A Piece of Paris in Buckhead

I decided to give Anis a try based on my scoutmob deal.  I am cheap I know but I enjoy fine dining and am young so I do not have a lot of disposable income.  My reason for going out was to celebrate a late valentines day with my girlfriend Caitlin.  It was a surprise for her.  We had 7:30 reservations and the restaurant was packed.   A table was not available to us for about twenty minutes.  I could harp on this but its Friday night in Buckhead it’s to be expected.  Although I must mention that a couple who came in significantly later was seated before us.  C’est la vie.  They must have known someone because they received extra attention.  Plus the guy was carrying a man purse (murse as I call them) so maybe he was Indiana Jones.  That aside I must say the atmosphere was wonderful.  The restaurant is a quaint house off of a side street in Buckhead.  There is outdoor seating which for an unseasonably warm February night was great.  The music was live from a pretty decent band.  We sat down and were immediately waited on.  We each ordered a glass of wine which was slightly pricey but very good. 

As an appetizer we ordered the Coquilles St. Jacques.  A bread basket was brought to the table,  it was decent bread but nothing special.  Out comes our appetizer.  Let me say that if you are looking for large portions you are better off going to a chain restaurant.  The plate had three perfectly bronzed scallops on a bed of mushrooms with a sweet truffle honey.  The scallops were flawless from the texture to the moistness and the color on the sear was how they are meant to be plated.  

For our entrees my girlfriend ordered what she thought was the bistro steak from pointing at the menu but ended up being the Filet of Beef Au Poivre.  Her steak was ordered medium and came out slightly medium rare but in my opinion all steaks should be rare to medium rare especially a filet.  There was a nice char on the steak which gave it hints of a nice smoky flavor.  Being a southern boy I was a huge fan.  There is nothing I like more than smoky charred flavor.  Her potatoes were well cooked they could have used something to make them stand out a little more on the dish, maybe a fresh herb.

 I opted for the special which was Duck leg confit with a ragout of lentils.  Let me point out my opinion on lentils is pretty low.  However, my love of all things duck overruled my hatred.  The lentils were as good as lentils can be they were well seasoned and had immense flavor but I would have been more satisfied with some haricot verts.  The duck was the star of this show.  It fell off of the bone it was so tender and juicy.  It had the aroma and flavor of garlic that did not over power the dish but took it to another level.  There is nothing not to love about legs of duck bathed in their own fat. 

Overall, I would give this dining experience a 4 out of 5 stars.  The meats were delicious but the side dishes left something to be desired.  The service was pretty good.  I would reserve this place for a special occasion unless spending over a hundred dollars for two people is within your budget.  I wish it was within mine if it was this would definitely be a place I would visit regularly.