This new joint-venture from the folks at Cypress Street Pint & Plate and Seven Lamps seeks to bring the ambiance, energy and intimacy of a true cocktail bar back to Midtown Atlanta.
At its core, Grain is a cocktail bar first and a restaurant second — perfect for pre-dinner or late-night drinks and snacks. However, don’t let that fool you into thinking the food here is an afterthought. Chef Drew Van Leuvan’s menu of raw oysters, charcuterie and cheese, and savory small plates perfectly complements bar manager Kevin Bragg’s impressive cocktail program.
If you can handle a little heat on the tongue, do not miss the hot oysters, a riff on the trendy hot chicken popping up all over town. You get five or six fiery red fried oysters atop a thick piece of toasted brioche with a generous — and crucial — smearing of Duke’s mayonnaise.
Wash them down with a Warm Esther from your nitrogen-chilled martini glass. The unlikely mix of Four Roses bourbon, red wine reduction, cayenne and lemon is as stout as it is dangerously drinkable.
