Atlanta: Gunshow restaurant

 

Gunshow-Asaparagus-Cocktail

 

Since Gunshow opened in 2013, it had been on my short list of restaurants to eat at while in Atlanta. Unfortunately I hadn’t been able to secure a reservation on any of my visits in 2013, 2014, or 2015. However, 2016 proved that the fourth time is a charm!

If you have ever been a fan of Bravo’s Top Chef, you may remember Chef Kevin Gillespie from Season 6. Way back in 2010, my sister and I dined at Woodfire Grill, where Kevin was at that time the Executive Chef. While I was already a big fan of Kevin’s TV persona, that incredible meal confirmed to me that he was the real deal.

I continued to follow his career, so the announcement of his unique new restaurant concept, inspired by dim sum and churrascaria dining, definitely had me intrigued.

 

The above pic features the following from Gunshow:

Seasonal Tonic- Asparagus gin, dill genepy, lemon + caraway tonic, malic, soda

chicken paillard, pistachio, kohlrabi, local lettuce, blue grit croutons

beef short rib marmalade, sweet corn, blueberry cornbread

 

Gunshow-Peaches-Fennel

local peaches, buttermilk marinated fennel, jalapeno, ginger, feta at Gunshow Atlanta

 

I loved the idea of being able to see my dinner before selecting it, and as I’ve said many times before, my favorite way to dine is by sharing a bunch of small dishes with friends.

So basically, in a nutshell, this experience was pretty close to perfection for me. My only gripe is that the space is very noisy (am I showing my age here?) and it was hard for my friends and I to hear each other talking.  It was also a lot more casual than I expected, but really no complaints there. I like that it’s not pretentious in the least.

 

 

Gunshow-Crudo

Gunshow’s cobia crudo, kaffir lime, cucumber, serrano chile, orange, yuzu

 

So how does the service work? Upon arrival, you’re given a menu with with descriptions of the evening’s offerings. Drinks are ordered – beer, wine, or cocktails. (note: the cocktail I got was AMAZING. Typically I would probably try a couple of different drinks over the course of dinner, but on this night I stuck with only this one. See pic & description at top of page).

Throughout the evening, a flurry of trays and carts come by with various dishes, and the staff entices you with descriptions and stories of the particular dish they’re showcasing. If you want it, you just say yes, and it’s yours right then. If it’s not calling your name, you simply pass and wait for the next dish to come by.

 

 

Gunshow-Grouper-Asparagus

roasted grouper, asparagus gazpacho, shishito, crispy garlic, marcona at Gunshow Atlanta

 

We did a pretty good job tasting almost the entire nights’ menu. In fact, there were only 4 out of 15 dishes we didn’t try! I didn’t include every photo here, but as you can see, many of the dishes were visually stunning.

 

 

Gunshow-Corn-Soup

Gunshow’s chilled corn soup, diver scallop, sea beans, dill, radish, ramps

 

The beef short rib, the grouper and the vegetables with microwave carrot cake may have been my favorites, but there was really nothing that I didn’t enjoy.

 

 

Gunshow-Carrot-Cake

spring vegetables, microwave carrot cake, confit morel mushrooms at Gunshow Atlanta

 

When it was time for dessert we all thought we were going to pass on the chocolate cake because it sounded the least interesting, but then our server dissuaded us. Thank goodness he did, because this was one of the best desserts I’ve eaten in a long time!

 

Gunshow-Chocolate-Olive-Oil-Cake

Dessert at Gunshow: chocolate, olive oil, fennel, almond

If you’re planning a visit to Atlanta, be sure to think ahead and try to secure a reservation at Gunshow at least 3-4 weeks in advance. For other Atlanta recommendations, visit these links:

Atlanta: Cooks & Soldiers

Atlanta: St Cecelia and King + Duke

Atlanta: The Optimist and Empire State South

Gunshow

924 Garrett St
Atlanta, GA 30316

HOURS Tuesday–Saturday 6–9 pm