Sunday, October 19, 2008
Restaurants Terrific literary-themed, post-MJQ gastro-pub opens
Posted by Cliff Bostock @cliffbostock on Sun, Oct 19, 2008 at 3:52 AM
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.
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