I consider myself an adventurous eater. In my line of work, I have to be. And I’ve had my share of the more mainstream types of offal (a term encompassing everything from the heart, liver, lungs and entrails to the tail, feet and head of an animal). On occasion, I’ve been known to enjoy foie gras (fattened liver) and pork belly like any responsible food editor, and I’ve indulged in the delicate meat of the trotter of a pig or two—for reporting purposes, of course. But the thought of dining on tripe (stomach lining), brains, sweetbread (thymus gland) and any young animal has always sent an uncomfortable wave of American disgust through my digestive system.
So it was with great trepidation that I approached the table at Abattoir Chophouse, the newest venture of wife-and-husband team Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison. Situated in part of the old meat packing plant on Howell Mill Road, Abattoir is what the dynamic duo calls a “meatcentric” restaurant aiming to utilize all animal parts. After all, if you’re going to be so high and mighty as to kill another living being, it seems nobler, in a sense, to make use of all of it and let nothing go to waste. The name is French for “slaughterhouse,” but the interior of Abattoir feels like anything but. Sure, there are a few meat hooks hanging from the exposed light bulbs and a smattering of cleavers decorate the backdrop of a dividing wall between the bar and the restrooms, but the soft grays, opaque whites and warm browns cast a feminine, farmhouse vibe over the restaurant.
When Maria, my ever-trusty second opinion and wife, and I sat down at the refreshingly simple wooden table with made-from-scratch cocktails we’d picked up at the bar, we set out to try it all. We started with the chicharrones, which are fried pig skins so light and airy they melted in our mouths. From the salted/cured section of the menu, we chose the wood-grilled bratwurst, a fine specimen of pork sausage with sweet onions and mustard. We also sampled the charcuterie. The venison sausage was by far my favorite—very sweet. The menu mentions that the charcuterie is house-made, which almost isn’t a fair statement, since everything served at Abattoir is house-made.
Though I imagined scientific specimens redolent of a biology lab, the “food in a jar” offerings at Abattoir are quite beautiful—in an earthy, organic manner. I took one bite of a pickled Apalachicola shrimp and fell in love with the tart, tight meat. From the local produce, we lapped up confit of mushrooms in a red wine reduction and served with grilled sourdough bread. From the offal section of the menu, we ordered both the tripe stew and the lamb liver fritters. Tripe is typically served as one large hunk of stomach lining, but the chefs of Abattoir julienne it down to little bits of delicate deliciousness, and serve it as a stew with pork belly and cilantro. The rich and filling lamb liver fritters are crowned with tomato relish. I was strangely prepared to have a bite of brain, but I didn’t spot any on the menu. However, our server said the menu changes often. Next time, perhaps.
For vegetarians or anyone just too squeamish to go for the full Monty, Abattoir offers a variety of “normal” foods, from prime NY strip, Maine halibut and burgers to cucumber gazpacho, seasonal vegetables and a myriad of drool-worthy, indulgent sweets, such as local peach pie with buttermilk sorbet and Sweetgrass Dairy goat cheese cake with blueberry compote. But if you’re brave enough to just take one bite of the offal at Abattoir, you’ll know the true meaning of tasty.
Abattoir Chophouse is located at 1170 Howell Mill Road, and is open for dinner Tue.-Sat. 5-11 p.m. 404-892-3335. www.starprovisions.com.
Photo/pork belly and tripe stew at Abattoir/TRG
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