Atlanta Restaurant Review - Canoe

[mmbt0ne]

TT, this is not a 3 star michelin restaurant. You should probably go on to the next thread.

Girlfriend's 21st bday the other night, so I looked around online for a good restaurant in the area I hadn't been to before, and we tried this one out.

http://www.canoeatl.com/canoe_content.htm

The first thing I noticed was that it's kinda in a weird location. It's on Paces Ferry, which, if you don't know Atlanta, is pretty much the most expensive road to live on. It's in a tiny shopping center type thing right next to the Chattahoochee River, although the shops on the other side might be doctor's offices and such, it was dark so I didn't see. And from the outside, other than the valet parking and lots of nice cars in the parking lot, you could easily imagine an Outback or something being there instead. However, once you get inside, it's really nice.

The entire staff was really great, none of the condescending attitude being talked about in the other thread. Which is good, because I don't know much about good food/wine except how to eat it, so we asked a couple questions that were probably basic. At least 3 or 4 different members of the staff came by to say happy birthday at one point or another during the dinner, including the manager, so that was very nice.

As for the food, it was really really good for how cheap it was. I had a bluefin tuna sushi for appetizer that seemed more like a seered tuna steak cut into slices than the rolls or nigiri I was expecting, but it was one of the best things I've ever eaten. I had the scallops for an entree because my gf was a bitch and took the red snapper I wanted to order. They were good, but certainly nothing extra special. I should've gone with the steak.

As for wine, well, I don't know [censored] about it still, but the waiter recommended a Trimbach Gewurztraminer which was very good, however pretty overpriced as I looked up the cost for bottles of it online later. I don't know if this is par for the course, but oh well, it's not that big a deal.

She got a complimentary white chocolate mousse dessert for her birthday, which was very good, and then we ordered a dessert called "Organic Watermelon Soup." It was basically a shallow bowl with watermelon juice in it, a cube of watermelon, and some lime sorbet on top, with coconut macaroon croutons floating around.

The bill ended up being about $167 after appetizers, wine, meals, and dessert, so don't bring someone here to flash your badass richness by dropping $3k on dinner.


Oh yeah, and I did the booking through a website called Opentable, which I had no idea existed. Great site.

[El Diablo]

mmbt,

#1: OpenTable is great and I use it for pretty much all of my reservations.

#2: I've heard great things about Canoe.

#3: Call me old school, but I still consider meals around $100/head to be pretty damn expensive.

#4: I've been a scallops kick the last year or so. Bummer yours didn't rule.

#5: Wine at a restaurant is typically at least double the price of retail.

#6: Nice report.

[dlk9s]

Canoe is a fantastic restaurant - I've gone there a few times. You were correct on the service. Top notch.

What's nice about the food, besides the quality, is that it varies season to season. You never know exactly what's going to be on the menu. My favorite dish I've had there is sliced duck on a bed of mashed sweet potatoes (potatoes tasted like pumpkin pie).

I've also used OpenTable a lot - I'll be cashing in points to get some free food next time I use the site. I tend to go to Canoe on special occassions, so I usually type in the comments box what occassion we're celebrating. They always bring us free desserts.

Great, great place.

[dlk9s]

[ QUOTE ]


#3: Call me old school, but I still consider meals around $100/head to be pretty damn expensive.



[/ QUOTE ]

Compared to most "top" restaurants, Canoe is very reasonable. My wife and I don't drink (she'll order a glass of wine on occassion), so without the alcohol, it's easy to come in, with tip, a little over $100. For two people. Two entrees, two sodas, and maybe a side item.

[Atlanta Andrew]

Canoe is one of the best romantic restaurants in Atlanta. It is a perfect place to take a date for dinner, assuming you are okay with that price range. I also recommend the tuna appetizer.

Try to sit outside on the porch if possible. This restaurant sits right on the Chattahoochee River, and the view creates quite a pleasant dining atmosphere.

-Andrew

[mmbt0ne]

[ QUOTE ]
Try to sit outside on the porch if possible. This restaurant sits right on the Chattahoochee River, and the view creates quite a pleasant dining atmosphere.

[/ QUOTE ]

We went Sunday night at 8:15 so it was pretty miserable outside, either raining, or 95% humidity. It did look like a great place to sit though, on a better night. And I can imagine on a fall night it's one of the best seats in town.

[shadow.]

i've never been a big fan of canoe.

it's fine, but i think that for just "expensive" food, you're better off going to pano and paul's or capital grille.

if they're doing the "southern" thing (it varies at canoe), you're much much better off going to horseraddish grille.

fyi, they have a pet groomer in that shopping center that does a great job!!

[El Diablo]

d,

Whoa.

"so I usually type in the comments box what occassion we're celebrating."

Wow, I have never even considered this, never typed anything into the OT comments. I am definitely doing this from now on, thanks!!!

[MCS]

My Canoe experience was top-notch all the way around. Food was excellent, service very accomodating.

My girlfriend also got the free dessert because it was her birthday.