Basil's Restaurant & Bar Coupons and Deals

Description

Scout Notes: If you ever find yourself turning down Grandview Avenue between Pharr Rd and Peachtree Ave in Buckhead, you're likely headed for a hair appointment (there's an abnormally high concentration of salons on this street). If not, we bet you’re en route to fill your belly with European-inspired deliciousness at Basil's Restaurant and Bar. Housed in the same bungalow-turned-eatery since 1989, it's just a few turns from the main drags of Peachtree Street and Piedmont, but feels miles away, the steely tops of skyscrapers just barely poking out above the oak trees that line the block. Inside, the crowd takes a cue from the slower pace of this side of the street: it's laid-back enough for a casual catch-up dinner with old friends but poised enough for a business lunch (and, at night, dim enough for a cozy first date). The menu's a study in easy-going contrasts, too. Owner and chef Joseph Kahwach, who landed in Atlanta in the 1980s after fleeing the Lebanese Civil War, mixes the culinary traditions of his home country with elements picked up in the States and elsewhere. Mediterranean platters, like the Cold Mezze (tabbouleh, hummus, babaganoush and stuffed grape leaves) and the meal-sized sampler of kafta, grilled chicken breast, tabbouleh and hummus, are served with stacks of grilled pita wedges and are a mid-day standout. Panini, pizzas and salads with ingredients pulled from Middle Eastern and more European cuisines, from kalamata olives and feta to prosciutto and mozzarella cheese are also popular with the lunchtime crowd. Come evening, a variety of fish and meat dishes take center stage as well as a shareable lineup of tapas. Homey yet worldly, upscale yet cozy. Call me an outlier, but this is the side of Buckhead I’d prefer to stay on. Menu Highlights: Cold Mezze Platter, $10 Flatbread with Mushrooms, $6 Spanish Paella, $17 Lamb Chops, $26 Hot Mezze Platter, $20 Hours: Lunch: Monday - Sunday, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Dinner: Sunday - Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. and Friday - Saturday, 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Brunch: Sunday, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.