Welcome to Atlanta Where the Players Play
I arrived in Atlanta just in time for my brother’s birthday party at 10 Degrees South, an African restaurant in Buckhead. After dinner, my family headed over to my brother’s house for cake and conversation. Over the course of the night, my parents ended up playing PS2, which I got a kick out of. I never play video games, but I was excited when my brother told me we were going to play a racing game. All I’m saying is I miss the 80’s games where you actually had a steering wheel at the arcade. I think I spent more time driving backward than forward. Or what about Duckhunt? Yeah, that’s where it’s at.
On a side note, I’m always amused by the things I notice when I come home to visit. Atlanta is much trendier than Knoxville, something that took me several years to get use to when I moved to Tennessee. Now I can’t help but notice how everyone is a little overdressed to go shopping or have dinner. At the restaurant, I couldn’t help but notice the abundance of young women with older men and how everyone seemed to have a sports car. Speaking of which, the valet parked my brother’s car right up front where everyone could see it, while my car was delegated to the back parking lot. Coincidence? I think not. I guess I should have driven the sports car.
The first thing you notice when you pull up is the sterile feeling of the building. From the outside, it very much resembles an office building, with its square shape and many windows. You are then greeted by the valet, which almost made me laugh. The parking lot isn’t nearly big enough to even slightly need a valet. I almost felt guilty not having to walk a few steps to the door. On my way out, I again felt guilty about having to pay someone to get my car when it was so close. Apparently, you can self park in a lot two buildings to the left of the restaurant.
Upon entering 10 Degrees South, the first thing that catches your eye is the entryway, with its high ceilings, bamboo and modern wall art. There is a small patio outback for smokers, which is decorated in neutral tones with bursts of orange accents. Just inside the patio, you will find an L-shaped area of bar seating complete with leather seats and dark wood tones. Later in the evening, a musician blared out tunes from a corner nook.
As for the food, let me first say this is not the place for a cheap dinner. Entrees run $25-$30 while the small plates run $9-$12. If you plan on spending less than $30 per person, it is likely that you will not enjoy your experience at 10 Degrees South. If you come with an open pocketbook, let the good times roll. I sampled several dishes as listed below.
Calamari: This item is grilled and tossed in lemon butter and peri-peri sauce and served with a small amount of rice. The true taste is more dominant since the calamari is grilled, not fried. My impression was one thumb up and one thumb down. Although it was good, I wouldn’t purposely seek it out on other occasions.
Greek Salad: The greek is a traditional salad with kalamata olives and square chunks of feta cheese. A few slices of pepper and onion round out this classic. The feta added a burst of flavor that rose above my expectations. However, $8.50 seemed a bit steep for what turned out to be essentially a side salad.
Filet Au Poivre: This 8 ounce filet mignon is grilled and topped with Madagascan peppercorn sauce and served with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. This dish is a sure to please. The mashed potatoes are so creamy they melt in your mouth.
Rack of Lamb: Eight lollipop chops are served with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. Again the mashed potatoes melt in your mouth and the lamb chops are among the best I’ve tasted. This too clearly rises above the rest.
Peri-Peri Chicken: The butterflied Cornish hen is covered in spicy seasoning and grilled. Side items include vegetables and white rice. This dish gets one thumb up and one thumb down. I loved the spicy essence of the Cornish hen, but it wears on you the more you eat. Although I would order it again, this dish is best shared with someone so you can get a balance of flavors throughout the evening.
Caramel Flan: Traditional flan is covered in caramel sauce. This was good, but nothing the world hasn't seen before.
So when all was said and done, I enjoyed my visit to Ten Degrees South, but it wasn’t somewhere that I am likely to visit again. I would give it four stars for a one time visit and three stars overall.
