Omnivore Atlanta

BAR CODE

Whatever happened to the word “bar”? Where’s the respect for good, old-fashioned bar food? These days, the new generation of business owners do not open bars. They open gastropubs.

The gastropub concept turned up in Atlanta last year with Concentrics’ TAP, followed most notably this year by Holeman and Finch, along with a host of other spots. In recent months, three places in particular have garnered a lot of attention: the Porter in Little Five Points, the BookHouse Pub in Poncey-Highland, and the Bureau in the Old Fourth Ward. I wondered what made these places that different from any other bar in town that serves food. How would they compare to say, Atkins Park – arguably the oldest bar in the city?

At the Porter Beer Bar (1156 Euclid Ave., 404-223-0393, www.theporterbeerbar.com), the main difference is the beer. The Porter has around 200 beers, from hop-heavy American microbrews to gueze to Belgian tripels and quadruples, and not one watered-down domestic among them. For beer lovers, the list is a true joy to behold.

So, that covers the “pub” aspect, but what about the “gastro”? The main claim to the Porter’s foodie fame is the résumé of its owners. Nick Rutherford and Molly Gunn both worked at Seeger’s, the now closed Atlanta temple to haute cuisine. Rutherford went on to make a splash at the Chocolate Bar in Decatur. (more…)

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Wow. The MJQ* boys and girls have all grown up, sort of, and moved a few doors away into a spot straight out of Twin Peaks.

The BookHouse Pub (736 Ponce de Leon Ave., 404-254-1176) is named after the hangout of the Bookhouse Boys, a secret society in the TV serial. You know — the respectably lawless people.

The place is really beautiful — handcrafted, full of paperback books and good art, with a two-tiered patio out back that will make you wish it could be balmy year round.

It’s a completely different look, but it reminds me of the original Virginia’s, also a cozy, beautifully handcrafted space staffed with personable servers. (Make that personable, beautiful servers in BookHouse’s case.)

Chef Julia LeRoy’s cooking is, naturally, gastro-pub-esque, and we had a great meal, starting with spring rolls stuffed with collard greens (above, right) and a nice autumn dish of duck confit over pumpkin puree and a pancake.

Wayne ordered pretzel-coated fried grouper over shiitake-rice with green beans (above, left) and I had a seared pork chop with roasted cauliflower, mashed potatoes and braised kale. Huge portions, great flavors, too much salt.

I finished up with a funnel cake served on a genuine paper plate with powdered sugar and some cinnamon ice cream. Wayne had the “car bomb float” made with Bailey’s ice cream, Mackeson’s stout and Jameson syrup. He’d already helped himself from the extensive beer list, so dessert prompted him to burst out singing a German song about curing malaria with beer.

The BookHouse has been open about three weeks and will have its grand opening this Friday. You’ll want to go because everything will be half price.

(Photos by Cliff Bostock. Free acknowledgment of your name if you can identify the table of foodies above. I wish I’d had a tape recorder on hand to catch their astute analysis of the food.)

*If you are reading this Saturday night, there’s still time for you to run to MJQ for their “Morrissey Night.” Personally, I’d rather eat glass than depress myself by listening to Morrissey all night…but you go ahead.

UPDATE: The restaurant has contacted CL to say that it is not, after all, reducing prices Friday night.

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Restaurant openings are notoriously uncertain timing-wise, in part because so many licenses have to be granted. But getting a liquor license is often one of the last hurdles before opening day. These places have just been granted liquor licenses, which may mean they will open any minute (unless their contractor screws up, or one of the myriad other hold-ups occur ):

Aja, Tom Catherall’s Asian spot in the old Emeril’s location.

The Porter, a Little Five Points “gastropub” in the old Grandma Luke’s location.

The Bureau at 327 Edgewood Avenue.

The Bookhouse Pub at 736 Ponce de Leon.

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