Paul's
After two visits to Paul, it is no easier to summarize this place. The first visit, on a Friday in February, was laid back and relaxed, in the upstairs dining room. The second, this past Saturday night, was chaotic and they were slammed. We also sat downstairs, where we were trying to avoid sitting since we couldn't even hear each other talking a foot away. The first visit, the service was indifferent at best. The second visit the service saved our impression of the place.
On each occasion the food did not disappoint. Although the menu is a bit less adventurous than Chef Paul Albrecht's previous position at Spice, it does have to cater to a more conservative Buckhead clientele. And the Buckheadans were out in full force on Saturday night. Fortunately we were finally seated at the table tucked away in front of the window, so it was the quietest part of the boisterous downstairs bar area. The server took pity on us and actually comped our dessert, plus gave us a couple dessert wines for $6.
We got favorable impressions from the start with a Blanc de Noirs Champagne by the glass. It is difficult enough to find a Blanc de Noirs on any menu, let alone by the glass. Since it is made from 100% Pinot Noir, it is more fruity and lacks the yeasty taste of most champagnes. On the last visit, the amusee was a fantastic morsel of chicken rubbed with Indian spices, served with Asian pear slaw and finished with a Thai chili sauce. Each flavor was distinct, yet none overpowered the other. And this was just the amusee. My appetizer was the reincarnation of the legendary fried lobster tail Chef Paul and Buckhead Life co-founder Pano Karatossos pioneered at their historic Pano's and Paul's restaurant 27 years ago. It so happened that I was there the previous night, so I got a close comparison of the two versions. I must say that the original still wins out, with a lighter crust and better dipping sauces. The one at Paul's was a bit heavier, but still quite sweet and good. Mikey had a sushi appetizer of yellowtail. (Oh yeah, they have a sushi menu as well.) We split a bottle of Nickel & Nickel Cabernet, which was amazing. I had never even heard of it before, so it was a good find. On the previous occasion we got the Swanson "Alexis", a blend of Cabernet and Merlot, which was also quite good.
For the main course I got the grilled lemon pepper lamb chops with tri color cottage fries and caramelized garlic sauce. Sounds simple, but was wonderful. Mikey had venison flank steak with juniper dust, butternut ravioli, brussels sprout leaves, and asian pear cranberry coulis. It was a little more adventurous, and every bit as good. The free dessert was a sampler of their signature desserts, which featured a taste of creme brulee, chocolate dome, key lime tart, and a couple other things.
Prices for appetizers ranged from $5 to $14, with the fried lobster tail app at $20; mains from $16 to $30. The wine list is a small selection with some good choices. This should be improved greatly very soon with the addition of Greg Koetting, formerly the wine manager at Woodfire Grill.
On each occasion the food did not disappoint. Although the menu is a bit less adventurous than Chef Paul Albrecht's previous position at Spice, it does have to cater to a more conservative Buckhead clientele. And the Buckheadans were out in full force on Saturday night. Fortunately we were finally seated at the table tucked away in front of the window, so it was the quietest part of the boisterous downstairs bar area. The server took pity on us and actually comped our dessert, plus gave us a couple dessert wines for $6.
We got favorable impressions from the start with a Blanc de Noirs Champagne by the glass. It is difficult enough to find a Blanc de Noirs on any menu, let alone by the glass. Since it is made from 100% Pinot Noir, it is more fruity and lacks the yeasty taste of most champagnes. On the last visit, the amusee was a fantastic morsel of chicken rubbed with Indian spices, served with Asian pear slaw and finished with a Thai chili sauce. Each flavor was distinct, yet none overpowered the other. And this was just the amusee. My appetizer was the reincarnation of the legendary fried lobster tail Chef Paul and Buckhead Life co-founder Pano Karatossos pioneered at their historic Pano's and Paul's restaurant 27 years ago. It so happened that I was there the previous night, so I got a close comparison of the two versions. I must say that the original still wins out, with a lighter crust and better dipping sauces. The one at Paul's was a bit heavier, but still quite sweet and good. Mikey had a sushi appetizer of yellowtail. (Oh yeah, they have a sushi menu as well.) We split a bottle of Nickel & Nickel Cabernet, which was amazing. I had never even heard of it before, so it was a good find. On the previous occasion we got the Swanson "Alexis", a blend of Cabernet and Merlot, which was also quite good.
For the main course I got the grilled lemon pepper lamb chops with tri color cottage fries and caramelized garlic sauce. Sounds simple, but was wonderful. Mikey had venison flank steak with juniper dust, butternut ravioli, brussels sprout leaves, and asian pear cranberry coulis. It was a little more adventurous, and every bit as good. The free dessert was a sampler of their signature desserts, which featured a taste of creme brulee, chocolate dome, key lime tart, and a couple other things.
Prices for appetizers ranged from $5 to $14, with the fried lobster tail app at $20; mains from $16 to $30. The wine list is a small selection with some good choices. This should be improved greatly very soon with the addition of Greg Koetting, formerly the wine manager at Woodfire Grill.