Do you ever feel like all of the restaurants in Atlanta start to blend together? The food is good but not outstanding. It's a pleasant meal but $100 later, was it even that special?
My husband and I took my grandmother to one of our favorite French restaurants in Atlanta last night. We love Social (12 W Peachtree Pl; http://www.socialintown.com/) for a variety of reasons. It is located on a one-way street in downtown Atlanta that you would never even know was there. There are a few tables set up on the sidewalk that give it a tiny European flair. When you walk into the inviting cafe, 9 times out of 10 the owner will be standing there to greet you. The restaurant itself is long and narrow, the walls are decorated in yellow, black & white subway tiles and chalkboards have the daily specials written on them. It truly evokes the essence of NYC. The restaurant has two floors but we have always dined downstairs at one of the bartop tables because we find them more accessible and casual. The upstairs tends to be more upscale, quiet and romantic. All of the wait staff and bartenders are from various European countries and have beautiful accents. You truly do not feel like you are in Atlanta anymore.
As far as the menu goes, almost everything we have tried has been wonderful. The highlights of the menu that keep us going back have to be the mussels and the wine list. This is one of the only places in Atlanta that I know of where you can find carafe wine. It is the perfect amount for 2 people and is absolutely wonderful. In Europe, the sidewalk cafes all have carafe wines from their own private family vineyards. At Social, as much as I wish that it came from some special vineyard, it comes from a carefully selected bottle, but I must say all of the wines we have tried have been excellent. Not to mention, the wine list is extremely reasonable with most of the prices ranging from $24-$36 per bottle. Last night we went for a wonderful Cotes du Rhone. It was the perfect choice for the charcuterie plate with spiced soppressata we started off with. The meat was thinly sliced with a slight kick and served with dates on the side. We also ordered the mussels, which lay bathing in a delicious creamy Pernod broth with shaved fennel and shallots. Ask the waiter for a basket of bread and you will have discovered a slight piece of heaven. My husband ordered the grilled salmon, which was encrusted and then drizzled with a lemon herb sauce, while my grandmother and I both opted for the veal cheeks over pappardelle pasta with cherry tomatoes. I must say the salmon was absolutely delicious while our dish lacked a little flavor.
Here are some good tips to know before you go. Parking is tough since it is in downtown Atlanta. Take a lap and see if you can find on-street parking in front of the restaurant or on one of the side streets. If not, there is a pay lot before you get to the restaurant. Be sure to put your money in the pay lot box. Do not give it to a homeless guy pretending to work for the parking lot. Also, the restaurant is currently selling $25 gift certificates on restaurant.com, normally priced at $10 but if you're lucky enough to find a coupon code, you can sometimes get them for $2-$5 instead. The gift certificate is valid any night of the week with a $35 minimum purchase excluding alcohol. Finally, Social has specials on certain nights of the week for $15 at the bar. Monday night, try one of their pasta dishes with a house glass of wine. Tuesdays is my favorite: "Steak and frites" with a glass of wine. Wednesday night enjoy mussels, pomme frites and a Stella. And if you are feeling daring, on Saturday nights for $20, let the chef surprise you with a two-course dinner and glass of wine.
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