Dining in the ATL: Young Augustine's

Last Saturday was a long day full of cat drama and yard work.  The kind of day that called for good food, good beer, and a respite from having to do anything else around the house.  We decided to venture to Young Augustine's, a new place, well, a reincarnation of an old place, having read earlier in the day that they serve really good pimento cheese.  You know how I feel about pimento cheese.

The food was great, but I am going to start my post by getting out of the one way the one and only issue I have with Young Augustine's:  the name [feel free to skip this small diversion and head to the next paragraph to read about the food].  There's really nothing wrong with the name but for some reason, I just can't keep it straight.  My mouth keeps saying 'Saint Augustine's', and I even typed the same a few times before going back to correct myself.  A certain classics major I know did point out that the name of the restaurant is quite witty and appropriate:  the young Augustine lived a life of hedonism and debauchery before the personal revelation that eventually led him to sainthood.  So, points to the owner for coming up with an interesting and layered name that I will never be able to remember.

Silliness about names aside, Young Augustine's was great!  Like it's predecessor, the Standard, Young Augustine's is a bar/pub/restaurant (now with no smoking!), but while the menu is somewhat close in content to standard pub offerings, there are some pleasant surprises and additions that really make it a standout.  We started, naturally, with the pimento cheese appetizer.  The plate came with a nicely sized scoop of the good stuff, some bread, and an assortment of interesting and perfectly pickled vegetables, including green tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and kimchi.   Yes, Korean fare, at a pub, I love it!  It was all very good (my savvy dining companion told me that the pimento cheese I make is better but I had no complaints), and for a $6 appetizer, the portions were quite generous.  For my entree I had the oyster po'boy ($8) and Mw had the pork vindaloo ($11, I think).  There is nothing in the world I like as much as fried oysters (well, fried clams), and fried mollusks on a menu are always greeted with great enthusiasm.  Happily, the po'boy met my enthusiasm----the oysters were breaded lightly and fried to perfection, and the addition of pickled cucumbers and capers gave the sandwich a nice crunch and tartness.  The only problem--the arugula was actually spinach; if the arugula had been arugula I'm sure the sandwich would have been out of this world good.  Speaking of out of this world good, Mw's pork vindaloo was awesome.  I have have helped myself to a few bites.  The vindaloo was perfectly spicy, and the pork was tender and falling apart like it had been slow-cooked for hours; this dish was delicious.

A few more reasons to like Young Augustine's include the beer list and the service.  First, the beer list...Although a bit oddly organized (for example, it wasn't always clear what brewery something came from), a solid list and very reasonable prices.  Definitely the kind of list that can bring you to a place just to try a few new and interesting beers.  Lastly, the service was outstanding.  Our waitresses were friendly, prompt, enthusiastic about the food, and got everything right.  I think Young Augustine's is going to make the short list of our regular haunts, it's that kind of place.