Dining Out
Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Brunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays.
Small plates, $7-$9; soups and salads, $6-$7; sandwiches, $9-$11; couscous, $15-$20; entrees, $14-$17; desserts, $6.
560 Dutch Valley Road NE, Suite 100, 404-685-3111, couscousatlanta.com.
In May, chefs Khaled Chebbi and Lotfi Chabaane collaborated with owner and general manager Haykel Arfaoui of Perla Taqueria to open Couscous, a cozy Mediterranean-American cafe near the Botanical Garden and Piedmont Park.
The look: Hidden away in the former Amuse space at the end of Dutch Valley Road, the restaurant features a lush garden patio. Inside, the design is anchored by a long row of tall windows that look out on the patio. Jewel-like colors are on display in tiles, fabrics and art work, and ornate lights hang from the ceiling, along with simple white fans.
The scene: One recent evening, a large group gathered for a party at a long table, where presents were stacked up for the guest of honor. Around the dining room and out on the patio, couples were scattered at smaller tables, while other groups congregated at the bar for drinks and small plates.
The menu: Among the small plates, find grilled charmoula shrimp skewers with Georgia peach salsa ($9), and grilled merguez lamb sausage with cucumber relish, Dijon mustard, and pickled onions ($7). A borgul wheat salad mixes chick peas, almonds, raisins, preserved lemon, tomato jam, arugula and cumin and citrus vinaigrette ($7). Entrees range from grilled hanger steak frites ($17), to pan-roasted chicken with harissa carrot puree ($14), and Tunisian seafood pasta with charred tomato sauce and chick peas ($17). Of course, there's couscous ($15-$20), served with veggies, lamb, chicken or seafood.
The drinks: At the bar, look for a list of specialty cocktails ($8), including the Carthage Fizz with fresh lemon juice, Blue Curacao, amaretto and sparkling wine. The concise wine list features two price tiers by the glass ($7/$8) or the bottle ($26/$28). The beer list includes a surprising number of craft offerings, including Bell's Two Hearted ($6), Victory Golden Monkey ($6) and Left Hand Milk Stout ($5).
The extras: On Sundays, brunch features a mix of Mediterranean and American dishes, such as Tunisian merguez Benedict, shrimp and grits, and a pulled pork and fried egg breakfast sandwich.
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