Inman Park is now one of my favourite places to go in Atlanta. There's so much going on and so many eating places crammed into a couple of blocks, with each one packed to the brim. There's also a great hop on point to the BeltLine, so you can go from walking around the main street where Fritti's is and then walk down, away from the crowd, to plush greenery and people walking around, enjoying the sun and nature.
My boyfriend and I ate at Victory sandwich a few years back - months before it moved to it's new location in Inman Park (there's also another one in Decatur). It was very popular then and seemingly even more so now. It backs right onto the street with the BeltLine and has a great, lively atmosphere. You can either go for just beer, which they seem pretty popular for and if so, you can just hang outside with the beer hut and get to know whoever you want. It's a very social place and certainly encourages it, with promoting Victory parties during the week and their alcohol culture. However, if you're not into the alcohol too much, it's definitely not a place to stay away from.
It's a bit of a mad rush to get a table at the weekend but the service is is still pretty good. The sandwiches they offer are delicious. The portions are going to be a fraction of what you're used anywhere else in Atlanta, but there are great homemade sides or just order more sandwiches, if you're hungry.
I went with the Castro (smoked pork, ham, pickle, fontina cheese, and mustard) and some house potato salad. My boyfriend went with the Cowabunga Dude (pepperoni, salami, mozzarella, pomodoro, and pepperoncini). All were delicious and not changed to the great flavour we tasted years ago. They've definitely kept their winning sandwiches and just increased their social presence in the community.
Just a short walk down the street from Victory is the king of Pops walk-up window. Excellent and cheery service from a very low window out of a small basement/warehouse, offering very tasty and refreshing ice lollies. I definitely recommend stopping by there, especially if it's a hot day. They've got some great flavour options too.
We stopped by the famous Palm restaurant, located in the Westin Buckhead, to taste the hype. As with many high-end restaurants that you find here in London, or any other major Western city, the reality of what's on offer on the menu is limiting. Of course, you get very good top class restaurants but some of the ones at the very top, seem to either rely on their name, the chef or high-end clientele that need to schmooze. This is a generalisation, but I hope you know what I mean.
Not surprisingly, The Palm was very well hosted with excellent waiters and waitresses. They have a bar with sports playing and plenty of tables to choose from.
As with my previous comment, the menu was small. It is a seafood steakhouse place and of course, I didn't want an extensive menu (that's usually a bad sign after all), but the options were small. I went with the ahi tuna (fair but a bit boring with the flavours) and my boyfriend went for the bacon... delicious but yes, it was just bacon.
Now, the steak was amazing. It is a steakhouse so, it certainly should be especially at their prices, but it was great. You have a choice of three sauces (brandy peppercorn, chimichurri, and lobster truffle butter) with the steak of your choice. They were perfectly seasoned and the sauces added great flavour. However, it is one of those restaurants where you have to spend more and more if you want anything to go with that steak.
We got the garlic mashed potatoes and the green beans. The potatoes were tasty but the green beans were a bit odd. They were quite spicy and didn't seem to go with the steak flavours properly.
All in all, The Palm does an excellent steak and has brilliant service, but so do many, many other (expensive and inexpensive) places in the city.
If you're thinking of dropping by Victory Sandwich Bar, check out their menu here.
If you want a steak at The Palm, check out their menu here.