Last Thursday evening, my guest & I were invited to sample the new spring/summer menu at the Marlow's Tavern located in The Prado shopping center in Sandy Springs (a HUGE thank you & shout out go to Emily & ML+A and Marlow Tavern teams), one of the many MT locations throughout GA. From their humble beginnings, with the first location in Alpharetta, GA in November of 2004, they've certainly come a long way since then with 21 restaurants now, 16 of which are in Georgia and 5 throughout Florida. With over 30+ years of culinary and hospitality experience, Co-Founder/Executive Chef John Metz, is changing the way customers perceive tavern fare by not only making it affordable, but also by creating seasonal dishes that change depending on the availability of fresh and local ingredients, or shall we say ingredient-focused cuisine. And as if the years behind the kitchen weren't enough, Metz brings some pretty impressive credentials to the table as well. He graduated at the top of his class while attending the Culinary Institute of America and has worked at notable New York restaurants such as Tribeca Grill, Park Avenue Cafe and The 21 Club to name a few. Additionally, Metz served on the team representing Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, a franchisor of T.G.I. Friday's, and has been an integral part in developing Samba Room, Italian's and Front Row Sports Grill brands. And if you still didn't think that was enough to make you want to grab your keys and speed on over to your nearest Marlow's Tavern location, it's also worth noting that Metz is also very involved with the community and Sterling Hospitality as a whole, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for local community organizations every year! So let me ask, what's holding you back from coming here? If you ask me, absolutely nothing! You've got a chef who knows what he's doing in the kitchen, has the credentials to back it up and has a kind, charitable heart-all of which are a HUGE win in my book! Plus, he's got a top notch staff who will go above and beyond to make your experience one of a kind! So, after an early week day shopping trip, my sister & I were ready to dive right in and check out the newest menu at our favorite chef-inspired tavern in the city!
Let's get started:
☆Exterior
☆Exterior
☆Interior
☆Blue Raspberry Lemonade & Watermelon Aqua Fresca
☆Fresh Burrata Mozzarella (Fresh Belgiolioso Burrata, Roast Tomato & Eggplant Caponata, Toasty Ciabatta and Parslied Olive Oil): 2016 has been the year of burrata for me! If it's on the menu, I order it without any reservations because there's just no such thing as bad burrata, am I right (and if there is, I take that back!)? Marlow's take on this classic Italian dish is downright sinful & delicious! The burrata, which is essentially a pouch consisting of mozzarella and cream, was absolutely divine and mouthwatering in that it was silky, creamy and had a mouth-in-your-mouth type of consistency. Paired with the tangy and savory eggplant caponata with ripened tomatoes, this dish showcases the best summer vegetables & ingredients in one!
☆Warm Brie Fondue (Melting Brie, Swiss, Mascarpone, Chardonnay and Warm Salty Pretzel Bread): What better way to get your appetite rolling than with warm, soft pretzels and a mini crock pot full of thick, creamy and bubbling cheese? If you've been by my blog before, you know that cheese of any kind, especially the melted kind, is my all-time biggest weakness, in addition to desserts. So when three of my favorite cheeses, brie, swiss and mascarpone are simmered down with some chardonnay, then you know I'm all about that and a bag of chips! MT's definitely got to keep this winner on the menu, we absolutely loved & devoured every drop!
☆Crispy Chicken Milanese (Panko Crusted Chicken, Baby Arugula, Italian Parsley, Shaved Asiago, Roma Tomato, Lemonette, Fresh Lemon and Pine Nuts): Delicious chicken breast pounded thin, covered in panko breading and fried to perfection, the crispy chicken paired incredibly well with the light and refreshing arugula salad and freshly ripened tomatoes. The lemon added a welcomed, summery touch to this dish as well.
☆Grilled "Center Cut" Filet (Filet Mignon Grilled and Seasoned Perfectly, Cauliflower Rice, French Green Beans, Shiitake Mushroom, Caramelized Onions, Fines Herbs and a Red Wine Shallot Reduction): Two generous cuts of filet mignon grilled to a perfect medium rare, the steak was mouthwateringly tender, but the sauce here was the real winner! It was rich, slightly sweet, tangy and paired beautifully with the delicate green beans and cauliflower rice.
☆Grilled Atlantic Salmon (Chipotle Lime Glazed, Hominy Hash with Sweet Yellow Corn, Green Beans, Tomato, Fresh Cilantro, with Charred Poblano Sauce and Crispy Corn Tortilla): The salmon was cooked perfectly and flaked beautifully. The cut was tender and moist, which went well with the lime glaze and the zest poblano sauce that accompanied the dish. I particularly enjoyed the hominy hash underneath-all of the vegetables were flavorful, tasty and fresh and the addition of the crunchy tortilla toppings brought in an additional element of surprise as well!
☆MT House-Made Cheesecake (New York Style Cheesecake, Peanut Butter, Milk Chocolate, Pretzel Crust with Salted Caramel): As soon as this dessert came out, the forks immediately followed! This cheesecake was the BE ALL of all cheesecakes out there since it combined the best of everything! Peanut butter, pretzel, salted caramel, chocolate and more----could it get any better?! The silky cheesecake itself melted in your mouth with layers after layers of chocolate and peanut butter swirls, while the salted caramel added salty and sweet notes, helping to tone down the overall sweetness of this tantalizing homemade dessert!
☆Classic Crème Brülée (This NYC Classic, House-Made with Madagascar Vanilla Bean and Crispy Sweet Crust): I absolutely love creme brûlée! There's just something about that creamy vanilla bean crème underneath that addicting, crunchy sugary crust that simply soothes the soul. If you're like me (& don't like to share your crème brülée because one can never have enough of this dessert), then this is the perfect size for you. But if sharing's your thing, then this is also great for two!
As you can probably tell, my sister & I had yet another unbelievable dining experience here! Although you can typically find us snapping pics & eating at both their Dunwoody and Duluth locations, venturing out to the Sandy Springs location was just as fun & proved that their quality is consistent and top notch across the board. I've personally dined at 11 of their 16 Georgia locations and can absolutely swear that I've never had an average or below par experience at any of them! From the moment we entered, we were immediately greeted by one of the many friendly hostesses and seated at one of the available comfy leather booths. Our server, Mia, did an impeccable job taking care of us throughout the evening. She was personable, welcoming, unbelievably attentive and sweet. She walked us through the menu and made recommendations based upon the newest items that were on the menu for the season. Additionally, despite how crowded the restaurant was on a Thursday evening, Mia never once rushed us or made us feel like we were a burden to her, which we certainly appreciated. From start to end, service was simply fantastic-we couldn't have asked for anything better because Mia was such a superstar! While we were dining, Rob (general manager) stopped by our table, introduced himself and chatted with us about how we were enjoying our meal-despite the crowd, it was awesome seeing him walk around to other tables and talking with the customers, some thing you don't see that often these days! Moving on to the decor, it's similar to their other locations, which I personally like because I consider Marlow's like my second home. The gorgeous dark wooden furniture, black sofas and dimmed lighting add to its upscale tavern vibe and exudes a mysterious, yet seductive and relaxing environment. The consistency contributes to the comfortable, homely feel you get when you step foot into any one of their restaurants & their seasonally changing menu just takes it to the next level. So, whether you're in the mood to grab some grub & brew with the guys to catch a sports game, meeting up with your gal pals over their vast selection of wines and cocktails, or simply bringing your family in for a nice, relaxing and affordable lunch or dinner, Marlow's is the answer. They're one of those "any time, any day" type of establishments-you know, the BEST kinds because they open at lunch, close late (11p-1a), offer amazing comfort foods & are just the whole package! I have to admit, I consider myself to be pretty spoiled in that I live within a 10-15 mile radius of 3-4 Marlow's Tavern locations---trust me, this is dangerous, but so worth it! Now, what're you waiting for? If you haven't dined with them before, you've got to get on over there and experience what they have to offer for yourself & check out their new spring/summer menu while you're at it before it goes away for good! I promise, once you go Marlow's, you never go back! Thank you again to Emily & the ML+A and Marlow's Tavern teams, especially Mia and Rob, for inviting my guest & I out for yet another applause-worthy experience at Marlow's!
Have a wonderful weekend,
-Sandy
FTC: Although this was a media event and my meal was comped, I will always provide an honest review & experience of the restaurant
If you'd to like to invite Bella Vivere to cover & share your restaurant's media events, tastings or parties, feel free to shoot me an email at bellavivere {at} gmail {dot} com-Thanks!
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