Restaurant Review - Lure
"If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there would be a shortage of fishing poles."Doug Larson
I have a friend who owns a small restaurant in town and her brother-in-law is a chef. As a result, she and I talk about food A LOT. A few months ago she started talking about the new fish restaurant in midtown, Lure. She knows how I like the food at The Optimist, but kept insisting that the best fish place in town was Lure. Then this month's Knife & Fork arrived and Christiane Lauterbach was raving about the place, so I was anxious to get there
After several attempts to make logistics work, Billy and I finally had a date night there last weekend. Happily, the restaurant matched the reviews, and now I can't wait to go back!
One word of warning - make sure you have reservations. If you can't get a time online and you call, the host will tell you they save 30% of their tables for walk-in traffic. Don't be fooled by the percentage. 30% goes fast and while we were waiting to be seated, we saw multiple parties stop by and get the "90 minute" quote for a seat. Don't be that party!
Also, don't bring picky eaters here unless they've reviewed the menu first and can find something they like. This is a great place to experiment and you don't want to be dining with someone who is looking for grilled chicken with everything on the side. No one will be happy at that point! For instance, I started with the steak tartare with a puree of eggplant and soy sauce that was In.Cred.I.Ble. My previous favorite for this dish was the version at Rathbun's Steak, but Lure wins now. I don't have a picture to share (sad face!).
Billy ordered the calamari and it was fine if you like fried calamari. There was no amazing sauce or anything else particularly noteworthy of the dish, so when I return, I'll stick with the more unique dishes.
Also in the fried family and MUCH tastier than the calamari were the fried Ipswich clam bellies. This dish would do any New England restaurant proud.The winner of the evening for the most unusually delightful dish was the grilled octopus and pork lettuce wraps. The fish and pork are perfectly cooked, but the star of the dish is the sauce which is slightly spicy and sweet. When you fill the wrap with some glass noodles and savory herbs you end up with perfection. Messy perfection, to be sure, but fantastic taste. Order This Dish. (You're welcome.)Billy opted for the scallop entree with butternut squash puree, mushrooms, and kale. I'm not generally a kale fan, but when this leafy veggie is in the right chef's hands, I'm thinking I need to rethink my bias. Still, the star of the show was perfectly cooked scallops which were sweet and tasty. If I wasn't completely happy with my wraps, I would have had order envy.Finally, we wrapped up our evening with a little apple pie. Solid choice, but I still kind of wish I had tried the pumpkin biscotti. I've got a pumpkin thing.I'm so excited Atlanta is "beefing" up its seafood dining options and based on the crowds at Lure and The Optimist, I'm not alone. Can't wait to hear about your experience.