Welcome back!

The holidays can really wreak havoc on getting out and trying some new restaurants. All those parties to go to and all that shopping to do, means little time to just go out and have fun tasting the latest on the scene. Well after several people were asking where my review was for Lime Taqueria in West Village, I decided to make it a priority.

Lime Taqueria has been open for almost two months now and clearly is not your typical Smyrna Vinings restaurant. Rene Diaz and Jesse Diaz wanted to create something that would stand out and picked West Village as the place to ply their trade.

When you think about Mexican food in Smyrna Vinings, you may think of Nuevo Laredo (awesome food without the pretence and with the red and white checked tablecloths) to other local establishments such as Mexico Lindo, Los Bravos, etc. What Lime is trying to create, however, is more of a Buckhead style restaurant with Mexican flair. It’s new-world Mexican.

The restaurant certainly has flair and creates a fun and festive setting, from the large dining room, the vivid greens, yellows and red and the huge lime wedges throughout.

I decided to enlist the help of  another couple on our taste sensation journey to Lime. We started out by sampling some of the many tapas and just kept trying more and more. We never made it to the entree side of the menu, which probably isn’t surprising. With such a large assortment of tapas to choose from, I’m sure it will be quite a popular way for many people to sample the fare at Lime the first time.

The tapas included a variety of tacos including the Taco Res, Taco Mole, Taco Chorizo, Taco Carne Asade, Taco Puntas de Puerco and Taco Pollo. In addition we tried out the Asado de Panela, the Ceviche del Dia and the Tamales Nortenos. And since we were in a Mexican restaurant, we did feel obligated to order chips and salsa, which comes in a dish with four completely different salsas from mild to spicy.

Without a doubt, I think everyone’s favorites included the ceviche, which is seafood marinated in lime juice with finely chopped onions, peppers, tomatoes and cilantro. It was very fresh and a nice medley of flavors. Our group also seemed to really enjoy the Asado de Panela, which is queso, but unlike anything you’ve had before. It’s actually a large slice of white cheese, smothered with a tomato and pepper sauce. Very tasty. Our final top pick would be the tamales.

Along with trying out the tapas, we decided that we would be remiss without trying some of Lime’s beverages. We opted for the Sofia Margarita, the El Cubano Lime Mojito and the Raspberry Mojito. By far, the lime Mojito was the table favorite. It was a perfect blend of tart flavors offset by the fresh mint.

To wrap things up, we opted for the Tequila Lime Cheesecake and the Chocolate Souffle to sample for dessert. The Tequila Lime Cheesecake was velvety smooth and creamy with the slightest hint of lime. The Chocolate Souffle’s final preparation occurs at your table. The server pushes through the top layer of the souffle and pours in a vanilla bean sauce. Can’t go wrong there.

I think everyone really enjoyed the food at Lime and were impressed with the restaurant. It certainly does not compare to other local Smyrna Vinings restaurants. The food was good and the presentation and the atmosphere were great. And we’ll definitely have to try the entrees next time.

Technorati Tags: Lime Taqueria, Smyrna Vinings Restaurants, West Village

Varners Restaurant and Tavern, located in the former home of Uncle Bud’s Catfish on Concord Road in Smyrna, has been up and running for awhile now and based upon how packed the parking lot is on a nightly basis, it has quickly become a local favorite.

Having been one of the last customers in Uncle Bud’s, I’m still having nightmares about the location. Varners, however, has done a great job of renovating the space and creating a great spot for locals to stop in to the restaurant or join in the fun in the bar.

I tried out Varners shortly after they opened and while I was impressed with the beer, the food was a big disappointment. Varners offers over 40 beers on draft and what appears to be over 100 bottled beers. I think they may hold the title for the largest beer selection in Smyrna Vinings, but what is undoubtedly the freshest.

Well, I decided it was time to give Varners another try. With over 30 high def plasmas, Varners definitely seems like the place to be during the college bowl season. So off we went to give it another try.

Once again, the beer was fabulous, the TVs were cranking out the latest in sporting events and I must say, the food has improved.

I went for the special of the night, which was a Salmon BLT with applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and garlic mayo on sourdough bread with a side of sauteed spinach. My lovely wife selected the reuben with a side of fries, and the little chittlins opted for the fish and chips and grilled cheese and fries.

Everyone was very happy and felt the entrees were very tasty. I will warn you that while the fries are very good, there seems to be a lovefest at Varners for fries. Clearly, one entree’s worth of fries is enough for the whole family. With a large array of sandwiches, salads, pastas and creative entrees, you’re sure to find some good food to fit your needs.

Varners has filled a void in the local Smyrna Vinings restaurant market with good bar food in both a family friendly restaurant and a fun tavern with pool tables, video games and so many plasma TVs, you’re guaranteed not to miss out on your favorite sporting events. Varners offers an array of fun events if 35 plasma TVs are not enough, including trivia night, ladies night, Texas Hold’em and live music.

Technorati Tags: Varners Tavern, Smyrna Vinings Restaurants

“BRING ONE FOR THE CHIPPER”

As a part of a statewide effort to reuse Christmas trees, Keep Smyrna Beautiful is hosting Christmas Tree recycling at the Home Depot on Cumberland Parkway, where area residents can drop-off their trees on Saturday, January 5, 2008, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring One For the Chipper and pick up a sapling to take home and plant.

Recently visited Blackstone Cafe, which is located adjacent to the highly praised Blackstone restaurant, known for their excellent steaks and seafood and fine wines. Blackstone Cafe was opened this summer as an alternative for those that couldn’t handle the fact that Blackstone is not open for lunch.

Blackstone Cafe, is a quaint local deli market just off of Log Cabin Road and Atlanta Road. Blackstone Cafe offers a good selection of soups, sandwiches and salads for pickup and dining. They offer a variety of gourmet meats, cheese and other delicacies. And don’t forget about the gelato for dessert.

On my visit, I wasn’t sure what to get. Luckily, a fellow Hoosier working behind the counter was well versed in the best stuff at Blackstone Cafe and gave me her top picks. Based on her recommendations, I decided to check out one of their panini sandwiches with a side of cole slaw.

I went for the chicken panini, which was a hot-pressed sandwich with grilled chicken, swiss cheese, roasted red peppers and a pesto mayo. Absolute taste sensation. With so many sandwiches, salads and a variety of soups that change daily, I’ll definitely have to stop by again.

Blackstone is open daily from 11-7 for lunch and an early dinner.

Technorati Tags: Smyrna Vinings Restaurants, Blackstone, Blackstone Cafe

In our attempt to provide you with the latest information on the Smyrna Vinings area, we just wanted to give you an update on the latest on Santa and his progress on Christmas Eve.

We wanted to pass along this great service. So if you want to keep up to date on Santa’s progress, click here for the Santa Tracker.

Happy Holidays from the team here at Smyrna Vinings.com