Push Start Kitchen!
Let me tell you, Brett won some major boyfriend points with this one! I never thought the best date I would ever go on would include dinner with eight strangers.
Push Start Kitchen is a small dinner club run out of an loft space in West Atlanta by a fabulous husband and wife duo. Their romance began in Costa Rica so every dish they serve has an exotic Latin twist. Their rented space is inside a 130 year old cotton gin manufacturing plant and is next to "The Goat Farm" art community(http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Goat-Farm-Atlanta/162337850449783).
The only way to attend a dinner is to join their mailing list and when they send out the menus for the week, be one of the first eight people to respond. Little did I know, Brett had been trying to get us on the list for months. Finally after a few months of persistence, Brett got us on the list and we couldn't wait to check it out. When we first arrived, we had no idea what to expect but when we walked in, we found eight fun, friendly, and like-minded Atlantans looking for something new and exciting to try in their city.
We all relaxed outside with awesome rum cocktails and appetizers while we waited for dinner to be prepared. When we walked into the dining area, I couldn't believe how quaint and beautiful it was. A long beechwood table with an open door facing a train track that, when it came by, sounded so fitting amidst the urban oasis we found ourselves in that night. Tiny bricks were missing in the walls and replaced by tea candles and awesome indie music played in the background.
Each course was made even more delicious with their wonderful wine pairings that bought every bite to life. A fresh beet salad with ham hock, avocado and goat cheese was followed by a delicious sous vide chicken breast with liver mouse and roasted pear. The dessert was chai ice cream with sweet potato and gingersnap. We finished the meal with shots of 100 year old rum that would knock most pirates to the ground. We stayed and chatted with our new friends for almost another hour and a half before we realized it was midnight. The "dinner with strangers" ended up becoming dinner with friends and we didn't want to leave!
Eating at meal at Push Start Kitchen is amazing but what this couple is really creating is an unforgettable experience for people all over the city to come together for a moment of real peace, friendship and culinary exploration. They suggest a $50 donation per person but let me tell you, the experience is priceless. Please visit http://pushstartkitchen.blogspot.com/ to set up an incredible evening for you and someone you love. It really is unforgettable.
