i recently went to fat matt’s rib shack for the first time. this atlanta establishment has been on my list of bbq spots i’ve wanted to try for years. i’m not sure why i waited so long; the ribs were definitely some of the best i’ve had in town! they reminded me of maddy’s ribs, which are also some of my favorites. they were tasty, but not too saucy, and the meat fell right off the bone. i also sampled fat matt’s bbq chicken and various sides dishes, all of which were tasty as well. and although i didn’t get to eat my food there, i really enjoyed the atmosphere while i waited and would love to go back!

one quick note, i did see signs for live music pretty much every night of the week at fat matt’s. if you’re into the whole bbq and live music thing, then you’ll be way into that. but for others, like us, who actually enjoy conversing while eating bbq, then you should probably try fat matt’s for lunch or an early dinner.

– ryan

fat matt’s rib shack

1811 piedmont avenue ne
atlanta, ga 30324
404-607-1622

we went to the olde pink house in savannah for our thanksgiving meal this year. the food was quite tasty in this beautiful old house! be sure to check out the pumpkin desert below. it was served in a mini pumpkin!

– ryan & gub

as mentioned in yeterday’s post, we had some great dockside seafood after visiting pemaquid point lighthouse. the restaurant was called shaw’s fish & lobster wharf and was quite amazing! we tried a fried clam roll and various lobster treats, including lobster stew. we also enjoyed watching fisherman unload lobsters off their boats while we ate outside, it was quite the new england experience!

– ryan & gub

shaw’s fish & lobster wharf

129 maine 32
new harbor, me 04554
207-677-2200

sterritt family tradition dictates that, when in maine, the annual l.l. bean pilgrimage to freeport is a guarantee. while on such a pilgrimage, we had some delicious fresh seafood at harraseeket lunch and lobster company. we love this type of dockside seafood restaurant found throughout new england and look forward to trying out new places on each trip.

the line was fairly long for lunch, but well worth the wait. your options included maine lobster, clams, shrimp, scallops and more in steamed, fried, or roll form. they even had a sandwich called the clamburger royale, which sounded exciting (ryan) and/or gross (gub). watching the fishing boats bring in the fresh seafood while eating outside on the patio was a great new england experience. harraseeket has been open for over 40 years and is definitely worth a visit if you are ever in the area.

check out the menu.

– ryan & gub

harraseeket lunch and lobster

36 main street
south freeport, me 04078
207-865-4888

we recently went to community q bbq in decatur and loved it! the food and atmosphere were amazing; we’ll definitely be heading back. with burlap on the tables, a large family-style table for eating, and food delivered on trays with checkered paper, you could easily forget you were in an emory shopping center.

we had pulled pork with mac n’ cheese and st. louis style ribs with hand-cut fries. the ribs were definitely some of the best we’ve had in atlanta! they were tender and smoky, yet not too flavorful or saucy. the meats at community q have a good smoky flavor. we’ve had lots of atlanta bbq recently and we’ve noticed that smokiness has been missing from most meats we’ve tried.

the mac n’ cheese was the best we’ve had! they use rigatoni pasta with sharp cheddar, monterey jack, parmesan and heavy cream and then bake it to perfection. to say the least, it’s amazing! the other sides looked great as well; the baked beans and collards in particular. they also use local and seasonal ingredients and sell a good amount of local produce. we picked up corn, okra, peaches and tomatoes during our visit, all of which have been amazing at home!

community q bbq is the best in-town atlanta bbq joint we’ve tried! there are certain meats or sides we crave from other bbq places, but we hadn’t found a nearby restaurant that excelled in all areas until now. the meats, sides, and deserts were all very tasty here!

community q cooks their bbq fresh every day; any leftovers go in the stew or to the local food bank. be aware that they often run out of items if they are busier than expected. arrive early or call ahead to guarantee your favorites are available.

on another note, we love bbq and we love live music, but we really don’t like them in combination. there’s nothing worse then going out for some bbq and not being able to talk because there’s a loud band playing. (hello sam’s bbq1 and maddy’s!) we appreciated the quiet, laid-back atmosphere and southern feel at community q bbq.

check out their menu.

– ryan & gub

community q bbq

1361 clairmont road
decatur, ga 30033
404-633-2080

we always visit york beach if we are up in maine. it’s this beautiful little beach town with picturesque houses along the coast. near the boardwalk you’ll find an old timey arcade called the fun o rama as well as indoor candlepin bowling and putt putt. it’s pretty awesome. there are also lots of shops and restaurants to check out as you walk along the cute streets in this new england beach town.

one of the years we visited york beach the fog was so thick you couldn’t even see the ocean. there is a photo of the fog below.

– ryan & gub

we had brunch yesterday at le petit marché in downtown kirkwood. it’s a cute little market that features a food counter with breakfast, lunch and coffee items. besides homemade soups and build-your-own egg sandwiches, they offer award winning pb&j sandwiches. the peanut butter options include jungle banana, dark chocolate duo, cinnamon raisin, white chocolate raspberry and chocolate chip cookie dough. your jam choices are raspberry, strawberry and housemade golden fig. we went with the cuban panini and the biscuits & gravy brunch special. very tasty!

we are super excited to have such a great brunch option within walking distance from our house. we will be back soon for some pb&j sandwiches!

check out their menu.

– ryan & gub

le petit marché

1963 hosea l williams dr se no. 108
atlanta, ga 30317
404-371-9888
marchetsparks@gmail.com

we are so excited about the most amazing popsicles EVER!!! banana pudding popsicle? made with real bananas and wafers? sold from a cart by the nice guy that made them? yes, have some. the king of pops handcrafted popsicle cart can be found in the highlands at the corner of north ave and north highland ave by the gas pumps at buddy’s. you will find stephen carse and his cart from 3 – 7 pm on weekdays and 12 – 7:30 pm on weekends.

these tasty treats-on-a-stick are fashioned after paletas, which are latin american popsicles made from fresh fruit. the king of pops features unique and interesting flavors you won’t find in grocery stores. they are made by hand each morning with local and organic ingredients and are a perfect refresher during this summer heat.

after losing his job, stephen decided to pursue an idea of opening a paletas cart after enjoying the frozen delights on travels through latin america. he perfected his recipes, got a cart, secured a street corner, and began selling his delicious treats!

you can follow the king of pops on twitter to find out his daily menu. today’s menu is: grapefruit mint, strawberry margarita, chocolate tarragon, pineapple with blueberry tip, lemon basil, banana pudding, and cantaloupe with cream & ginger.

be sure to get there early, most days the popsicles sell out. the prices are 1 for $2.50 or 5 for $10, so stock up and be the hit at your next pool party. you can also find the king of pops at irwin street market, super jenny, and various atlanta festivals.

– ryan & gub

king of pops

1079 north avenue ne
atlanta, ga 30307

we just discovered a great bbq restaurant called garden produce & country store! on the front page of their website they say “welcome to your neighborhood barbeque.” we wish they were doing business in our neighborhood!

we woke up this morning and decided to go on a ‘bbq adventure!’ the only rule was we had to try a place neither of us had been to before. after doing a bit of research and reading some reviews, we decided to venture out to a tiny place in stone mountain, mostly because of the words in this review. we were not let down!

we are big fans of ‘side of the road’ and ‘hole in the wall’ style restaurants that have great food. this quaint bbq joint totally fit the bill! it can be found on an unassuming canopy road near stone mountain. you’ll know you’re there when you see a couple of red gas pumps and a few cars parked on the side of a house. garden produce was quite small, with only a few tables for seating, but featured a comfortable rustic atmosphere. diners on the patio greeted us with a cheerful, “hello,” as we approached the restaurant.

we both really enjoyed the bbq; it was well worth the drive! ryan got ribs with field peas and baked beans and i got pulled pork with squash casserole and fried okra. the meals came with a delicious slice of corn bread, a pickle and a pineapple wedge. we are pretty picky about our bbq and often don’t like the same style, but we both really loved our meals! the ribs were great, not too smoky but still flavorful, and the pulled pork was excellent as well. plus the prices were very reasonable.

there were plenty of sides to choose from and they all looked great. some of the veggies came from their huge garden, including the field peas and squash. they also offer a homemade pastrami sandwich that sounded amazing! the country store sold seasonal produce and various jarred products, including pickles, jams and relishes.

we’ll definitely be going back again soon!

– ryan & gub

garden produce & country store

567 stephenson road
stone mountain, ga 30087
770-413-0338
gardenproduce@bellsouth.net