The Vortex, Atlanta

This restaurant looks like a contemporary cafe from the street, but inside you'll find a dark, long bar decorated with fun tchotckes, funny signage and pink string lights. The crew are young, tattoed to the nth degree, and very friendly.
I took a seat at the bar and the friendly barmaid asked me if I'd like to see a menu, which was several pages long and which had brunch and lunch dishes, from omelettes to burgers to salads. I ordered a Diet Coke from the friendly young barmaid and persused the menu.
I ordered a cup of turkey chili and a grilled chicken quesadilla, and scoped out the surroundings while I waited. There was a faded Mississippi license plate affixed above the bar which read "URAPNS". I laughed out loud.
A young guy tattoed to within an inch of his life delivered the chili, which came decorated with chopped onion and shredded cheese. It was delicious, hot, spicy and flavorful; my only complaint was that it could have been a tad warmer. Accompanying the cup was a rectanglular piece of what looked like a piece of toast. Its consistency was similar to grilled polenta; crispy and dark on the outside, gooey and melt-in-the mouth in the middle, with kernels of corn interspersed in the gooiness. "What was that bread?" I asked the barmaid. "Jalapeno cornbread" she replied with a smile. I told her it was fantastic and she agreed.
My quesadilla was soon delivered by the same guy, and it was absolutely the best I've ever had. It managed to be hot, crisp, and chewy all at the same time, and was accompanied by plastic cups full of tomatillo salsa and sour cream, and the garnish was a couple of bright hot cherry peppers.
I scarfed the whole thing even though I was already stuffed from the chili. The smiling barmaid asked me if it was still good, and I enthusiastically replied "Oh yes!".
With a sigh of contentment I paid the bill and wandered out the gloom and into the hot bright sunshine of Peachtree Street, sated, happy, and feeling a bit triumphant that I had made the right restaurant choice.

The cheese quesadilla with grilled chicken was superlative.

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The Vortex, Atlanta

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