Sitting at a second-story table overlooking Centennial Park and a gorgeous skyline through string-lit treetops, I found it pretty easy to make-believe I was in the heart of NYC peering over Central Park. Truth be known, my friend Madison and I were at Peasant Bistro in the heart of Atlanta, and I could not have been happier to have found this gem of a swanky, romantic restaurant right in my city!
The dining area, beautifully situated above a first-story bar and approached by a wide, wooden spiraling staircase, was soothing and intimate, while providing a spectacular view out of the several windows spanning the building front. I had to force myself to break away from taking in all the sights and remember I was there to eat!
Our first temptation: wine. To spark the taste buds, of course. And what an extensive list they had! We settled on the Hawkes 2007, Alexander Valley California chardonnay. Yum!
The appetizer choice wasn’t easy but, we agreed it was great to have so many tempting options that it was hard to settle on just one. With our pick of Griddle Spiced Tuna Loin, Crab Cakes, Mussels au Nage, just to name a few, we were in food heaven. Being the calamari lover I am, I chose the fried calamari with roasted red pepper, lemon, and herbs, and Madison went with the vegan soup of the day.
Here’s my best attempt at artfully capturing our delicious appetizers…
Before:
And after:
Needless to say, we liked it.
Peasant features traditional bistro favorites, but Chef Michael Patria is also featuring a summer menu with special seasonal dishes which have been recently added, so almost everything on the menu seemed like a perfect match for a mid-September evening. I’d done some serious damage on my calamari (and the bread and vinegar that arrived upon seating) but I somehow managed to save room for my entree, and so did Madison. After much deliberating (and wine drinking) I decided on the Basstown Ranch Fillet, topped with port wine butter and complimented by a side of summer vegetables.
Madison is a huge scallop lover, so naturally that was her choice. And Peasant’s pan-seared scallops with cucumber tomato broth, purple cauliflower, and fava beans received an A+ from the connoisseur.
We were both in such food-comas after clearing our plates, but what a pleasant place to sit and visit after a delicious supper and full stomach! We’ll be back again soon for more of Peasant’s fresh and delicious eats, and a true in-town experience. And remember, Centennial Park is just right across the street in case you want to take an easy fall stroll to work up an appetite. Or in our case, to work off the consequence of a big appetite!
