To cap off the Atlanta feasts of Spring 2017, I wanted to save one of the best until last of this trip; West Egg Cafe. It's located in the Westside Provisions District where Yeah! Burger, Brash Coffee, several clothes and homeware shops are as well. It's a really nice place to walk around on a Sunday afternoon but with that, West Egg Cafe is a very popular place, especially on Sundays. You can't book ahead and you should be prepared to wait over an hour to get a table around brunch time, onwards. But, they have some nice places to sit outside and wait, which many people seem to do, with a nice drink in hand, relaxing in the sun.
We went in on a Monday, which was a lot quieter. Inside, it's like a small warehouse area, with a lovely bar and decent sized coffee area and you can choose to sit inside or outside. We always opted for outside (yes, we went more than once within my week visit), and it's got a great view of the street for some people watching.
They immediately bring you a bottle of cold water, which is always a thoughtful touch I think all restaurants should have, and they had excellent service - every time. Very friendly and helpful. I started with a cappuccino (again, I don't what it is but just like Brash Coffee - it's an odd looking cappuccino and almost a mix between a latte and flat white), but it was the best tasting coffee I had this trip. The coffee was strong and flavourful and would go back just for that. Their shortbread on the side is also a delicious touch.
The menu is a great size, offering a good Southern selections from either all-day breakfast or lunch, for you to choose from. We both went with the blue plate - I got the pork links, skillet potatoes, toast and scrambled eggs. I'm always keen to taste sausages in the US - from decent places - because coming from having great British sausages, I want to see if there are any near alternatives to settle my cravings. These were actually quite nice and it all went together really well. The potatoes had an excellent crisp on them, and the eggs were cooked beautifully.
My boyfriend's options of the blue plate were roasted garlic grits, bacon, biscuit and the addition of one of their sour cream pancakes with spiced honey butter. It was all delicious! I have never been a fan of grits - they've just tasted like very gritty, tasteless, mushy porridge (sorry Southerners!) - but I was turned completely around by these. The garlic wasn't overpowering and they were incredibly creamy, with no obvious gritty sand element in them at all. Their popular sour cream pancakes were very light with really great flavour. You could taste the difference the sour cream made, and we would definitely get them again.
Our second visit was equally a great experience. My boyfriend tried the Belgian waffle with a side of cheesy eggs and bacon. The waffle was exactly what it should've been and tasted great.
I went with a lunch option - the fried egg sandwich. Wow. First of all, it was a behemoth (I had the second half for dinner). Secondly, it was mouth-watering. Toasted challah, fried eggs with melted cheese, field greens, red onion, bacon, mayo, and tomato jam. It's just a great combination and something you have to try. The tomato jam and red onion really brings it all together, cutting through the cheddar and bacon, then the light (but devilishly filling) buttery, toasted challah to 'sandwich' it all together, just creates an impressive feed for your taste buds.
Finally, I wanted to mention CinéBistro in Brookhaven. My boyfriend and I have been here a few times and it makes for such a lovely Friday night (or any other night). It's a really well done-up cinema, with a bar and projected screen on the brick wall behind in the main area, to sit and watch before you go into the film or have your dinner there. Inside the theatres, the chairs are a lot bigger than the typical cinema - basically lounge chairs - and have attached, moveable tables. You can order in the theatre where there are very attentive waiters, and order what you want (mains, drinks or just snacks). They then bring it all out to you just before the film starts, which is a bit of a pain if you have a hot starter and main because one is bound to get cold - it also can get a bit crowded on your table - but I get that it's a bit unavoidable). You have to get there before the film starts to avoid the waiters disturbing everyone, otherwise, you can order from a window in the main area and wait for it there.
It's a bit of a pricey evening but I think it's worth it, mainly because the food is actually pretty good. We've tried several dishes at this cinema and they've all been quite well-rated. My boyfriend went with the spicy fried chicken and waffles and I went with the orecchiette with parmesan broth, housemade Italian sausage and chillies. Both were very tasty and mine was surprisingly so. The broth was very flavourful and light, bringing it together nicely.
To join the West Egg movement, see what's on offer here.
For a dinner and movie night, check out CinéBistro's offerings here.