Agave - Atlanta, Georgia

We visited Atlanta in early January and thought our timing was bad - it was about 26 degrees when we got off our airplane - in the afternoon. A month later we look back and say our timing was pretty good. It was just a week or two later that snow and ice stranded people on the freeways for up to 13 hours and I was extremely glad that was not us. 

We checked out Yelp and decided to visit the restaurant Agave. I was skeptical about eating New Mexican food in Atlanta. I've had bad Mexican food most everywhere outside the southwest. But this was different. Very good and won me over.  The Hatch Green Chile Stew with beef, potatoes, chiles and corn was thick, meaty and had a nice subtle heat, with an after burn. Given the cold, and I was near the door and would catch a draft when people came in or left, it was the perfect dish to warm up with. 

Agave in Atlanta

Hatch green chile stew.

We had guacamole, which was a little watery, and salsa, which was also watery, but had a nice bite. These were just okay. 

The best item we had was the Beef and Pepper Poblano Chile Relleno: a roasted Poblano pepper stuffed with steak and white Mexican cheese, in a tomato and serrano pepper puree which had just a bit of a kick to it. Poblanos are large, have a relatively strong taste, and the roasting added a nice charred element. Truly a 5 star dish. 

Beef and pepper poblano chile relleno in tomato and serrano pepper puree.

The Chile and Lime Fish Tacos were different from what I expected. They were more like light mini burritos with lots of cabbage and a nice lime touch.  They were okay, but not in the league with the stew or Poblano relleno. 

Chile and lime fish tacos.

Judy got a Southwestern Burrito with Hatch Green Chile Stew. I had a bite of the burrito and it was good. I've not had much New Mexican food, and what I'd had I didn't love. But I would go back for more of this. It was a fun and good meal. 

Southwestern burrito