Hot Dish Review

After a Valentine’s party at my office, I was a little down. Newly single (again!), I thought a light dinner served by a gorgeous bartender might help take my mind off of ST, so I headed to Abattoir.

Chef Hopkins changes the menu based upon what is available from local farmers, although there are several standards that have stuck, like the chicharrones. I guess pig skins aren’t too hard to come by at a restaurant that breaks down whole pigs on a regular basis!

Upon arrival I took a seat at the bar, happy to see BS was there. Having already started on cab at the party, he poured me a glass of red (was it the malbec?) as I perused the menu. A salad of lacinato kale with duck confit and farm egg vinaigrette caught my eye. BS confirmed it was awesome and recommended the valencay cheese served with a hot mini baguette from Star Provisions. Perfect.

Valencay is a smooth, dense mold-ripened cheese made of raw goat’s milk from the Loire Valley in France. It was paired with Marcona almonds and honeycomb. Sweet accompaniments with cheese are always my favorites.

The baguette reminded me of my bread debate with JR at Dinner Party last week. Although Star Provisions probably makes the best European-style baguettes in Atlanta, they don’t hold a candle to any baguette you can buy in Europe. Even the ones at the airport in Paris have that heavenly texture and flavor that is unmatched in the states.

Kale can be tough but the local lacinato kale Hopkins uses for this salad was tender, its slight bitterness balanced with a hint of sweetness in the dressing. A quartered hard boiled egg, paper-thin slices of radish, shreds of duck confit, and crisped bits of duck skin topped the greens. Just a terrific combination!

Another glass of wine, maybe the Louis Martini cab, and some light conversation was just what I needed! Thanks for lifting my spirits BS.

Valium will be my Valentine as I try to get some sleep on the flight to Brazil, then I’ll be romancing Rio!

After yet another visit, this time with a semi-rowdy group of friends actually seated in the dining room, I had to bump my neighborhood Tex-Mex fave El Taco and seedy yet surprisingly healthy Tex-Mex fave El Myr to give Abattoir a spot. Neither seriously deserved spots in the Top Ten, but I so love Mexican food, I just wanted it represented. (lame, right?)

We snacked on chicharrones and the lovely, fatty rabbit rillette (photo above). Crispy bread with real sweet butter and a bottle or two of a deep and spicy malbec (only $36!) set the stage for a hearty meal.

This time I tried the duck breast with cabbage and pear slaw. Served sliced thin and medium rare, the side didn’t have enough sweet to adequately compliment the meat. One friend had the tender and tasty short ribs with sweet potatoes. The rest is all a meaty blur, although no one had anything offal. (did I mention my friends are pussies?)

But it was the dessert that really did it for me. The new hazelnut meringue with coffee ice cream and chocolate sauce stole the show, all of us digging in with spoons clanking against the huge bowl….I can only imagine the scene as a bit frightening for on-lookers! It was chewy, creamy, light, and rich all at once. We also ordered the not-so-special chocolate creme cookie with ice milk and the always amazing maple bacon beignets.

Saturday night B and I dined at Abattoir. I was interested to hear what chef and partner Josh Hopkins thought of my interview with him and the article on the restaurant that just came out in the current Atlanta’s Finest Dining. And of course, we were craving some freshly butchered meat. (Abattoir means slaughterhouse in French, by the way.)

Waiting for B at the bar, I ordered my usual Karl Erbes riesling poured by the gorgeous bartender with the mesmerizing eyes. We decided to make ourselves at home there rather than at a table, as we often prefer. It’s just more interactive! I had a chance to meet Rick, the restaurant’s manager, who was a gracious host.

The space is like a modern barn, with rough unpolished wood, light gray banquettes, and high ceilings. Lighting is warm and cozy and makes everyone look gorgeous.

I think it’s worth mentioning that, unlike many food writers, I don’t see the problem in writing a review based on one visit, even if it’s a media dinner. Good is good. And bad is, well, not so good. My opinion and impressions generally remain consistent if I visit once or ten times. And really, it’s just not that serious folks.

So, on this, my second visit to Abattoir, I was excited to try something new. I had eaten my way through half the menu at the media dinner a couple of months ago, loving the rabbit rillette, the chicharrones, and the lamb liver fritters. I started with a salad of roasted figs, gorgonzola, and bacon, the heady flavors tempered by fresh greens. Divine.

Our bartender, now our server, delivered a lovely crisp baguette with butter as I switched to a glass of the smooth cab B was drinking. She chose a couple of cheeses, one of which was my standby, the Humboldt Fog, served with Marcona almonds. Cheese service at all of Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison’s restaurants is always stellar.

One of my colleagues said the quail was awesome so that’s what I ordered. Stuffed with sausage and served with a succotash of cabbage and bacon, it was true comfort food. B chose the slow cooked rabbit (I referred to it as a wascal-y wabbit) as her main, with stewed okra and tomatoes. As we noshed on bread, cheese and wine B struck up a conversation with J, a fellow diner at the bar. We ended up sampling his lamb which he described as rich and somewhat gamey. No problem, we like gamey. My horoscope said I would meet some interesting people tonight.

There was bacon in my salad, bacon in my entree, so why not bacon in the dessert? Abattoir’s maple bacon beignets are already nearly famous. Doughnuts drizzled with syrup, they are as good as they look.

The restaurant was busy throughout the evening but as the crowds waned, chef Hopkins came out to say hello….how nice!

Despite being known for offal, none was ingested on this visit.