Our Local Europe
"Mediterranean inspired resturant brought to you by duo Executive Chef, Peter Dale & Hugh Anderson in Athens, Georgia, the south's college town."
The day had been difficult for everyone in the town of Athens. From the students to the townies, rain had flooded the streets. The sun was completely absent in the sky and the air was sticky, but like a beacon of light, The National had every seat filled. The candles at each table acted as a lantern, creating an ambiance, intoxicating, romantic, yes but also strangely comforting and able to be observed from the outside.
The retro typography has me thinking of the simpler times and the charm of yesteryear. It in fact embodied the idea behind the restaurant, a simple, neighborhood café mimicking those of Europe yet, this resto has something exemplary about it.
I was greeted at the door with an umbrella canister that looked as if it had stood in the same up-right position for ages. I admired the often-overlooked piece. I could already tell that The National would have that effect on me, allowing their diners to appreciation the things that are often overlooked—an idle way of life.
The slowed pace of the café is the perfect backdrop for it’s neighbor, Cine Athens, the local art house movie theatre. These two establishments reminded me what it meant to live local and as I peered at the delicate menu, I had no question as to where my food was coming from.
The doe-eyed girl peered at me through her red framed glasses and eloquently recited their specials. Everything was overly pleasant and the notion around the restaurant was warm.
I was seated next to a couple, man and wife I presumed, but my day dreams got the best of me. I snuck quick glances at the couple, I decided they were European lovers from a long time ago, meeting up for the first time in a long time. Something familiar yet distant about their conversation led me there. I decided life was increasingly more fun if one looks at it through a romantic lends instead of typicality. This is how this restaurant makes you feel, ideologically romantic. Surprisingly, the reality of this couple also embodies the restaurant’s ideals, local middle aged couple that has made Athens their home for years.
It was somewhere in between my day dreams that I ordered a glass of white wine suggested by the waitress and placed my order.
Looking at the dimly lit restaurant, I saw business cards, posters, local art, and coupons hanging from the entrance walls and arranged on the hostess grand table. I made me realize the crisis was live in as a small town, where exceedingly more chain restaurants trump the local, stainable ones.
The National is a testament to that struggle—and a successful one at that.
We have come across a time where “farm-to-table” is so loosely used that its effectiveness in describing the local movement has lost its luster. The National reclaims the movement and continues to give back to the community, partnering with Cine to create the perfect juxtaposition of locality and romance.
My food arrives, the feature, Amberjack entrée special with creamy rice midlins, saffron broth, rock crab, blood orange and black olive dust. The presentation is a beautiful balance of both color and texture.
The crab is flakey and fresh-caught, as I referenced a chalkboard that lists where the seafood came from that day. The sweetly floral hints from the saffron base are complemented well by the tang of the black olive dust, which hails all the way from Italy.
I nod to my waitress for pairing my wine well with my seafood dish and again find that this dish, as the restaurant implies, is mean to be savored and slowly consumed. Having gotten lost in my dish, I didn’t notice how the restaurant has filled since I last glanced up. It was nice to see a local restaurant so busy on a weekday night, which is far from the normal.
As I paid my bill, I realized the pitfall to good local dining, the price. The National, yes is wildly fascinating, but I began to wonder how the other patrons were able to afford this on a weeknight. Nevertheless, the experience and responsibility felt from the local submersion somewhat balanced the new hole in my pocket.
