Heading to Alpharetta 2- Something Fishy at Aqua Blue

So, I went to the well once to often. After a very pleasurable dinner at di Paolo a couple of weeks ago, I began to think, may be this Alpharetta place isn’t so bad? So after a trip to Pottery Barn and Bed, Bath & Beyond at Northpoint Mall last Thursday (I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence), we decided to give Suburban Dining Life another try, this time to a sushi place called Aqua Blue on Holcomb Bridge Rd. I didn't know much about it, but Lady Steakhead had heard it wasn't bad.

Oh, my. For those that are familiar with Johnny’s Hideaway in Buckhead, this seems to be its equivalent on the Northside, at least on Thursdays. Things were amiss from the moment we walked in. The very first sight you experience upon arrival is a band that is reminiscent in sound and look to Adam Sandler’s band in The Wedding Singer. And they were loud- too loud for a restaurant that was supposed to have decent food. The next thing you notice is that the bar is completely packed. A quick peruse of the crowd, though, reveals a common theme amongst the patrons- there is not one soul under the age of 45 in the place. I even saw one 80 year-old dude dancing with a pair of 50-something women. Then it hit me, it must be divorcee night! Or is perhaps every night like this?

I asked to be seated far, far away from this madness, where maybe we could hear our own conversation. The waitress assured me the back of the restaurant would meet our needs, but unless you were completely hard of hearing (and it wouldn’t surprise me if 50% of the patrons were, by the looks of them), you couldn’t escape the music. Celebration. Electric Slide. Even a little Mark Anthony for the adventurous.

But since this blog is dedicated to food, I would be remiss if I didn’t review the actual eats. And expensive and average are probably the first two thoughts that come to mind. Many of the entrée’s are in the $20-$30 range, and the sushi was mediocre at best. The pieces were cut way too large for the delicate taste of the fish to come through.

So I learned my lesson- don’t drive any further north on 400 than my exit at Abernathy Rd. Given my age (younger for a change), happily-married status and my affinity for decent grub, this is not a place I am eager to return to. But man, were the non-eaters in the bar having a good time. $$$. Grade: C-.