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Eater
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
A Candlelit Butcher Shop Is Hosting Atlanta's Most Intimate Meal
Henna Bakshi is the Regional Editor, South at Eater and an award-winning food and wine journalist with a WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) Level 3 degree. She oversees coverage in Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, the Carolinas, and Nashville. Welcome to another installment of Scene Report in Atlanta, a new column in which Eater captures the vibe of a notable Atlanta restaurant at a specific moment in time. What is usually a bustling, sun-lit cafe and butchery, with people lining up for its famous breakfast sandwich on brioche, transforms into a candlelit oasis with four seats lining the bar. Afterhours at 8:30 p.m., Kinship Butcher and Sundry co-owner Rachel Pack greets you at the door, while her husband, Myles Moody, is a buzzing shadow with pots and pans behind the meat counter. The produce light is on with fairytale eggplants and peppers on display, the cheese case beckons, and folded napkins and freshly polished wine glasses wait dramatically at the handmade bar. And that's how dinner begins. The produce section at Kinship is dimly lit during dinner. Andy Leverett Starting in September, Kinship in Virginia-Highlands will debut a 12-course tasting menu, seating just four guests per night, two weekends a month. Priced at $325, the hyper-intimate dinner showcases local ingredients and wine pairings from chef Myles Moody (formerly of Eleven Madison Park, Aska, and Blue Hill at Stone Barns) and sommelier Rachel Pack (also formerly of Aska, where the couple met). Eater got an exclusive first look at dinner. Here's what to expect. The food Most ingredients rely on what's fresh and new, but here, dishes embrace aging and fermentation. Aged and preserved fruits appear on both plate and in glass, balancing summer garden brightness with the depth of time. The first course, aptly named the Garden, is a refreshing herb bundle steeped in a chilled, foaming cucumber drink alongside a lettuce, cheese, and preserved chamomile tartelet. (The ethos is immediately very EMP and Noma.) The second is a fermented green tomato with capered coriander seeds — a revelation that coriander seeds can be salted and pickled like capers, offering tiny bursts of acid and spice. Royal red shrimp and sungold tomatoes served on Carolina Gold rice, with fermented strawberries and bay laurel. Dave Crawford Pack shows the diners a large bowl of dried spicebush, a shrub in the laurel family, that Moody has foraged locally. It has a pink peppercorn flavor, which Moody finely grates atop a croustade pastry shell filled with potato and gold koji whey. The ingredients and techniques may sound complicated, but the flavors combine effortlessly, punching at acid, deep umami, and preserved fruit and spice. One of the best dishes is one made with sungold tomatoes (skins and flesh prepared in different drying and aging techniques) and royal red shrimp served on Carolina Gold rice, with fermented strawberries and bay laurel — something you might find at Atelier Crenn in San Francisco. It is plated in a vintage swirling orange glass bowl to match the sungolds. A bowl of dried spicebush. Henna Bakshi Chef Myles Moody grates spicebush on a croustade course. Andy Leverett You can tell Moody is playing. There are courses of monkfish, quail served with grilled cream and a special lemon-pepper wet quail wing, and of course, a butcher one does not make without serving your best cut of beef. The one here is dry-aged for 40 days, served with fairytale eggplants and preserved roselle (hibiscus). The meaty beef with the sweet and tangy roselle is a true crescendo. Insider tip: Ask what leather britches are. Rachel Pack pours Champagne Piollot for the first few courses Andy Leverett The drinks Pack runs the wine and non-alcoholic pairings and does so brilliantly. The first few courses are served with biodynamic Champagne Piollot, followed by a sherry-like treasure from Spain (2021 Raul Moreno 'Destellos'), beautiful reds, and capped with a sweet ratafia from Vilmart et Cie. The non-alcoholic wines are well-sought, ranging from a gruner weiss from Austria, a floral sparkling tea from Copenhagen, and a pre-mixed cocktail called 'for bitter or for worse' from Rose City Fizz — the last is a brilliant pairing with the beef and roselle course, matching the hibiscus notes to a T. The drinks are served in Zalto glassware — one of the finest wine glasses from Austria that makes you feel like you're drinking out of thin air. Additionally, the plateware and silverware are French antiques the couple has collected over their travels. Pack's attention to detail on service, from front-of-house greetings, warm and cold towels, dish presentation, and pickup, down to the thoughtfulness of handmade menu sleeves, is like watching a ballerina perform — it's choreographed, yet natural. Insider tip: Ask Pack about the wine and its producers in detail. She's an encyclopedia. Then grab a bottle to bring home. An herb bundle is steeped in a chilled cucumber concoction for the first course. Andy Leverett Grab wine and cheese to bring home after dinner. Andy Leverett Prepare for A long dinner. Mine lasted about four hours, though with fine-tuning on pacing, it might become shorter. Take stretch breaks by checking out the fresh produce or wines on display. Moody is testing his culinary chops with gusto, though he may have a finer menu by cutting a course or two and letting the heavily orchestrated dishes have breathing room to shine. Chef Myles Moody and Rachel Pack, co-owners of Kinship Butcher and Sundry. Kathryn Ann Waller Go here for A local story. From ingredients to the people behind it. Moody and Pack run one of the best neighborhood butcher and coffee shops in town and now own Under Acre Farm in Ormewood Park in southeast Atlanta, where they'll grow muscadines, herbs, and vegetables. Seeing their fine dining past resurrect in this ode to the South is admirable. And it's all happening in a candle-lit butcher shop. Isn't that worth a visit alone?
Eater
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Visit Newcomer Peregrine for Bengali Chicken, Stay for the Red Bull Dessert
is an editor of Eater's South region, covering Atlanta, Nashville, Miami, New Orleans, and the Carolinas. She has been writing about the food scene in the Carolinas and Savannah for 12 years. Erin has resided in Charleston, South Carolina, for the past 20 years. Welcome to the first installment of Scene Report in the Carolinas, a new column in which Eater captures the vibe of a notable North or South Carolina restaurants at a specific moment in time. To describe Raleigh newcomer Peregrine as 'Southeast Asian' cuisine is too narrow, and to say 'global' is a bit broad (really, can any one restaurant represent the entire world?). Peregrine is chef Saif Rahman's life on a menu. He was born in Bangladesh, lived in Queens, married a woman from Mexico, and now lives in North Carolina. All of these cultures combine to make Peregrine, along with a handsome setting, thanks to co-owner Patrick Shanahan. The vibe: Peregrine is located in the new mixed-use development the Exchange, but the sleek interiors and verdant surroundings do a good job of erasing the memory of a 20-minute Uber from downtown Raleigh, past several strip malls, and wondering if the driver is lost. (Note: This writer worked in Raleigh in the early aughts and doesn't remember anywhere being referred to as 'Midtown.') Inside are grand arches, Roman clay walls, Moroccan lime plaster, large pots of greenery, and recessed lighting to set the scene (Shanahan is a filmmaker after all). The soundtrack is bouncy with house and disco music. The other diners are mostly couples on a date night and young professional friends out for a fancy evening. Chicken skins and bubbles. Tim Waldron What to drink: The Tokyo Highball is a refreshing start to the evening with a punch of lemon and ginger to even out the burn from the Japanese whisky. The sommelier/maitre d', Amy Ostrout, makes great recommendations. Follow whatever she tells you. The Nero d'Avola sparkling rosé ($16) is an artful pairing with the berbere-seasoned chicken skins with chicken fat aioli ($15). On the menu: If you've been following Peregrine, you've probably seen the Bengali wedding chicken ($42) all over Instagram with its menacing claw hanging off the plate — order it. If you're squeamish, ask your date to break down the half chicken, and then have a good think about where your meat really comes from. The 'yummy sauce' (their words, not ours) is indeed 'yummy' with soft notes of baking spices and richness that elevate the humble bird. The tallow-roasted carrots ($15) are a vegetarian's nightmare because the humble root vegetable is confited in beef fat. The salsa matcha (with chapulines) topping the dish is an homage to Rahman's wife's Mexican heritage. This bite will have you question: Is this really a carrot? Don't skip dessert. Pastry chef Khoi Trong Ha puts out some really fun sweets, including a truffle inspired by the gas station Sheetz — spoiler alert, it's filled with Red Bull. Go here for: An unexpected meal in an unexpected place, even if you have to tell your Uber driver, 'Yes, I'm sure this is where I'm supposed to be going.'
Eater
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Inside Evelyn, Dallas's New Steakhouse With ‘Feminine Energy,' Old Hollywood Vibes, and Plenty of Selfies
Welcome to the Scene Report, a column in which Eater captures the vibe of a notable Texas restaurant at a specific moment in time. Before Evelyn debuted in late March, it was one of the most hyped restaurant openings of the year, especially among the young and social set. That's partly due to mounds of media coverage and glitzy social media posts that showcased attractive people in a visually appealing space, promising to bring diners back to Hollywood's golden age. In a city as steak-heavy as Dallas, there's plenty of room to color outside the usual red-meat-and-mahogany box, and the team behind Evelyn didn't want to create another stuffy steakhouse, ICRAVE design manager Lisa Johnson tells Eater Dallas. Instead, they wanted a restaurant that exuded 'striking feminine energy,' offering a vibey dining experience with good music and space to dance. So Dallas-based Reach Hospitality, the group behind the Mexican, Black Tap, and Pie Tap, hired ICRAVE, the firm responsible for big-name restaurants including Catch and STK, to rethink the classic steakhouse experience. In this case, that translated into a lot of soft upholstery, blush tones, and artwork featuring women — some portraits depicting faces, others snapshots of clothed bodies dancing, clinking glasses, and crossing their legs. The goal for the menu was to capture the essence of classic Hollywood steakhouses, with steaks, seafood, martinis, and wine. But how does Evelyn's substance stack up to its style? Eater Dallas paid the Design District restaurant a visit to find out. The Vibe Evelyn is more than just the name; it's an homage to a fictional Hollywood starlet, Johnson says. 'We developed the persona around Evelyn,' she explains. 'You're never fully exposed to her identity, but you get hints of her throughout the space,' which features three separate rooms and a choose-your-own-adventure feel. Enter through the Ruby Room, a red and gold bar area that welcomes diners with tables flanking an oval-shaped bar. The Piano Room, a more subdued dining area featuring an actual piano, welcomes diners with inviting rose-colored banquettes and soft music playing on the sound system. Photographs line the walls depicting a coquettish Evelyn, or parts of her — a leg in one shot, lips in another. Room Seven, the most high-energy space, features a dining area with a separate bar, a massive disco ball hanging overhead, and room for people to drink, mingle, and dance. From its multi-room setup to the music and design, Evelyn is built for fun and photos. When my wife and I visited at 8 p.m. for dinner on a Friday around six weeks after its opening, the bar buzzed with people, and nearly every table was full. Women noticeably outnumbered men, with several groups seemingly there to celebrate bachelorette parties or birthdays. Others seemed to be there to simply enjoy the ambiance as they sipped cocktails, dined on oysters and steak, and snapped photos. Some, however, looked lost. At one point, three men in polos wandered up to the bar, ordered beers, and exchanged confused glances, perhaps realizing this wasn't the scene they imagined. They slipped out after one drink. A return visit a couple of weeks later with some friends on a Saturday night found a similar crowd. The restaurant was full from end to end, and as the night drew on, more people made their way onto the dance floor, swaying their bodies to the loud but not conversation-killing combination of '70s and '80s beats. The Food Given the notably untraditional vibes, Evelyn feels more like a restaurant with a lot of steak than an actual steakhouse. We started with a half-dozen fresh and briny oysters paired with a trio of sauces: Champagne mignonette, cocktail sauce, and sinus-clearing horseradish. Next up were the wagyu cheesesteak bites. Evelyn's playful take on a Philly cheesesteak was topped with melty Provolone Mornay, caramelized onions, and black truffle shavings and served with a side of pickled peppers that brightened the rich flavors. Though the cheesesteak bites were a hit, the dish was so filling that splitting the two mini sandwiches and still ordering steaks afterwards might have been too ambitious. The BLT wedge salad was crisp and comforting — exactly what you want when ordering a salad that barely qualifies as a vegetable. For entrees, our waiter suggested the spinalis (rib-eye cap), a cut that rarely appears on Dallas menus. Cooked to our preferred medium rare, the steak was tender and juicy. We paired it with the prawn primavera, a pasta dotted with olives, tomatoes, capers, and artichokes. The menu didn't mention the buttery sauce, so it was richer than expected, but the linguine and prawns were cooked just right. Not everything was a winner. Despite my high threshold for salt, our side of asparagus was so coated in seasoning that we had to scrape it off to eat it. The Chocolate Decadence dessert, studded with crunchy chocolate pearls, was gorgeous when it hit the table, but once the server broke it open with a knife and drizzled chocolate sauce on top, it lost its visual appeal, looking less like a dessert and more like a mound of dirt. The flavor was chocolatey and decadent as described, but that was the only note it hit. The Drinks Martinis are a hallmark of the drinks menu, which includes a Vesper, an espresso martini, and a signature house martini. This cold, clean, and well-balanced sip features a combination of gin, vermouth, and a complementing dash of white balsamic vinegar. During my visit, it was presented on a tray with an empty glass, an ice bowl with a mini carafe nestled inside, and two garnishes — lemon peel and olives. In a show of unexpected hospitality, the bartender replaced my glass with fresh ice-cold stemware when I was halfway through with my drink, ensuring the last few sips were as frosty as the first. If you want to splurge, the Price of Fame is the most indulgent martini on the menu. Made with saffron-infused Nolet's Reserve gin, dry vermouth, black truffle bitters, and caviar-stuffed olives, this cocktail costs a cool $150, reasonable considering the pricey gin and accoutrements. It's still an exercise of excess, of course, but arguably more fun and interesting than paying $150 for a glass of wine or scotch. Diners can also expect riffs on original cocktails, including the margarita and Old Fashioned, plus around 20 wines by the glass, plenty more in bottles, and a few beers. The Verdict Evelyn's is by no means a cheap night out, but apart from obvious splurges like caviar and that extra-fancy martini, the costs are in line with other upscale restaurants and steakhouses in Dallas. While the restaurant's particular brand of energy might not be for everyone, it's an undeniably fun place to celebrate. If you enjoy glamorous crowds, high-end vibes, and you don't mind a few selfies around your steak, Evelyn belongs on your list. Sign up for our newsletter.
