I got to get in there the other night and was quite pleased. I think this is a cool concept that will be around for years to come.
First, the atmosphere. The facillity design was very well-thought out, to me. The bar entrance design is very functional and will serve well as both lounge and waiting area. Nice aesthetics and I enjoy the chalkboard liquor and raw bar selections. Globally, that's a pretty hot trend right now. The exibition kitchen separates the bar and the dining room proper. That's smart for functionality. They seat 220, so that kitchen certainly needs to hum.
Second, the people. We sat at the bar and found the service there quite hospitable and knowelegable. I always like bartenders who can 'hold court.' An impromptu fruity-tooty cocktail for my fiance' featured Vodka, Pineapple and Cynar- amongst other things. Chef stopped by for a quick table visit- a luxury I'm not sure he gets to engage in often due to thier volume. I also recieved a tour of the establishment from Brett D, the owner/sommelier.
Third, the Beverage Program. The wine selections are everything one would expect from a master sommelier in his own house. A cool little playground of interesting stuff. The whiskey selections are excellent as well. I ran with the Old Grand Dad (2 cubes) as I feel it is an awesome value. The Scotch and Irish categories are well represented and they brought in the Yamizaki 12, from Japan. Nice. No cocktail list, by design- a curious choice to me but whatever- that's thier concept.
Fourth, the Cuisine. The fried oysters were spot-on. I could eat them all day. I liked the beef brisket- it had a nice bark and a softer expression of smoke. Good texture on the collards, too. I was sorta picking, so I didn't get into the cornbread. I will have to say the leftover brisket made a fine sautee with peppers, onions and mushrooms this morning over grits.
All in all, I think this one is a winner, as everyone loves BBQ and fresh seafood. A great location, atmosphere, product and management usually portends great things...
