Sandy Springs Tapas at Blue Grotto

There is a quaint little strip mall on Sandy Springs Circle that has the potential of being a great little restaurant row outside the perimeter. This small enclave of independent shops also houses the Brooklyn Cafe, a wine store and bar, Little Thai and today's focal point- Blue Grotto.

Blue Grotto is a traditional Spanish tapas restaurant that was bustling last Saturday night. The decor is very "intownish", cozy with an authentic feel to it. Unlike other popular tapas places like Loca Luna that caters to large groups, Blue Grotto's atmosphere seems more appropriate for groups of 2 or 4.

The waitstaff was very accomodating and gave excellent recommendations for our meal. We went with 5 plates that covered the gamut of food groups. We started with calamari and a plate of sauteed spinach (this was for the wife, though to be honest, I didn't hate it). For the next group, we had a beef tenderloin plate, pork rolls and grilled shrimp with tomato grits. The beef was by far the best- well seasoned and very tender. The pork rolls came with a spciy Asian sauce that was quite good as well. I would probably pass on the shrimp the next time, as the flavors really didn't stand up to the other two. And for dessert, we split a chocolate fondue that made my wife a very happy, pregnant woman (I helped her a little with this one- the dessert, I mean...well, actually, the pregnancy too).

We have been looking for a good neighborhood places and the Blue Grotto makes the list. The food was tasty, different and not too expensive. Grade: B+.