The Epicurean (Revisited)
I heard that The Epicurean recently changed restaurant chefs in the name of Jon Wolf (Ritz Carlton) so CDA headed down to Decatur to see what changes have been made, to sample the new Summer menu, and well, to celebrate a birthday. I was happy to learn that there have been no drastic changes as far as the menu is concerned — the crab cakes are still a mainstay and the recipe (and taste) has remained intact. I’ll also have you know that I like Jon. I like his straight-to-the-point, no-fancy-schmancy-getup take on food: it’s simple yet original and creative; basic yet inspired. Case in point: Lobster Corn Risotto.
There were tons of tender, tasty lobster bits embedded in creamy risotto laced with crunchy corn then sprinkled with tarragon. It had a lot of different textures from the lobster, corn, and risotto, yet the simplicity of the flavors (salty with sweet, milky and creamy) made this dish scrumptious.
I was expecting a salty appetizer with the Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp but was pleasantly surprised with the mildness of the prosciutto wrapped in a succulent, plump shrimp atop crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside corn cakes. It was definitely a good, mellow first course to the heavier-tasting risotto.
The Macerated Peaches dessert proved to be another perfect choice and complemented the shrimp and the risotto dishes. Surprisingly light, I was expecting (again) to be confronted with a rich, syrupy, sugary, mushy concoction. Instead, I was faced with an enticing martini glass full of peaches still with enough crunch then topped with homemade peach ice cream dotted with fresh peach bits. It was decadent!There were other dishes we consumed and each one was as wonderful as the other. If you want great food, great service, great wine selection in a French restaurant minus the snobbish feel, then Epicurean is the place to be. You won’t be disappointed. Guarranteed. (P.S. Tell Andres Chloe sent you!)
Insider tip:
Closed on Sundays and Mondays but will open Sunday, May 13 10:30am-2:30pm for a special Mother’s Day Brunch.
Their wine shop sits next door.
Menu changes monthly. Check their website for details.
Six-course tasting menus available on Friday/Saturday as well as a 3-course Prix-Fixe Tuesday-Thursday.
Service is outstanding.
The scoop:
The Epicurean Restaurant
1361 Clairmont Rd.
Decatur, GA 30033
Telephone: 404.321.0530
Open Tuesday to Saturday
Lunch: 11am to 5pm
Dinner: 5pm to 10pm
Technorati Tags: The Epicurean Restaurant, Chef Peter Golaszewski, Decatur, French bistro, French-Southern Cuisine, wine shop
digg
stumble
reddit
tag this
2 responses so far ↓
1 kc // Sep 2, 2007 at 9:15 am
Sadly, The Epicurean has closed.
2 Chloe // Sep 4, 2007 at 3:58 pm
hi kc — you’re right. they closed their doors permanently on august 28. the new owner will now focus on catering. sad news indeed.
Leave a Comment