Farm 255 - Athens, GA - May 29, 2007

Dining from 5:30p - 7:00p
Health Rating: 100/92
Average Cost per person: $33.00 (including alcoholic drinks and dessert)

Overall EATS Tour Rating

Food: A
Atmosphere: A+
Service: A

Meals ordered

Taylor Little
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Dish: Cheeseburger
Food: A
Atmosphere: A+
Service: A
Review:
Farm 255 is different from most restaurants in Athens and I'll admit I was a little wary. As "green" as everyone wants to be these days the concept of serving local and sustainable food that the owners grow or buy locally would not work if the food and preparation wasn't good - fortunately for the diner it is. I had the mixed olives to start, each with a distinctive flavor and good taste. For my main course I had the grassfed Riverview Angus cheeseburger with Maytag blue cheese. The burger was excellent. I couldn't necessarily tell the difference between the cud chewing variety of the cow that gave his life for this burger versus his grain-fed brethren but I certainly appreciated his sacrifice nonetheless. All this was washed down with an cold Terrapin rye—also a local favorite.

The atmosphere at Farm 255 gets the highest marks. They've taken what is essentially a concrete patio and turned it into an inviting space that feels intimate and cozy. There is a nice stage area for live music which is the icing on the cake.

Service also gets high marks. Our waiter was friendly, knowledgeable and always quick to meet our needs. Overall an excellent dining experience and one I would recommend.

Virna Mendoza
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Dish: Veggie Plate
Food: A
Atmosphere: A+
Service: A
Review:

Farm 255 is a restaurant I've been to a few times already and again was pleased with the meal and service. This was the first time I've had dinner outside and the evening could not have been more perfect. We got a table in the shade and weather was just right. There is a small stage in the corner and we were fortunate enough to catch some of the jazz before leaving.

I did not order an appetizer but did try Taylor's order of olives. I really liked the added fennel seeds to the oil that the olives were marinated in. It added just that extra flavor to the saltiness of the olives.

For my entree I ordered the veggie plate which consisted of sautéed arugula, roasted fingerling potatoes, roasted root vegetables (baby carrots and pearl onions) and pickled cucumber and sprouts. To be honest with you I was quite hesitant to order this dish as I was not sure of the root or pickled vegetables but I did want to try something new and different from my usual orders. I was extremely pleased with all four of the vegetables, especially the carrots. I normally do not eat cooked carrots, only raw and crunchy. These were cooked just the right amount of time that they still had some bite to them versus being all soft on the inside. The pickled cucumber and sprouts were refreshing, also not overpowering with the vinegar that was used. To top it all off, my entree was served on a beautiful long R. Wood platter, my favorite local potter.

Tuesdays happens to be half price on the Farmhouse wines. Who could resist. I had the Spanish Grenache with my meal which was an excellent accompaniment.

As the others have already mentioned, our server was one of the best. He was very knowledgeable and attentive to all of our questions and requests. Overall, our entire dining experience was excellent and I would highly recommend Farm 255, especially outside, to anyone.

Stephanie Sharp
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Dish: Darien Shrimp & Grits
Food: A-
Atmosphere: A+
Service: A
Review: First off, I headed to the ladies room to freshen up since we were to be dining outdoor. I was most impressed with the Mint Infused hand soap. I always stock mint hand soap at my home but i've never seen it placed in public restrooms. It was a brilliant attention to detail that most establishments miss. On to dinner.

The weather couldn't have been more lovely, and it made the outdoor dining experience all that more enjoyable. The seats and table were very comfortable - much more so than some other outdoor eating areas. The owners of Farm 255 have turned a long strip of concrete into an outdoor oasis.

I chose the Darien Shrimp and Grits for my meal. The shrimp was perfectly prepared, had just the right texture, and were quite sizeable. The red mule grits were excellent! They were very creamy with a hint of cheese and were the perfect consistency for serving with shrimp. The dish was served with a butter sauce and that made it extra juicy. I thoroughly enjoyed this meal.

The service was excellent and the waiter was extremely knowledgeable about organic food, its origins and its preparation. He was polite, and extremely attentive. I don't think we could have had a better experience! I'll definitely refer others to this most unique restaurant.

Shoki - Athens, GA - May 22, 2007

Dining from 5:30p - 7:00p
Health Rating: 80/93
Average Cost per person: $26.00 (including alcoholic drinks and appetizers)

Overall EATS Tour Rating

Food: B+
Atmosphere: A
Service: A

Meals ordered

Taylor Little
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Dish: Hawaiian Sushi and Hibachi Shrimp
Food: B+
Atmosphere: A
Service: A+
Review: I've been to Shoki numerous times for the sushi but this is only my second trip for the hibachi experience. The sushi is the best in Athens, very fresh and delicious. I had the Tuna Hawaiian and it was great. The atmosphere is nice. Even though it is located in a strip mall once you're inside it has a welcoming feel, dark and intimate.

Much of the atmosphere of the hibachi dining experience has to be with the show they put on and the interaction with other diners. Since it was early there were not many people there so we talked amongst ourselves. Our chef was good but not as impressive as some of the chefs at Inoko's in his presentation. Although I liked the fact the he didn't skimp on the flammable liquids during his show. The comparison to Inoko's doesn't end there as they set the bar for hibachi dining. I had the soup, salad and shrimp. The soup was good as was the salad. The shrimp was not bad but not as good as Inoko's as it was slightly tough.

The service was excellent. We had a server and a trainee who did most of the work. She was great, always there when you needed her. I will always choose Shoki for sushi but prefer Inoko's for the hibachi.

Terry Allen - Guest Star
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Dish: Hibachi Scallop
Food: B+
Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Review:

Stephanie Sharp
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Dish: Teriyaki Chicken
Food: B+
Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Review: If you are really into a Hibachi grill experience it is entertaining. I have seen better presentations at Inoko, but I was just as entertained at Shoki. I was very impressed with the overall cleanliness of the grill and eating area. Hibachi can be pretty messy but the even the ventilation hood above the hibachi grill was spotless. The temperature of the room was comfortable, the seating was comfortable and the service was stellar. Overall it was an enjoyable experience, but all things being equal, if you took the food we were served out of the experience it was just "good."

The Basil Press - Athens, GA - May 15, 2007

Dining from 5:30p - 6:45p
Health Rating: 80/87
Average Cost per person: $44.00 (including alcoholic drinks and appetizers)

Overall EATS Tour Rating

Food: B+
Atmosphere: B+
Service: A

Meals ordered

Taylor Little
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Dish: Crab Cakes
Food: B+
Atmosphere: B+
Service: A+
Review: I've eaten at Basil many times and have always enjoyed it–this time was no exception. Virna and I had a dozen oysters with eight flown in from beautiful Montague, NY with the remaining four coming from the wilds of New Jersey. They were a little lean on meat but were good, tasted fresh, and weren't served with the traditional cocktail sauce and crackers but did include horseradish. Instead, pieces of buttered garlic bread replaced the crackers and red wine vinegar with onions took the place of the cocktail sauce. It was a refreshing change of pace. I had crab cakes as the main course with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. I think their steamed vegetables are the best in town, always fresh and crunchy, not overcooked and soggy. The mashed potatoes were a little bland but nothing a sprinkling of salt couldn't fix. There were two crab cakes of medium size, each with a different sauce. The cakes were ground into patties and breaded rather than chunks of crab which I prefer but they were good nonetheless. Overall the meal was good and the service was excellent. We had a waiter and a trainee serving us and both were on the ball.

Virna Mendoza
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Dish: Paella
Food: A-
Atmosphere: B+
Service: A
Review:The Basil Press was excellent last night as always. I made sure to order items I had not had there before. Taylor and I started with a dozen raw oysters. What made this dish different was that it was not served with your typical cocktail sauce and saltines but rather red wine vinegar with red onions and chives, as well as some thin pieces of garlic toast. The vinegar was surprisingly very good on the oysters. You could really taste the oyster itself instead of being doused in a thick sauce. As my entree I had the paella which was served with duck, mussels, shrimp and scallops. Again, delicious! It had just the right mild spiciness, as well the scallops and shrimp in particular seemed very fresh and cooked just right. For dessert, I had the crème brulee and was not impressed. It wasn't bad but just not anything special. The custard was almost too thick and it was also served very cold. The service though was excellent. He was very attentive and continually checked on us to see if we needed anything. The atmosphere is great, very cozy and there was good music playing softly in the background.

Stephanie Sharp
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Dish: Blackened Mahi Mahi
Food: A-
Atmosphere: A-
Service: A
Review: I started my meal with the French Onion Soup. It was a good temperature, and had just the right amount of breading and cheese. The cheese was perfectly crusted. Their french onion soup gets an A+ in my book. For my main entree I enjoyed Blackened Mahi Mahi. Though blackened Mahi Mahi was recently removed from the menu and replaced with Tilapia, the kitchen was more than happy to prepare it for me, which garnered extra service points for me. The fish was flaky, moist and very tasty and was joined by julienned carrots, squash and zuchinni, and a splendid presentation of creamed potatoes. Everything was delicious. For dessert I also had the Creme Brulee. It "tasted" excellent but the consistency was a little too thick for my tastes and it was almost too chilled. It was good but i've had better at some other restaurants in town. Loved the background music - great atmosphere. Overall I was pleased with our experience.

Gautreau's - Watkinsville, GA - May 8, 2007

The EATS Restaurant Tour is having their inaugural meeting at Gautreau's in Watkinsville, GA.

Dining from 5:30p - 7:30p
Health Rating: 100/100 (you don't see this too often)
Average Cost per person: $25.00 (including alcoholic drinks and appetizers)

Overall EATS Tour Rating

Food: B
Atmosphere: B-
Service: A

Meals ordered

Taylor Little
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Dish: Barbecue Shrimp with Sauteed Potatoes
Food: B-
Atmosphere: B
Service: A
Review: Like Stephanie, I've eaten at Gautreau's in their previous locations many times plus the newest in Town Center. I've always found the food to be good and the service excellent. Our appetizers, fried dill pickle chips and sweet potato chips, were both delicious. I decided to try something new for my entrée since I've dined there before.
Unfortunately the BBQ shrimp was not what I expected, nor were the sautéed potatoes. The shrimp were boiled in shell and served in a thin buttery/oily sauce that was slightly acidic. Attempting to shell the shrimp made for a shirt soiling experience. The shrimp were somewhat tough in texture and the sauce did not have a BBQ flavor. As mentioned by my fellow diners the potatoes were similar to candied apples, not sautéed in the traditional sense but potato chunks coated in a sugary sweet sauce. The one menu item that lived up to its' name was the cajun hot mustard dressing on the salad. Each bite required a healthy dose of cold beer to cool my burning mouth. The service was excellent, the server was always there when needed and very attentive. As mentioned before, the atmosphere suffered from being in a very new, generic location and lacking a true "cajun" feel. I'll go back to Gautreau's for my favorite dishes but this experience was not bad, just not great.

Virna Mendoza
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Dish: Jambalaya with Sauteed Potatoes
Food: B
Atmosphere: A-
Service: A
Review: Overall the expericence was good. We ordered sweet potato chips and fried dill pickles for appetizers which were both excellent. But when it came to my entree I was not as pleased. I orderd the jambalya with saute potoates for my side. The jambalya was very dry. I usually expect that recipe to have more of a sauce on the rice itself, or at least for the rice to have a wet texture to it. It also lacked in seasoning, I would prefer it have more something to it. I also found the chicken to be over cooked. As for the saute potatoes, they really should have been called candied pototoes. Saute potatoes makes me think they will be cooked with onions, garlic and herbs versus with brown sugar, cinnamon and Tony Chachere seasoning. Not that they were bad but just not expected. They were actually good if they had had a different name.

Stephanie Sharp
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Dish: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo with Sauteed Potatoes
Food: A
Atmosphere: B-
Service: A
Review: I actually used to live right across the street from Gautreau's when it was located next to the old post office. I have spent many an evening dining at Gautreau's, and have tried most items on the menu. Gautreau's has moved several times and I have eaten at every location. This is my first experience eating at their new location at the Town Center in Watkinsville. I have to admit the atmosphere at the newest location, though the location is actually better than the old East side location, is not near as comfortable as the East side location and is sorely lacking in originality when compared with the oldest location which is just around the corner. The food was as good as its ever been. Chicken and Sausage Gumbo is one of my favorite meals, and I was not let down. I feel the dining experience itself is not what it could be because of the lack of character. It is just too "new" feeling, and the only Cajun flair it has is the artwork hanging on the walls. I think some live music, which of course isn't practical on a Tuesday Night, would add alot to the atmosphere. I don't think they even had music playing which made is just seem slightly sullen. But overall the food was enjoyable, and so was the company!

Matt Keedy
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Dish: Fried Catfish with Sautéed Potatoes
Food: B-
Atmosphere: C
Service: A
Review: What Gautreau lacks in other areas it makes up for in service! This being my first time as a patron at Gautreau I went in with a very open mind about what my experience would be like. Our waitress was very attentive to any an all needs of our table. The sweet potato chips were good, but in some cases soggy. I also sampled the fried cucumber and found those very tasty. The kitchen was very efficient in getting our meals to the table in a reasonable time. The catfish was lightly breaded which is a definite plus for me. The entree did not come with tarter sauce, which surprised me, but our waitress was quick to bring some out upon request. I was most disappointed in the Sautéed Potatoes. When I think sautéed potatoes it conjures up a whipped potato with perhaps onions and garlic. I have found this to also include andole sausage in many Cajun restaurants. The Gautreau sautéed potatoes are small wedges covered in a sweet syrup sauce with just a hint of Cajun spice. They reminded me more of pancakes in flavor than potatoes. Had they been on the menu as candied potatoes, I would have been expecting exactly what it was I was served. To make it in the restaurant business I think in some cases you have to be all things to all people. That is what I gathered from the atmosphere. Yes, there are Mardi Gras posters, fishing boat pictures, and an overall attempt to make it seem like a Cajun restaurant, but take all the decorations down and it could be any other place.