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Mon-Thu. 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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I know others have said it. It's impossible to deny. Ecco's fried goat cheese appetizer with honey and black pepper is MANNA FROM THE GODS! A little bit of heaven, right in little ol' Atlanta.
But their other food kicks ass as well. Grilled asparagas and marinated tomato salad: delicious. Loved the char on the asparagas, adds so much to the dish.
Chili braised pork with garlic and home made parparadelle: Amazing! The pork was so tender and delicious with subtle chili flavors, enhanced by some super sweet tomatoes, chunks of fresh garlic, and the house-made pasta was perfect.
They also have a nice wine list and our server was well versed on what was available that fit our budget and our cravings. We wanted a "big" red and after a taste of a whimpy cabernet and some more wine-list wrangling, he suggested the Stags Leap Petite Syrah. A bit pricey at around $60 a bottle, but was just what we were wanting (and my co-worker expensed it! Awww yeah!).
Oh, Ecco, how I love thee, let me count the ways...
I'm going to be a little critical of this place! Because they have the skill, talent and experience to do better. That being said, I like this restaurant and will definitely be a frequent visitor! Love the location, the look, the style, the open kitchen, the decor and of course the bar.
The service needs a lot of work, timing, menu knowledge and how to use proper Annunciation with a group of 5 ppl for a birthday on Thursday night!
The meat and cheese was fantastic. The Asparagus was terrible but the tomatoes were great! The olives were good but the presentation was bad! The squid was flavorless and was not what you would expect. The Linguine with Clams was a disappointment. The Pork Pappardelle was really good! The Strip Steak really was the best thing on the menu and done perfectly. Loved it! OH and the Pizza was fantastic as well.
In summary better train the service staff and pay attention the the little details of each dish that comes out of the kitchen.
I wish I could give this place 3.72 stars, because I think that would better articulate how I feel about. First, I really loved the ambiance. I took my boyfriend there for his birthday and it was exactly the atmosphere I was looking for; quiet but alive, subtle and sparkly. The other reason I took him here was their special menu that they are running until the 17th of October (2009), "Sirens of the Sea." This chef-driven menu was created to remind us of the seductive nature of succulent sea food- however, I'm not so sure it delivers.
My boyfriend and I decided to go for small plates so that we could have a taste of the many different options. Aside from the fried goat cheese balls (and yes, those are a must-have), the next day, I had trouble recalling what else we ate. The flat bread pizza was a little heavy on the cheese, the wood-fire grilled shellfish tasted like any ordinary seafood platter swimming in a stewed tomato sauce, and what else did we get....
See what I mean? I remember meals I had YEARS ago, and I can't remember what else I ordered from Ecco on Saturday night. I think that says something in itself. One thing I do remember was the Halibut Crudo, which we ended our meal with- now THAT was some damn fine eats- catch it before the 17th though, because it was on the Sirens menu. I suppose it is also important to note that because of their special seafood menu, the waiter informed us that there regular menu was chopped in half. So we may have missed out on some really great menu items.
All in all- I think it's worth a shot. Don't bring your kids- DO bring your drinkin' hats, and make sure you order those ridiculous fried goat cheese balls, about which I will forever have dreams/nightmares.
Wow, wow and wow.
This is my kind of restaurant, tasty, great service and just the right about of stuffiness to make it a special night.
Valet service is free with your validated ticket from Ecco, so from the start, one less thing to worry about. Once we were seated and the table I perused the extensive wine menu. Once again, I wish I had an iota of knowledge about wine. Since what I lack in wine knowledge, I compensate for in vodka, I ordered the Quella Ragazza which was a strawberry vodka mixed with a little bit of soda (and some other stuff I'm sure). Yikes! Two sips and it hit me!
We took the waiters suggestion and tried the fried goat cheese. So yum!!! Save your bread for that because the goat cheese can be a little overwhelming.
My boyfriend got the roasted pork with a side of roasted potatoes and I tried the speck, potato and rosemary pizza. His roast was so juicy he probably didn't need a knife to cut through it, and my pizza was very tasty. The dough and rosemary-infused sauce made it so different. While selecting my dish, I kind of wished the menu was a little larger, but then again, I don't like it when the menu is *too* large...
For desert we got the figs and cake and i got a cup of coffee. The fig dish had this amazing almond sauce.
What I also noticed was the people around me, and how well I thought everyone was being treated. Two people from what i believe to be upper management asked us how our food was, and this is the kind of place where the waiters fold up your napkins all fancy when you leave for the restroom. All the staff seem very calm, but not uppity.
As far as the dress code, I saw lots of guys with khakis and polos, some jeans, ladies in dresses. So, I'd say you should leave the flip-flops at home, and throw on a button down. But you don't have to dress to the nines to look appropriate here.
I have been wanting to come here for some time, and I'm glad i did because it was fantastic!
I have always seen this place, driving in the Midtown area. You can't miss the big Ecco sign. So, I have been here for Wine brunches.
Just imagine a sophisticated place in Midtown. Expensive white table clothes and interior. Waiters/waitresses wearing white shirts and ties, along with the patrons.
It is nice, but not my style. I will steal a quote from another reviewer, "it is too stuffed shirt" for my tastes.
I'd been meaning to try Ecco out for well over a year. I'm sort of upset at myself for not going sooner. This restaurant is nothing short of a fabulous dining experience that makes you feel like a somebody without breaking the bank! That said, we all dressed up, but I saw plenty of people in jeans and a nice shirt - I wouldn't say you'd want to come in sweatpants, but you don't have to make it a black tie affair either. Casual elegance is the best way to describe it.
My boyfriend and I run a bi-monthly foodie meet up in Atlanta and we chose to visit Ecco during Yelp Eats Week (you can find this review under that header as well). We ended up with plenty of food to share and an extremely friendly waiter who was pleasant, made conversation, but wasn't over-bearing. It almost felt like we were visiting a friend on their shift - something many restaurants lack in the serving department.
The decor is very upscale and well done. I loved how the interior felt dark and mysterious, yet it was lit well enough to read the menus easily. It set the mood for feeling like we were about to pay triple digits a piece for our meal... except we weren't! Perusing the menu, we were all happy to see that everything sounded spectacular but nothing was over-priced. I'll admit I originally though we'd be in for a $25 plate with a tiny morsel on it, but that's not the case here! The one thing we all thought was over-priced was the meat and cheese plates, but when we saw how much cheese you received for the cost, we quickly changed our minds. Everything is affordable and the portions are beyond adequate for even the hungriest of patrons.
We truly did have a lot of food. Fried goat cheese, meatballs, french fries with homemade mayo, carrots, cheese, asparagus - all this on top of our meals! The steelhead trout, the quail, the chicken, the pasta dishes... nothing fell short. Everyone was happy with their meals, the presentation was wonderful, and it was served fresh off the stove - a feat when working with larger groups. Very impressed!
The Yelp Eats menu included a dessert, which took all six of us to polish off. It was a chocolate mousse of sorts, very rich but good, with a vanilla sauce and almond brittle on the side. Pure evil, but pure southern goodness. :)
I also had a cocktail, which was a bit pricey, but most restaurant cocktails typically are. It was the lemonade cocktail, which included a candied lemon on top. It tasted delicious and was worth every penny!
If you're looking for a spectacular night on the town with friends, going on a date, or showing family around town, I highly recommend Ecco. Great service, friendly staff, excellent food, quality cocktails, and phenomenal dessert. You really will feel like a million bucks without ever having to spend that much.
4.5
As far as I'm concerned, Ecco provides a good value. The food is very good and the majority of entrees are less than $20. They also tend to run a lot of specials (like Sunday and Monday $15 deals). I like the general concept, too -- sort of a melange of European influences. They also change their menu fairly regularly, which can be nice. It's upscale but I don't think it's really very stuffy: as Michelle A. said, you'll see people there with jeans and a nice shirt.
I ate there for "Yelp Eats 2009!" but now that I think about it -- given Ecco's prices, the $25 prix fixe at Ecco is relatively less of a deal when compared to, say, Canoe. But enough of thinking like an economist. Thinking like a diner, I was satisfied with my choice.
I started with the fried goat cheese with honey, and as many other reviewers have mentioned, the dish is great. I had the orecchiette with peas, pancetta and mint for my entree. I wasn't sure how the flavor combination would work when I ordered it, but overall I enjoyed it. The chocolate terrine with peanut brittle I had for dessert was really rich and awesome. The only thing I had that I didn't care for was a side of field peas, but they're not even on the menu anymore as I write this review.
A few years ago, Ecco's menu was more expensive (meat-based entrees in the ~$30 range -- check http://archive.org if you care to verify). In the meantime they have changed their menu to a more moderate price range but kept the concept and decor largely the same. Anyway, I like the concept and most of their food I've had.
I had an extraordinarily pleasant dinner tonight at Ecco - was visiting Atlanta (for now, moving soon) and had dinner by myself. I am used to that from business travel, etc, but at Ecco was especially catered upon (it seemed) by great servers and lovely nearby dining "neighbors" who chatted as well!
I first will commend Chris, my server, for being so above-and-beyond attentive. He not only recommended dishes to try as my first dinner at Ecco (after I'd said I was fine having too many dishes and either taking them to go or not, but I wanted to get a real sampling of the restaurant), but he also timed dishes well and waited to bring main course as I still had appetizer while I was chatting with the folks next to me - when they'd left, he asked me to let him know when I was ready for main course, as he didn't want to either rush me or leave me waiting. He was, frankly, one of the best servers I've encountered!
At his recommendation, I tried a the meat/cheese appetizer (I choose locally sourced items) and also the fried goat cheese which has been mentioned previously. I have had fried goat cheese with honey at other places, and it is not a favorite of mine (I'm a purist when it comes to goat cheese), but he was enthusiastic about it, so I went with it.
And - YUM! The cheese, meats, and goat cheese were great. and, the bread served just normally at the table had a surprisingly interesting flavor to it...sourdough, but more than that....really good!
For main entree I had the chili-braised pork with garlic and homemade pappardelle. It was good, but not as noteworthy as the rest of the meal. But, to be clear, it was good enough for me to take all the leftovers "home" even to a hotel mini bar!
and then, and then.... then olive oil with chocolate and sea salt ice cream......oh my...
I'm not a big dessert fan, and only was looking at the dessert menu as I like to read menus, but saw this concoction and asked about it, and our now trustworthy Chris said it was great.....so I got it. wow.
The folks at the table next to me ordered it as well and had the same reaction.....who knew olive oil sea salt ice cream could be something so delectable? The chocolate part was great (of course, it is chocolate), but wasn't even needed...yes, I'm a savory taste bud person, but - well - wow.
So, Chris, thanks for being an amazing server and giving me a guided tour around the menu for someone dining by myself in a new city - and I will be back!
I went to a "work" dinner at Ecco last night and everything was amazing as usual. Immediately visited the bar for libations, where I got the Queen Bee Martini with gin and elderflower. This cocktail has apparently won national awards, and I'm not surprised. It was divine.
We were having a good time so we just ate at the bar and shared everything. Amongst my fav's were the meat/cheese boards as usual, the grilled squid, and the meatballs with saffron. The fried goat cheese balls with honey are one of their sig dishes, which everyone loved, except me. I couldn't bring myself to try them since there was other good stuff that won't give you a premature heart attack.
The restaurant is well-kept and still looks new, the service is great and knowledgable. Their wine list is my fav in the city, as it gives great descriptions of all the wines, so I feel comfortable trying something new without feeling like I may be stuck with something I wont like.
Our service was stellar - from the hostesses to the Tom Cruise look-a-like bartender to our very knowledgeable servers. Everyone just seemed really happy to be here - we loved it!!
We had a party of 4 girls, and we decided to share plates. Ordering 7 plates (incl. 2 entrees) and 2 desserts turned out to be just perfect for our group.
Here is what we got - see photos, too:
Fried goat cheese w/ honey & black pepper ($7) - OMG fabulous! I'm a huge sweet-salty fan so I loved it - probably my favorite of the evening.
Piquillo peppers stuffed w/ pork, mushrooms, and manchego ($8) - another party favorite, too. I love roasted peppers.
Oak-grilled white asparagus & marinated tomato salad ($8) - delicious, esp. the tomato salad.
Grilled eggplant w/ tomatoes & cheese - good but not outstanding for me.
Grilled petite tender w/ fennel pollen ($20) - wonderful juicy thick pieces of steak. The flavor was amazing - might be my other favorite dish of the evening.
Smoked proscuitto ($4.75) - I'm not a proscuitto person so I have no idea whether this was good but tasted ok to me.
Margherita pizza ($11) - pretty good but nothing special. I would've liked to try our server's recommendation - the sweet peppers & arugula, but a couple folks at our table didn't seem interested in the sweet peppers.
Chocolate terrine with creme anglais & pinenut brittle ($8) - can you say yummy??!! It's similar to a flourless chocolate cake except less rich & slightly fluffier. I really liked the pinenut brittle - love the creativity. Extra special - this dessert was complimentary in honor of my friend who's getting married :)
Cannoli w/ homemade ricotta, candied citron, pistachios, & dark chocolate ($8) - while the party favorite was the chocolate terrine, my favorite was the cannoli. I loved the taste of the ricotta filling with the shell - honestly wouldn't have imagined that the same ricotta in lasagna could taste so good in a dessert. Delicious!!!!!!!!!!
Great space, fantastic food, but most outstanding really was the service by Brent & his trainee. Brent really did an excellent job explaining the dishes, his personal favorites, and I liked that they recognized that tonight's dinner was special based on the note included in my OpenTable reservation - by congratulating my friend at the beginning & end of our dinner, and treating my friend to a complimentary dessert.
Thanks Ecco for making our evening memorable!! 4.5 stars for sure! Oh - and parking is complimentary valet or if you're lucky like me, free street parking in front.
My first review! I've just moved down to Atlanta from New York and my girlfriend had been meaning to check out Ecco. We had a party of 6 and made reservations for 9 PM on a Friday. If you thought Ecco would be quieting down by that point in the night, you'd be wrong. The place was hopping before, during and even after we finished our meal. Now everyone else in the restaurant was dressed rather nicely but our group wasn't dressed to the nines and it did not seem to be a big deal at all.
For Full disclosure, we also had coupons for buy one get one free entree which is a fabulous deal.
Our waiter was very friendly and pleasant although perhaps misinformed on some of the food as I will describe later.
Our table started off with some Coppa (cured ham) and some aged Gouda, both of which were amazing. The Coppa was super tender and soft and I love cheese and the Gouda did not disappoint.
As for the main course, each person in the party ordered their own "entree". I have celiac's disease meaning I cannot have food with wheat, rye, barely or oats. I asked the waiter about two items on the menu: the roasted pork with tomato and rosemary and the Roasted organic chicken thighs with salsa verde. The waiter asked if I had a gluten intolerance (Awesome!) and then mentioned that the roasted pork had flour involved and that the chicken thighs did not so that made my order fairly simply. The chicken thighs and salsa verde were very good, perfectly cooked and the salsa verde added a nice cool taste, with a little bit of bite to the dish. Everyone else also seemed to enjoy their meals as well with the Trofie (pasta) with pesto, olives, pole beans and potato taking the cake for most MMM's.
Overall with the coupons in place, dinner was incredibly cheap but even if we did not have the coupons the meals would not have broken the bank and were cheap compared to prices seen in New York.
For the negative, about 2 hours after the meal, I started having a gluten reaction (a horrible stomach ache that lasts on average about half a day) (Celiac FAIL). Now I don't know what caused the reaction and the waiter very well might have been right about there being no gluten and my reaction was caused by cross contamination. Either way it was somewhat of a let down after a nice meal as I am much more cautious about going to Ecco again.
Overall, a very good meal for not a ridiculous price but if you have celiac's disease be cautious and more vigilant than I was in making sure your food is gluten free.
My boyfriend brought me here along with one of his friends for dinner. He had previously been here with his parents and decided that ecco was a very nice restaurant that is still recession friendly.
Just by looking at the wine menu, we already decided that all the wines that we would enjoy were only around $30, can we say, awesome?
The best thing about the south, or so people say, is the hospitality, and I can definitely say that this was confirmed at this restaurant. The staff was very welcoming, our waiter was so helpful, giving us honest opinions about what is great about the restaurant and what wines to choose.
Of course the main topic here is food and it was amazing. The fried goat cheese, meat and cheese plate, the pasta. Yum. I definitely would recommend this place, if you ever are in this area in Atlanta.
My boyfriend and I checked this place out during midtown restaurant week, after passing it countless times and hearing really good things.
We both ordered off the prefix menu and were very satisfied. I had the goat cheese balls and he had the meatballs. The meatballs were average and I loved the goat cheese, but they were so rich with all the honey, so I limited myself so as not to be too full for dinner.
For entrees, I had orecchiette which was absolutely delicious. I've never had that type of pasta before and it was similar to tortellini, which I love, so I would definitely try it again. The vegetable sauce was really flavorful and really gave the dish some pop.
My boyfriend had the steelhead, and it tasted alot like salmon too me, nothing too special, but he must have liked it due the his cleaned plate. We tried both desserts and the cherry with amaretto ice cream was the favorite.
Overall, a lively atmosphere, but more on the casual end for Midtown, great wine list and better prices than I had expected, so we will definitely be back!
It's not too often that I review a restaurant more than two years after my one and only visit, but I thought that the mere fact that I still remember it -- and specifically the Gorgonzola and burnt honey ice cream -- almost 800 days later stands for something worth recognizing.
I remember being blown away by the service and the food. I also remember feeling a lot better about my 401k at that time.
I'm going to recommend this to a fellow Seattle-based colleague who is in Atlanta and thought it would be worthwhile to use the moment to also recognize them more publicly. This is one of those restaurants that make you look like the smart colleague who knows where to eat.
I love meeting girlfriends at Ecco for a night out. It is also a great place to eat before seeing a show at The Fox. I highly recommend the wine selection and there is not a bad table in the house. Definitely utilize the valet parking since there is little parking on the street.
I'm ashamed that I've lived in Midtown for a couple years now, and my first meal at Ecco wasn't until last night. I've been missing out - this place is awesome. The food was delicious, the ambiance was beautiful, and the service was spot-on. Ecco looks nice from the outside, but the inside is shockingly classy, especially for the corner of 7th and Cypress. Between the four of us, a lot was ordered:
Grilled calamari: I loved it, but another person that ordered it said it was a bit too acidic/lemon-y for her taste. I thought it was tender and perfectly cooked. If you don't like olives, though, pass on this - there's a good amount of an olive tapenade-like topping.
Roasted beets: good, especially if you love beets like I do. The beets are served whole and fairly firm, and they can be hard to slice - watch out!
Sauteed spinach with roasted peppers and pine nuts: it's about 95% spinach, and it's a filling, tasty side order - lots of olive oil and butter, though.
Roasted cobia: fish in a light red sauce with stewed tomatoes. Very good, but fairly small for $21.
Escarole salad: looked like typical salad lettuce with diced hard-boiled egg in a light, peppery-dressing. Menu doesnt mention it, but there's a good amount of croutons. Good, but nothing special.
Roasted asparagus with marinated tomatoes: the asparagus is white (very Euro!), and it's a decent portion.
Fried goat cheese balls: BEST dish of the night. I highly, highly recommend it. It doesn't look like what you'd expect, but the combination of flavors is unforgettable.
I definitely suggest ordering a bunch of the small plates and sides rather than opting for one of the main dishes or pizzas. My three tapas plates cost less than my cousin's roasted cobia, and I got a LOT more food and the opportunity to try a variety of flavors and dishes that complimented each other really nicely.
Ecco was hoppin' on a Thursday night at 7, so reservations may be a good idea, especially if you're planning to go on the weekend.
I came here for a "bachelorette" dinner of sorts with about 10 girls (no penis straws, it was a low key affair). We got a couple bottles of wine for the table and a bunch of small dishes to share, plus a cheese plate. The fried goat cheese dish was one of my favorites...any place with lots of good cheese is alright with me. And I loved all three cheeses that the waiter brought us - we asked him to choose. I can't even tell you what they were at this point, but all were delish.
We all kinda filled up on the small plates so when it came to ordering an entree I split a margherita pizza with my friend. It would have been a nice filling dish for me had I not gorged on all the yummy appetizers. Everything was really fresh tasting.
There were a variety of desserts ordered, which I don't get that excited about. One friend ordered the pomegranate mint sorbet which sounded good on paper but in execution was rather weird. We expected fresh mint but it seemed like they used some sort of mint flavoring that was too sweet - fresh mint in and of itself isn't all that sweet. One person likened it to eating toothpaste. Personally I didn't think it was THAT bad but it was a little odd. Also I had a taste the olive oil gelato which I thought was good - especially for people without a sweet tooth like myself.
I recommend Ecco. Yum.
Took the Girlfriend there for an impromptu dinner after returning from a business trip and can't say I was overly impressed. I will say their fried goat cheese is phenomenal, as are their carrots and the ambiance. I had the pork and thought it was pretty bland and to be honest, a little tough. I would add one star to this restaurant if they would have a lower price-point, but from what we experienced, we didn't get what we paid for. The server was also over eager and honestly, a little obnoxious. Perhaps she was ready to go home! I will give it one more shot, but I think there are better restaurants in Atlanta.
My parents came in this past weekend for my birthday, aka Mother's Day. We had reservations at Brio, but after looking at the menu I realized that I wasn't able to eat anything but fruit - gluten free sucks some days. So while hanging out in the Apple store I pulled up Open Table, for the mom, to see what restaurants weren't insanely priced for Mother's Day. She picked Ecco and Einstein's. Einstein's had no reservations. Ecco it is.
The first thing I noticed when we walked in was that the bar was absolutely beautiful. It reminded me a lot of the two hotels we used to eat at back home when I was just a little pain in the ass (as I'm now a large pain in the ass).
We sat and looked at the menu and I looked at it for five minutes thinking, "If I leave, will my parents notice?" I don't know why but nothing on the menu appealed to me, except the olives, goat balls, and cheese - Roncal is amazing! But you can't subside on cheese and olives alone. For a restaurant that supposedly has a brunch menu - I didn't find their menu particularly brunchy. I really was disappointed. I ended up getting the salad with pears. It had zero flavor.
My mom got the vegetable soup, which she loved. My dad got the poached eggs over potatoes, which he loved. So, mission accomplished because that's all that matters. My girl had the spinach and artichoke fritata and liked it, wasn't thrilled, but ate it.
I think I had extremely high expectations. My friends have bragged about Ecco for some time now. And as for the "famous Ecco goat balls," well, they were okay, but I like Loca Luna's better. I just wanted more. Damn hype, always screwing me up.
I will be back, but only because I want to hang out at the bar or on the patio. Basically I'm drinking my next meal there.
Saw Bill Murray there. Solid food and dining experience. Best to go on Sundays when it's $15 for an appetizer and entree. Some reasonably priced good wine as well.
We've visited Ecco several times. The Entrees aren't anything to rave home about, however, there are a few tapas that are excellent. The fried goat cheese is AMAZING! The meatballs, grilled peppers, and mussels are great! In the Cheese and Meat menu, the pork shoulder is good and the first cheese (can't remember the name), its a sheep and goat cheese I believe, but very good!! For dessert, their olive oil ice cream sounds weird, but is very good! The sorbets are not good.
The service here has been great both times we've been there. VERY knowledgeable about the food AND very interested in providing great service! Will definitely be back to visit.
Food is good but is it out of this world good? Ey? Papadelle w/ Braised pork and tomatoes were solid but for 16.00 I thought the pasta was a bit too al dente for me. Best part of this Resto is definitely the bar space and the drinks at the bar. I sat at the bar and had a glass of wine, and saw the bartender mixing up a great drink of fruit preserves and what not.. so I asked him what it was, and he poured me a little in a cup.. it was darn tasty!! Great atmosphere and next time I go, I would get a glass of wine, and eat cheeses and meats!
Silly Little me.. being newly relocated, I very much depend on my GPS.. Like Jason K.. says, I'd be… Read more »
Ecco is an absolutely charming restaurant, with a great atmosphere and highly attentive staff. I was quite pleased with the service, but this review is solely dedicated to one delectable item on the menu: the mouth-watering olive oil ice cream with shaved chocolate and coarse sea salt, AMAZING!
Yes - I know this combination sounds rather bizarre, and I, too, was hesitant to try, but let me just say, this is one of the most magical things I've put in my mouth in quite some time!!
When it was time for the dessert course, the waiter -- a friend of my dining buddy -- offered to select our final round. "Do you trust me?!" He inquired, with a devilish grin. Both picky eaters, we begrudgingly agreed, quite nervous as to what would arrive. When a big bowl of ice cream was presented to us, frankly we were both shocked. This would be THE LAST THING IN THE WORLD either of us would select. But alas, after one bite, an explosion of goodness erupted, and we could not stop eating the delightul bowl of frozen chocolately perfection.
Bottom line: save room for this delectable dish, it will be the best thing you've consumed in ages!
How in the world have I not been here before? I mean, sure I've heard people talking about it, but I guess I just wrote it off. My loss. This was one of the better dining experiences I've had in awhile.
We started with the giardinera, which was some of the best I've ever had with crunchy carrots, cauliflower, and fennel etc. in a slightly sweet but still tangy brine. We also enjoyed the fried goat cheese which was surprising because the coating was so thin, not like a typical batter, leaving really just the texture and taste of the cheese, nicely complimented by the honey and pepper. The mizuna salad with good English cheddar and soft roasted pears was also tasty.
I had the duck confit pasta, very simple but beyond rich due to the incredibly meaty jus. I also tried a special fettucine with escarole, blood orange, fourme d'ambert and pine nuts. It sounds like it would be a very flavorful dish, but it wasn't. I didn't get any citrus flavor at all and even the cheese was fairly muted. It was still tasty though because you can't go wrong with good fresh pasta.
Somehow we managed to save room for dessert. I ended up with the chocolate caramel tart due to peer pressure and it was nice with the fennel pollen crust and creme anglaise, but the real stars were the exquisitely bright fruity tangerine sorbet and the olive oil straciatella. The dairy cuts the bitterness of the olive and allows the fruit flavor to shine through.
Because it was fairly late and service was winding down we had a chance to talk with David the Chef de Cuisine and I was really impressed with his thoughtful approach to food. I am definitely a convert and can't wait to come back and see what this kitchen dreams up next and especially look forward to warmer weather when we can take advantage of the gorgeous patio.
Great Drinks! Great Food! Great Company! I say go, enjoy the Goat Cheese (fried balls of yumminess, you will want to pop in your mouth) the pasta was perfect, the Green Beans were "to die for" and I have a feeling whatever you order it will be fantastic!
9 coworkers and I had an 8:00 reservation and weren't seated until almost 9:00. Yeah, I know.
Luckily, we spent time at the bar with the great bartender and the manager gave us a couple meat and cheese plates to make up for the long, hunger-pained wait. Still wish they could have done something to get us seated faster.
Our server was perplexing. He wasn't very personable or helpful. The owner of the company gave him free reign to great a series of plates for us and we ended up with odds and ends without an entree in sight. French fries? Really? If asked to bring out your best food and you bring out french fries, that's a problem. I really think the issue was with the server and not the food though.
Most things we had were good, and the fried goat cheese balls blew my mind. The oven baked shrimp, though was overcooked and unmemorable. I didn't see one Greek thing about this place, so when I went in thinking we would get some Greek food, I was very confused. The flat bread pizzas were also good, though when we asked to make sure a goat cheese, walnut and date pizza be included in our dinner, they brought out two margherita pizzas instead. Again, what? I like tomato and basil, but is that really the best you can do?
I'd go back, but make sure to order for myself since I don't think I can trust the servers to make recommendations. The bartender was great, prices were reasonable and if you have a smaller group. you shouldn't have a problem getting seated. Larger groups, beware, though. They apparently only have one big table and you'll be at the mercy of the group seated there ahead of you.
What a nice restaurant. The hostess was very friendly and seated us right away (we had reservations). Parking was by valet and very convenient. The menu was really interesting. Lots of variety, although I had to ask the waiter to explain what a lot of the stuff even was. But he did a good job of telling us all about it. Great cocktails. Really tasty appetizer. Excellent dinner and dessert.
The decor is pretty too. Kind of dark inside (windows curtained to keep the setting sun from glaring down on you). Large round, modernesque, chandeliers all over the place. Dark paneling throughout.
I'll be back.
I've never had a bad experience at Ecco, and yesterday confirmed why I love the place so much. My parents were visiting from Wilmington, NC, and we were trying to find a place to eat at 4:00 PM on a Sunday as we had just left the Fox Theatre after seeing the Jersey Boys matinee. This is harder than it sounds - most places are closed or don't open until 5:00 PM on Sundays.
The bar opens at 4:00 PM on Sunday, but the kitchen doesn't start until 5:30 PM. No worries. Eric, bartender extraordinaire, whipped us up some great drinks while we waited. They were able to make us a meat and cheese platter before the kitchen opened, and with some olives and great crusty bread, we had the makings of a memorable meal.
Ecco is simply a great neighborhood restaurant. My husband and I have eaten there numerous times, and everything on the menu we've sampled has been excellent. Enjoy!
So I stroll into Ecco last night with my friends Lisa and Nichole, it's a frigid night and we're on our way to another event. Let me just say Ecco has a great flair. The establishment is very well appointed and inviting.
We decide to sit at the bar, we're at the far end which provided a great view of the restaurant overall. No sooner than we grab our seats, we're greeted by the friendly bartender and he sets our places.
For a Tuesday night, it sure wasn't empty. They seemed to be doing some good business. Nice mix of people.
The drink menu was great, I tried the Lemonade Provencal and the Long Live the Queen. I was more partial to the lemonade. Food wise I had the Pommes frites and the Fried Goat Cheese. Both were extremely tasty and in good portions.
Really nice experience and I look forward to having a full-on meal here sometime soon.
It is uncommon to genuinely enjoy all the food and drink you order at a place you know nothing about, especially when you try out 4 different dishes and 2 kinds of wine, but that is exactly what happened tonight.
Not knowing much about the place, my girlfriend and I avoided this place on more than one occasion due to the high concentration of mothers and grandmothers on weekends, all dressed in their Sunday best. Tonight, however, we had intended to try the nearby Beleza after reading about it, but were disappointed to find that it was closed on Mondays, so we decided to give Ecco a try on this off-peak night. We were happily surprised by the quality of the food, wine and service.
Starters:
We started with a simple Mizuna salad, which was magnificent, especially with the English cheddar. Then, we had the stuffed Piquillo peppers, which looked small for the price ($8), but were definitely worth every penny.
If you've never heard of Mizuna or Piquillo, ask your server, which is what we did. I can't speak for all the staff, but at least our server was very knowledgeable about all the restaurant's offerings, which is more than I can say about most of the restaurants in Midtown. He was also very attentive.
Main:
We also ordered a spectacular wood-fired pizza, anchovy pizza with olives instead of anchovies (which they were happy to do) and a risotto-style Farro (which we also had to ask about). The slightly sweet homemade mozzarella was definitely the highlight of the pizza, and I was not dissappointed with my first Farro experience.
Wine:
We enjoyed the appetizers with a small carafe of the Khroma Cab, which was okay, but not as delightful as the Duende Tempranillo we had with the rest of the meal. Duende is the only Tempranillo from California that I have ever had, and I cannot get enough. Both of these wines are modestly priced (under $30 for a full bottle), although there are also several higher-end wines on the list.
Conclusion:
Four food items were probably not necessary for two people, but every bite was delicious, and we had more than our fill of good wine. We are definitely going to return, maybe for the weekend special (if we can avoid the crowds). The only complaint I have is that the cocktail seats were a bit uneven, which made me feel shorter than my girlfriend ... but she got a kick out of it.
This is one of my favorites in Atl! When people come from out of town I take them here. Nice small plates to start especially the fried goat cheese and meat and cheese platters, and the drinks are good, service is great. and entrees are nice. Cool place. Everyone should try at least once.
For the past couple of years I've been avoiding Ecco. Last night, after finally visiting, I was trying to remember the reason. I think it was because their menu was a little pricey when they first opened or maybe it was because I lived in Peachtree Lofts 10 years ago when it used to be a fencing school / drug dealer HQ.
Whatever the reason may have been, I was kicking myself for not giving this place a visit earlier. Great atmosphere, really flavorful food, and not that expensive for the level of establishment. They have a nice little outdoor seating area as well.
Though a vegetarian, the menu was very diverse and I was able to choose from many different veggie-friendly selections from the appetizer and side sections. There was no veg entree (unless you eat fish), but you can put together a nice little smorgasbord of assorted sides and apps to make a very filling and satisfying meal.
I had:
Pommes Frites
Grilled Asparagus and tomato salad
Spinach w/pine nuts and tomatoes
Farro mushroom risotto
Gingerbread cake with toffee sauce
Everything was as close to perfect as possible. All portion sizes were more than ample and everything was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The grilled white asparagus with tomatoes was the highlight. I've never had tomatoes that tasted so good. The seasoning they use on this dish is amazing. Risotto was also perfect.
The nice thing about Ecco is that they get all of the important things right: atmosphere, service, selection, value and quality. None of the dishes I had were heavy or ladden with thick salty sauces. They all were well balanced and you could actually savor the flavors of the food. It seems a lot of restaurants intown make a point of over salting the dishes which really makes everything taste the same. Not at Ecco.
While as blissful as the experience was, I do have a few criticisms (as always). First, I went on http://Opentable.com earlier that day (11am) to book a reservation for four that night (Sat. @ 8). To my surprise, everything from 5:45 to 9:00 was unavailable. So I called to make a reservation knowing that they probably only allot a certain amount of tables for http://opentable.com. The hostess said they had only a 7:00 available so we took it. The entire time we were at the restaurant, it remained a little less than 3/4 full. I seriosly doubt that many tables flaked on their reservations.
My second suggestion, more so than a criticism, is that they better notate the sources of their meat. While I myself don't partake in the feasting of the flesh, many in my party did and thankfully are all very conscious of where their meat comes from, how it's raised and what it's fed. Aside from the organic chicken on the menu (which that notate as such), the other meats are not distinguished from each other as being all natural, organic, grass fed, etc. when a few of them actually are. I would think this would be a selling point as more and more people are increasing mindful of the food they are consuming. Why not let everyone know that your dead cow is all-natural or roamed the open prairies. It's not really a relative issue for me, but I thought I'd make the case for the conscious consumer or meat.
The hubby and I ventured out for one of our first "date night's" in a while and decided to try Ecco.
I had already heard the "run-down" before going so I knew to order a sampling of charcuterie and cheese. YUM. We stayed safe with Toscano, Speck and Proscuitto because my hubby had never really had charcuterie before. It was great.
The service was great. Almost touching on a little too hovering/pushing us through the dinner. I'm sure they were completely booked and we had a 7:30 reservation afterall. He recommended a wonderful red wine that I had not tried that was perfect for my tastes (although I don't think it's on their menu now/or the name escapes me).
It was a tad on the loud side for me though and I would like to go on a weeknight on our next visit to see if the "feel" is any different. This was a Friday night and TONS of people were in the bar area.
We sat near the kitchen so it was entertaining to see the dishes go out. Catching my eye on what I wanted to try the next time we went of course!
I had to try the fried goat cheese. HEAVEN! My hubby had the Chili-braised pork with garlic and homemade pappardelle and I had a seasonal pizza. They were both great. The tastes and textures were perfectly balanced.
We didn't try dessert only because we were STUFFED completely. I can't wait to go back sometime soon. Best part? We can walk there from our house :-)
Part of my Atlanta Pizza Series, photos here: http://www.eatitatlant...
I'm always pumped to try somewhere new, and I've checked out Ecco's menu a few times and liked what I saw. They say it's a European menu, but it definitely leans towards the Italian side, featuring lots of pasta and wood fired pizzas.
The fried goat cheese appetizer (above) was great. It had a soft, thin fried exterior that gave way to warm and yummy goat cheese. It is served in warm honey and topped with lots of cracked pepper. The flavor combo is a definite winner, and it's easy to see why it is one of their signature dishes.
For the other appetizer we got the piquillo peppers stuffed with a minced mushroom mixture, sherry, and manchego. It was served bubbling in a clay pot, and I actually enjoyed this most of the two appetizers. I'm not a huge mushroom fan but it just had a lot of great flavors going on and I liked the texture of the mushrooms.
For entree #1 we got the conchigle with eggplant and san marzano tomatoes. The sauce was very rustic, with bright flavors, a fair amount of heat, and a very soft texture that was pleasant and not mushy. We both loved it, though it was a little too spicy for Katie. The portion above is less than half of what you get, I think one of these could definitely satisfy most people. Ecco was great about splitting our entrees, they actually promoted it, which I love.
The Margherita was good, but to be honest I would try a different pizza next time. The tomatoes were very bland, which I think really kills a pizza like this. My guess is that they were canned san marzano tomatoes that had been stewed or slightly cooked, so there is no reason for the lack of flavor. If they did happen to be fresh, then the lack of flavor could be seasonal.
The dough was cooked very nicely, and unlike many flatbread style pizzas I've had lately, there wasn't an overpowering amount of flour on the bottom. It had a nice char on the end and the upskirt. My one comment there is that I think the dough itself needed a little more salt. I tasted the cheese on its own and it was definitely above average with a nice fresh mozzarella flavor. If you got a bite with some of the olive oil they had drizzled on top, that definitely enhanced the experience.
I do think this pizza has a lot of potential. The dough did a great job of supporting the toppings despite being a flat bread. It wasn't overcooked but had good charring. Any margherita dish is all about fantastic quality and if one topping fails, the dish can't be called great, so that's why I am not gushing about it.
The portion was of good size, and at a fair price, so really I have no major complaints and I look forward to going back and trying another pizza. However, I don't know that Ecco will be just a pizza destination for me, as the other dishes I had were better and the prices for the other entrees are comparable or just slightly higher than the pizzas. I think ordering one pizza and one other entree to split is a good bet.
With our dinner we drank a wine that was new to me, the 2007 Terredora di Paolo Falanghina Irpinia. We were looking for a white wine, and the offerings by the glass weren't enticing me. I wanted something dry, with good acidity so it would pair well with the pasta and red sauce. I've been going to Gruner's a lot when I have this need, but when the waiter suggested this particular wine, I thought it would be a good choice.
Falanghina is a new grape to me, but I have read that many of the Italian white varietals are often dry and meant to pair with Italian foods, so I figured the gamble was worth it.
While I don't have full tasting notes on this wine, it had a floral nose, medium golden color, and was dry, dry, dry. This wine wouldn't be much fun by itself, and the last few sips with our ice cream dessert were plain awful. But the stone and acid in this wine cut right through the heat of the pasta fantastically, again showing how versatile white wines can be. I think I liked this better than I would have liked any red they could have paired with the pasta.
Ecco is one of my favorite places in Atlanta. I love the vibe. Not to mention the cute chef. Eating at Ecco is like going to a friend's house for dinner.
My grandmother is of Spanish (Castillan-European) decent and my standard of great cocido has always been hers. However, when I tasted Chef Micah's version during their Tuesdays in Spain, I was really floored -- it was as if I was back in my childhood days eating my grandma's cocido. Believe me, it was fantastic. I came back 3 Tuesdays just for it. If you guys never had a chance to taste it then you definitely missed out. Today is the last day for cocido. Beginning next week (March 3rd) they will be featuring Fideua.
Other must-try menu items are the fried goat cheese balls, all the pizzas, the pappardelle with braised pork, and the best blueberry panna cotta in the world.
Service is generally great except for one visit when our server was deep in the weeds that we had to ask for everything (refills, clean silverware, our salad). He was also not very friendly.
This place was packed on the Thursday night I was here...we snagged a booth in the open seating bar area (just ahead of a pack of stiletto'ed girls- thought there would be a smackdown),
-Great lively atmosphere and decor- dark paneling, chandeliers, open kitchen, patio seating available.
-Complimentary valet parking. Convenient- close to the hotel where I was staying (Hotel Indigo).
- Nice sized wine list with lots of variety, I got a very girly pink Latitia- sparkling rose', which I was told is tough to find on restaurant lists.
- You can try a variety of meat and cheeses- we gave our preferences (hard cheese, cured meats) to the server and he gave a 5-taste recommendation that ended up being delicious
- Very tasty food- great flavor on the small plates- honey pepper fried goat cheese that was great on the hearty bread brought to the table, lemon scallops, shrimp.
I've been to Ecco twice now and I've got to start going more. This place is fantastic. You simply can't go wrong anywhere on the menu. And the wine list is one of the best in the city. They even have a small selection of wines that you can only get at Ecco. Plus, you can order most wines in a small carafe, large carafe, or bottle. Great, great concept.
As for the food, the menu is set up where you can almost order tapas-style and share or get large plates and go it alone. The two of us decided to share things on our most recent visit. We ordered the Fried goat cheese balls, which is a signature dish and was outstanding. Other appetizers we ordered which were equally as good were the meatballs and mushroom and cheese stuffed peppers. We got a pear and english sharp cheddar salad too. It was good, but it was a little harder to get excited about the flavors in the salad.
For our one entree, we got the chili-braised pork with home made tagliatelle pasta. It was incredible. Then, we had tangerine sorbet for dessert. Again, spot-on.
I didn't order a pizza this time around, but they have some of the best brick-oven pizzas around. The menu really makes it hard to make a decision. And I mean that in a good way. It's set up for fun. The decor and ambiance are both very nice as well. It's somewhat elegant, but not stuffy in the least. Both the bar and the restaurant have a vibe to them.
If you haven't been to Ecco, just go. You'll love it. Look at all of these 5-star reviews. They've earned them.
My friend and I sat outside on a beautiful day when we visited Ecco. I raved about the grilled squid, and she loved the fried goat cheese with honey. We ate until we could barely walk. I tried the Long Live the Queen cocktail on the server's suggestion, but I really think anyone who doesn't like gin should steer clear of it no matter who is making the recommendation. My friend's cocktail was really tasty: she tried the Quella Ragazza and HAD to have more than one, of course. Luckily, we were within walking distance of some decent shopping, where we "eccoed" praise for the restaurant to anyone willing to listen.
Our venture to Ecco tonight was quite a pleasant one. You know you are going to have a positive experience at a Fifth Group restaurant.
We liked everything about Ecco. The restaurant itself is really intriguing. It's a charming little place. The service was stupendous. Our waiter was constantly checking on us, very informative and familiar with the menu and totally on the ball.
Listen, everything on the menu looks amazing. If I had $200 dollars to drop, you could probably just roll me on out of there at the end of the evening. Of course, we didn't have 200 dollars to drop, so we went straight for the main course.
I had the chili braised pork pappardelle. Excellent. They said it was a signature dish. Very Tasty. Marie had the Mozarella, Basil and Tomato Pizza. Also awesome. Everything was tremendous.
For dessert, we had the olive oil ice cream. Wow that tasted good.
There are a lot of things that I'd like to try on this menu, and I'll definitely be coming back. Probably will try their Sunday special at some point.
Also, thanks to the dude that parked his Taurus on the street giving me no room to get out of my spot. YOU, sir, are a jerkass.
This has been our Sunday night staple for a long time (since most places are closed, dangit), and somehow never thought to write about it, because figured everyone already knew about it.
BUT, they change the menu seasonally, so it becomes a new place! AND they added a sunday night special where you can get a pizza or a pasta and a wine or beer for $15. Can't beat it.
I really miss the shrimp pasta they took off the menu, but the chicken pancetta was delicious. Mr. Joi got a pork shoulder pasta that was perfection, light tomato sauce and tender meat. MMMMMM!!
The butternut squash flan was wonderful, but didn't really taste like anything but cream.
Our waiter was stellar, from his descriptions to the wine pairing to timing and personality.
I love it because you can go when you feel fancy or cas., and we even bring our kid. She happens to be extraordinarily well behaved in restaurants, thank god!
AND IT BLOWS SOTTO SOTTO out of the water. So there...
Neighborhood: Midtown
Category: Greek
Neighborhood: Midtown
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Midtown
Category: Southern
Neighborhood: Inman Park
Category: American (New)
Atlanta, GA
Category: American (New)
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