Among
the booming suburban downtown areas that have recently come to life, downtown
Alpharetta might be the prettiest belle of the ball. A Norman Rockwell-like town square with
charming retail and restaurants has sprung up to the delight of its neighbors.
One
of the new stars is Chiringa, a spritely,
colorful standalone in the square. Chiringa
borrows from "chiringuito," Spanish for an open-air beachside grill and also
meaning "kite" in some Caribbean dialects.
Owner Andy McKosky drew the inspiration on a soul-searching trip to Tarifa,
Spain, known as one of the premier kite surfing spots on the planet.
The
menu reads like a beach lover's greatest hits album: fresh guacamole, ceviche, jerk chicken wings,
fried shrimp baskets, fish tacos, Mediterranean-inspired salads and even
lobster rolls. Everything is made fresh
in house and every drop of juice is squeezed from fresh fruit. And while we're living out our beach fantasy
naturally you would need something to wash down all the great food. Specialty cocktails the Ringa Rita with
organic tequila and Grand Marnier, the John Daly with vodka, iced tea and
lemonade and the Island Lemonade made with coconut and dark rum and some of
that fresh-squeezed lemonade will make you feel like your toes are in the
sand. Also, Sangria, margaritas and "froses" are
flowing.
Atlantans
who travel to the Destin and 30A area might be familiar with their sister
restaurant, Chiringo, down in Grayton Beach.
With warm weather just around the corner for the ATL, check out Chiringa
for a mini beach vacation…and for heaven's sake go fly a kite.
