T. Murray "ATM - Ask T. Murray" -.'s Profile

I had the chance to visit Chato last night with some friends who live in the area. I drove in from Atlanta and after a day of exploring Rock City and seeing other Chattanooga sites it was time to get a good meal in. My friends moved to Chattanooga some years ago from Atlanta but all three of us enjoy a good meal and good drinks. Considering ourselves to be "foodies,"  I'd say we have discerning tastes and moderately high standards when it comes to dining out. They mentioned to me that a new restaurant had opened in the area and after checking out Chato online we decided that was where we wanted to go.

Making a reservation was easy as we called and were able to get a table for an hour later. We were told the attire was "polished casual," a term that we got a couple of giggles out of, but we polished ourselves up wearing outfits that could get us into a decent country club and made our way to the establishment.

Chato has a newness that you see as soon as you walk in the door. The furniture and lighting is crisp. The bar area to the right was well appointed and seemed fitting for a group of friends to enjoy after work drinks. There was also a nice outdoor patio for diners as well. The dining room was to the left of the hostess stand.  It was full with only one or two tables left. Despite being early we were seated and the hostess left us with the menus. The only slight was she forgot the cocktail menus.

My friend and I both ordered the Mai Tai. It was one of the best and most potent Mai Tais I've ever had. I would order it again. In fact, before the night was over, I did.  My friend's husband had the Dark and Stormy. I've had this at a restaurant in Atlanta, being a fan of ginger beer. It was tasty and served up in an extra tall glass.

The appetizers were something to be remembered. I thought I was keeping things basic with the Caesar. When it arrived I was in a cheesy heaven as the salad was served in a crisp cone of Parmesan cheese.  My friend had the shrimp, lobster and scallop ceviche and the presentation complimented the taste. We couldn't resist ordering the artisan bread appetizer to share and the assortment of breads was good, but I decided to ease up on the garlic-balsamic spread.

The main course remained consistent. My friends shared the Muscovy Duck Duo, which I tasted. Being a fan of duck, this wasn't my first time. It was quite good.  I ordered the scallops and as scallops go these are amongst the best I've had - comparable to Canoe in Atlanta. I'm picky about scallops.  The lobster risotto that accompanied the meal was also good, though I only saw one piece of lobster in it. Not sure if it was supposed to have more or not. This wasn't a huge disappointment because the scallops and the rest of the meal were more than satisfying and filling.

During the meal we found out that they won't be serving lunch here anymore so they are, as many new restaurants do, making changes and adjusting based on customer feedback and response. I love trying new restaurants and this one, which was new for all three of us, impressed us all. I would definitely return to Chato.

I was introduced to Japonais just before the New Year while on a trip to NY. It was a pleasant surprise dinner date and I have to say my date did a great job selecting a restaurant that was both romantic and a fit for my tastes in food, decor and ambiance. He scored some points for picking this place! I am a sushi lover and though he is not he still picked this place because their menu offers other options.

I found the service superb. I wish I could remember the name of the server. He was very attentive, even as other tables were seated in his area. He was also very honest about what to order and what to skip. I asked about the lobster dish and he politely told me that it might not be the best entree to order. I appreciated that advice and went with the crab cakes as my primary entree. They turned out to be some of the best crab cakes I've ever eaten and being from the Tidewater area of Virginia, I've had a cornucopia of crab cakes in my day.

My date had the salmon and he enjoyed it. For starters we had different sushi rolls. This was the best shrimp and salmon roll I've ever had. I go to a number of sushi restaurants in Atlanta, ordering the same roll, but Japonais really exceeded my expectations. Despite saying he didn't like sushi he seemed to enjoy my rolls and the crab rolls he ordered.

Dessert could have been better. Perhaps because I am just not a fan of apple pie or apple inspired desserts.

Drinks were decent, I would give them 3.5 stars compared with other bars. I wanted to come back to Japonais the next day, but my trip to the Big Apple was over. Next time I am in the Union Square area I am going to visit Japonais again. No doubt.

Another place that my friend Raj introduced me to (the other is Divan). Ibiza is a great alternative scene when i am not up for the "trendy" lounges or "celebrity" owned spots. It's been a welcomed change on a couple of Friday nights where I wanted a good drink and a chance to catch up with my pal.

Typically I have a taste of one or two tapas when I go here and they have a variety of quick eats that go with a drink or two. Ibiza is also open later than most restaurants in that area of Peachtree Street.

The Flamenco dancers are entertaining and interactive. One evening there was a bachelor party and a bachelorette party going on at the same time. Oddly there were more guys at the bachelor party than women at the bachelorette. Ibiza made for a fine festive atmosphere and the bride and groom to be had an innocent fling on the dance floor. Everyone had a blast.

So many reviews already...so I'll keep this simple. I like Stella. It's currently my favorite neighborhood spots for a quick pizza fix. It's consistent and the prices are palatable. I think this is the best Caesar salad under 10 bucks in the city (try it with chicken or shrimp!)They also have a good pomegranate martini. I have tried several of the pizzas, but typically stick to pepperoni and mushroom. As far as apps go...calamari is the way to go..for dessert try the tiramasu...light and tasty.

This is also my new brunch stops as it's cheaper and quicker than trying to go to Murphy's. I love the potatoes/fries and the french toast will satisfy any sunrise sweet tooth. Stella has also just started opening for lunch.

The service is always great and people are talkative as well as attentive. One of the servers is my good friend Kelly T. Fun times!

The only day I dread is when Stella becomes crowded, particularly brunch. I like the fact that i can come in and sit down immediately. I've never waited to dine. They even accommodate a group of the gals for a brunch gathering one day.

The fact that my hairdresser left here in early 2008 means they had to get bumped down a bit. Also I believe the last I heard from a reputable source there were only 2 stylists left here. I also think the spa stopped services on Mondays. Qiana is now at the Hair Bar in Cumberland...review coming soon.

Where do I begin. The Hudson Hotel was relatively unknown to me, seeing as how I am typically a die hard Starwood (WHotel) kind of girl. Well, let's say on this trip to NYC I didn't arrange the accommodations and had to, sort of, fall in line, if you will. I did so willingly as I'm always up for a foray into the foyer of a uncharted luxury hotel. So here we were sloshing around in the back of a New York taxi and arriving quite easily at the front door that I could of easily mistaken for a side entrance.

The random torch outside indicated we had arrived at some place quite different from the average hotel. Up the Epcot Center's inspired Future Land escalator to the lobby where we were warmly greeted by the staff at front desk. As is my usual request I asked if I could be placed on an upper floor, hoping for a view. Though I ended up on the 11th floor, there wasn't much to look at once I got in my room. But let me backtrack. After exiting the elevator I have to admit I was quite scared. The hallway was just a notch above pitch black and my room was literally "in the back-in the dark-in the corner" of the 11th floor. I guess the saying is true.."be careful what you ask for." Well, now to the window. I look out and I have a great view of the roof of the interior courtyard. Great...

Now let's move onto the room itself. Yes it was clean. Yes it was simple and minimalist which I could have been okay with, but I think it was the steel-like chair and furniture that had me feeling like I was in an episode of Oz sans the clear glass walls. The bed also seemed to only be a foot off of the floor and my first night sleeping in it was not comfy.

Enough of the stuff I didn't like. Once I became accustomed to the vampire-like lighting of the place I navigated fairly well. I enjoyed dining in the Hudson Cafeteria for a late night snack one evening and breakfast the day I checked out. I hung out in the Hudson Bar until almost 2 am one night, randomly running into a college classmate of a friend here in Atlanta and meeting a pretty cool San Francisco business traveler, Jeff. The DJ was also on point that night. I felt like the bartenders were joking with the cranberry and vodka, which was much more juice than jolt, but hey, I was there on business.

I might not chose this spot first on my next trip and if I was traveling with a roommate I would try to upgrade to a larger room. The atmosphere made the experience worth while, and for the experience I say check it out for yourself.

SaBor - Can't wait to see your personality evolve in what I call Atlanta's "secret pocket." Places either Thrive (literally around the corner) or get put to "Bed" (remember that spot?) over here. Located across from Centennial Park SaBor is finding it's niche and so far doing a good job at it. Hosting parties and private events almost regularly now on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, it's emerging as an alternative to places like Verve, Sutra and the Peters Street traffic jam.

Two levels to lounge and parlay. I went to a Diageo "after party" here enjoying some lovely Ciroc Vodka and to the transplanted Friday night happy hour from Rare (I am so sad it's closed) where I watched Game 6 of the Hawks vs Celtics series. The bartenders were attentive on both occasions and the DJ on point, which made it worthwhile as the crowd was a little thin both nights. Who likes that wall to wall ambiance anyway? I don't.

I took a self guided tour my first time there and found some private areas with flat screens that made me think of nearby Stats Sports Bar and also a small outdoor 2nd floor patio. The decor is original and doesn't seem to mimic any existing club. I couldn't get a read on the patrons other than they were as hype about the DJ as I was!

I've heard rumblings about a food menu emerging soon so we'll have to see what that's all about and update later.

Divan is divine. Really. I've been twice. Once on a busy Friday night and again this past Sunday. Two totally different experiences, but I loved both and the fit the mood and mindset I was in.

On that Friday, feeling full from dining at Aquanox a couple of blocks away, a friend and I decided to check out Divan for Hookah and after dinner drinks. It was what the doctor ordered. We did have to wait quite a bit of time for a table (a smidge too long) and there wasn't much space to wait in, but once we got the Hookah going I soon forgot about the wait. We met an interesting "met on craigslist" couple who found Divan a good (third or fourth?) date spot. The music was good and refreshingly different from the typical Friday night mix you'd get in a club. The craigslist couple actually found room to dance, and gave the rest of us some Dancing With the Stars type entertainment. I didn't have food, other than nibbling on some hummus, but found it impressive that they had a beer another friend of mine claims is hard to find (Chimay) on their drink menu. This was also my first experience with Hookah..and yes I'm hooked.

This past Sunday I was feeling a little less festive. In fact, I hadn't been out the house all day! The same friend dialed me up and said to meet him back at Divan. We sat outside enjoying the park-like ambiance and sipping on wine. No Hookah for me this time, but he took advantage of the opportunity. I ordered the crab-croquettes (excellent) and he had the duck leg. Both were tasty. We also had the pita pizza...good, but I forgot I'm not a big feta cheese fan.

Next time I'm going for an entree. Oh yes, there will definitely be a next time at Divan. Anyplace that can meet my many moods is on my short list of hotspots.

I gotta say, I wasn't expecting to check out a spot like this in Los Angeles, but I was really happy my hosts put it on the agenda. I loved it. It reminded a lot of Pappadeaux as far as the menu, but the food was much better. We were there on a Tuesday night, after my flight came in at 9pm. They had live entertainment even though it was a weekday. I thought the service was good and my friend, Pia, works there, though she was off that night. I can't imagine her being anything but attentive either, so not sure about the comments on service.

The drinks were on point. I had a Hurricane and I could have sworn that night I was on Bourbon Street. It was strong and tastay (yes I know I spelled that wrong) and I loved it. Next time I go to LA, I hope to go back here.

Cool place with wonderul sushi rolls. A little smaller than I expected, but big enough to gather with friends at the bar or a table. I wasn't a huge fan of the Soju house drinks in the jars, but  it was fun to try something new. Parking wasn't bad. We found spots on the street a block up, but they have valet also. I was here for an event, so I'd want to go back and try the full dining experience.