Susan and I celebrated our anniversary with a dinner at
Two Urban Licks in Atlanta recently. Susan made our reservations for 6:30 p.m. We wanted to get there early because I had a busy work schedule planned for the next day. Since the restaurant is located on the Atlanta Beltline, the new path system in Atlanta, we wanted to also be able to enjoy the scenery. We wanted to people watch! We had just dined at Rathbun's two week earlier and had a great experience with our good friends Jim and Mary Ann. We were hoping for a similar experience.
We arrived right on time for our reservation. As requested we were seated outside on the patio along the beltline. The patio seating can be separated into two distinct styles. The tables and seats nearest the windows are harsh, uncomfortable, and compacted. The seating nearest the patio railing is plush and spacious, albeit, stained in some cases. A young lady showed us to our table jammed up next to the window. We were the first table to be seated outside. The table was less than desirable, in our opinion, so we requested that we be moved to a more comfortable table, one of those along the railing. The window table was also situated where we would block the view of the party which was already dining inside the restaurant. The young lady returned shortly and we were moved. Subsequently, our server was also changed.
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| Susan and me |
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| The Eastside Beltline Trail looking toward Ralph McGill Blvd. |
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| The beltline looking toward North Avenue NE |
As our food was served we noticed that the flies were aggressive beyond belief. Oddly, we hadn't noticed any flies during the 2 or 3 hours on the patio at Rathbun's but on this night we would be tortured. I would fan the food with the menu as Susan ate and she would fan my food as I ate. That was until the server took our menus away. We were then sitting ducks. A smorgasbord awaited our tormentors and we were defenseless. We gobbled down our food as fast as we could, sickened as I periodically counted and called out the number of flies waiting to attack. "There are six of them, 1, 2, 3..." Fortunately, our server returned our menus after our plea.
We were interested to see that more patio diners arrived and were sure that they would also soon be visited as we departed post haste. Of course, when dining outside one takes a chance. It could have rained but it didn't and the weather was beautiful on that day. I can only assume that there is some sort of fly manufacturing plant nearby. I'm also sure that those diners who elected to forgo the patio had a much better experience.
How about the food? Our server brought us some bread and a dipping sauce. The bread was fine but the dipping sauce lacked flavor. However, what it lacked in flavor it made up for in fly "catch-ability". I'll just say that the stuff was like quicksand and I'll leave it at that.
We had an appetizer of calamari. Online reviews that Susan read before she made our reservation were very positive about the calamari. They were right, it was good.
For our entrees, Susan had the grilled flat iron steak and I had the smoked brisket. Susan liked her onion rings. I found my steak plentiful but salty. The corn was fine.
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| A dipping sauce for bread |
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| Calamari |
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| Grilled flat iron steak |
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| Smoked brisket |
Probably the best part about Two Urban Licks is the beer. I enjoyed mine!
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| Black & Tan (Guinness and Sweetwater 420) |
We'll probably be planning an anniversary dinner do-over at
The Oceanaire Seafood Room. We ate there a few years ago for our anniversary and they did everything right!
Thanks for reading.
