Food 101 At Highlands

Really flavorful food with a local emphasis. The tuna melt was amazing, and I hate mayonnaise. The sliders are plenty for a meal, and the spices in the sauce are fantastic. The big oven fries were so-​so, but I suspect that’s by comparison with the main dish.
The atmosphere was nice and relaxed for lunch, but I expect you could show up in nice evening attire and not feel out of place at all. The exposed brick walls, always a bonus, were covered with art from a gallery next door. The servers were spot on, and they definitely have a stake in the place. (Ask about what covered the walls previously…)
I’ll be back, but I doubt if I’ll need to modify the review beyond heaping more praise on a place that tries to support local producers. And the Monday evening brunch sounds like fun.

Not from area. Service and food where excellent. Waitress’ friendly and helpful. The food: I wanted to eat everything ok the menu. I think I did. Leaving stuffed with a smile.

I have to say that I received some of the best service in the city at Food 101. The woman waiting on us was extremely friendly and had a great sense of humor that made the meal very enjoyable.
There with Rick for a nicer dinner and night out we decided to give Food 101 a shot. We both can be pretty indecisive when it comes to choosing an appetizer and dish — but with the descriptions given by our waitress we were set to go.
We started out the the pimento cheese app and found it to be a decent portion with very flavorful chips to eat it with.
We both got some really great entrees — I chose the meatloaf (if I remember correctly) and Rick chose the Shrimp and Grits (also, if I remember correctly) I do remember that Rick’s dish was both of our favorites and the mine was a great dish as well.
We had a couple nice cocktails and great wine to take the week’s edge off and were all set for a great rest of the evening.

Came here for an impromptu brunch with a friend and was extremely pleased with my choice of breakfast pizza — two poached eggs, sliced tomato, house made mozzarella and pesto served on a sliver of grilled sour dough bread. Egg yolks were runny as they should be, the tomato was ripened perfectly and had great flavor and the fresh mozzarella, oh so good!
Definitely, will hit this place up again. I thought the price points were reasonable and the service was excellent.

YUMMMM! I really enjoyed the patio at Food 101! My hubby and I visited this weekend for Brunch on Saturday. The waitress was so helpful I never had goat cheese before and she went out of her way to bring me a sample… the strawberry jam was EXCELLENT! The biscuits were worth the $ 2 dollar a piece price :-)
I had a Crab and Avocado omelet with Hash Browns they were delish! Now I can’t afford to eat here on the «regular» but will look to go here when I feel like a «treat»!
The biggest plus was that the food was so fresh! and the waitress and hostess so nice :-)

Spent a very nice Valentine’s Day Brunch with my Husband @ Food 101. Overall I was very impressed!
The ambiance was perfect. The Beatles (my most favorite band of all-​time) played for the entire hour and a half, the exposed brick walls were raw and rustic, and the exact spacing of tables made the place cozy. We even shared a quick and friendly conversation with a neighboring couple over the bloody mary’s and the over-​easy eggs. I really couldn’t have asked for anything better.
The service was average. Our waitress was prompt, but didn’t create a re-​pour with us; which is fine — but made her forgettable.
I started off with the Bloody Bart. Super spicy. I would’ve enjoyed it more if the spiciness would’ve been a couple notches lower. We opted to share a breakfast favorite of ours: Biscuits and Gravy, for an appetizer. Delicious. Really, it was pretty awesome. I was worried that it would be too heavy, but the gravy was light and the biscuits fluffy. It was the perfect size for us.
For our actual meal, I went with the Gordo. Which is fried chicken, two eggs over easy, hash-​browns, with a biscuit & gravy. The chicken was good, but mixed with the biscuit & gravy, it was great. The eggs weren’t over-​easy (which is how I take my eggs), they were fried. Which was disappointing, and the hash-​browns were pretty standard. The portion was large, so I ended up getting a little less than half, wrapped for later.
My husband went with the omelet special. It had Italian sausage, caramelized onions, peppers, and goat cheese. He really loved it, and based on the bite I had, I understand why.
If it were acceptable to roll-​out of bed and go to Food 101 in sweats, and no make-​up, then you might find us here on a regular basis. However, it’s a little classier than that, so I suggest you check-​out Food 101 for your next special occasion brunch!

It is pretty simple American/​Southern food (for the most part) that has been dolled up a bit. There’s nothing wrong with that at all, but it just seemed to kinda miss the bull’s-eye for me somehow.
I had the fried chicken — it was ok and not bad at all but it was just sort of… plain and boring? My fried chicken and vegetables was maybe slightly more enjoyable than I could have gotten for a quarter of the price at your average meat-​and-​three place. I don’t mind simplicity but I think my food was too simple — especially for the price.
Also, our server seemed incredibly bored and was actually a bit creepy as well. It was… interesting, but obviously did not make for the best dining experience.
I wasn’t impressed at all, but hopefully I just ordered the wrong item and had odd service. I think this place definitely deserves another shot. Next time I think I will go for dinner instead of lunch.
2.5

I wish I didn’t love food so much. Then, maybe, I wouldn’t give everything four stars. This place might even get 5 stars, if it weren’t for the price (it’s pricey).
Delicious. I had the salmon, which was cooked to perfection. My roommate had the squash soup, which is perhaps the best winter soup in the WORLD. And my lovely boyfriend had something, but I can’t remember what. I DO remember that he loved it though. Not as much as he loves me, but almost, which is saying a lot. (hehehe…who just threw up a little in their mouths?)
And…drumroll please… to top it all off, they have this ab-​fab dessert that consists of two belgian waffles topped with butter pecan ice cream, served warm. Food orgasm, here I come.

Really enjoyable atmosphere with versatile, down-​to-​earth menu. Food 101 is nice enough for a dinner date or an out of town guest but laid-​back enough to take your laptop to the bar and hang out. I had the pan roasted Alaskan halibut with sweet potatoes and corn — it was delicious but I was full about halfway through! There are lots of other things I’m interested in trying off their menu, but didn’t have the appetite for — the eggplant chips appetizer and the tomato soup, for example. It’s also really close to lots of fun bars! I’d recommend Food 101 as a good go-​to place for happy occasions :)

I’ve managed to take this place for granted. It’s always just been there — at my convenience, never making a big fuss or demanding too much. I wind up there, one way or another, a couple of times a month. I eat well, leave sated, and never think of it again.
I’m sorry for treating you like a cheap hooker, Food 101. You’ve served me well. Sometimes, you’ve even been great.
Take this last time, for instance. The special appetizer: pulled pork egg rolls? Fantastic. The Georgia Arugula salad was fresh and tasty. The braised pork ravioli is a definite must-​have. It’ll induce sleep, sure, but before that, it’ll make you happy to be alive. The grilled Kobe burger is always perfect.
I’ve never had meatloaf in my life. Just the nomenclature makes me cringe. I tried Food 101’s meatloaf and, by god, it was yummy! It had spicy sausage in it, too. Is that normal? Who cares! The shrimp & grits is delicious, too.
And as if all of that weren’t enough, the chocolate bread pudding will make a moaner out of you.

Hooray! I had my first amazing chef experience today at Food 101.
Stopped by alone on my way to taking a long walk so I was not dressed for the dining room, but felt comfortable in cute work out clothes at the bar. The morning after drinks were flowing up there today, must be a great place for a little hair o’ the dog, at least for the chef/​foodie community as that semed to be who my fellow diners were…
I ordered their version of an Egg McMuffin which came with a side of hash browns served crispy as requested. Delicious! It even comes with Tillamook cheddar from my beloved home state of Oregon– hooray!
The chef Ron was out chatting with a few patrons at the bar and graciously answered my questions about the delicious pork sausage patty even making sure I knew which farm it was from and that it was available at the Morningside Farmer’s Market, so I will definitely be there next Saturday morning!
As we were chatting more about farmer’s markets, he even offered to send me home with a bit of pâté that he had prepared for a special event at the zoo last night– gratis! You can’t beat that for personal service and a way to making an aficionado out of me. It was a smooth and unctuous portion of pork belly blended with chicken liver– absolutely fantastic for pâté lovers!
Great food, great personalized service, nice atmosphere… 5 stars in my book!

Food 101 in the highlands is a go to place for a friend that I have dinner with about once a month. We’ve tried lots of different menu items, but the kobe burger is the meal I keep going back to when I want something reliably delicious. The wine menu is good, and they can mix a drink, so it’s also fun to go hang out at the bar for a drink before dinner.
One last note, the floor is a little… slick. Maybe it only impacts me as I’m a serious klutz, but I’ve almost slipped twice so when I get up from my chair my friend always reminds me to «be careful!».

David and I decided to take our Texan friends Jessica and Michael to Food 101! Lo and behold that Jessica is a fan of the Roswell location… so we were definitely off to a good start since she’s pretty picky! It’s our first time having brunch at Food 101 and I have to say… IT’s FANTASTIC!!!
The food selection is amazing! We started off with the biscuits and gravy and the special home fries with crab meat… yum! I got a chocolate and banana shake for my drink and everyone wanted to try. I practically had to use my butter knife to get my shake back! For our entrees: David got the Three Little Pigs Omelet (Ham, Bacon and Sausage), Jessica got the Pimento Cheese and Egg Sandwich and both Michael and I got «The Big Nasty». This sandwich was nasty good… and even made me feel a lil dirty! It’s the king of all breakfast sandwiches… fried chicken breast, scrambled eggs, bacon and cheese all on a freshly baked kaiser roll. It’s the slap you momma, finger licking, belt busting sandwich you could ever hope for.
Looks like I’ll be back… give me some time to breathe and recover… but I’ll be back!

I had lunch at Food 101 on Saturday. I am really into eating at places that encourage organic eating and while it cost a bit more, I think it’s worth it. There menu is not too big, but had a nice assortment of both breakfast and lunch selections. We opted for salads and both were tasty and satisfying. I like the fact that they serve you a fresh cooked chicken breast, instead of chopped chicken.
Our server was very friendly and answered all of our questions. By the looks of the breakfast plates being served around us, I can’t wait to come back!

I had brunch at Food 101 and was quite pleased with it. As a former bartender, I see service as an element of the meal that is often lacking. We ate at the bar and were well taken care of my Jamie and Ron, the Executive Chef/​Owner came by a couple times to visit.
The Bloody Mary was the best in town. It was a little spicy, nice texture and the vodka sneaks up on you. The Smoked Salmon is a nice combination of salmon, cheese, capers, pickled onion and egg served on toast.
My entrée was a Crab Cake Egg Benedict. The crab cake was very good, perfectly cooked and topped with poached egg and hollandaise sauce. Ron told us about the farm that supplies his grits and they lived up to their description. He also sent out their sausage that a local farm prepares for them. It was very good, not salty but nicely spicy.
I can’t believe that it’s been over six months since my last visit. I promise not to wait so long before returning.

A fellow Unilocaler and I had been talking about going someplace that we’d both wanted to go, but hadn’t been able to make it to just yet… and we decided on Food 101. I hadn’t heard much, but what I had heard about it was good, so I was pretty excited.
Three of us were meeting there, and I got there first. I was surprised that the hostess offered to seat me, even though I was the only one there. I took her up on the offer so I could see the place and people watch while I waited for my friends. There were plenty of groups in the room, and most folks looked like they were from the neighborhood and had gotten together with their neighbors for a pleasant meal on a perfect spring night. The room was decorated in earth tones, and there was the pleasant smell of straw. It was a very cozy homey environment. The highlight of the environment for me had to be the soundtrack. «Truckin’» by the Grateful Dead was playing when I walked in, so I knew I was going to like this place. Any time there was a quiet moment with our group, I noticed that the music was consistently good — just enough to add to the moments, just the kind of happy mellow tunes that make me smile.
But enough about all that, let’s get to the food. I was joined shortly by one of my friends, and we were greeted by our waiter, an easy-​going but very knowledgeable guy, who very much fit the vibe. He rattled off the specials while we were looking at the wine list, and then tried to help my friend pick a glass of wine. The wine list was decent — there was a good variety, but most of the labels were quite common, which can make it hard to swallow the traditional mark up (if I can buy the bottle for half the glass price at Trader Joe’s, can I really tell myself that it’s worth it?).
The specials sounded delicious, and once our third was there, we agreed to share the calamari. It was great — the perfect temperature, the perfect texture — crispy fried and not too chewy, and a really delicious sauce that was a great balance of sweet and spicy.
For my meal I ordered the day’s special salad, which featured beets, goat cheese, and avocado over greens tossed with a strawberry-​ginger vinaigrette, which sounded perfect for a lovely spring day. There was a little bit of drama because the waiter came out to tell me that they were in fact out of beets, and would I like to order a different salad, but I informed him that I’m not much of a beet person anyway, so I’d be happy to try it without them. He came back a few minutes later because the table a few over had gotten those salads without the beets, and they were «not enjoying it much without the beets,» which I thought was very attentive of him to allow me to change my mind, but I stuck with the salad. It was worth the drama — when we got our salads, mine had beets. Apparently they’d found some more in the kitchen — crisis averted. And they actually did add a nice texture and tang to the salad.
After the beet salad, I had the organic roasted chicken, with cranberry macaroni and cheese, and green beans, which is the Wednesday night special. The chicken was delicious, very moist and flavorful. The macaroni and cheese was to die for — the cheddar and cranberries were a winning combination. The green beans were a little on the small side, but they were still crisp. The portions were quite generous, and I happily packed a to go box, so that my lunch the next day would be something to look forward to.
My husband got the broccoli soup, and he liked that it was light for a cream based soup, and it tasted very fresh. I also convinced him to order the arugula salad, and then forgot to try any of it once my delicious chicken came. My friend got the special halibut of the day, served with fingerling potatoes and local spinach. She let me try a bite. The fish was excellently cooked — very light and flaky — and the spinach balanced it nicely.
We didn’t have room for dessert, but we’ll have to go back because the list looked quite good.
I was very impressed overall. The menu was seasonal and had a lot of variety. The décor was cozy. The service was relaxed but very attentive. The only minus was the wine list, but I will definitely go back!

I had never been here but had been meaning to try it and finally made it in tonight. I liked that they had plentiful parking behind the restaurant and that I did not have to valet park. The restaurant itself has a very casual and laid-​back feeling, while still being a nice place; very comforting, calming and earthy.
I was meeting a fellow Unilocaler friend there and she had already been seated when I arrived. We were very promptly approached by our server to inquire about drink orders. My friend knew what she was having but I was undecided so the server asked what types of wines I enjoy and attempted to make some recommendations. I really just needed a minute to look so I sent him away for a while. The wine list was not bad but was a bit limited and had several fairly common labels on it. It was mostly American wines with a few foreigners mixed in there, too. I actually decided on the only Cotes du Rhone on the menu and it was quaffable enough but I would not make this a destination for specifically drinking wine.
When our server read us the daily specials, my head started to spin. He rattled off a lot of stuff including a special fried calamari, a special salad with greens and beets, a halibut entrée, and the daily special of roasted chicken. Fortunately, my friend’s husband arrived later and was also told the specials so I could take them all in one more time.
We decided to share the calamari special which was fried with a sesame and soy and chili something or other glaze and was very tasty. I thought the calamari was perfectly cooked — it was big rings but was very tender and not rubbery.
Next I had the «That Wedge Salad» which is an iceberg wedge with blue cheese, bacon, thousand island-​ish dressing and pineapple. The pineapple was an interesting touch but I didn’t love the dressing — it was a creamy dressing and I would have preferred vinaigrette. I think the dressing with the blue cheese and the pineapple was a bit too rich but it was still good.
My entrée was the halibut special served with fingerling potatoes and local spinach (sauteed with garlic). I was very interested in the halibut but was hesitant to order it because the sides sounded a little boring. However, the sides were excellent and went perfectly well with the excellent halibut. I really liked my dish (and cleaned my plate!). I also tried my friend’s side of cranberry macaroni and cheese which she got with the roasted chicken daily special and it was good — very interesting. I think I might prefer a traditional ultra creamy mac & cheese, but this was good and something different, too.
We skipped dessert because we were full but there were many choices that sounded tempting. I will save room next time. Also, the bread that was served was very tasty. It was soft and chewy with sesame seeds and was served with butter, not oil.
Overall, the service was very good. Our server seemed a little out there at first but he did take good care of us, and we were never in need of water or an offer of more wine.
The menu was interesting and seasonal. I would gladly return.

I went here for a Saturday brunch. It’s nice that they have Saturday brunch because so many places only have it on Sundays. But I can’t imagine they’ll have it too much longer, because this place was EMPTY! There were only about 2 other tables with patrons in the large restaurant. This made the experience so-​so, because I prefer some bustling energy around me for brunch.
The food was pretty good — we both had the special, which was a sort of egg dish over a corn tortilla with some southwestern garnishes. However, it was far from the best I’ve had.
They do have interesting, creative menu items. I’d probably try it again for dinner, but I don’t think I’ll be adding it to my brunch favorites.

Wandering around looking for a place for lunch, my friend and I stumbled over Food 101 — not even knowing it’s a restaurant. The name gives it an air of culinary school-ness…and in that sense, maybe they are trying to teach Atlantans a thing or two about the concept of simple, good food.
Food 101 can only be described as new American, taking queues from some of the fusion schools and California schools of cooking. Nothing on the menu jumped out at me particularly as being «I HAVE TO TRY THIS» — rather, everything seemed like a standard, possibly with a little twist. The atmosphere is clean and mostly inviting, though the back private dining area seems a little overly closed off and would make for a dark private party.
Our server was friendly and helpful, providing me with a recommendation between my choices. I ended up settling for a chicken sandwich with portabella, served with a side of fries. The food took what seemed like a fairly long time to arrive, considering the simplicity of the dish itself and the emptiness of the restaurant. But arrive in time it did, and I was greeted with a beautifully put together sandwich, a few thick fry wedges (five or six) and a small thing of ketchup.
The sandwich was moist and flavorful, something that many chicken sandwiches tend to fall short on. The portabella had a great tang to contrast with the mildness of the chicken and cheese. The bread was toasted to a nice crunch on the outside, while maintaining its structure and chewiness.
The fries, on the other hand, could have been a little better. I’m guessing the fries are from a fresh-​cut potato, quickly seasoned, and fried. I usually prefer my fries relatively light and fluffy (Joe’s on Juniper have some great fries, I think), but also enjoy my steak fries. But these were far denser than even steak fries, allowing me to only have a couple before calling it quits. Whether this is a result of preparation or the potato choice, I don’t know, but these fell a little flat for me.
Overall, Food 101 is a nice little place for some slightly innovative cuisine. It presses the reasonable range in pricing for most lunch menus, and I’m not sure how the dinner menu stacks up, but it provides a pleasant, relaxed escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Somewhat fancy restaurant, but the food is pretty solid. First time I went there I had their Kobe beef burger which was solid. I ordered the burger rare and they brought it to me rare… the beef was buttery smooth and very tasty with just the right touch of char flavor on the outside. It was also served with some blue cheese that complemented the beef taste quite well. On my second visit, I got their arugula salad, the braised lamb shank, and an apple tart for dessert. The salad was fine (hard to mess up) although the use of pistachios instead of the standard walnuts was a nice twist. The braised lamb shank was straight-​out ridiculous in terms of portions. It was almost as much meat as a turkey drumstick. The meat was slightly dry, but was fine with the sauce… the Kobe burger is better. The dessert was fine, although not out-​of-​this-​world.
Overall, it’s a nice neighborhood joint when you’re looking for something a little nicer than, say, Doc Chey’s across the street.
UDPATE: The Kobe beef burger no longer has blue cheese, but instead has a smoked gouda. I think the blue was much better; strong flavor but it actually worked well to highlight and bring out the beef flavors in the burger. The gouda’s flavor is too weak and passive and doesn’t really bring much to the party. The beef is still good.