Aria is a modern-American restaurant in Buckhead, GA. At Aria, they don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to dining. Memorable meals can happen any day of the week thanks to their engaging staff, versatile décor, and daily changing menus that feature real ingredients and simple preparations. Their goal is to satisfy your cravings for familiar favorites or to celebrate your special occasion. ( https://www.aria-atl.com/)
During our first visit to Aria, we decided to strap down and try their "Seven-Course Tasting Menu." For $83 per person, we were treated to a delightful journey down Aria's daily changing menu.
Appetizer 1: steelhead salmon sashimi, persian pickles, avocado, ponzu
Dinner started with a juicy appetizer. The dish was well-balanced, and it was clear the construction of the plate relied on the strength of the composition of its elements. The salmon's natural flavor was softened by the avocado, contrasted against the persian pickle, while held together with the ponzu. (Lord, that pickle was the best pickle I've ever had.) We were off to a good start!
Sanha's Grade: 9/10
Suji's Grade: 10/10
Appetizer 2: chilled avocado soup, lime crème fraîche, pickled jalapeños
Following some of freshest salmon Buckhead has to offer (we see you, Umi), we were greeted with an eerily familiar smell - avocado and something pickled. We appreciated the aesthetic of this next dish, but found the avocado base a tad redundant when preceded by the previous plate. That said, the crème fraîche helped to freshen up the fatty avocado, while the pickled jalapeños gave the dish a nice point of contrast and just enough texture. Suji would, no doubt, come back for this aesthetic soup.
Sanha's Grade: 7/10
Suji's Grade: 9/10
Entree 1: mountain trout, asparagus, snowpeas, tokyo turnips, crab smashed
After perking up our taste-buds with some fatty oils, Aria presented us with a glistening mountain trout. The skin was barely holding onto the moist meat underneath. When Suji and I tasted the crab the first time, we both thought it had to have been mixed with some potato because of the texture - turns out, no potatoes (Sanha's still not sure if he really enjoyed that)! Again, the composition of the dish was critical to the way in which the flavors combined in your mouth. The soft meat of the trout was the hero of the dish - but I feel that the sauces took away more than they added to the flavor profile.
Sanha's Grade: 8/10
Suji's Grade: 10/10
Entree 2: seared hudson foie gras, strawberry gastrique, toasted almonds, arugula
A clean trout dish was succeeded by some liver (the foie gras) sitting on some grass (the arugula). Certainly, foie gras is an acquired taste, and not for everyone (*cough* Suji *cough*). And, while I am also not fan of seared liver, the combination of the bitter arugula and sweet strawberries helped to deafen the overwhelmingly rich and buttery foie gras. However, the slightly over-charred exterior, in addition to the natural flavor of the liver and arugula created too much bitterness for our palates. I think we'll give this one another try five years down the line...
Sanha's Grade: 6/10
Suji's Grade: 6/10
Entree 3: crisped boneless duck confit, farro, baby kale, oyster mushrooms, natural jus
Suji may disagree, but I'll come out with the hot take: fried duck is better than fried chicken. The tighter texture of the duck meat does well to, both, contrast and compare with the crispy outside. Yeah, yeah, I'm a hack, I don't know what I'm saying, blah, blah. Go to Aria, order and finish this dish. THEN, tell me I'm wrong. I'll wait. In any case, though the protein was definitely the highlight of this dish, the farro and mushrooms it was resting on did this dish justice (ha). Again, we were gifted with another dish based on the strength of the combination of its flavor profiles. Personally, I could've done with a bolder flavor in the mix to play with the crispy texture. Nonetheless, overall, excellent.
Sanha's Grade: 9/10
Suji's Grade: 7/10
Entree 4: short rib of beef, green ola farms squashes, pearl onions, potato purée
The final entree in this seven-course meal was Aria's signature short rib. What the dish lacked in texture it made up for with flavor. The short rib oozed with flavor that was met well with the starch and vegetables. To be frank, the sauce was a bit salty for my taste, but the pearl onions, in particular, helped to dial that back. Maybe a tweak in the level of saltiness of the sauce would make this a dish worthy of being Aria's signature dish.
Sanha's Grade: 8/10
Suji's Grade: 9/10
Dessert: puff pastry, rhubarb, strawberries, lemon-pink pepper ice cream, powdered sugar
Our dinner course ended with a light puff pastry, topped with rhubarb and strawberries. The acidity of the fruit did nicely to pair with their natural sugars and the fluffy pastry underneath. I'm not sure the lemon-pink pepper ice cream was the optimal match for the pastry, but it did well enough to add some creaminess with a twist. Overall, it was a pleasant way to end our meal.
Sanha's Grade: 8/10
Suji's Grade: 8/10
Thank you to Aria for being wonderful hosts and giving us a dining experience worth sharing. We'll be back to try some of Chef Gerry Klaskala’s other creations.