On a Thursday summer night, Tiny Lou’s is buzzing. A pink neon sign beckons diners down a staircase to the dimly-lit, wallpapered French brasserie. A group of friends chatter on blush velvet banquettes under black and white historic photos. Nearby, a young couple toasts to their first anniversary. Located at the Hotel Clermont in Atlanta, Tiny Lou’s nods to the hotel’s kitschy and somewhat scandalous past. Hotel Clermont, previously the Clermont Motor Hotel, reopened last year after a massive, six-year renovation. Now a trendy-but-not-pretentious boutique hotel in Atlanta’s eastside, the Clermont offers moderately priced rooms, suites, and bunk rooms. With flowered carpet, funky wallpaper (think a monkey clutching a beer), patterned couches, and mid-century modern furniture, the hotel looks like it’s straight out of a Wes Anderson movie—or a cooler version of your grandma’s house.
If the name sounds familiar, you might be wondering if it’s the same Clermont as the infamous Clermont Lounge. And the answer is yes—although the hotel isn’t directly affiliated with the nefarious adult club. Located in the basement of the hotel (no access through the hotel), the lounge has been around since 1965 and is one of Atlanta’s most notorious clubs. When Oliver Hospitality took charge of the hotel’s renovation, they knew the lounge had to stay.
Both the hotel and Tiny Lou’s are peppered with subtleties that hint at the club (which has been visited by the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Lady Gaga), but you might not pick up on them unless you know the history. Upon check-in, the hotel offers guests a PBR. At the lounge, famous dancer Blondie (a veteran of more than 30 years), is known for a special trick involving crushing PBR cans—and we’ll leave it at that. Tiny Lou’s itself is named after a popular 1950s dancer at the Clermont Motor Hotel’s Gypsy Room (prior to the Lounge); the restaurant’s plates are stamped with her image.
The atmosphere inside Tiny Lou’s may be fun, but the food is serious—and seriously good. Offering a modern take on traditional French cuisine, the restaurant, whose slogan is “Above Where the Ladies Dance”, blends French classics with local and seasonal elements. A long list of hors d’oeuvres start your meal; make a point to try several. Dishes are artfully composed and beautifully presented, such as the Black Cocoa Foie Gras Torchon, a rich and decadent dish with changing accompaniments; in June it featured sweet dark cherries and sauce caline. Other standouts include the Beef Tartare with cured egg yolk, and the Roasted Octopus Niçoise served alongside potato mousseline that’s as light as a cloud and as decadent as fondue.
Moving on to dinner, the menu is divided into meats (L’Abattoir), seafood (La Mer), and Vegetables (Des Légumes). The restaurant’s Steak Frites is one of the best dishes on the menu. To perfect the classic, Executive Chef Jeb Aldrich sous vides coulotte steak (also known as top sirloin cap), leading to a perfect, evenly-cooked piece of meat. The steak is topped with the restaurant’s signature buttery sauce du Clermont and served alongside crisp fries. On the seafood side, Whole Roasted Loup de Mer (European Sea Bass) is boned for easy eating, and gets a slight spicy upgrade with shishitos and a harissa beurre monte.
Of course, you can’t forego dessert from pastry chef Claudia Martinez. There are two ways to order: snag a pastry off the restaurant’s roaming dessert cart, or opt for a picture-perfect treat from the Patisserie menu. In true Tiny Lou’s fashion, the Ode to Blondie pays homage to the aforementioned dancer, and features a brown butter blondie, curried banana flambé, buttermilk ice cream, and hazelnut crémeux. It’s as delicious as it is beautiful.
Tiny Lou’s and Hotel Clermont are a great jumping off point for a weekend exploring Eastside, one of Atlanta’s hottest dining destinations, as well as two other foodie neighborhoods: Westside and Buckhead.
EASTSIDE
Eastside is Atlanta’s hip, millennial area that’s development has been spurred on by the opening of Ponce City Market food hall and
Hotel Clermont (especially its rooftop bar). The Beltline (the city’s pedestrian connector) links several Eastside neighborhoods within walking distance. Start your day at Pancake Social at Ponce City Market. The restaurant just opened in March and serves breakfast favorites. The Buttermilk Pancakes are, of course, a must, but other worthy orders include the Big Pecan Praline Stack (more like cake disguised as a breakfast staple) and the Crispy Chicken Sandwich with hot honey and sweet pickles on a homemade English muffin.
After breakfast, hop on the Beltline—accessed from Ponce’s back deck—to work off some of those calories. You can walk, run, bike (bikeshares abound), or try out Atlanta’s new favorite commuting option: motorized scooters. Rent a scooter (found all along the path) through Uber or Lyft, and zip around town. It’s about a 15-minute scoot from Ponce to the city’s famous Piedmont Park. If the park isn’t your style, there are plenty of places to drink your way along the Beltline (Hotel Clermont even offers a special “Boozy Beltline” package), including The New Realm Brewing Company.
When you’re ready, head down the Beltline to one of Eastside’s hottest lunch spots: Hampton + Hudson. The gastropub serves upgraded bar food and is known for its Hampton Hot Chicken Sliders, juicy pieces of spicy fried chicken slathered with buttermilk Tabasco aioli on a brioche bun. Hampton + Hudson also throws their hat in the ring for Atlanta’s best burger with their H+H Cheese Burger. Two thick patties topped with Billy sauce, griddled onions, and house pickles get a generous covering of American cheese and are sandwiched between a sesame bun. It’s juicy, weighty, flavorful, and exactly what a burger should be.
Just down the street is BeetleCat, a bright oyster bar that’s got the best lobster roll you can find in the city. If you can’t make it for dinner, head to the restaurant for its weekend Donut Brunch, where the chef offers a variety of fresh-made and creative donuts, like the Buford Highway with salted caramel and pork floss. Lucky for us, the lobster roll also is on the brunch menu!
WESTSIDE
In Atlanta’s industrial Westside, you’ll find some of the city’s best restaurants in what feels like a warehouse district. Most restaurants and bars in the area are designed around concrete floors, exposed pipes, and steel fixtures—a throw to Atlanta’s former meatpacking district.
The best breakfast in the ’hood is found at West Egg Café, which serves breakfast food until 4 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends. Favorites from the Southern-inspired menu include the Georgia Benedict—turkey sausage patties topped with eggs and turkey sausage gravy—and the Pimento Cheese & Bacon Omelet. If you go for brunch (Saturdays and Sundays), you can get Banana Bread French Toast with caramel-banana sauce. If you just want to pop in for something quick, the restaurant’s coffee bar dishes up pastries and seasonal lattes, in addition to regular coffee offerings.
For lunch, head to Miller Union—if anything because they offer their homemade ice cream sandwiches at lunch only. Located in a renovated warehouse that sits on the site of the former Miller Union Stockyard, the restaurant was opened in 2009 by Steven Satterfield and Neal McCarthy. In 2017, Chef Satterfield won the James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef: Southeast” award for his ingredient-driven cooking style.
Since Satterfield’s menu changes with what’s in season and available, you’ll never have the same meal twice at Miller Union. The lunch menu is divided into starters, sandwiches, entrées, and sides. In June, unique starters included Red Pea & Benne Hummus, as well as Cantaloupe Toast topped with lemon ricotta, Benton’s ham, and marigold flowers. Sandwiches range from light to heavy, including a vegetarian option and a burger. For entrées, you’ll find a mix of seafood and meat, as well as a seasonal vegetable plate. Dishes like Royal Red Shrimp & Jimmy Red Grits showcase summer’s bounty. Plump shrimp, Vidalia onions, and fresh tomatoes swim in a chile and white wine broth.
Before dinner, explore the Westside Provisions District, where you’ll find high-end stores and boutiques, coffee shops, and wine bars. Located in the district is JCT Kitchen, the flagship for Atlanta restaurant mogul Ford Fry. Fry, who has nine restaurants in Atlanta (including BeetleCat), worked around the country as a fine-dining chef before settling in Atlanta. When he opened JCT Kitchen in 2007, he envisioned a warm and friendly atmosphere serving refined comfort food. Two of the restaurant’s signature dishes, deviled eggs and fried chicken, embody just that. But Fry dresses them up a bit. For the deviled eggs, that means a topping of country ham and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. If you’re ordering the fried chicken (which you absolutely should), you have the option of a half or whole bird. The chicken couldn’t be more perfectly fried—a crisp and thin breading coats the outside, while thick, meaty pieces of chicken remain juicy. Served alongside biscuits and braised greens, it’s Southern to a tee (or should I say tea?). If you have room, add an order of the restaurant’s creamy mac and cheese, enhanced by Georgia-made bacon.
BUCKHEAD
For your last day of food exploration, head to Buckhead, which has always been regarded as one of Atlanta’s finer food neighborhoods. Luxury hotels and shopping abound, while high-end restaurants serve those who do and do not want to be seen. Along Peachtree Road (Buckhead’s main drag) is King + Duke, another Ford Fry favorite. Open for lunch and dinner, all the food at King + Duke is cooked over a live wood fire in the restaurant’s 24-foot open hearth. The result is dishes such as Grilled Steelhead Trout with hearth-roasted vegetables (lunch) and Dry-Aged KC Strip Steak with roasted garlic (dinner). Shareable appetizers emphasize the cooking technique’s warmth via dishes like Smoked Bone Marrow; Broiled Bayou Oysters; and fall-off-the-bone Lamb Ribs with sherry glaze. The heavier, bolder dishes are punctuated by fresh and light options like an appetizer of Georgia Peaches with chili, peanuts, lemon, and honey, and a side of heirloom tomatoes in a blue cheese vinaigrette. The restaurant’s expansive patio also serves a menu of light bites alongside craft cocktails.
In between meals, make time for some pampering at the newly launched Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead. Previously a Mandarin Oriental, the Waldorf opened earlier this year. It’s known for its luxurious spa that’s open to non-hotel guests as well. Book a massage or facial, and you’ll receive treatment from experienced professionals in a relaxing setting. In true Georgia fashion, the spa offers a Peach Indulgence treatment, which starts with a skin softening exfoliation and a massage using warm peach oil. After and before your treatment, you are free to enjoy the spa’s facilities, including separate men’s and women’s lounges, each including a vitality pool (whirlpool), dry sauna, steam room, and relaxation rooms.
Although Buckhead has an ever-growing list of restaurants, Aria—open since 2000— remains one of the best places for fine dining. With a number of accolades under its belt, including nods from Zagat, USA Today, Esquire, and the James Beard Foundation, Aria offers a gastronomic experience that’s a feast for the eyes and the stomach. The best way to experience Aria is via the restaurant’s seven-course chef’s tasting menu, which changes nightly, but typically includes three lighter, vegetable-forward dishes, three meat and seafood dishes, and dessert. With the option to pair each course with wine, the dishes highlight some of the restaurant’s signatures, including Chilled Avocado Soup with pickled jalapeños and lime crème fraîche, and insanely tender Short Rib of Beef with potato purée and in-season vegetables. The star of the tasting—and the only dish that has never left Aria’s menu—is the Butter Braised Maine Lobster. Tender, buttery claw and tail meat are served atop a bed of truffled mashed potatoes and broccoli mousseline (similar to a mousse). The dish will blow your mind, and the combination of flavors—sweet lobster, bold truffle, and earthy broccoli—couldn’t be more expertly composed. A palate cleanser of passionfruit sorbet is served before dessert—if it’s the Valrhona Chocolate Cream Pie, consider yourself lucky.
After a weekend of exploring Atlanta’s vast food scene, you’ll sleep well on your last night at Hotel Clermont. But if you want a nightcap at the hotel’s rooftop—or down below at the Clermont Lounge—we wouldn’t judge you.
Details
To plan your trip to Atlanta, visit atlanta.net | To book a stay at hotel Clermont, visit hotelclermont.com
This story appears in Birmingham magazine’s August 2019 issue. Subscribe today