King + Duke Restaurant Review: Atlanta
We decided that it might be nice to start doing reviews of restaurants when we go out, especially newer restaurants or ones that just catch our eye for one reason or another.
As many of our followers know, we went to King + Duke for Melissa’s birthday last weekend. It’s located in the same place where Nava was on the corner of Peachtree and W.Paces Ferry and is Chef Ford Fry’s latest concept in the Atlanta area and his first in Buckhead. Chef Joseph Schafer runs the kitchen. It is supposed to be kind of like a colonial American tavern with a huge wood stove where most of their meats are prepared.
I will come right out and say that the outside patio and dining area alone are reasons enough to go there, even if it’s just for drinks and apps. There is an outside bar, lots of sofas and comfortable chairs to sit on and an abundance of shade. Even though they don’t have a fully stocked bar outside, it was stocked well enough. We both ordered some vodka drinks (Stoli) and they were delicious, not too stiff, not too watered down.
Now for the food. Instead of a typical bread basket, they served white cheddar popovers. They were, in a word…..ridiculous!!! After we savored our popovers, we started with the deviled eggs and candied lamb belly. Most of you who know me are thinking, “well Denise just ate the popovers.” Wrong!! I left the deviled eggs for the rest of the table since they just really aren’t my thing anyway (besides, they gave us three, even though there were four of us, which we all found odd). Even though I didn’t eat the deviled eggs, everyone said they were fabulous. Onto the lamb belly. Have I had lamb before? If you call eating a gyro having lamb, then yes. Otherwise, no. It was amazing!! Of course, it was lamb bacon so why wouldn’t it be! It was served with sheep’s milk feta, marinated cucumbers and warm flat bread.
I ordered the Gum Creek Pork Roast. It was served 2 ways and came with braised spring Vidalia onions, charred kale and sour cherry. The entire dish was excellent. There was really nothing to complain about. My husband ordered the bone-in NY Strip which was cooked perfectly and delicious. Melissa had Mississippi rabbit which was served 4 different ways. She thought her dish was phenominal. I actually tried a small piece of rabbit for the first time. It was very good, but I won’t lie…I still thought of Thumper. Melissa’s husband ordered the Hearth Roasted Fish of the Moment. Another winner!!
The sauce that came with our toffee bread pudding thing-a-ma-jig did us all in. If we were in the comfort of our own homes, we probably would have licked the plate dry. Chrysta Poulos (pastry chef) did an outstanding job on that one!
So, if you are looking for a new place to go for an amazing dinner, or a fun atmosphere for Happy Hour, give King + Duke a try. You won’t be disappointed.
Overall rating:
5 wine glasses
Rating scale:
5 wine glasses = Outstanding, a MUST
4 wine glasses = Highly Recommend
3 wine glasses = Put on your long list
2 wine glasses = We hope to never have a 2, so it’s not defined yet
1 wine glass = We know we will never have a 1 but if we do we just won’t write about it. Too many lawyers in this town!