Vivian’s Diner and Drinks - Des Moines, IA 

I have moved to Iowa for this summer for an internship and I am all sorts of excited to try the different food that Iowa and Des Moines has to offer. This trendy little city seems like it has many exciting and new downtown shops and restaurants, so I look forward to much more! 

I got something call a Toad in the Hole. I have heard that there are many versions of this, but I had never heard of it, so I decided to give it a try! I believe it is Biscuits, with a Poached egg and covered in sausage gravy. I have given up red meat and of course, I had no idea the gravy came with sausage, so I am back to square 1. However, It was very delicious. The biscuit fell apart quite a bit though, which was a slight downfall but overall I had a good experience. The mimosa was great, it did have pulp though. 

I am ready to try more in Des Moines though. This was a safe starter as a great little spot with fantastic brunch and lunch options. very Instagramable. 

Bab Plus - Urbana, IL 

The University of Illinois is home to a diverse food experience! There are many options for those who want to explore authentic tastes from around the world. This is a perfect example of one of the best Korean restaurants the campus has to offer. (Or so I have been told by my Korean friends at the University) 

When I went, I was a little hesitant to go too far out of my comfort zone, mostly because I couldn’t read the menu lol. But I ended up trying the dak Jai bi (Spicy chicken and vegetables) It was amazing. A little less spicy than I expected, but overall probably some of the best asian food I have tried in Champaign, or maybe even ever. 

The customer service is a little meh but the food makes it so worth it. It was fairly priced, I think about 11 or 12 dollars for my whole meal. If you are ever in the area and are looking for an authentic Korean dish, or maybe just even in the mood for Asian food, this is your place, 

This has been my favorite meal in ATL so far! 

W.H. Stile’s Fish Camp -  Ponce City Market, Atlanta GA 

I got the warm lobster roll with mayonnaise and tarragon. This by far, is the best lobster roll I have ever had. Tons of meat and full of flavor! BUT it was hell pricy. It was 30 dollars for this meal pictured. I think the roll was definitely worth it, but it should come with fries instead of chips especially for that price. 

The chips are potato chips with “crab seasoning” 

Drink (pot picture) I got the grapefruit lime seltzer, and i would most definitely recommend it. 

Bonchon Chicken - Korean Fried Chicken , Fayetteville GA 

For starters, I got the shrimp shumia which is a dumpling shrimp on a bed of lettuce topped with a honey dijon dressing. I got the steamed option. It was a little mushy for me, but to be fair I did not understand that it was a dumpling. It was fairly good, but I think I would get the fried option next time. 

My meal was the Korean Tacos (which tbh are not any different than regular tacos) I got chicken for mine, and it was amazing! It is three warm flour tortillas filled with korean chicken on a bed of lettuce, with ranch dressing and spicy mayo. 

This place kinda sucks and cost me 26 dollars so 

Botiwalla - Ponce City Market, Atlanta 

This is an Indian Restaurant in the trendy Ponce City Market in East ALT. It has a multitude of incredible (and new) restaurants perfect for any tourists wishing to try new things. (and the shopping is also insane let me tell ya) 

I ordered the Chicken Tiki Roll. I usually don’t do spicy, but this was perfect when paired with the chutney. It was the perfect dish for someone who has never had Indian food before but wanted to try it. It was a nice transition meal. 

As for my drink, I got the Pineapple Tumeric Soda. This was interesting, as I did not exactly know what Turmeric was. It was sort of like a powdery plant put in the drink. It was very refreshing though! and also had a little fiz to it which i liked. I would honestly maybe compare it to a mimosa, but with more of a pineapple than orange flavor. 

http://www.botiwalla.com/menu

http://poncecitymarket.com

Truett’s Luau - Fayetteville, GA 

So this place is literally a Chick Fil A, but has extra items on the menu with “Hawaiian flare.” There were two sections, a fast food section and a sit down section where you would be sat down and served by a waitress or waiter. It was quite a different experience than Chick Fil A’s in the Midwest.

I got the I’a Makana Fish Tacos. They came with a coleslaw and (please forgive me i did not know until i ate it) an avocado ranch dressing They were bomb AF.(besides the dressing)  and as always, I had to have the classic waffle fries for my side. 

Their menu has TONS of great Polynesian style dishes and a lot that also incorporate it into the original Chick Fil A meals. 

http://truettsluau.chick-fil-a.com 

Pascal’s Bistro - Peachtree City, GA 

OK so this picture is not gr8 bc i sat outside and the red umbrella kinda ruined the lighting so sorry. 

I ordered the Fried Green Tomato BLT because I was DETERMINED to try fried green tomatoes when i came to the south. The sandwich consisted of fried green tomatoes, bacon, lettuce, and goat cheese with spicy chipotle aioli on sourdough bread. 

All in all, i actually really enjoyed the sandwich overall, but unfortunately the goat cheese and aioli were the best part, and I don’t actually think I have an appeal for us fried green tomatoes. 

I had a great experience here and it was very nice and quiet and had plenty of outdoor seating which i enjoyed. I will most definitely come back to try other plates. 

Grazing Here: Peachtree City, GA 

Sweeties: Sweet Potato wedges with a maple butter sauce 

Buffalo Chicken Wrap 

Cooks and Soldiers in Midtown Atlanta , Spanish (Basque Country) Cuisine 

Appetizer: Pato Ahumado; smoked duck confit, bleu cheese, cherry tart, served on toast 

Meal (Tapas): Bikini: White American grilled cheese, Jamón Ibérico, black truffle, white bread 9.  Chistorra in a Blanket: Chistorra sausage, croissant, cider glaze, maple-mustard allioli 9. 

City Cafe and Bakery: German cafe in South ATL 

I ordered the Crab Cake,Roasted Potatoes, and Sauerkraut. I went in dead set on ordering fried green tomatoes bc hey, they're a staple here in GA! Unfortunately though, they only serve that appetizer for dinner. 

The crab cake was fair.. pretty mushy though, which i expected it to be a little more crisp on the outer edges. The German mustard dressing did compliment it well by adding an almost spicy but refreshing aspect. 

The sauerkraut was not as expected.Very different than traditional German sauerkraut I’ve had before, and Ive had the REAL deal before. It has an orange tint to it, bc it seems to have been made with carrots as well. The taste, yet again was soggier than expected, and far less “sour.” 

All in all, if I could grade City Cafe and Bakery, I would give a C-. BUT I also feel like they have more potential and I am still holding out for those fried green tomatoes. 

Due South Southern Cuisine - Peachtree City, GA

Just moved to Atlanta area and this was my first stop. very trendy place, and great atmosphere. I didn’t at all feel uncomfortable eating here alone which I was scared of. I didn't actually get a pic of my meal, and this is the pic from their site. However, the waffle i got was’t broken up and the chicken was one giant piece, but It was amazing. The peach compote with the blackberry syrup completed the saltines of the chicken quite well. The waffle itself was just a regular Belgium waffle. it soaked up the syrup a bit and got a tad soggy, but I don’t mind that aspect. 

For my appetizer, I ordered the Cajun Crawfish Dip. This was surprisingly less spicy than I anticipated. It also had more meat, which was nice. It came with toast points, and was well worth the money for the amount of food given. 

I’d definitely recommend Due South to anyone looking for a good “Southern” meal when in the ATL area.