prix fixe menu that's posted on their website, a look of a man staring into the abyss appeared... And all of the sudden the server was "No speaka English". The owner on the other hand was a very sweet and gentle giant of a man... Ok, he looked like a cross between Captain of Captain & Tenille and Gallagher. But lovely nonetheless, acting the bit role of a fresh off da boat gracious Eyetalian. It was so over the top that it even makes Olive Garden look respectable. But how is the food on the "Grand Menu"? Average price for a dish was $25, yes, I'm talking boxed pasta at this price point. Trapped. I hope this shit is good. Since, I wasn't super hungry I wanted to order a couple of the classics...

Bread service was fine, warm crusty bread and soft on the inside came with garlic herb butter, blue cheese, olives and a pseudo pesto of parsley and oil. And then comes the entrees not long after. I did walk by the kitchen to take a peek and one look was all I needed. Let's just say HB 87 would have a field day in here. Not only was the front of the house in total disarray, the kitchen was in a state of anarchy. Oh hell, I got on this amusement ride already might as well finish it.

(Calamari & Scungilli aka Snatch in a Bowl)

Calamari & Scungilli Fra Diavolo ala Patsy - I don't know if this was a spin-off of the famous Pasty's Lobster Fra Diavolo in NYC but look at this specimen will ya? ...Basically, crap in bowl with canned peppers for the heat. Previously frozen squid rings (no tentacles/legs) and canned bits of snail doused in what basically is a plain old can of tomatoes smooshed with their feet for seasoning. The lovely owner kept asking me if I like-a spicy like a broken record and never gave me a chance to answer, so I acted like a FOB and nodded my head while doing the V sign. It was edible but not by much, it tasted very ordinary in a school cafeteria kinda way with a bam of chopped parsley and sage on the lip of the plate a la Emeril. And they forgot my side of pasta that comes with it... A blessing in disguise. But he did bring me more of those "spicy" canned peppers at the end of my meal. Woohoo! Squirt.

(Veal Parm, seriously, what is that???)

Filet of Veal Parmigiana (with four imported cheeses) - Keyword: Cheese. Holy Limberger, Batman! These 4 little thin mystery patties were smothered with so much mozzarella, you couldn't tell if they were imported from Afghanistan or Fromunda. These Magic Sliders were doused in the same exact can of pod-seasoned tomato sauce. I swear I thought I was having a fucking recurring nightmare. Freddy Kruger, just fucking kill me already. And what's with the dill garnish? Totally fucking vexed.

Not to be out done by the aggressive pricing on the pedestrian Grand Menu, the wine selection was obscenely over-priced for low rent wines... I mean these wines are so cheap even a hobo wouldn't drink it, let alone cook with it (wait, it's too expensive for them to waste cooking with it). The Ruffino Chianti Superiore is a joke of a wine but the last laugh was had by them at $9.50 a glass when it retails for $9.99 a bottle, vendor prices is prolly around $6 a bottle. Shameless and proud of it. Holy fuck, baffles the mind. When in doubt, stick with beer.

The most amusing part of this fine dining experience was getting the check and a take out box for a few scraps of leftovers (why take leftovers from here is beyond me but my dining accomplice wanted it, which they forgot). First, the check- 20 minutes wait time. Reason- they supposedly hand write the check and do the math via an Abacus. I kept waving the 80 servers scurrying around down and their reply every time was "It's a coming". Ok, it might be kitschy to do it the old fashioned way but enough is enough, c'mon, Giuseppe. I think the lack of service surfaced at the end because we didn't order enough, a classic old school industry practice that punishes the customer by ignoring and dragging it on because of a lower tip amount from a smaller check. The check finally arrives and there is a major case of fuzzy math... 3 times the cost. It was corrected with tip added into it. I paid cash and needed about $17 change back, server looks at me and asks me if I needed change as if the pre-applied 18% tip wasn't enough for him, he wanted 100%. He threw down my change and walked off. Thank Gawd, I didn't want a good night kiss from you anyways, dickcheese.

After reading some of the 5 star reviews off Opentable, I am mystified by how many people have bad taste in this town. At this rate, Atlanta will become a culinary destination in just a tad over 25 yrs. This was one of the most unusual and maniacal experience I have ever had. I rather get a Pap Smear than to go through this enigma again. One thing's for sure, I'll never forget this circus sideshow. Ever.

Cuckoo cuckoo.

0 Star.

467 N. highland ave
Atlanta, GA 30307
(404) 222-0650
http://www.localino.info

Seafood & Crawfish (Thien Thanh)

I don't know if Thien Thanh is trying to ride on Crawfish Shack's successful wave or not but it sure as dick seems like it. But is it working? Let's say they're about a year too late and a two dollar whore short. They're even too cheap to give it a real name.

I liked TT's Viet-noshery before they created this monstrosity... The grub wasn't out of this world but their pho, banh mi, bun and co'm were all acceptable when you're hungover as fuck. So, why the switch over to New Orleans chow? The food is borderline at best and will never have the following of the dedicated Crawfish Shack. They might as well switch back to the former because it's deader than dead up in this piece. Speaking of TT's, the scantily clad cute chick with the ginormous glorious rack of lamb is still there taking orders with the phone stuck to her head (how much fucking gossip can there be in her little world?). Thank God for all the mirrors in that joint, so I's can keep an eye or six on those magnificent Po'gals without looking obvious and desperate.

(Fried Platter of stuff- Skrimps, fish, fries and gumbo)

Too heavy on the cornmeal crust, the overly deep brown coloring and faint smell of Castrol meant only one thing- old oil. This ain't Dyer's fried burger is it? Gumbo was bland, lacked filé and too liquidity... Kinda like me 10 minutes later. Fries, no comment except... What can brown bag do for you?

(Skrimp Po'boy)

It was edible but the skrimp was a bit over fried and hard, the bread was fine (soft and crusty), and the filler was spot on, weeeee! It was as interesting as watching cow dung dry.

(Double Twouble- Just like the chick's Po'gals)

(Seafood Boil for One)

Decent deal for a good amount of grub but after a few bites you kinda wanna pawn it off to the hobos lurking nearby. The seasoning will be pretty spicy to most (as evident by the red lips and sniffling snotty honkers) but some of the ingredients were obviously frozen. Mussels were tough and chewy, crawfish were sub-standard size, king crab legs were thin and stringy, whole crab was decent and the corn and tater were mushy. Anyone who finishes this in one sitting will have a surprise...

Squirt.

1 Star.

5219 Buford Hwy
Doraville, GA 30340
(770) 676-0512

Smashburger

Here we go again... Atlanta needs another friggin burger chain like I need another pouch. But this one is special, they decided to open in the same exact location of another terrible burger chain that lasted longer than it should had. What genius thought of this? The air must be real thin in Colorado... Just like the patties. The former Fatburger was absolutely wretched across the board. I remember racing home just to evacuate what I just ingested. I was hesitant to even step foot in here but I needed to satisfy my curiosity. Let's hope this place is not a repeat to the throne.

Total gut job on this place was imperative after the years of filth, grease, sweat, urine, activator and cum that have accumulated in every Fatass nook and cranny. Just imagine how much crud is stuck between the fat rolls of a fat chick... That's how filthy I remember Fatburger and that hog in college (I was roofied, I swear). I was impressed by how clean the place came out, well, it is brand new after all. Ok, enough of the chitchat, let's get to the grub...

(Classic Smashburger w/ Smashfries)

Everyone knows how they cook their meat up in this piece. Smash, smash and more smash (Gastro wants smoosh smoosh)... Which squeezes out all the juices and moisture of the patty. But wait, they lather it up with melted butter. Oh, joy. Let's get rid of the natural fatty juices and replace it with butter. Their thinking was to get the patty semi crispy on the edges but consistency is kaput only a couple weeks in. My patty had no color and limp as Stephen Hawking's lower lip. It really had no flavor or seasoning either. The bun was unbuttered and untoasted. The single serving slice of cheese was barely melted. But it looked pretty in a fake plastic food kinda way. Oh, the veggie toppings were spot on! A very plain Jane burger. But if you cover it with a ton of other shit on top, it might taste better.

The brown bag thin fries were scantily covered with this supposedly rosemary, olive oil and garlic mixture. This was pretty much a fail. The fries seemed like they have been sitting around for hours and that mixture basically acted as a cover up which made it even limper. Snooze.

(Atlanta Dog with Wicked Pimena cheese, grilled jalapeños and Vidalia coleslaw.)

Right off the bat, I noticed how wet this dog was. It was dripping this white funk off the tip of the split wiener from the sweaty slaw. The poppy seed bun was lightly toasted on top but that didn't do shit for the bottom where all the funk had soaked through and basically turned it into mushy dough. The dog itself wasn't bad but it really didn't need the bland wet slaw on top ruining the whole thing. The Pimena cheese was non-existent, mebbe it washed away from the liquid funk.

The staff seemed like they really wanted to do good and provide you with good service but I noticed a table that ordered way before I did didn't get their food til after 3 other tables had ordered, eaten and left. WTF happened to their order is beyond me, they kept coming out to apologize. If that was my order, I woulda went back inside for a refund and hightailed it outta there. But anyway, this place is just another burger in a sea of buns and cow patties that will eventually get lost within time. It seems like the Fatburger curse is alive and well.

1 Star.

2625 Piedmont Rd
Atlanta, GA
404-237-2374
http://www.smashburger.com/

LeRoy's Fried Chicken

If you haven't heard, I like fried chicken... No, I love fried chicken. That shit is like crack to me. If I could, I would eat it everyday but then I would have to move to Mississippi... The only state in the nation that would take my ginormous lard ass.

Speaking of lard... LeRoy's Fried Chicken uses only lard to fry their chicken which is free range from Springer Mountain Farms (not that it makes any difference after you fry the hell out of it). I saw Julia mention that she was upset by a 2 star Yelp review. Ah, Julia, dahling... Who gives a shit? It's Yelp, Real Nitwits, Real Inept. I'm sure that mook prolly bitched about no dining room, how they don't eat dark meat, that it's too greasy or they can't eat it because of the lard for some bullshit religious reason. Blah blah blah. It's fried chicken, fucknut, it's supposed to be dark meat, greasy and priest raping good. If young boys tasted like fried chicken, I can understand why priests are addicted. Sign me up, Monsignor!

(Combo Thinger)

(2 Piece Dark Combo w/ drink, $7)

Looks pretty good... Let's have a taste shall we?

(Good looking chicks)

First bite, first thought comes to mind... KFC. Yeah yeah, I know what you're thinking, "KFC? Wha da fuck, dipshit?" I meant KFC as in the cooking technique, LFC uses an industrial strength pressure fryer to reduce cooking time and delivering a super hot and juicy piece of fowl ass, you need it for a larger production like this. But is it Pouch worthy on the chicken alone? Yes and no. It's hot and juice but the skin (which was half crispy and half wrinkled elbow skin) reminded me of the Colonel's Original recipe but with less herbs and spices. Not that it wasn't good but for my preference I like a crispy skin that holds onto the flesh more. It's a decent fried ghetto bird for the time being but the cost may be a little too rich for the proletarians (almost $3 a piece but the combo deal is not bad). The biscuit looked good from afar but far from good. It was more fluffy like a loaf of wheat bread than a standard southern biscuit. That's extra filler this fatboy don't need.

(Popeyes, duh)

Of course, I had to do a side by side tasting to be fair and balanced... LeRoy's vs. Tyrone's. And the winner is... Boulevard's finest. I don't think there's any contest, well, not yet anyways. With some time and experimentation with the pressure fryer, I'm sure LFC will perfect it to the level where she wants her chicken to be. I'll be back to try the fried chicken liver!

2.5 Stars

1021 Howell Mill Rd
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 872-7888

Double Zero Napoletana

I know my legion of fan have been waiting for this review for ever and ever... So, slurp it up my minion!

Was it a coincidence that a trio of Ferrara ovens graced us at two different restaurants at the same exact time? Is it a coincidence that my pouch knows when Popeyes has just put out a fresh batch of spicy chicken on the rack? Who the fuck knows but me likey... Me likey a lot. You have Fritti bringing over the man himself, Stefano Ferrara, to hand build a new permanent oven on their premises and Double Zero ordered two pre-fabbed custom jobs shipped over prior to their opening. So, if I use all my fingas and toes to count the number of sick ass 1000 degree wood burning pizza ovens from Italy, that number would be 6, including the 3 Acuntos at Antico. Yes, I'm a 3 toed sloth.

So, the same owners of Iberian Pig and Sugo are trying their hands at the much talked about and loved Napoletana pies that have hit Atlanta hard like a domestic abuse case in the past couple years. Before the pizza wars, one of Atlanta's best offers were had at the long standing Rosa's Pizza but in reality, anyone that knows pizza knew Rosa's was borderline at best. It's like being stranded on an island with a volleyball and a box of DiGiorno Pizza & Cookies... I would eat Wilson. Well, fatso, how are the pies at DZ you ask?

They use quality ingredients, a must if you don't want to fart around and pass off gas to true pizza aficionados. They got it... From the 00 flour to the San Marzano tomatoes to the bufala mozzarella. Everything looked great on paper... Except the most important ingredient to a perfect Napoletana pie, the pizzaiolo. As with a master sushi chef, one can not become one over night or even in a couple months. It takes years and years of experience to become a master. Both sushi and pizza seem like they are easy to prepare but the journey is complex. This is DZ's weakness but in time, they will/should be a lot better. But first, let's take a lookie at the rest of their menu...

(Burrata Caprese)

Beautiful tomatoes (heirloom or not, still tasty). Light and fresh with good flavors and textures throughout the dish. I had a ball in each cheek like a chipmunk with a burrata moustache.

(Lamb Polpette)

These little lamb balls were not bad at all, quite tasty. Crispy exterior, meatball like substance inside. Just don't gargle them.

(L'Arrosto)

Look at this fucking beast. If you look closely you can almost make out Predator's face. He's one uglee muddafukka but this was a thing of beauty. Only a mother could love and my pouch. That's the face I usually make before I destroy a piece of hulking man meat or climax. This is prolly the best dish they have to offer. At $29, it's priced better than some entrees. Git er done!

(Da fixins)

The accoutrements above also comes with flat bread made from the pizza dough that can be used like tortillas. You really need to share this app but if you're an obese fuck like me, you can prolly eat it all by your lonesomes... in the dark.

(Polipo)

At $12, this was a total let down. One measly tentacle? Put that thing back in your pants, John Wayne Bobbitt, you're scaring the children. The texture was not there whatsoever, it was mushy to the point that it seemed it was decomposing. It was just plain bad. Octopus should always have a nice chew to it. Wait for it... "toothy".


I have no goddamn clue what this was... I was too nervous in anticipation of the 'Za. I think it lasted on the table for maybe about 2 minutes. Slurp. Maybe tis was the prok belly polenta with farm egg. Yeah yeah that's it, that's the ticket! Where's dat 'Za, I'm starving!!!

(Margherita)

Ah, da piece de resistance! Although, it was a nice pie, something was missing. It mighta been red but it didn't give me a blood flow. Mebbe it was the lack of bufala? Coulda used a lil more mozza, looked kinda naked. The crust was more cracker like than chewy and the sauce didn't have that natural sweetness like most San Marzano, it wasn't bland but needed some seasoning assistance. I'll need to get back to you on this later... developing.

(Double Zero Napoletana)

Their signature pie. Hmmm, I wanted to fold it in half and eat it like a sandwich instead. It was just too dry over all for me. If you don't try new things, you never know if you'll like or not, in this case, once is enough for this old dog.

(Margherita, extra char)

Since, the first pie was under cooked to my liking, I asked that this pie stay in the oven a bit longer and let me tell ya, it makes a difference. Nice char, just the right amount of bufala and basil. Wow, what a difference a little adjustment and request can make on the taste budz. Was it a great pie? Not yet but on the right track.

(Rapini e Salsicce)

I don't know about you but does this look at all appetizing? Looked like someone threw this stuff up in the air and caught it with a plate. The sausage needed more seasoning and maybe a little crispy-ness to it but it looked like a child ripped it to pieces in no rhyme or reason. I understand it may suppose to be rustic fare but it looked so amateurish. The dish sounds great on paper but the entire dish needed seasoning, it was too boring for me.

(Red Velvet Cupcake)

Dessert - One word: Boring. I don't get chicks and their cupcakes.

DZ is obviously popular with the local crowd and opening in Sandy Springs was a good move. There are hits and misses but hopefully will be worked out in time and practice. A lot of dishes were under-seasoned which makes things boring to the tongue. These guys know what they're doing in the resto biz, but Napoletana pizza is an art form and difficult to master. And the great pizzerias do nothing else except pizza, so having an extensive menu such as here may have compromised theirs. The pizza has the right lineage but the execution needs a history lesson. But I have confidence in them to get it right. Take off the dishes that aren't working or selling and focus mostly on the 'Za's... The Zaza has spoken.

BTW- The cocktail program is pretty decent but I have to agree that the $15 Negroni is sacrilegious when a bot of Campari costs about $20. Wait, where am I? Am I back home in NYC? I forget.

2.5 Stars

5825 Roswell Road
Atlanta, GA, 30328
404-991-3666
http://www.doublezeroatl.com/home/