Checking Out The Counter Burger

There's a new burger place in town. No, not THAT one. Flip your car around and head up to Roswell for a delicious made-to-order burger and some insanely crispy and addicting sweet potato fries. The Counter Burger is refreshingly friendly while still hip and cool. The staff is amazing and even though they were busy, there was no wait.

The deal here is that you can custom build your burger the way you like it. They have little pieces of paper for you to check off your choices starting with beef, turkey, veggie or chicken. Of course I went with the beef. It's humanely raised, all-natural. Perfectly prepared, so juicy. Then you can pick toppings, type of bun, sauces - the combinations must be endless. Being a bit of a burger purist, I went with Tillamook Cheddar, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles and then, getting a little crazy, I ordered the caramelized onion marmalade on the side. YUM. They also have a nice selection (8 or so) of their own burger creations. My friend got the Taco Turkey burger and that's about all I can say about it, cuz she didn't even give me a bite! Guess it was good.

They have lots of shakes and malts. We decided we just had "to taste" the featured Birthday Cake shake which our server told us tasted like cookie dough. Um, yep, it sure did. And we barely left a drop. So much for the "taste!"

I like this place. I learned later that they are based in California and have a bunch of locations. It didn't feel like a chain at all. I'm not up in Roswell that often but it was a short drive from the office and it's quicker than a trip to a congested intown area where you might have to wait an hour. Just saying.

Thrillist Launched Today in Atlanta!!!

Gentlemen, start your thrilling! That’s right, Thrillist, a daily newsletter which gives guys the inside track on what’s new, has just launched in our very own Peach State. With a well established presence in Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Miami and San Francisco, Thrillist is to guys what Daily Candy is to us girls – a lifeline!

On a personal note, I signed my hubby up for Thrillist the other day (shhh… don’t tell him!!). I’m so excited that now he won’t have to spend hours trying to identify where new hot spot is – the info will come right to his Blackberry. Plus, I don’t have to be the personal concierge to all my (and his) guy friends anymore. (SCORE!)

Check out today's hot tip about The Bureau Bar here. Fellas, be sure to sign up and start getting your thrill of the day!

Getting Ready for Taste of the Nation '09

For the second year in a row, I will be co-chairing the restaurant committee for Share Our Strength's annual Taste of the Nation event. Talk about fun volunteer work! This has always been one of my favorite events to attend - all the best restaurants are there, the Aquarium is a killer setting and they always have a fun honorary chef (last year was Tom Colicchio!).

Last night was the first planning meeting of the year. There are some great new restaurants attending the event for the first time this year and an honorary chef that I am excited to meet (stay tuned to find out who...)! So mark your calendars for Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at the Georgia Aquarium.

Next up for the restaurant committee - getting 40+ chefs to show up on the same day and time for a group photo. No easy feat I assure you!

Dogwood Weighs in With Ways to Keep Your Wallet Fit: $20 Buys Mussels and Wine

Dogwood invites you to hoist “all-you-can-eat mussels” at the bar for $20 and satisfy your thirst with a free glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, all day and night, Tuesday through Friday. Here’s the warm-up: Chef Shane Touhy's PEI mussels are sautéed in olive oil with garlic, white wine and house-smoked tomatoes then dressed with butter and fresh parsley. And you're sure to find a "workout buddy" while working on your mussels - the restaurant's bar is a lively and inviting space that's perfect for meeting new friends or chatting with the friendly bartenders. Dogwood is located at 565 Peachtree Street in The Reynolds condominium building; 404-835-1410.

Personalize Your Drink

Usually when you give someone alcohol as a gift, it means you completely forgot the occasion and stopped by the liquor store on the way over. But for those that do plan ahead, Knob Creek offers personalized labels to add to the bottle. And it's available through the Knob Creek website year-round. Just fill out the label with a personal message and submit. Discretion is advised and Knob Creek states on the site that they "reserve the right to refuse printing of any inappropriate material," so don't get too crazy.

I first read about this at Drive-Thru where Jill states that shipping could take 4-6 weeks. I guess that means you have to really plan ahead.

Cheers!

Dogs Can Be Foodies, Too

My puppy, Brett, loves food. She is especially gifted at picking out the good stuff. When I add yogurt to her breakfast, it is always the first thing to disappear from the bowl. She likes when it's organic just as much as I do. When I came across this blog post at Bay Area Foodie about frozen yogurt for dogs, I immediately found the closest retail shop with the stuff in stock.

Yöghund uses all ingredients that are certified organic by the US Department of Agriculture and all boxes are made from 100% recycled materials (just incase the dog eats the carton). That is something to wag your tail about little Brett. According to the website, the closest location to our office in Buckhead is The Pet Set on Briarcliff.

PS - This was my way of showing everyone the picture I took of Brett in front of my Christmas tree.