oh, yes, y’all. late lunch this afternoon, due to random west coast calls. work is slow at the moment and i just couldn’t bear to go grab something and eat at my desk. late is actually the perfect time to go to a lot of restaurants and get awesome service and an awesome experience. White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails is no exception. even though it’s downstairs from my office, i’ve never actually eaten there. i know. i can’t believe it either.
i grabbed a seat at the bar and put myself in the capable hands of my bartender, Tim. for a couple hours (:/), he became my buddy and partner in crime, beginning with a little help in selecting my meal. i was torn between the steak salad and lamb burger. thanks to not much arm twisting (oh, that devilish smile), i ended up with the burger. obvs. and OMFG. this thing was ridiculous, y’all. much as i love my meat, i don’t really get that tweaked about burgers. thanks to a restaurateur friend who was looking into opening a burger restaurant in Atlanta, i think i’ve tried every single one of them from Holeman & Finch to Yeah! Burger, Bocado, Flip, Farm Burger . . . all of them. really. of all of them, my favorite is honestly the Black & Blue burger at The Vortex. but that’s another post i never finished . . .
anyhoo. lamb. burger. wow. y’all, it’s topped with pimento cheese and fried green tomatoes! i ate the whole thing. and a good number of the perfectly seasoned fries. ugh. but yum. to wash it all down, i chose the Red Hop Rye from Second Self Beer Company (which i hadn’t actually heard of!) right here in Atlanta. totally solid IPA that i plan on adding to my usual house selection if i can find it in a store (along with Sweetwater, Monday Night and Red Brick).
Tim had my back the entire time. there might have even been a bourbon shot at some point. hey, y’all, it was Thursday afternoon. and like i said, Tim and i were bonding.
the space itself is totally light, open and airy. with white marble bartops and a classic bistro feel, mixed with modern lighting fixtures and more factory-look metal bar chairs, you know you’re somewhere upscale, where setting the mood is definitely not an afterthought. one of my favorite features, though, is the giant windows that let in so much light. just gorgeous.
truth: it’s kinda pricey for lunch (entrees average about $15), but so worth it all. go on the company dime next time you’re downtown. i was having a really good day and was happy to treat myself. next time, i think i might just get all the small plates and a bottle of wine and call it an afternoon. y’all in?
anyway, totally delish lunching. definitely check out White Oak if you’re in downtown Atlanta. and ping me if you do — i’m just upstairs!
bonnes noshes, y’all!