"A city where a treasured chef's departure can be front-page news, Atlanta has more than its share of fine restaurants, many of them cavernous, overdesigned colonizations of old industrial buildings. Smaller and friendlier is Restaurant Eugene..." -- "36 Hours in Atlanta," The New York Times, January 7, 2007.
Ain't that the truth! Not only smaller and friendlier, but much more delicious.
The atmosphere at Restaurant is warm, friendly, and sophisticated at the same time. The decor is modern as well as comfortable. The service is exceptional. The food, even more so.
I started with...
the sea
salmon tartare, crispy shallot and soy-dashi jelly
hamachi tartare, shiso leaf and salmon roe
tuna tataki, granny smith apple and garlic chips
This appetizer was a trio of my three favorite types of raw fish, prepared to perfection. I actually had a flashback of ordering two servings of the tuna appetizer at L'Atelier in Vegas. Contemplated ordering a second "sea," but decided to forgo it since my main course was....
grilled painted hills beef ribeye
potato rösti, bordelaise crust and frisée salad with mustard and shallot
I kid you not -- this may have been the best steak I've ever eaten. I devoured the entire 12 ounces! (I also ran the half marathon that day so I was ravenous.) The rösti (like a potato latke) was just the right degree of crispy on the outside and the greens dressed with mustard and shallot were the perfect complement for the dish.
For dessert, I had to have...
banana chocolate chip pound cake
sweetened cream, toffee sauce and Madagascar vanilla bean ice cream
Though this was part of their special prix fixe Sunday Supper, I asked if I could order it a la carte and they gracioiusly obliged. It tastes even better than it sounds. I especially have to mention the ice cream. If you think you've had vanilla bean ice cream before, you haven't until you've tried this stuff.
The meal was sweetened even further by the fact that I met a great couple at the next table, with whom I look forward to staying in touch. I may see them sooner rather than later -- because I might need to get back to Atlanta for a Eugene's fix!
Restaurant Eugene
2277 Peachtree Road
(404) 355-0321
www.restauranteugene.com
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