Raymond K.
Yelp
Greetings:
Places I love to write about are the places that a little bit of luck, a little bit of gut feeling, and a little bit of curiosity, all combine to lead me to a restaurant that I would never find on my own. Better yet, when I approach a potential restaurant, then go through a lengthy discernment about whether or not I go inside and actually eat, only ups the ante for the thrill of the hunt of finding great unexpected gems in the quest for great off the beaten path food. Today's entry will celebrate my next great find: Kebab Land in Atlanta, Georgia.
First, I'll begin by giving credit where credit is due. I was traveling home from Florida with my son and I asked him, "take a look and see what you see for good eating opportunities around our hotel in Buckhead." he pitched the idea of kebabs, and the adventure started right there...
Kebab Land is a heartbeat away from the Buckhead neighborhood in Atlanta, and it is a gem that flies quietly under the radar, even to some of the local staff at the hotel who had not heard of the winner we stumbled across.
At first glance when you walk up to Kebab Land, you realize it is a restaurant and also a hookah bar. While their Internet presence does say "kid, friendly," the greeting we received from two very well prepared security guards at the restaurant entrance told me that our dining location might be a bit livelier than your local Olive Garden.
After a quick, but thorough, frisking, and several minutes of pleasant conversation, we went in inside to determine whether or not we are going to eat on the patio or eat inside the restaurant. I would like to recognize Marquise and Kevin's professional demeanor throughout our conversation.
While it was a sweltering night in Atlanta, and the idea of indoor air conditioning for dinner sounded appealing, the haze of hookah smoke helped us decide that we were going to eat on the patio. While there were plenty of patrons enjoying the hookah, the open air and small hookah crowd did not detract from my meal. Heads up to anyone considering going, if secondhand smoke is a concern or factor in your decision-making, you might want to see what the crowd is like for yourself as you consider kebab land for a dining option.
Service at Kebab Land was friendly, punctual, and attentive (thank you Priscilla!). Their menu choices for kebabs looked great across the board. After eating barbecue for three days straight, I opted to have a chicken kebab as a lighter entrée for the evening. In a word, my kebab as plated was spectacular. Perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned, and the meal was rounded out with a generous serving of basmati rice and a fresh crisp salad with the perfect dressing.
Oh how easy it would've been to turn around and walk away from Kebab Land given the presence of security guards, hookah bar atmosphere and other variables that gave me a moment of pause. Instead, my curiosity and my sense of adventure won out and saved the day.
I would go back to Kebab Land in an instant, and I plan to do so the next time I am in Buckhead. Everything about my meal told me that the next one at Kebab Land will also be exceptional. Enjoy valet parking, as Raven is a mindful professional valet.
May your own sense of adventure, and curiosity, help you find your next great unexpected gem in great eating. I am grateful that my stop at Kebab Land became a meal good enough to share with you instead of a missed opportunity and "one that got away." In my opinion, Kebab Land delivered quality and value across the board.
Until next time...tk