Name: FLIP Burger Boutique
Cuisine: American w/ the signature Richard Blais flair
Neighborhood: Midtown
Address: 1587 Howell Mill Rd. Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: (404) 352-3547
Website: http://www.flipburgerboutique.com
Menu: http://www.flipburgerboutique.com/menu-2/

I got a lot of emails and texts from you guys last week about my review of HD1, the new "haute doggery" that just opened up recently off of Highland Ave .  Many of you loved how I kept it so real about my experience there.  But, many of you also had questions about the OTHER Richard Blais restaurant that I compared HD1 to - FLIP Burger Boutique.  Why does FLIP hit where HD1 misses??  Well, the answer is -  it just does.

Sitting about 3/4 of a mile west from the Howell Mill exit on I-75, FLIP epitomizes the new "sexy" that is the essence of ATL Bite Life in 2011. It's a simple concept (burgers) with a twist (exotic toppings and condiments) and an all white decor that's akin to what you'd find in one of Alex Gidewon's clubs.  It's modern, it's sleek, it's unassuming on the outside, kinda pretentious on the inside, but really good overall.

On my first visit, I was a little timid.  As I perused the menu and I noticed there were burgers with avocado, soy jellies, and curried pickles, I figured it'd be best to start with something simple.  My choice - a regular old turkey burger with American cheese (USA!!!  USA!!!  USA!!!) and a side of fries.  I chased it down with a ginger ale (even though they had a full bar). The service was prompt and professional.  There's also this GORGEOUS waitress there that has this Leona Lewis thing going for her that is. . . . (note to self: I need to stalk her later.  Lol). 

Anyway, the food arrived to my table not too long after ordering it and it was great.  The plate presentation was nice and consistent with the overall ambiance of the place.  Then, I bit into my food.  WOW!!!  My burger was hot, juicy, and seasoned well.  The fries had a Checkers-ish quality but not so "fast foody" if that makes sense.  Everything was just solid across the board.  It kinda reminded me of my trip to Yeah Burger to a certain extent but FLIP's contemporary interior was a sharp contrast to the more casual Yeah down the road.

My only personal disappointments were the two milkshakes I ordered.  Yes, I ordered TWO.  Don't judge me!!!  I was curious.  Up first - the Krispy Kreme shake (for obvious reasons).  For those of you who don't know, I am a Krispy Kreme fanatic!!!  However, there's a reason that there is no picture of this shake in today's post.  It was horrible!!!  It was like they took a dozen glazed donuts and put them in a blender with a half gallon of whole milk.  The result -  a diabetic's nightmare with a nasty after taste.  Not the move at all!!!  I tossed that one.

My second shake was the Nutella + Burnt Marshmallows shake pictured above.  Honestly, this didn't even sound appealing to me.  But, on this particular day, the 6 or 7 tables around me ALL had this shake (no exaggeration).  I figured it must be good if EVERYONE has it, right??  WRONG!!!  The chocolate was extremely rich and the burnt marshmallows just weren't for me.  *Kanye shrug*  I gave up after that one.  I tried though.

Overall, I definitely recommend FLIP Burger.  I've been back several times since that first visit and have NEVER had a bad experience.  I've even tried most of the burgers that I thought were so "weird" at first.  Some were an acquired taste but all were tasty.  In comparison to HD1, I just think that many of those odd toppings or condiments seem to work BETTER on a beef (or turkey) patty than they do on a hot dog. What else can I say??  But, maybe it's me. 

The next time you're near Howell Mill Rd, stop by FLIP and give it a try.  Tell 'em ATL Bite Life sent you.

Happy Eating!!!


Grade: B+
What's Great: Atmosphere, Food
What Ain't: Music can be too loud, Seating in middle sections can be annoying for parties of 2 or 3
Ideal For: The Burger Eater that's tired of burgers

Name: HD1
Cuisine: American w/ the signature Richard Blais flair
Neighborhood: Poncey-Highlands
Address: 664 N. Highland Ave. NE Atlanta, GA 30306
Phone: (404) 815-1127
Website: http://www.hd1restaurant.com/
Menu: http://www.hd1restaurant.com/HD1_Menu.pdf

What to say, what to say.  After yesterday's "situation" with LeRoy's Fried Chicken, I figured we might as well keep the ball rolling.  If I go ahead and get the negative reviews out the way, I can deal with the harsh feedback and critiques all at once.  So, this brings us to HD1.


After seeing an ad for HD1 on Scoutmob, I tried for 2 weeks to work a quick visit into my schedule.  I was beyond excited to sample the latest Richard Blais creation.  For those of you not familiar with Blais, he is the celebrity chef mastermind behind FLIP Burger Boutique (which I happen to love).  Billed as a "haute doggery", the place was pretty much what I anticipated - fancy hot dogs with a contemporary, boutique-style dining experience.  Essentially, FLIP with wieners instead of beef and turkey burgers.  But, what I didn't anticipate was the "ehh" feeling I got after I sat down and ate.


Now, keep in mind, I visited HD1 on TWO occasions within a week of one another.  My first visit was very underwhelming.  First, the building kinda sneaks up on you once you turn off of Ponce and onto Highland Ave.  The building sits almost right behind the Urban Outfitters plaza and it only has about 6 or 7 parking spaces.  So, before you know it, you're there and passing it.  Second, I'm not sure what happened that morning but I was one of the first customers in that day and the whole place had a wood chip scent very similar to one of those hamster cages you'd find a pet store.  I wasn't sure if that was supposed to be "new restaurant" smell or if that was the chili being prepared but it was quite the turnoff.


Then, I get a gander at the menu.  I wasn't too startled.  I expected to see a few oddities.  I knew Blair wouldn't stick to just ketchup, mustard, and sauerkraut.  So, I took a few calculated risk.  I started off with the Prawn Dogs, Shrimp Fried in Grits (pic above) as an appetizer.  Then, for my main course, I ordered a Red Haute Dog (fancy chili dog) and, at the suggestion of my waitress, a Reuben Dog (basically a Reuben sandwich with a beef frank instead of corned beef (both pics above).  Finally, for good measure, I threw in some good ole' Waffled Fries w/ Maple Oy.


Well, I loved the fries!!!  But, that's pretty much where it stops.  The Prawn Dogs were okay.  I didn't really get it.  It was basically fried shrimp on a stick.  The whole thing of being "fried in grits" didn't really come thru.  Even though I did detect a hint of a texture difference, honestly, it could've just been corn meal.  Then, the hot dogs. . . . I'll say this, maybe my taste palate just isn't sophisticated enough to appreciate what HD1 was going for.  But, then again, I really think that much of what they did with the gourmet ketchups, cheese foams, and other toppings on the hot dogs just would've been better suited for a hamburger.  The flavors and nuances of my choices just didn't flow together on that bun.  Maybe some things are better left alone OR at least left simple.


The one saving grace of my meal other than the fries (which really were great) was the soft serve ice cream I had for dessert.  The Banana Ice Cream with Caramelized Rum was INCREDIBLE!!!  Hands down, one of the best things I've ever tasted.  It probably deserves its' own separate blog.  It was creamy and sweet with just the right amount of caramelized rum sauce as to not overpower the flavor of the ice cream.  It was probably PERFECT.

Here's the crazy and disappointing part though.  I went back a week later to get another serving of this ice cream and guess what. . .  THEY DON'T HAVE IT ANYMORE!!!  I wish I had one of those Blackberry Messenger red, angry face emoticons to put here.  You should've seen the way I looked at that hostess.  Lol.  What did they replace with you ask??  Answer - Whoppers candy soft serve.  I'm done!!!  But, that smell was gone so I'm gonna chalk that up to a fluke one day thing.  No worries.

To sum this all up, I love Richard Blais, I love FLIP Burger Boutique, I'm not at all crazy about HD1.  I do recommend it for those who are just curious and want to see how far someone could stretch the limits of an Oscar Mayer.  Other than that, stop at Sonics and grab a Chicago Dog.  Tell 'em I sent you.


Grade: C-
What's Great: Atmosphere, Service, Prices
What Ain't: Food, Parking
Ideal For: The Adventurous Eater

Name: LeRoy's Fried Chicken
Cuisine: Soul Food / Fast Food
Neighborhood: West Midtown
Address: 1021 Howell Mill Rd. NW Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: (404) 872-7888
Website: http://www.facebook.com/leroysfriedchicken
Menu: Pic below

This review pains me because I had the opportunity to meet Chef Julia LeRoy and her staff personally during the filming of our ATL Bite Life Show.  She was sooooooo sweet, her story was so compelling, and her staff was extremely cooperative.  I REALLY wanted to like the food.  I REALLY wanted to brag to all my folks that I'd found this incredible new chicken spot downtown that everyone else wasn't up on yet.  I REALLY REALLY did.  But, unfortunately, I really really can't.

Let me set the scene.  By sheer chance, we ended up selecting my main man, comedian Henry Welch, to come eat with us here at LeRoy's for this particular episode.  So, you can just imagine the pre-dining jokes.  First, Chef Julia is a cute, early to mid 30's white woman so skepticism was HIGH that this chicken wasn't gonna be seasoned right.  Second, one glance at the menu and you will see that the prices are slightly high for some chicken (as opposed to its KFC and Popeyes counterparts).  A 2-piece chicken is $5.95 (chicken only) then the sides are $2.95 a piece.  So, a combo with 2 sides could easily run you $12 WITHOUT a drink.  Smh.  Third, the ONLY thing on the menu is CHICKEN and chicken-based dishes like chicken salad, chicken livers, etc.  So, other than the side items, there are no burgers, sandwiches, etc to fall back on just in case you don't like or just get tired of the chicken (keep in mind that the menu isn't very extensive to begin with).  That brings us to the sides.  If the skepticism about the chicken was high, the doubt about the collard greens, mac & cheese, etc were not too far behind.  We wondered - Would the greens be dry??  Would the mac & cheese be cheesy??  AND, to top it all off, the chicken is fried in LARD!!!  While most of us from the hood are familiar with lard, not too many of us are currently using/eating it in 2011.  We were jokingly overwhelmed.  All the ingredients of disappointment were laid out on the counter like salt and pepper.  But, would we be let down??

YES.  Me and Henry both ordered the 3 piece chicken w/ a side of collard greens and mac & cheese and a biscuit.  While the biscuit was probably one of the best biscuits I've ever eaten, everything else was blah.  The chicken was in serious need of some Lawry's Seasoning Salt.  Even the Texas Pete hot sauce we lathered our chicken in didn't help it much.  The collards weren't seasoned well (but they were juicy) and the mac and cheese was mediocre too.  The food had a very cafeteria-ish quality to it.  I was sooooooo blowed!!!  The worst part was that I had to sit there with Henry and my camera crew giving me the "I told you so" face.  They were relentless!!!

There were a few pluses.  The service was fast and courteous.  And, the walk up counter service kinda gives you a Happy Days feel.  Although, I wonder how this will play once the weather cools down in Atlanta.  Not too many people will want to sit OUTSIDE and eat bad chicken.  The location isn't bad either.  It's directly across the street from Chow Baby on Howell Mill Rd.  It's right down the street from Compound nigh club and Yeah! Burger.  And, it's right next door to the Mexican spot La Fonda that seems to be fairly busy any time I pass by.

Other than that, I don't know what to tell you.  Try the biscuits.  They were great!!!

Grade: D+
What's Great: Atmosphere, Service
What Ain't: Food, Prices
Ideal For: Spring/Summer Patio Dining

Either way, check out the pics below. 

See ya next year!!!


 

It's finally here!!!  The 10th Annual Taste of Atlanta starts TOMORROW and I can't wait!!!  The food, the beer, the music, the people. . . I CAN'T WAIT.  As you may know, they treated me to a Sneak Peek last week and ever since then I've counting down the days.  My first stop is gonna be to Barrelhouse to get another bite of their short rib sandwich.  Mmm Mmm Good!!!

If you don't have your tickets yet, click here to get them!!!  I'm gonna be there both Saturday AND Sunday so if you want to eat with me on camera, let me know!!!

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Happy Eating!!!  See you tomorrow!!!