Blue Ridge Grill   

1261 W Paces Ferry Rd NW
Atlanta, GA 30327
404-233-5030
www.blueridgegrill.com

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Imagine an elegant mountain cabin, says manager Avery Schaffer, and you've got an idea of the ambience at Blue Ridge Grill. "It feels as if you're in a ski lodge," she says: knotty pine, a big fireplace, nice and cozy. The wooden pillars come from an old Georgia cotton mill, the antiques from England. The four dining rooms range from quiet to noisy; there are nooks and crannies throughout.What diners perhaps first notice upon entering is the exhibition kitchen, where executive chef Michael Auer grills meats over hickory wood. The cuisine could be termed American regional, or hearty Southern. The menu includes venison, duck, veal, and rack of lamb, done in a variety of ways. Duck, for example, is roasted with a honey glaze, then served with goat cheese and potato gratin. Steak might be filet mignon, rib-eye, or a New York strip, served with mashed potatoes and collard greens. Then there's seafood: Auers horseradish-crusted grouper with fennel and grilled Georgia trout (stuffed with apples and proscuitto) are signature dishes. Or try benoits of prawns, crawfish, crab cakes, seared mussels, or oysters. Everythings a la carte. Don't expect baked potatoes; they're not done here. If you can't be seated right away, grab a spot on the wicker settees in the inviting enclosed porch and have a cocktail. Schaffer says many diners prefer to relax there over cocktails before dinner. -- Sue Kovach Shuman