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Grilled over an open flame to a temperature dictated by you, steaks demand attention. At Blackstone Restaurant in Vinings, that attention is appropriately paid, resulting in a quality of experience that is beyond “meat and potatoes.” For eight years, this casually elegant venue has been specializing in top-quality steaks, the freshest seafood and spirits. It achieves this culinary triple crown by being, in effect, two entities — the bar is enclosed, separate from the dining room. The soft icicle lights, dark woods and live piano provide a relaxing backdrop for cocktails and conversations with a diverse and professional crowd. It is a bar for classics, so your Perfect Manhattan and martinis will be well made, but new favorites, like the Chocolate Mint Martini, are just as good. Comfortable familiarity can be found in the dining room, with exposed brick, cherry wood paneling, frosted glass wall sconces, and white linen tablecloths. For corporate and social gatherings, two adjoining rooms for private groups, each with fireplace, are regularly booked. Servers, clad in black, will warmly greet and introduce Blackstone’s extensive wine list, with 120 bottles available, 30 by the glass. From there, selecting an appetizer could present a challenge, but there is little chance for error. Fried wild mushrooms, sautéed mussels and classic shrimp cocktails are ready standards. An unconventional take on calamari with an Asian-inspired plum glaze and cashews had my companion and me sheepishly apologizing that the dish disappeared so fast. Prepared tableside, the steak and tuna tartars are notable. The tuna, with its hint of wasabi and cilantro, on a melba toast baked in-house, was an earnest segue to the robust entrées to come. Seafood is flown in daily, said managing partner, Tom Arnold. “We get shipments from inland waters... we don’t cut corners on quality. I’ve been here to oversee fish flown in same day from Hawaii.” That commitment is well evidenced in signature dishes such as lobster tails, sautéed Florida grouper and cashew-encrusted Chilean sea bass. The latter entrée was accompanied with coconut-rum butter. Few three-word combinations are as indulgent. With prime cuts of Black and Gold Angus beef, steaks at Blackstone are hearty. They are well prepared and ribeye cuts are marbleized so flavorfully, the salt and pepper are merely decorative (and please, don’t put “steak sauce” on them). When choosing a side dish, the house mashed potatoes with caramelized onions and asiago and cheddar cheeses wins easy recommendation. Arnold’s “no short-cuts” approach extends to dessert, with all prepared in-house by a resident pastry chef. More than the difference between fresh whipped cream and that from a can, this gave desserts a balance and delicateness; a perfect coda to the already successful meal would be their chocolate trifle topped with a chocolate ganache, or the key lime pie, a faithful translation that was light and not too tart. Sure, you might feel a little guilty with the consistent decadence of the Blackstone experiences, but I wouldn’t let that stop you from frequent return trips.
Blackstone Restaurant
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Blackstone: Romantic and Resplendent