Where to Blow Your New Year’s Resolutions

It’s the first day of a shiny new year!  You made resolutions:  stop eating sugar, lose those last ten pounds, go vegetarian, yadda, yadda, yadda.  You meant well, but now you’re already thinking about blowing your diet.  Here’s are a dozen ideas to help you do it right….

Fogo de Chao

January is National Meat Month so what better way to start than an all-you-can-eat Brazilian meatfest.  Gaucho chefs stop by your table with platters of grilled meats (15 to choose from) including ribeye, pork sausage, and lamb….or you can stick with their gourmet salad bar (good luck with that).

Fox Brothers BBQ

Maybe the fried macaroni and cheese or Frito pie aren’t on your diet, but they sure do taste great with a rack of ribs!  Loosen your belt, homemade banana puddin’ is for dessert.

Cypress Street Pint & Plate

Doughnuts are delicious.  Burgers are delicious.  This gastropub combines the two:  a 1/2 pound burger topped with cheddar, caramelized onions, and bacon between two Sublime doughnuts….decadently sweet and salty.  So wrong that it’s right.

Gigi’s Cupcakes

Did you swear off sugar?  These whimsical cupcakes look so innocent.  How about just one chocolate salted caramel?  OK, maybe three.

The Varsity

Any choice here will do the trick, like their famous chili cheese dogs and fried pies.  Don’t worry about the oil in the bottom of the paper container, it’s 100% pure canola with no trans fats.  “What’ll you have!”

McKendrick’s Steakhouse

Pair their 24 ounce porterhouse with some family style sides like creamed spinach and colossal onion rings and bid farewell to your healthy resolutions….at least for a day.

Pappadeaux

Maybe seafood is more to your liking.  Drizzle it with butter, drench it in cream sauce and add sides of dirty rice and fries for good measure.  When the platter of gigantic desserts comes around, just say yes.

Mary Mac’s Tea Room

There isn’t any “diet” food here, just good ole’ Southern staples.  Start with fried green tomatoes, move on to the fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy and sweet potato souffle’ with marshmallows on top.  Finish with apple cobbler a la mode and wash it all down with sweet tea.

Bone Lick BBQ

They make a sandwich called the Fat Ass Muffuletta which implies it may not meet your 2013 dietary requirements.  Weighing in at 6.5 pounds, this behemoth is made with pork, sausage, brisket, jalapeno bacon, collards, and slaw.  You may not have room for their housemade bacon cotton candy.

Alfredo’s

Old school Italian that could add a pound or two in one sitting.  Think fried calamari, garlic bread, their namesake fettucine alfredo, and traditional tiramisu for dessert.

Serpas

Nothing beats eggs benedict to brighten a dreary Sunday morning!  Try chef Scott Serpas’ Creole version made with fried oysters, creamed spinach, and a generous drizzle of tabasco hollandaise.  A bowl of beignets pairs nicely with their rich dark brunchtime brew.

Cafe’ Intermezzo

Atlanta’s original European-style coffee house serves a dizzying selection of over 100 tortes, tarts, cakes, pies, cheesecakes, and pastries, each one sure to sabotage your New Year’s resolutions.

Photo Credit: Alice Carrier