Brunswick's: Norcross location: 11 a.m.-midnight Sundays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays. 6345 Spalding Drive, Norcross. 770-840-8200. Marietta location: 11 a.m.-midnight Sundays, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Mondays, 11 a.m.-midnight Tuesdays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays. 2749 Delk Road, Marietta. 770-998-8813. brunswicks.com.
The Painted Pin: 5 p.m.-midnight Mondays-Wednesdays, 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Thursdays, 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturdays, noon-midnight Sundays (must be over age 21 starting at 7:30 p.m. each evening). 737 Miami Circle N.E., Atlanta. 404-814-8736, thepaintedpin.com.
Over the summer our family spent the day at a theme park where bringing in outside food was strictly prohibited. Before setting out for the park we consumed a hearty breakfast, but by late afternoon we gave in to the hunger pangs and decided to brave one of the food kiosks.
Would it be chili-cheese dogs, nachos or corn dog nuggets? Did it matter?
Let’s face it: When you go to a theme park, a movie theater or other entertainment venues, you aren’t going for the food. With good reason: Past experiences have set your dining expectations low. But there may be hope, as we seem to be entering a new era in entertainment center fare.
Dine-in movie theaters led the charge, improving food options in recent years and now offering a range of small and entree-sized plates. While most still don’t replicate restaurant-quality fare, at least they provide choices beyond the machine-pumped, cheese-sauced nachos.
And, now, some metro Atlanta bowling alleys are upping their game.
Brunswick’s
Brunswick’s, which bills itself as an “upscale bowling and entertainment center,” opened this concept Norcross and Marietta last summer. The lanes’ restaurant, Tavern ’45, serves heavy pub fare to pair with its craft beer selection. While a great improvement on that gut-busting theme park meal, you’ll likely agree that it’s too reliant on sugar and fat — instead of carefully sourced ingredients and cooking finesse — to infuse flavor.
Once you’re outfitted in slippery shoes, a server will come to your lane to tempt you with something from the pub. The beverage menu offers margaritas and signature cocktails like the Moonshiner ($6.50) with Midnight Moon Cranberry Moonshine and apricot brandy. But you’re better off ordering from the beer menu showcasing brews like Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale ($5) and Mother Earth Brewing’s Sisters of the Moon IPA ($6).
You’ll want that beverage to accompany the comfort fare, including the house-made potato chips with a creamy fondue containing only a hint of bleu cheese ($6). Albeit excessively rich and gluttonous, I prefer those chips on the potato chip-crusted mac and cheese ($12) with bacon, roasted tomatoes and a decadent cream sauce of smoked Gouda and white cheddar. These dishes, and the burgers and pizzas on the menu, are the grown-up version of bowling alley food.
But it’s the bacon and eggs ($6) that differentiates this kitchen from a heat-and-serve entertainment-center prep station. Clearly, some thought went into the plating of this dish, which features four piped-filling, classic deviled eggs symmetrically placed on each side of a square dish with standing “pig candy.” This bacon, candied with brown sugar and black pepper, may be a touch wonky, but kudos to the kitchen for the effort.
Items like the barbecue pork sandwich ($9.50) and the Jamaican jerk wings ($9.50) are as sugary sweet as the pig candy (and the margaritas), leaving no room for other flavors to unfold.
On my next trip to this family-friendly spot, I’ll try a Cobb salad ($2.50) and perhaps even nibble on a slice of my son’s greasy cheese pizza ($9.50), which hits the mark with my beer.
The Painted Pin
When you drive up, you’ll know this is not your typical bowling alley.
Your first clue will be the line for the valet. Then, after you pass through the heavy, double-wide swinging door, you’ll come face-to-face with bouncers who look like they mean business. It doesn’t resemble any bowling alley I’ve been to.
Flash your ID, get your hand stamped, and let your eyes adjust to the dim lighting cloaking this swanky lounge-cum-bowling alley. Settle into oversized leather sofas and take in the scene until your sassy server snags a perch on the cushion next to you.
Arrive early or you’ll have to wait for the two-hour rental limit on the 20 lanes to expire. But, hey, it could be worse. Hang at the bar or drag your buds to play a round of bocce ball, skee ball, basketball, skittles or darts.
Definitely make time to explore the beverage menu. Start with classic and signature cocktail creations from mixologist Trip Sandifer, formerly of Restaurant Eugene and the Spence. It’s hard to resist his Moscow Mule slushie ($8) with vodka, lime and ginger beer. Nor can you go wrong with the Pin’s Cup ($10), a mixture of Pimm’s, lemon and grilled pineapple soda.
Also consider selections like 2013 Jean Paul Brun gamay ($10 glass, $40 bottle) and 2011 Bernhard Ott gruner veltliner ($11 glass, $44 bottle) from co-owner and sommelier Justin Amick’s wine list. The first drink might improve your game. After that, no guarantees.
Our group found it easier to order a slew of small plates for quick nibbles between turns launching the ball. The potent ranch-and-cheddar pork rinds ($5) make for a nice nosh, even if they necessitate a swipe down the water glass for a pre-turn cleansing of the hand.
The waffle dogs ($12), another fun bite-and-bowl snack, come corn dog-style on a stick with a sweet-scented malted batter around the greasy dog. The meatball queso fundido ($9) turns out to be more of a challenge, the weight of the heavy lasagna-like tomato sauce shattering each thin tortilla chip before it can be lifted from the bowl.
We also ordered platters of the corn-tortilla tacos ($10.50 for three), which come with a variety of fillings, like the fried chicken chunks with shredded kale and apples or the braised pork with mojo sauce. While perfect finger foods, neither was especially memorable.
Same goes for the pizzas. After seeing the two black-tiled wood-burning ovens, I eagerly awaited my pie fix. We went for the Brussels sprouts pizzas ($14), which sounded so promising with pancetta, ricotta bechamel, garlic puree and pecorino cheese. Yet, something glitched here. The pale, stiff crust and flavorless toppings didn’t deliver. We just picked off the crisped sprout leaves.
At the Painted Pin, your tab may end up a little higher than you’d like. The waiters may be a little grabby and try to take your plates and glasses far too soon. And it may not be your very best meal this month. But the overall experience is unmatched.
