Sunset at Ecco Restaurant

One of our favorite things about Midtown is the large selection of restaurants, from the casual Bakeshop featuring an array of homemade breads, soups, salads and deserts to the sophisticated Ecco Restaurant.  There are over 50 restaurants you can walk to from our Atlanta bed and breakfast.

Ecco Restaurant has an Old World Style from the minute you walk through the Hugh glass doors to the rich walnut furnishings and glistening Italian marble floors.  The focal point of the restaurant is the open kitchen featuring a tile wrapped wood burning stove, perfect for those wood-fired pizzas.  The contemporary lighting sets the tone for a unique dining experience.  If you prefer to just sit back and relax with one of their Signature drinks, and take in the Midtown skyline, there is a large patio widely enjoyed by many of their customers.

Diners enjoy the open kitchen & wood-fired stove

Executive Chief Micah Willix brings over twelve years of culinary experience to Ecco.  His bold approach in developing the Ecco Restaurant Menus is European inspired and ever changing.  His classic culinary roots focus on using the freshest ingredients available.

The menu begins with a large selection of Meats and Cheese to entice your palate.  One of my favorites is the Thomasville Tomme, a semi-firm cow’s milk cheese produced by Sweet Grass Dairy in Georgia.  You can read more about Sweet Grass Dairy in one of our previous blogs.

A few of the outstanding appetizers under the Taste and Share small plates is the Fried Goat Cheese with Honey and Fresh Ground Pepper or Piquillo Peppers stuffed with Braised Short Rib.  The main courses will delight your taste buds with unique flavors such as Homemade Pasta with Chili Braised Pork and Garlic and Homemade Pappardelle or Grilled Georgia Quail on Polenta with aged Balsamic Vinegar.

If you just want something a little sweet to top off that perfect dinner, don’t forget to order desert.  All deserts are made on the premises, from the truffles and  ricotta cheesecake to the sorbet.

On your next visit to Atlanta, please try one of our Midtown Restaurants.  I know where Ed and I will be making our dinner reservations for tonight!

Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese platter at the Inn

One of our guest favorite in-room indulgences  at our Atlanta bed and breakfast is our Artisan Cheese Platter. We always include a couple of cheese selections from Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomasville, Georgia. Our love for Sweet Grass Cheese began a number of years ago when we were introduced to Green Hill Cheese and learned it was made right here in Georgia. Sweet Grass Dairy began with 11 dairy goats and a herd of Jersey cows. They now have 150 goats and growing.  Sweet Grass Dairies employes the unique technique of rotational grazing developed in New Zealand. This allows the animals to graze on lush green pasture,resulting in a herd of happy healthy goats and cows. Sweet Grass Dairy is committed to sustainable, earth friendly farming practices at both dairies, Sweet Grass Dairy, Thomasville and Sweet Grass Dairy, Greenhill. This allows them to produce a flavorful and healthy food for us to enjoy.

Our favorite at the Inn is Green Hill Cheese. It is a cow’s milk cheese that has been pasturized and is soft-ripened. This cheese is a cross between Brie and Camembert style ripened cheese. Green Hill Cheese has a thin rind with a rich sweet buttery flavor. It has received numerous awards throughout the years.

Two of Sweet Grass Cheeses that we always look forward to are Kelle’s Blue and Thomasville Tomme. Kelle’s Blue is a goat’s milk cheese. It has a soft crumbly texture with heavy bluing. It is not like any other blue cheese you have tried. Yumm…
Thomasville Tomme is a raw grass based cow’s milk cheese. The buttery and mellow taste appeals to everyone.

We serve these cheese pairings with fresh organic fruit (strawberries, grapes, apples) and water crackers on a natural bamboo tray. It is the perfect end to a wonderful day touring the city. So the next time you are having a few friends over be sure and try some cheese from Sweet Grass Dairy. I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed. You can find Sweet Grass Cheese at Whole Foods Market.