Restaurant Eugene
Pimento Cheese Macaron
Grapefruit Pearls, Summer Melon, Honeydew compressed in ginger ale
“Our” L’Arpege Egg – Sorghum, Clabbered Cream, Chives
Butter Roll, Salt, Pepper, Local Butter
Carolina Rice Roll
Rustic Wheat Sourdough
Trout Tartare, Crisp Oyster, Remoulade
Foie Gras, Blackberry, Brioche, Fleur de Sel
Red Snapper, Sapelo Island Clams, Carrot, Squash, Benne Cream
Pickled Tomato, Clabbered Cream, Pecan
Three Beets, Pot Liquor, Greens, Chive, Tennessee Bacon
Berkshire Pork loin, belly, chiccarone, Potato Gratin, Lady Peas, Basil
Brillat-Savarin, Peach Compote, Sesame
Praline Powder, Fresh Fig, Banana Sorbet Intermezzo
64% Chocolate Mousse, Candied Orange Peel, Coffee Dacquoise
Banana, Elberton Blue Cheese, Curry, Crisp Oats
Mignardises – Orange Poppyseed Financier, Pecan Sable, Passion Fruit Pate de Fruit
With complimentary valet and formally dressed servers, high thread count white tablecloths and crystal stemware, plus a tasting menu blending Southern flourishes with traditional French technique Restaurant Eugene and James Beard Award winning Chef Linton Hopkins has proudly stood at the pinnacle of Atlanta’s fine dining scene since its inception and as the last dinner of a truly memorable trip to the South the meal came with great expectations and anticipation. Heavily engaged with the local community of farmers and artisans with a staff more than happy to discuss sourcing, influence, and preparation of the plates it should come as no surprise that the tasting menu is highly recommended by the chef and with two supplementary courses encouraged plus an a la carte menu the only real question is one of cost and hunger, the price certainly not inexpensive, though given the quality of the experience a veritable deal compared to similar meals in the cities trumpeted by Michelin. Speaking specifically to the cuisine, the full tasting menu including both supplements, a gifted course from the kitchen, and one extra dessert from the a la carte menu it would be difficult to find fault in any of Linton’s creations on this particular evening and with flavors ranging from earthy and aromatic beets on par with something seen from the kitchen of Passard to a torchon of foie gras as creamy as those coming out of Per Se it was particularly in the fish and desserts that Restaurant Eugene excelled the most, the Red Snapper barely cooked and balanced beautifully by the vegetables and herbal cream while the banana, bleu, and curry dessert showed a pastry kitchen happy to trade a bit of risk for a great reward – the taste and texture contributing to one of the most compelling desserts I’ve had in recent memory.
