Restaurant Eugene is probably my favorite Atlanta restaurant. I went there for the first time last summer with Eric for my birthday. I have been back once since, and it was just as fabulous. The chef, Linton Hopkins, specializes in seasonal, organic, gourmet southern fare. When I heard that Hopkins was opening a gastropub (Holeman &Finch), I was intrigued. When Atlanta magazine rated it the year’s best restaurant, I knew I had to try it. I found the perfect occasion this past weekend when Emmy came to visit.
We started out with wine by the glass and the much-talked-about Pimento cheese and Saltines appetizer:
It was the perfect way to start the meal, and a lovely gourmet take on a southern classic.
For those unfamiliar with the gastropub trend, a primer: Recently, gastropubs have become the hot new restaurant trend. The idea is to have a bar with a great wine list and small, craft beers, then add gourmet bar food. The idea is based on the look and feel of a London pub (small, community-based, lots of dark wood) but with a updated look and better food. Chicago has a few now, and Atlanta’s other notable gastropub would be TAP.
I feel like recently I’ve been hating on the service everywhere, but it wasn’t brilliant at H&F either. We asked the waiter (who, btw, I would have picked if he were an actor to be the barman at this joint, an old jolly fellow with a full white beard and tiny glasses) and he told us they were short staffed that night. It ended up ok because the place was so relaxed and Emmy and I had time to talk. The space is a narrow slice and one wall is floor to ceiling windows. That was nice because they decorate with a lot of dark wood. They were on board with the trend of having single person bathrooms. Theirs had large, metal sliding doors.
We continued with a lovely ham plate that came with fresh figs and freshly baked bread. They bake their own bread at H&F.
For our main, we shared a very British take on Steak Frites. It was a steak tartare with egg yolk on top, surrounded by delicious French Fries. I always appreciate how difficult it is to create delicious fries.
Our final dish, and I think I can speak for both of us and say, our favorite dish was the heirloom tomatoes. It was the last day they were on the menu, and they were simply divine. I’ve had the heirloom tomato tarte at Restaurant Eugene, and they obviously have a good supplier for the tomatoes.
Hopkins paired with his mixologist from RE, Greg Best, to create some fabulous cocktails, many of which are based on Bourbon, Coca-Cola, or even eggs. I had a cocktail made with bourbon and sparkling pinot noir.
I would definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for something a little more upscale, but not too expensive. It’s a good place to come with about 2-4 people and just hang out for the whole evening.
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