Blake Kunisch

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St. Louis Union Station, St. Louis Gateway Arch, Anheuser Busch Brewing

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The Hermitage (home and burial place of Andrew Jackson), Belle Meade
Plantation, St. Louis, and Pappy's BBQ (St. Louis).

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Ribs, burnt ends, prime rib, beans, cheese corn. Looks amazing...

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...However, today will not be the day to try one.

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Was hoping to get pictures at sunrise, get storms instead.

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Ribs are amazing - dry rubbed, almost needs no sauce, but the original BBQ sauce is wonderful. Apple sauce disappoints (tastes like Motts) but beans redeem the sides. If only I had room for a Frito pie...

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...and have some cash to spend, eat at Restaurant Eugene.  I haven't had many fine meals, in fact, I've only had a couple, but by far, Restaurant Eugene was the best I've had.  After pushing our reservation back twice (once due to a forgotten time zone change and then the second due to abysmal late Saturday night Atlanta traffic), we arrived for our 9:30pm reservation and were quickly seated.  Despite being full, they amazingly catered to our reservation changes and we were promptly greeted at our table by the bartender with the special drinks for the night.

After a quick glance at the menu, we decided that the best way to go was the 5 course tasting menu along with the wine pairings with each course.  We were informed as to what each course would consist of (e.g. light starter, light protein, main course, etc.).  After he took special requests, we were greeted quickly with our first wine.  It was Aria, by Segura Viudas - a nice, light, sparkling wine to start the evening.  It was then followed by a radish amuse-bouche (daikon, nero, and watermelon radishes with housemade butter and smoked maldon).

Following the amuse-bouche, we were presented with the most amazing pork belly plate, paired with an egg yolk and mushrooms (sorry, no exact description given in the menu for this course) which was paired with a Two Princes Riesling (2007).  Next up was a seafood plate - atlantic golden tilefish served with lentils and vidalia onions.  It was paired with a 2008 Domaine Depeuble Gamay Benjolais. 

The main course was then served - a piedmontese beef strip with potato and foie gratin, cranberry and mustard greens doused with foie emulsion.  It was divine and paired perfectly with a 2008 Terredora di Paolo Aglianico Campania.  Finally, the meal was finished with a cheese and dessert course which was split into two plates.  The cheese was a double creamed cheese of some sort - very soft and creamy like brie, but with an amazing taste.  Served with granny smithapples, pecans, walnut bread crisp and honey.  The dessert was then last - a campari granida grapefruit tart which finished the meal very nicely.  It was sweet, tart, and light.  The cheese was paired with a 2003 Chamarre Tradition Juranc and the dessert was paired with a great cocktail of St. Germain, Vie Parisienne, and Eldeflower Liqueur.

It was absolutely amazing from start to finish and when we finally left at 1am we were so full, I have no idea how anyone could have the 7 course meal with wine pairings.  The wait staff was great and explained everything to use perfectly as he could probably tell that we didn't really know what was going on with the wines and each course was quickly laid out for us and, believe me, it was sumptuous.  Pork belly...beef strip (sous-vide for 12 hours beforehand)...cheese...and the tart...start to finish, nothing disappointed.  Well worth every penny (and there were a lot of them) spent.

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Atlanta Botanical Gardens - Lots of Orchids..., De Kalb County
Courthouse (Decatur), the Brick Store Pub, Sign, Opryland

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Hello Alabama, Fort Gaines, marsh, bridge.

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Marshall Train Depot, Marshall Courthouse, Shreveport homes.

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