The Cirque Menu
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Cuisine Style: Southern
Dined in November 2012
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
+(640x480).jpg)
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Cuisine Style: Southern
Dined in November 2012
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
 |
| Image Courtesy of jumponmarkslist.com |
There are only two things better on a day that you are
preparing to go to a Cirque du Soleil show, and those things are eating a damn good meal
before you go, and having family with
you to eat that food, drink the wine, then go to the show. The down side is
that it was winter, and extremely cold. Worst was, I was on holiday from
Afghanistan where it was bitter cold, and I was looking forward to warmer
weather. Georgia rarely has a real winter, but man, it was cold. What happened
to this global warming thing that people have been talking about for the past
fifteen years? I could have shore used it on the day I ate at the Lobby Bar and Bistro in
Atlanta, and watched Totem, the name of the Cirque show afterward.
Follow Wine, dine, and Play:
Chef:
 |
| Chef Russell Hays - Image courtesy of Facebook |
 |
| Nick Oltarsh - courtesy of starchefs.com |
Food price per person (excluding gratuity)
Price chart:
$ - Under $50.00 USD
$$ - Under $75.00 USD
$$$ - Over $100.00 USD
$$$$ - Over $200.00 USD
$$$$$- Over $400.00 USD
My food bill:
|
Currency :
|
Price chart :
|
$62.00
|
USD
|
$
|
£38.29
|
GBP
|
£
|
€44.95
|
EUR
|
€
|
Scroll down below the main
review to see cost of wines and tasting notes.
From restaurants home page:
Recognized on Conde Nast Traveler’s “Hot List”, “Best Hotel
Dining” by Atlanta Magazine and named one of the “Top 50 Restaurants in
Atlanta” by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Lobby Bar and Bistro is a stylish
yet casual modern American bistro that entices guests with its tempting aromas
and alluring atmosphere. Behind Lobby Bar and Bistro are Bob Amick and Todd
Rushing of Concentrics Restaurants that brought restaurants ONE Midtown Kitchen, TWO
Urban Licks, Flip Burger Bar, and Piebar.
Main review:
I used to live in Atlanta many years ago, and outside of
Charleston, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, that city rounds up the top
five of some of the best restaurants I have had the pleasure to eat at in the
United States. One restaurant I wanted to go back to visit was The Lobby Bar
and Bistro in Midtown Atlanta, a.k.a Atlantic Station, a really hip area where
you can work, live, and play within a few steps. Since I was working in
Afghanistan it made it difficult to go back any time I wanted. So I made
arrangement when I knew that I would be back in the states, called my brother,
and we arrived. Outside of food, one of the main forms of entertainment I enjoy
is the cirque du Soleil, and they had a show playing in Atlantic Station. So my
brother and I ate, and went to enjoy the show. The Lobby is part of a larger
restaurant group that includes some great Atlanta restaurants, FLIP being among one of my
favorites. The restaurant was attached to the lobby of The Twelve, a hotel and
condo complex, right next to the heart of all shopping and entertainment in
Atlantic Station.
 |
| Shrimp and Grits |
 |
| smoked corn chowder soup |
 |
| Tempura Chicken |
My brother and I sat at the bar, the show began at 8:00 PM,
and it was only five, so we had lots of time to kill. We looked at the menu’s,
and I began by ordering a bottle of Cabernet from Vino Robles Winery (Scroll down to see wine tasting notes). Besides
the main menu they had a special three-course menu titled the Totem Cirque du Soleil
Menu, which sold me without even really looking at it. My brother stuck to the
main menu. The Totem tasting menu came with separate choices for all courses,
thus not limiting you to one item only per course, which I enjoyed. My first
course was a Tempura Chicken with a mushroom cilantro aioli, followed by smoked
corn chowder soup, then for the third and final course, a seared salmon with
bok choy, jasmine rice, and lemongrass-tomato broth. My brother started with the same soup I had,
and for his entrée had the Flat Iron steak with butternut squash, broccoli, and
a drizzle of soy demi-glace. It was a perfect meal to fill us up before the
show. The service was excellent and very attentive, and the Chef came out to
say hello when we were midway through our menu. When he heard I was a Chef
working in Afghanistan, he had brought out a few items off the menu such as an
old southern classic, Shrimp and Grits. I had made the same dish for my Brother
and his wife that previous summer, and they both fell in love with it. It’s
funny, when I’m up north or out west, I rarely see the Chef come out and touch
the tables, but down south it is a normal practice, that I did very often
myself when I worked in Atlanta. I guess I became accustomed to it, and didn’t
notice it until it didn’t happen. The only exception was eating at Fleur de Lys in
San Francisco, where Chef Robert Keller did come out, and sit down, having a
ten minute conversation with me on food, so that was a wonderful exception to
the rule.
 |
| seared salmon |
 |
| Flat Iron steak |
Review basics:
Star rating by Wine, Dine, & Play:
|
2 of 5
|
Quality of food:
|
7 of 10
|
Presentation:
|
6 of 10
|
Wine selections by region:
Scroll below the main review section to see the tasting notes of the wines chosen.
|
6 of 10
Old world:
Loire, Bordeaux, & Champagne, France;
Germany, & Italy;
New World:
Mendoza, & Patagonia, Argentina;
New Zealand;
Sonoma, Napa, Paso robles, & Monterey, California;
Oregon; & Washington;
|
Customer service:
|
7 of 10
|
Ambiance:
|
6 of 10
|
Corkage fee’s:
|
Restaurant standard is $25.00 per bottle
|
Restaurant style:
|
Casual
|
Dress code:
|
business casual, Smart, or Casual attire
|
Reservations:
|
Not Required, (make reservations through opentable.com, or by contacting the restaurant directly. See contact info below the review section)
|
Walk-ins:
|
Accepted
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance. Hire a Babysitter.
|
Cuisine style:
|
Contemporary, Lounge, American, Southern
|
Experiences:
|
Place for foodies, Lounge, Business parties, Hot spot, Great bar, Scenic views, Classy
|
Music styles:
|
Background instrumental, band on Friday’s
|
Gratuities:
|
Industry standard is 18-20% added to parties of 6 or more
|
Credit cards:
|
AMEX, MasterCard, & Visa
|
Parking:
|
Public lot: 0-2 Hours free, 2-3 Hours $4.00 & $2.00 for every hour after (7,200 parking spaces)
|
Transport options:
| |
Wi-Fi:
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
|
Noise level:
|
Low
|
Smoking:
|
Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
|
Patio:
|
yes
|
Cost of wines and other
alcoholic beverages:
$56.00
Tasting Notes:
Wine & Grape:
|
Nose (Bouquet):
|
Palette Experience:
|
Cherry and dark currants with hints of licorice and fine
tobacco
81% Cabernet, 19% Petit Verdot
|
Medium-bodied; smooth tannins and lasting fruit on the
finish
|
Restaurant address:
361 17th Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30363
Neighborhood:
Midtown
Cross streets:
State Street & Atlantic Drive NW
Contact Information:
Maître d, reservations
|
(404) 961-7370
|
Website:
|
|
Email:
|
|
Online
Reservations :
|
|
Social media:
|
Hours:
Breakfast:
Monday - Friday: 6:30 am
- 10:30
Saturday - Sunday 8:00 am
- 10:30 am
Lunch:
Monday - Sunday: 11:30 am
- 2:30 pm
Dinner:
Monday - Sunday: 6:00 pm
- 10:00 pm
Lounge:
Monday-Thursday 11:00 pm
Friday & Saturday:
12:00 am
Eastern Standard Time (GMT -4:00)
Review by:
Chef Sean Overpeck (CFE)
+(640x480).jpg)
"Culinary perfection
consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things
extraordinarily well."
