Little Bacch

I took my fiance and friend here a birthday and the special requests were accommodated without failure. Impressive but now expected from a Quatrano restaurant. The interior was homely; even rustic. Leather couch seats and marble tables. Beautiful and tasteful. There's an aged cupboard which held glassware but it only added to the overall atmosphere. The house-made cultured butter with sea salt is creamy and delicious. None of that rock butter. Spread that golden paste on their warmed sourdough bread and now you're golden. Quite remarkable, it was. Some uncultured self-made "food-critics" on Yelp bashed the oyster rockefellers. I didn't see an issue with them since our waiter, RJ, explained to us that these were not prepared your typical way. If you pay attention to what the waiter tells you, there are no "tricks/gimmicks". Yelp; how typical. The charcuterie was phenomenal. I didn't take to the Italian sausage much; a pity considering that I love Italian meats but the heated rabbit sausage and spiced salami made up for it ten-fold. There was also a wonderful spoonful of fresh mustard seeds (The kind eludes my mind). My guests had the 28-day dry-aged ribeye while I the parchment baked grouper. I must say, while the steak was good it did not best the grouper. Even though it was cooked sous vide before given the sear, the steak just didn't have the outside crust that gives it that nice, barely charred flavor without being bitter. And while it was recommended medium-rare, I feel that those who wish to try it should opt for medium to medium-rare-plus. If you aren't into red meats, then go for the fish - though, by the time you go, it will probably be something different but I suspect no less savory. For dessert, we had the chocolate souffle and quince/buttermilk tart. I'm not sure where people get the idea that a souffle has to be thoroughly cooked (once more, couch-potato-food-critic yelp reviewers strike) but surely even THEY must understand that they ordered a souffle and not a cake or pie. A properly made souffle will seem slightly under-cooked in the middle. Poor souls clearly never tasted a proper souffle before. They should stick to their Cheesecake Factory desserts (no crime to enjoy these but I at least understand that THESE are not souffles). Taste wise? Beautiful and rich. It was fluffy; a warm, chocolate center of ooze that wasn't runny, encased by the sugar-powder coated chocolate cloud. Best part is that its served as is. No overbearing sauce was poured over to ruin its texture or flavors. What about the tart, you ask? Well, it's a tart. You either make it right or you don't. Though it's certainly no souffle . . . They served the Black Sail mixed-tea drinks here from Bacchanalia. But it was a hit or miss depending on whether they used a lemon piece or an orange peel (orange peel is much better if you ask me). I used the lemon pieces to flavor my water instead. I shan't be wasteful in this restaurant! Final addendum: Don't come to Little Bacch expecting to find a mini-Bacchanalia. They are two completely different animals. One is larger and accommodating; one is smaller and intimate. One is extravagant and open; one takes a microscopic approach to dining and has a menu to reflect that. Overall, I'd give Little Bacch more credit than the dolts from Yelp do. The food was par with Bacchanalia. The service was exemplary (kudos to RJ). The location is a tad inconvenient given that you have to walk down some stairs past the open courtyard of another restaurant (JCT Kitchen). Space is hard to come by in Atlanta. I had one major qualm about Little Bacch, which was the restroom. It was located outside the restaurant, through a key-pad door (unlocked), and in a hallway. It took me out of the experience of the restaurant, which is bad. For an intimate restaurant, the restroom being far away is a bit of a tragedy and paradox. Hence, 4 stars. Do try Little Bacch. It won't be around for much longer, sadly. And despite what those Yelper dolts will try to have you believe . . . It's not because of the souffles.

The food was excellent and the service top notch! The wait might be a bit long on Saturday evenings so it is best to make a reservation.