Dinner - Monday, December 30, 2013
Linton Hopkins was named the James Beard "Best Chef - Southeast" in 2012, and Restaurant Eugene is the flagship of his restaurant family (although
Holeman & Finch arguably garners more press for its burger). The style here is very classical - broadly speaking, traditional French technique with Southern ingredients. Arguably not the sort of place we typically gravitate towards, but this time, the
lack of information about the food here piqued our curiosity.
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| Gougères |
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| White grapefruit, swordfish bottarga, brussel sprout, Georgia olive oil |
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| Pimento cheese macarons |
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| Brown butter sauteed Georgia apple, toasted brioche, rosemary |
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| Beet soup |
A series of five snacks arrived as soon as we were seated, before we were even presented with menus. The gougères were a little salty for a first bite, kicking my mouth into overdrive. My favourite of the quintet was the macaron - who knew pimento cheese lent itself so well to delicate pastry.
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Ashed carrots
Beets, brussel sprouts, pecan sorbet, buttermilk |
Great texture on the carrots - tender, but not mushy. I enjoyed their sweetness with the tangy buttermilk and the pecan sorbet (which, by the way, is probably the best example of pecan ice cream I've tasted to date). An excellent way to start a meal, with layers of temperature, texture and flavour.
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| Trout tartare, crisp clams, remoulade |
In stark contrast to the carrots, I actually
actively disliked this dish. While the trout tartare and roe had a nice salinity, the rest of the dish was clunky and heavy, quickly overwhelming the raw components and leaving a strong aftertaste.
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Foie gras, fleur de sel
Toasted brioche, muscadine membrillo |
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| Alba white truffle, rice grits, fresh turmeric |
Very tasty (as expected), but texturally lacking - the individual rice grains in risotto are a key factor to their draw. Soft grits will never be a fitting substitute. That being said, I'd still gladly eat this again.
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| Squash, fennel, kumquat |
This was
fantastic. Slices of acorn squash, charred and smoked, lay on scales of roasted fennel. Next to this, a squash dauphinoise - beautifully layered and cooked, with a caramelized surface. Fennel fronds and a dried squash powder adorned the main components. A caramelized kumquat completely changed the profile of the dish, lending some bitterness from its rind to contrast the sweet, earthy squash.
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| White shrimp, Hoppin' John, benne cream |
Described by our server as a "tribute" to Charleston (note the use of the term
benne instead of
sesame), this was a remarkably delicious take on
Hoppin' John. Carolina Gold rice was paired with red peas, and topped with some excellent shrimp. The thick, rich sauce was a fitting complement - very enjoyable.
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| Lemon sorbet, spice cake, candied ginger |
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North Georgia lion's mane mushrooms
Baked peanuts, watercress, potato |
A really
meaty dish, the mushrooms infused with a rich demi-glace. Uncomplicated and delicious.
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Beets
Pot likker, chard, Tennessee bacon |
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| Roasted cauliflower "Country Captain" |
We enjoyed this course a lot. The generous slab of roasted cauliflower was laid on a
Country Captain purée, its curry notes a classic match with the brassica. A "granola" of parsley, raisins and peanuts (echoing the ingredients in the purée) was strewn across the plate for texture. Finally, a bitter orange sauce rounded out the flavours.
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| Veal pot au feu |
Veal loin, shoulder, and sweetbreads, dressed with a light consommé and accompanied by carrots and white turnips - an upscale but straight-laced interpretation. The individual meats were lovely, but I missed the unctuousness and depth of flavour that characterizes the classic.
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Consider Bardwell Farm "Pawlet"
Date chutney, white chocolate |
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Pierre Robert
Cherry mustard, sesame wafer |
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| Coffee sorbet, spice cake, cocoa nibs |
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Quince tatin
Spice caramel, hazelnut praline, Sauternes-soaked raisins |
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Cocoa-dusted chocolate chip cookie dough
Almond streusel, bitter cocoa, cream |
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| Sticky toffee pudding cake, rum caramel |
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| Blood orange pâte de fruits, peanut croquants, financiers |
Although the restaurant is actually rather nondescript, our meal evoked the sense of a bygone age of fine dining - from the style and progression of our courses (many quite
rich), to the formally-dressed diners and servers, to the fantastic service (the best of Southern hospitality). To be sure, this was not a meal that we would repeat anytime soon, but we are both left with fond memories of Restaurant Eugene.
Restaurant Eugene
2277 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30309
Phone: (404) 355-0321
