Hey readers,
Two Sunday afternoons ago, my guest & I were invited to check out the new brunch menu at 5Church's newly opened location in the heart of Midtown Atlanta's Colony Square (a HUGE thank you and shoutout go to the ML+A and 5Church teams). Since opening the doors of their first location in Charlotte, NC in 2012, 5Church has made some big waves in the restaurant industry since then, opening a second location in Charleston, SC and their third latest and greatest location here in Atlanta (yes, I'm totally biased---but what can I say?!). If you've read previous reviews of their other locations in the Carolinas, then you'll most likely uncover the fact that 5Church has made a name for and established themselves in the communities they serve with their ambrosial menu options, world class service captivating environment and atmosphere. At the helm of the Atlanta Kitchen is Executive Chef RJ Cooper, a Detroit native and graduate of the acclaimed Culinary School at Kendall College in Chicago. With years of experience in the restaurant industry, Chef Cooper has worked in and led the kitchens at notable restaurants from coast to coast including The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta, GA, Le Bernardin in New York City, Brasserie Le Coze in Miami, Florida and New Heights Restaurant and Vidalia Restaurant in Washington, DC just to name a few. In 2006, Chef Cooper received a Star Chefs Rising Star Award and then in 2007, won the James Beard Award for Best Mid-Atlantic Chef. If you've never heard of this award, then to put it simply, it's a BIG FLIPPING' DEAL! To be nominated for this award is already a huge honor, but to win it is an even BIGGER deal! If restaurants had their version of the Olympics, it'd easily be the James Beard Foundation Awards and Michelin Star Award. From Chef Cooper's progressive style and innovative culinary approach to his creation of signature dishes incorporating both locally and seasonally inspired ingredients with a hint of French cooking fundamentals sprinkled in, he's clearly got what it takes to man the kitchen and lead his entire team to the pathway of success! Having had the incredible opportunity to get a sneak peek of their grand opening back in July, I was absolutely ecstatic to be invited back to check out their new brunch menu, especially since I hadn't had the chance to make it back here. Despite the crazy traffic and crowds due to Pride Weekend (Love wins!), my mom & I just couldn't wait to dive right into some tasty brunch goodness!
[PSA: Executive Chef and Partner Jamie Lynch will be competing in Bravo's Top Chef Season 14 airing on Thursday, December 1st at 11:15 PM E.T----Let's get it Chef Lynch! I know you're going to blow the competitors out of the water!]
Have a wonderful afternoon,
-Sandy
FTC: Although this was a media event and my meal was comped, I will always provide an honest review & experience of the restaurant
If you'd like to invite Bella Vivere to cover & share your restaurant's media events, tastings or parties, feel free to shoot me an email at bellavivere {at} gmail {dot} com-Thanks!
Two Sunday afternoons ago, my guest & I were invited to check out the new brunch menu at 5Church's newly opened location in the heart of Midtown Atlanta's Colony Square (a HUGE thank you and shoutout go to the ML+A and 5Church teams). Since opening the doors of their first location in Charlotte, NC in 2012, 5Church has made some big waves in the restaurant industry since then, opening a second location in Charleston, SC and their third latest and greatest location here in Atlanta (yes, I'm totally biased---but what can I say?!). If you've read previous reviews of their other locations in the Carolinas, then you'll most likely uncover the fact that 5Church has made a name for and established themselves in the communities they serve with their ambrosial menu options, world class service captivating environment and atmosphere. At the helm of the Atlanta Kitchen is Executive Chef RJ Cooper, a Detroit native and graduate of the acclaimed Culinary School at Kendall College in Chicago. With years of experience in the restaurant industry, Chef Cooper has worked in and led the kitchens at notable restaurants from coast to coast including The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta, GA, Le Bernardin in New York City, Brasserie Le Coze in Miami, Florida and New Heights Restaurant and Vidalia Restaurant in Washington, DC just to name a few. In 2006, Chef Cooper received a Star Chefs Rising Star Award and then in 2007, won the James Beard Award for Best Mid-Atlantic Chef. If you've never heard of this award, then to put it simply, it's a BIG FLIPPING' DEAL! To be nominated for this award is already a huge honor, but to win it is an even BIGGER deal! If restaurants had their version of the Olympics, it'd easily be the James Beard Foundation Awards and Michelin Star Award. From Chef Cooper's progressive style and innovative culinary approach to his creation of signature dishes incorporating both locally and seasonally inspired ingredients with a hint of French cooking fundamentals sprinkled in, he's clearly got what it takes to man the kitchen and lead his entire team to the pathway of success! Having had the incredible opportunity to get a sneak peek of their grand opening back in July, I was absolutely ecstatic to be invited back to check out their new brunch menu, especially since I hadn't had the chance to make it back here. Despite the crazy traffic and crowds due to Pride Weekend (Love wins!), my mom & I just couldn't wait to dive right into some tasty brunch goodness!
[PSA: Executive Chef and Partner Jamie Lynch will be competing in Bravo's Top Chef Season 14 airing on Thursday, December 1st at 11:15 PM E.T----Let's get it Chef Lynch! I know you're going to blow the competitors out of the water!]
Let's get started:
☆Exterior
☆Interior
☆Interior
☆Brunch Menu
☆Bacon Fat Apple Cider Donut Holes: Can you say "oink oink?!" Seriously, 5Church has combined two of my favorite foods (bacon & doughnuts) into one bite-sized piece of heaven and I couldn't be happier!
☆Ahi tuna poke, avocado, serrano chilies, pineapple, soy sherry, puffed rice: I absolutely love 5Church's take on ahi tuna tartare! Plenty of freshly diced ahi tuna paired with fresh pineapple, chilies, puffed rice and more! This dish had a nice sweetness to it from the pineapple and a slight bit of heat from the serrano, making it super enjoyable!
☆Charcuterie Platter: What a GORGEOUS spread! Am I right or am I right?! It's hard to leave me speechless, but boy, when Hack brought out this charcuterie board, it did just that! Featuring an assortment of beautifully cut meats and pickled vegetables, I wouldn't even be able to pick out which one was my favorite because they were ALL tantalizing! Seriously, you've got to do yourself a favor and order one of these bad boys!
☆Southern Fried Steak (Whipped yukon gold potatoes, 2 eggs sunny, wild mushroom-black pepper gravy): Something about fried chicken/steak with gravy and eggs just makes a Southern gal so giddy inside and 5Church's take on it was phenomenal! The batter of the fried steak was perfectly golden, crispy and light, while the actual steak itself was juicy. The cherry on top was hands down the creamy wild mushroom gravy! It was perfectly seasoned, savory and rich, without feeling too heavy and "starchy," which I definitely appreciated.
☆Hangtown Fry (Fried oysters, smoked bacon, soft scrambled eggs, frisbee salad): Silky smooth scrambled eggs (I'm talking' melt-in-your-mouth!) topped with plenty of diced bacon bits, succulent cornmeal battered oysters and a light salad, I can't tell you how much I loved the combination of oysters and eggs in this dish!
☆Peanut Butter and Jelly (Peanut butter mousse, feutillitine, milk chocolate, muscadine grape jelly, peanuts): Take everything you loved about a classic PB&J sandwich growing up as a child and add some adult flair to it and BOOM, you've got 5Church's amazing take on this classic childhood favorite! Silky peanut butter mousse, crispy feutillitine base, rich chocolate ganache and crunchy peanut toppings, this dessert has got it all going' on! It's the perfect, harmonious balance between sweet and savory!
☆Duck Fat Beignets (Burnt orange-rye caramel sauce): Served warm & fresh out the fryer, these poppable beignets have a gentle yet crispy golden exterior followed by a soft and chewy interior. Sprinkled with powdered sugar & a delectable orange rye caramel sauce, this dessert has just the right amount of sweetness in every bite!
☆Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich: Rich chocolate ice cream sandwiched in-between two moist chocolate chip cookies-reminds me of the good ol' days on the playground!
Alrighty ya'll, time to break it down to the nitty gritty! From this visit and the one back in July, it's pretty obvious that 5Church has consistently done an amazing job across the board. From the cuisine to the service and the overall atmosphere, they've hit the nail on the head time and again and have perfectly embodied the spirit and liveliness that is Midtown. To dine at 5Church is comparable to dining at other 5-star Atlanta restaurants minus the outrageous prices, snooty 'tudes and having to differentiate the salad fork from the dinner fork (total Pretty Woman reference!). Trust me when I say that dining here will save you from multiple headaches, give you the opportunity to splurge and try a variety of seasonal options that Chef Cooper's got brewin' in the kitchen. Onto our visit, if you plan on coming in for brunch, it's nice to know that there's a parking deck you can park at (up to 1.5 hours), since valet isn't available until dinner time. So after we parked the car and made our way to 5Church through Colony Square mall, we entered through the restaurant's revolving doors and were immediately greeted by one of the friendly hostesses, who then immediately sat us. Within a few minutes of being seated, our server, Hack, welcomed us and took our drink orders as we glanced through the menu. If ya'll remember, I'd previously gushed about Hack during our July visit (HERE) and his seriously spectacular service, so to keep it short and sweet, I was pretty darn ecstatic to have him as our server yet again! When he returned with our drinks, we placed our order and waited as each beautifully presented dish was brought out. Yet again, Hack's timing was on point and the transitions between the courses were perfect! As I was in complete awe of our charcuterie board (above), owner & operator, Ayman, stopped by our table and welcomed my mom & I. It was such a pleasure getting to see and chat with him again since I know how busy he was greeting and welcoming all of the other guests during the sneak peek in July. Not only that, but Ayman's handsome son, Nicholas, also stopped our table, greeted us and checked to see how we were enjoying everything-talk about a family affair! 5Church never ceases to amaze me with their remarkable service---I feel absolutely spoiled and blessed every time I make a visit here! Moving onto the decor, the sophisticated yet modern and edgy feel of the restaurant's exterior in addition to its unique, eye-opening interior is unlike one I've never seen before. 5Church's black ceiling depicts the entire manuscript of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" in bold white lettering hand-painted by artist Jon Norris, which took a span of nearly four months to complete. In addition, the "neo-Victorian" inspired decor featuring black leather banquettes and furnishings, inventive light fixtures and artworks created by popular local artists including William Massey and J.D. Both adorn the walls here in all of their shining glory. While I could literally gush over the decor here over the span of several posts alone because I'm just that head over heels in love with it, 5Church is seriously worth checking out by itself because no other restaurant in Atlanta (Trust me, I've eaten at 300+ in Atlanta alone) can even come close to comparison in terms of the detail and attention that went into here. If you're worried about the price point, then check at 5Church for lunch or brunch to save a few bucks. Either way, it's NOT worth skipping out on! You will absolutely regret it if you do! So whether you're meeting up your closet gal pals (or fellow gents) over their vast selection of handcrafted cocktails and wines, grabbing dinner with friends, families or co-workers. or are simply a food enthusiast like myself wanting to check out the greatest eats that Atlanta has to offer, then look no further than 5Church! Just one last note before wrapping up, thank you again to the entire ML+A and 5Church teams, especially Hack, Ayman and Nicholas, for inviting my mother & I out for a splendid Sunday afternoon meal!
Have a wonderful afternoon,
-Sandy
FTC: Although this was a media event and my meal was comped, I will always provide an honest review & experience of the restaurant
If you'd like to invite Bella Vivere to cover & share your restaurant's media events, tastings or parties, feel free to shoot me an email at bellavivere {at} gmail {dot} com-Thanks!
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