As much as I love a dining adventure, Billy and I have fallen into a routine of going to the same areas of town for Date Nights. Lately, our default has been Buford Highway for assorted ethnic fare (Sushi Hayakawa, Stone Bowl House, et al) or Mid-town for the "foodie locations." We'll pop up to Roswell or explore Inman Park, but Decatur and downtown Atlanta never seem to get our attention; both areas feel logistically challenging. Fortunately, last weekend we ignored "the usual" and decided to see for ourselves if the positive buzz around the new restaurant, White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails, was legit.

Our first surprise was how NON-challenging it was to get there. Of course, there wasn't any huge convention in town and the Tech game was earlier in the day, but the experience was also easy because the restaurant has free valet parking- which is unusual for downtown spots. Points for logistics.

Next, we were instantly charmed by the ambiance of the space. The bar area is paneled in enormous pieces of White Oak (used to age whiskey and wine) while a back room is made with wood from charred white oak (also used in the aging process) and the entire space is opened with large glass windows. Gorgeous! More points!!

The main event is, of course, the food. I try to resist the bread at restaurants, but when they serve the carbs with homemade peach preserves, I fall like a house of cards. Yummy!The tomato salad was topped with a delicious square of feta cheese and perfectly dressed - though I was sorta hoping for Heirloom tomatoes! However, the BEST part of the salad was the little basil shortbread cookies. I admit, the description isn't appetizing, but I was ready to invade the kitchen to grab a stash to take home! Billy had the Mushroom salad with assorted local mushrooms. This dish makes my short list of favorite things to eat in Atlanta. As much as I loved my basil cookies, Billy clearly had the "winning" dish.For our entrees I ordered the Flounder with little neck clams, Brussels sprouts and succotash. Wow! Wow! Wow! I appreciate when a chef uses a light hand with the salt, but adds just enough flavor to enhance the fish. My entree met all of those criteria, and I couldn't have enjoyed it more.Billy brought his "man card" with him and ordered the Pork Belly Trio. This dish serves pork three ways: sweet, spicy, and savory. My favorite was savory, but the variety of preparations was a nice touch since you feel like you're sampling three distinct dishes. I just wish my pictures were brighter!!

We also ordered a side of grits which I enjoyed. As Billy says, that means they are "high flying" grits since I usually avoid all things from hominy.

Although one meal doesn't provide enough data points for making a permanent call on this new eatery, I am SUPER excited to go back to White Oak. It has all the potential of being a new Phenix favorite!

Have any of you been? Let me know about your experience and what dishes you recommend!!