The Highlander - Atlanta, Georgia

From fine dining to dive, the Highlander is quite a step down from the manicured walls of Bacchanalia...

Except it isn't. It's actually great, no facetiousness, I swear. It is a den of creative expression, proud of it's non-conforming, common-ground for the common-man appeal. And it's beautiful. Wallpapered with art for sale, all sorts of graphic masterpieces, the walls speak of the inner workings of so many beautiful minds, all clashing cohesively. 

The menu features some rarer beers, but I'm too hungry to care. An IPA from Wicked Weed of Asheville, North Carolina from the featured menu is fine by me. I know it's 11 AM, but it's 5 o'clock somewhere.

The menu is actually impressive. All the best of the bar food/gastropub grub, but there's a great range of things, including several types of wings. Our Jerk Wings match the bohemian vibe, laid-back wings with kickin' spices clinging.

The soup of the day is a Crab Bisque, and it is hitting my seafood sore spot like a carnival hammer hits the high striker. The soup is smooth, the creamy texture tempered by shreds of crabmeat. It's been decades since I've had a really good crab bisque.

Beef Stroganoff. Seriously. Yes, seriously. Seriously satisfying egg noodles coated just lightly in cream, interspersed with tidbits of mushrooms and very tender beef. I could use more of that cream-goddess sauce, but it's hard to argue with a dish where the beef is even softer than the mushroom.

The term "dive bar" means so many things, but I wish The Highlander would stop referring to itself as such. It's so much more than that. It's a place with character, a safe space for all sorts of expression, a place where anyone can come as they are. Plus, there's really nothing divey about them. Their beer list is incredible, their food is great, and the ambiance is truly one of a kind. "Atlanta's best bar," their menu says. Now THAT is an accurate description.

Bacchanalia - Atlanta, Georgia

Every city has its specialties, but you'll never try them all in one trip. Quality-over-quantity is the key when there are so many specials and so little time. In a city like Atlanta, you could probably eat for a month and still feel like you're missing out.

I did my research, but the decision wasn't easy. There are thousands of lists, and only a handful are reliable. I sort and I filter; I debate and I contemplate. No matter where I looked, all lists lead to Bacchanalia. Bacchanalia is the best, they boasted. It is as classy as it is classic, the menu is marvelous, and the service is the stuff of legends.

I would not contest a single word. Bacchanalia has a timeless beauty, a studied intimacy in a side-open space. Mood-lit and luxuriously simple, with servers who practically sing when they describe the dinnertime delicacies that change a little every night.

The amuse bouche is a tomato and thyme Financier, a fancy name for a muffin. It is a deceptively simple dot of tangy, sun-dried tomato infused with a sharper sprig of thyme. It's a small bite for sure, but it's surprisingly stimulating; the herbaceous finish opens the palate for the courses to come.

If I could make vegetables taste like this, I would never eat meat again. A hollowed-out Chilled Carrot nubbin is so absolutely satisfying, filled with a refreshing beet puree. It tastes like the very essence of the earth itself, and it washes down with a waterfall of warm Carrot Soup.

You can't go wrong with the Crab Fritter. It is literally a breaded, fried ball, filled with crab. The crab is soft and sweet, the salty breadcrumbs crunch and crackle. I would have been fine with just this, but the smooth avocado puree takes it up a notch, and the bitter tang of grapefruit adds playful notes to an otherwise-serious shellfish.

Veal Sweetbreads. I couldn't resist. They come simply, sauteed and separated into tiny lobules that leave a lasting impression. The texture is almost like fatty foie, but the granules are thicker, like a most scrumptious savory pudding. The roasted garlic really rounds out that savor, and the chanterelle mushrooms finish like a velvet touch.

I couldn't resist the Warm Maine Lobster either. Literally an entire lobster, shelled and served three ways.The tail is in its purest form, hint of celery, essence of almond. The claws are a progression, smeared with a creamy sauce. The rest of the claws stew in a heavier cream, variations on a succulent theme.

The Maple Leaf Duck made it a surf n' kinda-turf, a thick, dry-aged breast pontificates on the palate like a gamey poultry-steak, sweetened by apple, anchored by winter squash.

The cheese course is a breath of fresh air, a palatal reset after the savory storm. Capra Gia is a sweet n' salty, creamy goat. The cheese is a downpour, encapsulating earthy beets that taste like sunshine after the rain.

A Maplebrook Farm Burrata is served with sweeter accompaniments, a jelly-quince of apricot makes a fruit mash-up over an almond cookie.

Hot Chocolate is their cheese-chaser, a decadent almost-fondue in a flavor-shot.

I was thinking pecan pie when I ordered the Pecan Crepe, but it's actually reminiscent of a more refined Pecan Spinwheel, a la Little Debbie. The crepes are thin and soft, stacked in infallible layers. The sugar is stingier than my favorite after-school snack, and there are freshly-candied pecans crushed into every floaty layer.

Pecan then apple: fall flavors that never fail. The Caramel Apple Souffle is so much rich in a single ramekin. The souffle is so fluffy, it's apple-flavored air. The caramel hints melt into each bite, and I swear, before that butterscotch ice cream, no better pairing ever walked this earth.

After-dessert sweets are simple in their perfection. A Macaroon is a labyrinth of twisted, toasted coconut, a creamy Dark Chocolate Truffle takes us by storm, and a perfect butter-cake Madeleine takes the cake.

I am satisfied, I am excited, and most of all, I am enchanted by Bacchanalia. The old-world sophistication, the new-world fusion, the inescapable charm and indulgence of what is clearly one of Atlanta's crown jewels is beyond description. I am blown away by this experience, and I can only hope that a tailwind will one day blow me back.

Fox Bros Bar-B-Q - Atlanta, Georgia

There's been a lot more travelling than I'm used to, and that's really saying something for someone who strives to leave the country twice a year. The trips are mostly domestic, but they've come rapid-fire, month by month. In September there was a short trip to North Carolina, and in October we took a too-short trip north to Reno. November brought another blessing, a five-day fling with Hot-lanta.

A beautiful wedding is our main objective, but even the joy of watching a friend of 14 years walk down the aisle comes with its own bonus; Fox Bros BBQ. 

The parking is rough, but the side-streets are safe. The brick-red walls are unassuming, and the interior is so casual it's cool. Fox Bros is full of history, full of life, and best of all, it's full of south. 

Starting with a fatty slice of fall-apart, don't-need-a-fork, hours-under-the-lid-of-a-giant-grill Beef Brisket. Be prepared for this mouthwatering latticework of hexagonal morsels of meat held together by filigree fat.

You have two choices of sauces, but you can take 'em or leave 'em, as long as you try 'em. The barbecue itself is great with the sweet n' tangy original or spicy and stimulating.

Nice rack, too. The ribs are done right. Smoked with some outside char, baby-pink beneath. Both meats are heavenly with or without the sauce, and the phrase "southern by the grace of god" comes to mind as it melts in your mouth.

When the brisket is that good, the sides can get the shaft. Not here. The Mac n' Cheese is pure comfort, and the Collard Greens can steal the show. Just the right touch of vinegar, savory with bacon-ham, cooked with still a little crunch and no pulp. Collards aren't for everyone, but anyone can see that these are textbook perfect.

So full, can't eat another bite...yet there is always room for Banana Pudding. Creamy, fruity, wafery-sweet. Worth it. Sooo worth it!

Need more proof than my overly-enthusiastic endorsement? Food Network is filming at the next table over, and the parking lot yielded three of its precious spots to cameramen and very large vans. We even got a glimpse of Andrew Zimmern on our way out. If it's good enough for him, then it's good enough for me!