Kaleidoscope - The Review...

I guess you can say we have been pretty excited about Kaleidoscope coming to our neighborhood.  Chef Joey Riley has been a strong presence in great Atlanta restaurants for well over a decade and we have waited with great anticipation to see what he will serve up in his own spot.  After we first heard about it last summer, it seemed like it would never open - we were taunted while walking by, constantly peering in to see how construction was progressing.  Finally when it did open at the end of December, it was packed so full of people, we stayed away; envying those inside but not yet ready to brave the wait for the table (they don't take reservations).  But in the months that it has been open we have been inside a couple times (for quick burgers and beers), and the other night, finally had our first blog-able meal.  

On a Friday night at 7:00, to our surprise we were seated immediately.  I must say, the atmosphere inside is awesome.  Some might find it loud, but it is true of a pub environment and creates a wonderful buzz about the restaurant.  We started with drinks - their wine list is extensive, and they offered some specialty cocktails...but you gotta drink beer at a pub!  The draught beer list wasn't lengthy, but it contained some well selected brews that were easy to pick from.  After our drinks arrived, we each started with a "first impression" aka - appetizer.  Malory couldn't turn down the special: broccoli bisque with grated sharp cheddar - one of the highlights of the night- creamy, rich, and delicious.  I decided on the Thai Style Beef Jerky which was a tad bit salty, but still very flavorful jerky marinated in a Thai lime sauce (both above).

For my main course, I went with the dinner special (they just sounded so good!): fried local catfish, collards with bacon, slaw, and hushpuppies (above).  The catfish was fresh and perfectly cooked - light and flaky, and the collards were the perfect complement- crisp, sweet, and creamy.  This dish was our second favorite of the night.  Malory ordered the short ribs- the meat was tender and juicy and the pearl onions and fingerling potatoes were a nice addition to the "roast".  

I guess we were feeling particularly adventurous, or maybe just the waiter did a great job selling it (that never happens...), but we decided on a dessert.  We don't usually indulge ourselves, but after hearing about this S'more brownie (above), we couldn't turn it down.  Graham cracker crust, with a layer of chocolate brownie topped with melted marshmallow, this dish was a unique take on the campfire treat.  

While we had some standout favorites, we really enjoyed all of the dishes.  We've been scared about the crowd for some time (nobody likes waiting an hour for a table then 20 minutes at the bar trying to get a drink!), but to be honest, they had ample seating (even more so when the weather turns nice... huge outside patio!)  The majority of crowd is hanging out at the bar, which is all you can really see from the street... so don't be deterred. We have also been a little weary that the price tag would possibly hinder us from making this a typical Friday night hang out, but the menu has a $20 ceiling that keeps you from running the bill too high.  We were greatly impressed with all that we experienced and cannot wait to go out and try it again.  Hope to see you there!