Today, as the second ice/snow event of the year closed in upon us, I was meeting someone for lunch at Rico’s World Kitchen, in Buford.  When I got there, I got a primo parking spot, and then looked around and realized that was because there weren’t but two other cars there.  As I got out of the car, a young man walked out of the front door and told me they were closed.  As was I getting back into the car,  the same guy walked over and told me that the guy I was meeting was waiting for me inside.  Interesting.  As my lunch mate and I discussed where to head next, Rico said that he had decided to not open, as opposed to closing shortly after everyone came in.  We then headed north on Main Street looking for some place that was open.  As we drove by Aqua Terra Bistro, I saw motion in the window, so we parked across the street and then walked in the front door as the snow began to fall. 

One of my co-workers is quite fond of Aqua Terra for a nice dinner, but I didn’t know they were open for lunch.  We were greeted from behind the bar as we walked in, and were quickly led to a table in the adjoining room.

Inside, between the mural, the exposed brick in the bar and the hardwood floors, I’d have never guessed that I was in downtown Buford.  After we were seated, they brought out the lunch menu for us to review (five starters, three salads, four sandwiches, two “aqua”s – land-based meals (chicken and beef) – and two “terra”s – fish and salmon) shortly followed by bread and their house-made dipping sauce (which we were told that they sell by the quart Mason jar).

The dipping sauce was excellent – I can see why they sell it.  My lunch companion ordered the French Country Salad (mixed field greens, Gorgonzola cheese, bacon, apples, walnuts and red onions with a warm apple cider vinaigrette).  It looked excellent and he cleared his plate.  I was torn between a couple of choices, but was ultimately drawn to the burger by the house-made boursin cheese and the applewood smoked bacon.

The house-made chips were very good and this was one of the tastiest tomatoes that I’ve had in months.  As he brought the mayo, the server told us that they had just switched to this bun from an onion roll and the bun made a great wrapper for this burger.  The boursin cheese and bacon would have made a great sandwich on their own.   I’ll definitely keep Aqua Terra in mind for lunch.