The Lawrence

I know what you're saying... Why the fuck would anyone want to give this space a shot after multiple victims this location has slaughtered? Yes, it's true, all the places before it (and next door) have been killed off with no mercy, no matter how much money and PR they have pumped into the space to be the next it spot. The previous eateries had talent and a decent menu but this is Atlanta we're talking about here... Anything too authentic has no place here in this town. Simplicity is what the masses crave for.

So, some of the people behind Top Flr decided to take a chance on The Lawrence, but can they dispel the curse that has meant the death to all the others who dared to test the waters on this unholy land? C'mon, let's go dine with the Devil... His friends call him Larry and he's a hoot!
 

Eric Simpkins heads up the bar/cocktail program up in this piece. The man knows what he's doing, give him a liquor base and let him dazzle you with a concoction of boozy goodness. Shane Devereux is the force behind the kitchen. I thought the menu was a little quirky at first but his Jedi mind tricks worked on me... "Come to the Dark Side, I have cookies". My pouch is also strong with the force, so, let's see if this odd menu can turn my marsupial sack to a fulfilled one.

Pisco Sour

One of many... Oh, my.

Amuse bouche - Beets.

Nice little touch to bribe the patrons with... It's working. Baby steps.

Salt & Pepper Tofu, radish, cilantro, Serrano pepper. This has Buford Hwy written all over it... But with a twist. Needed a little bit more pepper and a little less salt because it overwhelmed it a tad bit. Nice little dish, a good start.
  Potted Shrimp, cultured butter, Massaman, toast. The cultured butter looked a little suspect to me at first but after a few dunks with the bread, I couldn't stop. You know where that butter went... Straight to my butta-ass. The little skrimps were ok. With a little fine tuning, this could be a keeper. Maybe.

Golden Rice Porridge, Marjoram, Feta, rye. When I see porridge, I think of congee. This was not like a porridge at all, it was more risotto-esque. It held it's shape more than a porridge. This dish was different and while it may not be one of my favorites, I do like how they're testing the waters with something different.
 Duck Tongue Carnitas, Cotija, coriander leaf, tomatillo, pickled shallot. Now, this is what I'm talking about... A little risk taking here. Duck tongue is awesome, some Chino joints do a deep fried duck tongue, especially when it's still attached to the cartilage on either side, it's like an Asian lollipop. This dish worked. Plain and simply tasty. This is prolly their highlight dish.
  GA English Peas, cranberry bean, parmesan, ciabatta, garlic, lemon. I don't eat much salad/veggie dishes but this one was a winner. Everything worked in this dish. I would totally order this again... Wait, did I just say that out loud? It was so fresh and so clean clean... To the palate.
 “Fish Sticks”, salted cod, chickpea, pulverized tomato, chive. Very interesting take on a childhood classic. The infamous crappy frozen fish sticks that came a 1000 to a box for $2.99 back in the days. I kinda liked it but some will say it was way too salty for a brandade in this form. Mebbe with a little tweaking, this dish can find the right balance because I like to see it stay on the menu. It's different and I'm all for different. But of course it has to taste good as well.
 Spiced Peanut Raisin Bar, pecan, walnut, almond, oats, sunflower, cayenne. Cute little snack thinger. Good bar snack if you're with a broad trying to lube her up for the kill. If you play your cards right, you may have the chance to let her taste your Man-dy Bar... Leave that up to Eric Simpkin to make his special love concocktion. The cat is in da bag, yo.

I like the joint. It has potential. I like the people behind it. They don't pussyfoot around and let popular culture and/or opinion dictate what they should be doing, cooking or mixing. I don't want another chain bar/resto dump the likes of Marlow's et al pumping out dishes of crap after crap, trying to convince me that it's creative and innovative. You need balls to impress me... And then I'll probably eat it if you prepare it right. This place has what it takes to make an impression on Atlanta's analogous dining scene. Don't stop, get to work, mofos!

2.5 Stars.

905 Juniper St.
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-961-7177
http://www.thelawrenceatlanta.com/