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| The Cafe at East Andrews by Christine Woodhouse The Cafe at East Andrews has so many things going for it, I’m willing to forgive the Buckhead location. The relief of finding a complimentary valet in the heart of Buckhead, immediately put me at ease and set the tone for top-notch hospitality. Once through the initial arch entrance, an open-air courtyard complete with fountain and café tables welcomes you to East Andrews. A sweeping wrought iron staircase curves up to the popular live music venue, Andrews Upstairs, while the indoor/outdoor wine bar beckons you straight ahead. Subtle landscape murals decorate the warm sand-colored walls inside, until you enter the wood paneled dining room where formality takes over. Comfortable and warm, this space exudes class with deeply piled carpeting and rich wood furnishings. Mirrors line the walls, opening up an otherwise intimate room, while a bench of soft brown leather and textured ostrich provides luxury seating along the room’s perimeter. My dining companion and I slid into a corner spot, congratulating our-selves on such prime seating. The service at East Andrews rivals the décor in quality and appeal. Our waiter explained the evening’s wine special (a horizontal flight of pinots noirs) with aplomb, easily answering questions of the uninitiated without condescension. Well schooled on their newly expanded menu, he was ready with explanations and suggestions. My first and most joyous discovery was a calamari appetizer that is not fried! Instead, the squid is sauteed with parsley, garlic and lemon juice. The delicious broth begged to be soaked up with bread, which we had astutely hoarded for such an occasion. The crab cake was equally impressive. Dense with crab and seemingly devoid of any breadcrumb filler, I’m not sure how it held together. Barely seared on the outside, the cake is not fried and relies solely on the lumps of crab and cracked mustard seasoning for flavor. The basil wrapped black tiger shrimp amazed me in size, portion and creativity. The basil is virtually tied around the shrimp with a crispy potato string and one bite is enough juicy reward for all of the boring boiled shrimp you’ve ever had to peel and eat. We paused amidst our sea-inspired small plates only once to try the flank steak skewers. The menu’s simple description of marinated beef and petite Asian salad does not do this appetizer justice. I took one bite and sank into my seat with pleasure. The teriyaki marinade, permeating narrow cuts of tender steak, came alive upon meeting the gingery sesame dressing drizzled on the nearby salad. Normally eager to clean my plate, I slowly savored each bite. East Andrews offers an interesting second tier with its medium plates. The chef’s signature dish here is the sweet potato ravioli. Not wanting anything too heavy, I had to be talked into a pasta plate. I am now forever indebted. The buttery light truffle glaze coats the al dente ravioli where a soft warm sweet potato filling awaits. With a fried sage leaf as garnish and the genius combination of texture and flavor, this comfort food has more style than even Martha could manage. The sesame seared ahi tuna salad comes with the requisite rare tuna crusted in black sesame seeds atop mixed greens. Perfectly acceptable with grape tomatoes, red peppers and pickled ginger, the final addition of avocado sesame-soy dressing makes this salad zing in your mouth. The entrees proved to be equally brilliant in composition. Pan seared in a bouillabaisse broth with garden vegetables, the Chilean sea bass earns its reputation as the house favorite. My friend took the first bite and insisted that it literally melted in her mouth. Rising to the challenge, I held a forkful on my tongue and felt the flaky, buttery fish dissolve in its tomatoey juices. The roasted chicken breast is another fanciful creation from the young French chef’s imagination. De-boned, except for the wings, the breast is wrapped around itself, hugging a mushroom duxelles stuffing inside. Smoky cheese gnocchi, dotted with sun-dried tomatoes and peas, fill the rest of the plate making for a very filling meal. The beef filet is a superior cut of meat displayed in perfect symmetry underneath a layer of potato gratin, then topped with puff pastry and a mushroom ragout. For those who covet beef Wellington like I do, this is a delectable interpretation of the classic. If you’re even contemplating something sweet to end your meal, the lemon tart is a must. An unlikely candidate for best dessert, this lemon custard topped with Italian meringue defies explanation. The glistening miniature pie tasted like my grandmother’s recipe…with a gourmet twist. The chocolate dome is also a stellar choice. Designed to satisfy your darker cravings, the chocolate mousse is wrapped in a leaf of chocolate ganache and garnished with fresh blueberries and strawberries. It’s difficult to describe East Andrews Café without sounding like a gushing groupie. I still can’t get over how relaxing the dining area was on a busy Thursday night at this popular bar and I certainly didn’t expect such amazing food at reasonable prices. If they keep this up, it won’t remain calm for long. The Cafe at East Andrews is located in Buckhead at 56 East Andrews Drive, Suite #10, Atlanta, GA 30305. For reservations, call (404) 869-1132 or visit www.EastAndrews.com . |
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| Pictured above: Basil wrapped tiger shrimp; Dill crab cakes; Flank steak skewers; Sesame seared tuna; Chilean see bass; Chocolate dome; Chef Romo Nicolas. |
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