TOP FLR

He says:
Top Flr, a small neighborhood bar/restaurant with a varied menu and affordable prices, is a welcome addition to the fast-growing Midtown restaurant scene. Despite its name, Top Flr actually has two floors; a wine bar on the bottom and a casual eatery upstairs. They occupy what used to be an old two-story walkup, and the small rooms, narrow stairwell, and odd layout give the restaurant a far more homey feel than what you would get at, say, Two Urban Licks. The spartan black and white color scheme does make the place look bigger, but if I were the owners of Top Flr, I’d play up the living room angle by cluttering it up with table lamps, old couches, and throw pillows.

She says:
As for the food, we started with a trio of appetizers. The do-it-yourself bruschetta, with a plate full of roasted red pepper, garlic, and red onions, greek olives, grilled summer squash, artichoke hearts, and goat cheese to load onto toasted bread was delicious, although I think I’d rather just have someone make it for me. There also seemed to be some a few oversights, like the bruschetta fixings coming without a spoon (we used our fingers) and the lack of a bowl for the empty mussel shells.

He says:
A bowl for the mussels definitely would have been useful, especially since we were eating them so quickly. They came in an excellent lime and coconut milk soy broth that would have been right at home in a Thai restaurant. It was simple, filling, and delicious. The lamb skewers could have been gamier and rarer, but they were paired well with a creamy daikon taziki sauce.

My entrée of pappardelle with duck confit was good, if not impressive. The chefs were generous with the duck, though the shitake mushroom and pearl onion reduction tasted very much like beef stroganoff. This isn’t a complaint, but it was certainly odd. The pasta was limp and slightly overcooked.

She says:
The wide strips of fresh pasta in the “free form ravioli” were highly reminiscent of Downtown Boy’s paparadelle. Mixed with zucchini, tomatoes, avocado, and corn as well as shrimp, the dish was appropriately light for the season, but still very filling. The food wasn’t over salted, which was a nice change of pace. Overall, it was more satisfying than exceptional.

We say:
Top Flr is a fine neighborhood pit-stop in for a casual bite and drink.




Top Flr
674 Myrtle Street, Atlanta, GA 30308
http://www.topflr.com/home.htm

BELEZA

She says:
After two visits to Cuerno, the next stop on our 8th and Juniper kick was Brazilian-inspired Beleza, Midtown’s hottest new cocktail lounge. Even on a Wednesday evening the place was packed, and with the arrival of a DJ our tranquil mid-week dinner was soon transformed into a much livelier affair. Beleza is sleek and trendy, but the airiness of the space and the bright tropical elements (reverse bamboo walls, Brazilian wood tables, and flower-inspired light fixtures) keep it from being overly swanky.

According to our friendly waitress, Beleza’s specialty is its cocktails, which use tropical juices and are sweetened with agave nectar. I tried the Batidas, which had guava juice and coconut milk that night (the type of juice changes daily). It was well-prepared and plenty strong.

The unique aspect of this cocktail lounge, though, is the focus on the food. Serving light small-plates, much of the food is raw, and there is a heavy emphasis on seafood, fresh fruit, and heirloom grains.

He says:
We started with the trio of ceviche, which is a great (albeit expensive) way to sample all three types Beleza offers. Each contained white fish marinated in citrus juices, but one had a creamy tanginess and was mixed with cucumbers, another was slightly sweeter with a pineapple/onion medley, and the third was flavored with chipotle and slightly spicier. My favorite was the cucumber version since the creaminess contrasted with the tartness of the lime juice.

The quinoa was less successful in my eyes. Mixed with cucumbers, peppers, feta cheese, and drizzled with a smoked eggplant puree, the quinoa was easy on the eyes but flat on the tongue. The feta crumbles provided the only real flavor, but they were distributed too sparsely to raise this appetizer above average.

She says:
The evening’s winner (at least in my opinion) was the amberjack. From the crudo section of the menu, the raw bites of delicate but full-flavored fish were topped with spicy slices of jalapeno peppers. The dish really exhibited the quality and freshness of the ingredients at Beleza.

Downtown Boy and I both liked the moqueca, although we didn’t find it all that original. Shrimp was served over very moist rice with coconut milk and cashews, resulting in a dish that was highly reminiscent of a Thai curry.

He says:
The caramelized banana with chocolate sorbet was an intriguing dessert. The sorbet was made with dark chocolate and was pretty intense, and the carmelization of the banana slices lent a slight coffee flavor to the dish. Overall the dessert was a bit too sweet for me but Uptown Girl was quite happy with it.

We say:
For a hearty dinner, you’re better off next door at Cuerno, but Beleza is an excellent place to start (or end) your evening with a tropical cocktail and fresh, light bites.




Beleza
905 Juniper Street, Atlanta, GA 30309
http://www.sottosottorestaurant.com/