New Orleans Is Not Pharr at Harry Bissett's in Buckhead

Considering how close Atlanta is to the Crescent City, I am amazed at how few decent creole restaurants there are in this town. But now, with Harry Bissett's on the scene, that has changed. Even though Harry Bissett's is a descendant of the Athens scene, the menu screams New Orleans. Words like 'Lafayette', 'Bienville', and 'Thibodaux'. There are oysters done 5 ways, alligator and crawfish. There is even something described as a 'Carpetbagger', although I took offense to that.

I went with Lady Steakhead and a few friends last Saturday night, and business appeared to be brisk. The bar was crowded, all watching whatever SEC game happened to be on at the time, and the dinner crowd steadily escalated throughout the night. The service was attentive and friendly, although there were a couple of hiccups that can be expected from a new establishment.

The menu offers many of the cajun/creole favorites and we endulged in many of them. For appetizers, we ordered the barbecue shrimp, the grilled andouille sausage and the louisiana crab cake. Of these, the andouille, which had a decent kick to it, was my favorite. The barbecue shrimp was not swimming in butter and black pepper and not served with the heads on, so it was not quite what I was expecting.

For main courses, Lady Steakhead and I each ordered the Shrimp Creole which was served with a generous portion of shrimp. The order of the day came from STJ, however, who ordered the delicious Uptown Stuffed Filet- a medium-sized filet stuffed with blue cheese. We capped the night off with a traditional New Orleans bread pudding.

Harry Bissett's will earn a spot in the Steakhead rotation. The food is good, and for Buckhead, the prices are reasonable. Most entrees, except for the steaks, are under $20. Even the steaks are priced under $30. Speaking of which, next time Steakhead will stay true to his name and get the Uptown Stuffed Filet. Man was that good.

Coming Soon- Harry Bissett's Buckhead

John Durrett, a fellow classmate of mine from the Fuqua School of Business, is opening Harry Bissett's Buckhead- an offshoot of the well-known Cajun restaurant in Athens. I stopped in at his Pharrr Rd. location last night to check out the progress, and they are just days away from opening. Durrett is aiming to recreate the exact feel of the original Athens location, from the menu to the decor. While I haven't been to the orginal, the menu does look tantalizing- blackened ribeye, filet au poivre, shrimp creole, crawfish ettouffe and of course, my all time fave- New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp. Now Lady Steakhead, she is both a UGA grad AND a cajun from Baton Rouge, and she loves Harry Bissett's. So when we make our first official visit in the next week or two, she will every bit of the food critic as yours truly. Best of luck John and we look forward to your Grand Opening!