Restaurant Review: Blue Frog Cantina in Atlanta, Georgia

The difficult thing about dining in a new town is that you don't know all the good spots. Without direction from a local, you will invariably end up in the tourist places with mediocre food. But luckily, during a recent trip to Atlanta, a friend suggested that we try the Blue Frog Cantina for inexpensive but good Mexican.

The Blue Frog is the type of restaurant that is frequented by the locals in the know. We dined on their outdoor patio, and more than one passerby stopped to chat with a diner who turned out to be a neighbor. It's the kind of place where you spend hours talking over chips and margaritas with your friends.

We started with the chips and salsa that are standard to most Mexican restaurants, and we asked for and quickly received guacamole as well. The chips were good, but they didn't have the freshly made taste that is found in really great tortilla chips. The salsa, too, tasted like it was from a bottle, but nonetheless it was tasty. The guacamole, on the other hand, was rather bland. We didn't have any of the liquor, but our friend had a very large frozen margarita and enjoyed it.

The menu contained the standard combination dishes common to most Mexican restaurants, but there was also a large selection of vegetarian dishes and specialty choices. We chose to go the vegetarian route, choosing a veggie quesadilla and veggie fajitas. The quesadilla was quite large and contained that really yummy white cheese that is common to Mexican food. The veggies were mushrooms, red peppers and squash and was very tasty and filling. There were no sides to speak of, just a small container of sour cream and a tomato on lettuce.

The fajita filling was rather a disappointment - mostly squash and broccoli. It could have done with more peppers and mushrooms. But the veggies were seasoned and the (very few) portabella mushrooms were especially succulent. The sides were refried beans, Spanish rice, lettuce and tomato and a few spoonfuls of sour cream and guacamole.

The waitress was friendly and kept tabs on our needs, and when we stayed at the table chatting for a full hour after the meal was done, no one even hinted that we needed to hurry up.

The food at the Blue Frog Cantina isn't the best Mexican ever, but nonetheless it's a good meal that you'll probably enjoy. It's a great place to hang out and relax with your friends, especially on the patio on an evening with good weather. Go there with your pals, have a few drinks, and the best part of the night will be all the laughter.

Details: 469 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316. Phone (404) 658-6108. Take I-20 to Moreland Ave South. Take the first left at Buddy's convenience store and then the first right on to Flat Shoals. The Blue Frog is about a block down on the right.