 |
 |
 |
|||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RATHBUN’S 112 Krog Street Suite R Atlanta, GA 30307 404-524-8280 www.rathbunrestaurant.com MENU: ***** Want raw? There are rosy cubes of ahi tuna spiked with citrus and Serrano. Soup? At least four kinds daily. Game, seafood, vegetables—they’re all here. There are nearly 50 dishes on offer nightly, including specials doodled on a separate menu, so the most finicky or adventurous diner will leave satisfied. FOOD QUALITY: **** Rathbun’s a restaurant vet, so he knows ingredients and how to coax the best from them. It’s not all organic or local, but it’s all good, from beef to cheese, shellfish to squash. And by taking a less-is-more approach, their essence shines through. FOOD PRESENTATION: *** ** Simple and effective, the dishes do what they should: beckon you to tuck in. The humanely sized portions wink invitingly from white plates, and nothing is pretentiously stacked, drowning in sauce or self-consciously ill-combined. ATMOSPHERE: ***** Urbane without being intimidating. The Johnson Studio has transformed the turn-of century space with exposed cream-washed walls, elegant lanterns suspended from the ceiling that emit fuchsia light, long, knotted sheers and a mix of banquettes and tables. There’s also a peek-a-boo patio for al fresco dining. CLEANLINESS: **** A 100-year old building with a bustling kitchen requires care and upkeep, both of which are in evidence. The dining room and bar are both shipshape. SERVICE: ***** The wait staff is well tuned without being stuffy, and manager Cliff Bramble, along with Rathbun, table-hop to ensure your meal is all you expect it to be, addressing concerns on the spot. A nice touch: diners are called the next day to thank them for coming. MENU RECOMMENDATIONS: Nothing disappointed, but here are a few favorites. Yaya’s eggplant steak fries are savory slivers dusted with confectioner’s sugar; south Georgia shaved zucchini with parmesan shavings and a kiss of lemon verbena is bright and simple; velvet corn and smoked pasilla soup is rich and smoky. George’s bank cod is as subtly yielding as silk stockings and much more up-market than expected; a special venison chop with crispy soft shell crab in a Thai red curry sauce is deftly poised between sweet and hot. Sides include a knockout, earthy brown butter cauliflower mash. Don’t default to chocolate for dessert: a sugar-free panna cotta served with roasted pineapple will amaze; the lime short cake with black peppered peaches is inspired. OVERALL RATING: ***** With more guests seeking small plates with big flavor, Rathbun’s in poised to draw a loyal crowd of both neighborhood trendies and suburban sophisticates to its industrial-chic setting. Think Floataway Café and rejoice. by Suzanne Wright |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg)