Welcome to “Dining with the Stars,” a new feature in which Atlanta notables walk us through their dream food day in the metro area.
For this inaugural column, we chat with Monica Pearson, the first woman and minority to anchor the evening news in Atlanta, retired from WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News in 2012 after 37 years. She's now the host of the Monica Pearson Show on KISS104.1.
Favorite place for breakfast: IHOP, various locations, ihop.com
I know it’s not very glamorous, but I happen to like IHOP. I usually get the Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity. The have a great senior menu, and you can get in and out quickly. And they serve breakfast 24 hours -- sometimes you wake up on a Saturday and you go, ‘I don’t want breakfast at 8 in the morning, I want it at 5 p.m.’
Favorite place for lunch: Herban Fix, 565 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, herbanfix.com/
At Herban Fix, I can eat healthy and still get the flavor with the meat. I still eat meat, but I'm trying not to eat as much. I want to come to a vegan restaurant that doesn't look like one. Every one I've been to in California is hippy-ish -- this is upscale. My husband is a carnivore, but he loves this place because everything has such good flavor. For every dish, the flavor gently rolls from the tip of the tongue to the back, and you can taste every ingredient in it.
Favorite place for brunch: Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta, 75 14th St. NE, Atlanta, fourseasons.com
My favorites for brunch are Four Seasons and Herban Fix. Four Seasons has such a great variety of food. The mimosas are really good and the atmosphere is very pretty.
Favorite place to take out-of-towners: Paschal's, 180 Northside Drive, Atlanta, paschalsatlanta.com/
If Northerners want Southern cooking, I take them to Paschal’s. It’s wonderful Southern food, and it’s historic. I think it’s important to give a sense of history. I also like Busy Bee and Mary Mac’s.
Credit: Becky Stein
Credit: Becky Stein
Favorite place outside of metro Atlanta: Blue Willow Inn, 294 N. Cherokee Road, Social Circle, bluewillowinn.com/
It's a little bit of a drive, but it's worth it. I love to sit on the porch in the rocking chairs, and the food is so good -- it's like your mama cooked it.
Favorite date-night restaurant: Oceanaire, 1100 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta.
I love their seafood -- the fish is always fresh and flavored well.
Favorite place for steaks: Chops Lobster Bar, 70 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta buckheadrestaurants.com/restaurant/chops-lobster-bar-atl/ and Bones, 3130 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, bonesrestaurant.com/
They’re both really good. I know a lot of people do good steaks in Atlanta, but when we go there, our steaks are cooked exactly the way we like them.
Favorite place for Thai food: Thaicoon Sushi Bar, 1799 Briarcliff Road NE,
Atlanta, thaicoonsushiatlanta.com
It’s a neighborhood place, and I like to eat with people who have become part of the family.
Favorite place for dessert: Piece of Cake, various locations
I love the salted caramel cake.
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