DIVE INTO FRESH CATCHES AT C&S SEAFOOD AND OYSTER BAR!
Whether your goal is to mark a special occasion or to make any occasion special, dining at C&S Seafood and Oyster Bar works like a charm. The Brookhaven location in the Alta Porter on Peachtree complex, which opened as Rich Clark and Jon Schwenk’s third location of their brand in the fall of 2023, boasts a welcoming main dining room with moody amber lighting, swanky Art Deco-inspired tiles, rich leather accents and a shiny rounded bar. An enclosed patio with a retractable roof and an abundance of lush plants offers additional seating overlooking Peachtree Road.
The overall vibe is upscale yet relaxed, enhanced by a high level of service that anticipates needs. Menus are delivered promptly, glasses routinely filled and sharp knives delivered before they’re needed.
The diverse menu showcases an array of fresh seafood plus steaks, lamb and more than a dozen vegetables. Preparations nod to Italian, French, Southern, Asian and New Orleans cuisines. Portions range from nibbles to feasts. Seafood is served raw, sous vide, chargrilled, roasted and many more ways. Odds are good that any craving and hunger level will be satisfied.
One sip will explain why the Lycheeback is the restaurant’s most popular cocktail: The mix of lychee liquor, white rum and lychee puree with a splash of fresh lime juice offers tangy refreshment with gentle alcohol sharpness mingling in the background. The fancy gin and tonic arrives gleaming like a pageant winner dressed in lavender, its bulbous glass stuffed with seasonal garnishes. Its distinctive hue is courtesy of butterfly pea flower gin, and this drink pairs its layered botanical notes with elderflower tonic for additional floral notes. The filthy old fashioned features bourbon stirred with complex bitters, cherry juice, sugar, burnt orange peel and a salted cherry; this spin on the classic cocktail leans into its fruity flavors.
Among the starters, crispy shrimp spring rolls contrast a crackly exterior with a tender interior that partners sweet and spicy flavors to waltz across your taste buds. A sweet chili sauce adds optional flair. The jumbo lump crab cake packs large chunks of sweet meat with minimal filler into a patty that’s cooked to a crispy exterior. A grain mustard butter accompaniment adds a pungent tang. The wedge salad here is actually half of a baby head of iceberg lettuce generously topped with blue cheese crumbles, grape tomato halves and smoked bacon nuggets. It pulls off the trick of seeming retro and fresh all at once.
Eleven market fish options can be grilled, broiled or blackened then plated with the chef’s daily set-up such as potatoes and green beans plus your choice of sauce: olive oil and lemon caper, soy chili-garlic or lemon-herb beurre blanc. Wonder where the fish is sourced? Each option lists its place of origin, stretching from Alabama to Maine, New Zealand to Greece. Entree specialties present fish with chef-selected sides. Redfish Pontchartrain plates its mild, firm-yet-flaky white fish with dirty rice, shrimp, jumbo lump crab and crawfish sauce. In a word: Yum! My husband likes to brag that he always orders the perfect thing, and while I beg to differ, in this particular dining experience I concede that he chose a prize.
But it’s not the only winner. Lobster mac and cheese is listed among the sides, yet it could easily stand as a main with its generous portion size. Decadent and delicious, it elevates familiar comfort food with chunks of succulent shellfish, curlicue pasta, creamy cheese sauce and dots of peppers and herbs. Not a day goes by that I don’t crave more of it.
With seafood options across all menu categories, surf and turf is an easy-to-achieve combination. I ordered the 8-ounce center-cut filet cooked to medium. When the plate came, the server stood by as I cut into the steak to see if it was cooked to my expectations. It leaned more toward medium well, but within a tolerable range, so I said it was fine. He didn’t believe me, apparently preferring guests be ecstatic not merely content, and sent a manager over to check. She gave the steak a disappointed look, and I conceded it was a bit overdone. It was whisked away and another returned, cooked to perfection.
Parmesan truffle fries arrive as a piping hot mound under a cloud of grated cheese dotted with green onion slivers. The narrow potato sticks are ideally crisped and carry a whisper of an earthy truffle note, the perfect amount since the flavor doesn’t then overwhelm whatever you pair with them.
Cap the meal off with crème brûlée. This classic dessert tops silky smooth vanilla custard with a caramelized sugar crust. Here, the custard is spread thin in an oval dish to maximize the opportunity for contrasting textures in each spoonful.
There are plenty of fish in the sea, and plenty of seafood restaurants in Atlanta, but C&S Seafood and Oyster Bar may hook you.
C&S Seafood and Oyster Bar
470.225.1656
candsoysterbar.com
@candsseafood
Prices: Appetizers, $16-$30; salads, $15-$35 (+ protein, $9-$20); soup, $15; seafood platters, $24-$255; market fish, $30-$46; entree specialties, $44-$48; crab & lobster, $45-$85; steaks & chops, $58-$95; sauces, $3-$5; sides, $9-$36; desserts, $12-$15; house cocktails, $18-$20; wine, $12-$30/glass or $48-$580/bottle; non-alcoholic cocktails, $12; beer, $4.75-$14.
Recommended: Lycheeback, shrimp spring roll, lobster mac and cheese, redfish Pontchartrain and crème brûlée.
Bottom line: This upscale seafood restaurant offers a relaxed setting, impeccable service and skilled preparations of delicious cocktails and drinks that range from classic to creative.
PHOTOS: Erik Meadows
