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Friday, January 25, 2008
Two’s Company
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The salmon chips at Two Urban Licks photo: Jenni Girtman/AJC staff
With Scott Serpas out of the kitchen at Two Urban Licks, I wanted to check out former sous chef Cameron Thompson’s efforts at holding his own as the new executive chef at this mega popular Midtown restaurant from Concentrics Hospitality. Thompson took over the kitchen a few months ago, according to Serpas.
Dinner last night proved that the move was seamless — patrons who don’t consider themselves up on these types of goings on and eat there regularly I doubt would discern a difference.
The salmon chips are just as crisp, though frankly have a little too much salmon if that’s possible — it overpowers the peppery cream cheese, capers and red onions a little too much. I was happy to find and enjoy a dish of free form ravioli (something I thought might take hold at local restaurants the same way gnudi have with some chefs, but really just hasn’t). Bite-sized rock shrimp, a fresh-and-tasty diversion from their larger cousins, were enveloped in a just-right lemon beurre with wilted spinach and pop-in-your-mouth grape tomatoes, along with pillowy layers of pasta. The trio of cupcakes are still around for dessert, though presented on a plate instead of a plancha, which was much more appealing (and the pistachio cupcake was gummy to the point of weirdness).
I still really dislike the wine program, which houses the offerings in barrels rather than bottles, even though I think co-owner and bev man Todd Rushing is a bit of a local genius.
“Here’s the bottom line on Two Urban Licks: The folks behind it know how to please their market base: a young, in-town crowd that couldn’t care less that the tuna is slushy and the wine comes from a barrel. This crowd is out to have fun, meet new people, nosh a little and enjoy the eye candy that comes with all of the above.”
That’s what I said in my review of the restaurant with Scott Serpas as executive chef back in January of 2005, just after the restaurant opened in late 2004. And it’s still my bottom line three years later.
What do you think?
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