ARTFUL FRENCH-INFLUENCED CUISINE AWAITS AT LE BON NOSH!
Visit Le Bon Nosh in the morning, and you’ll discover an airy, lightfilled space in which to have a frothy cappuccino and flaky pain au chocolat. I made the mistake of assuming such was the main point of this jewel box tucked away on a Buckhead side street behind Whole Foods. A friend mentioned how much she loved it for dinner, and I felt abashed that I’d waited so long to discover it for myself. I made a reservation and had no idea what to expect.
By day, sunlight streams in the doubleheight windows, but at night, the space transforms into a cozy atmosphere where the focal point bar is back lit, and petite brass lamps bathe tables with a warm glow. When I visited for dinner the first time, I felt I was discovering something new, almost a European getaway without leaving town. The eatery comes by its international flair honestly, as chef/owner Forough Vakili was born in Iran and trained in France.
There are many ways to navigate the menu, and it’s hard to make a misstep because dishes are made with a mix of globally and locally sourced ingredients and prepared by skillful chefs. I can never pass up the opportunity to start with gougères. The cheese puffs, made with nutty gruyère, arrived at my table feather- light and steaming. It’s a bit like eating cheese-flavored air. If you’re going for full-on decadence, don’t skip osetra caviar served with crème fraîche and housemade potato chips. It’s the ultimate luxe comfort food. The heartier beef tartare features grass-fed beef hand cut into small cubes that melt in your mouth and comes with crispy fries and aioli.
It would be easy to skip salads and move to pastas and main course dishes, but linger long enough to let the burrata tempt. Though the cheese’s accompaniments change seasonally with the menu, when I visited, they included bright green asparagus, mint, almonds and truffle vinaigrette. Knowing that they’ll be different this fall is reason enough to make a return trip.
I’ve seen Le Bon Nosh described as “French,” but the pastas really shine here, which may come as a surprise. Verdant pesto made with basil, pine nuts and mild Grana Padano creates a bright, flavorful coating for perfectly al-dente strands of spaghetti. Such a dish can seem like a waste in an upscale restaurant, but in the skillful hands of the kitchen team, it shines. In fact, a server mentioned that it is a perennial favorite of dinner regulars, and I could see why. Likewise, pappardelle became a toothsome carrier for a hearty bolognese ragu of beef, San Marzano tomatoes, carrots, onion and herbs.
If you’re determined to go for broke, protein-packed mains designed for two people include a 16-ounce, grass-fed ribeye from Châtel Farms near Vidalia and a whole roasted lobster with herb butter, fries and a green salad. Not inclined to share? Opt for the fall-apart tender, braised short rib accented with chèvre ranch and served with smoky, grilled little gem lettuce. Another worthy choice is the duck confit over delicate puy lentils scented with lemongrass and studded with sweet-tart kumquats.
It’s easy to focus solely on the food, but the eatery’s bar staff does a nice job of offering cocktails from fruit-forward and sweet to dry and vegetal, so if you prefer pairing food with cocktails instead of wine, they’re ready with something to suit. While they can make an on-point old fashioned or Manhattan, the slightly more out of-the-box drinks shine.
Case in point: The Negroni spritz has all of the bitter, herbal and fruity notes of the original, but the addition of Crémant, a French sparkling wine, lightens it up and gives it a pleasant effervescence that’s especially food-friendly. Wine nuts and Francophiles will find nearly 30 French wines by the glass in addition to an extensive selection of bottles, organized by region.
The same kitchen that turns out those crave-worthy croissants does an admirable job with dessert. Over the course of two visits, the clear winner was an ultra-moist date cake topped with toffee caramel and vanilla whipped cream. The pavlova with berries is not as polished and prettily plated as some of the other dishes, but the peak-of-freshness fruit (berries when I was there) meant that it was gone in a flash. Our recommendation: End on a sweet note and congratulate yourself on finding this tucked-away gem.
Le Bon Nosh
404.835.2007
lebonnosh.com
@lebonnosh
Prices: bites: $9-$40; starters: $14-$35; entrees: $35-$65; for two: $78; dessert: $8-$15.
Recommended: Gougères, caviar and chips, spaghetti pesto, pappardelle bolognese, duck confit, braised short rib, date cake.
Bottom line: Dinner feels like a discovery in Le Bon Nosh’s beautifully appointed dining room, complete with a stunning bar, two-story tall saffron curtains and cozy seating. The French-influenced menu consists of satisfying, scratch-made dishes with local and globally sourced ingredients.
PHOTOS: Madelynne Grace
