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Colonnade

Continuing our exploration of venerable Atlanta restaurants, tonight's dinner took us to Colonnade on Cheshire Bridge Road.  It dates back to the 1920s, though the decor has a '50's fee.  It specializes in comfort food, with a few fancier twists (venison osso buco tonight).  The majority of the clientele are from the white-haired set that I belong to, but one does see some younger hipsters as well.

I've had their fried chicken before, which is excellent, so tonight I decided to branch out with their pork.  The first treat of the meal at the Colonnade is the bread.  They always make several different types of rolls.  I generally go for the cornbread first, but tonight it was the whole wheat rolls that hit the spot.  One doesn't often find whole wheat at restaurants, particularly ones as traditional as the Colonnade.

The pork came as two chops resting on cornbread stuffing and covered with just enough brown gravy; cranberry sauce was on the side.  That meal really hit the spot.  The pork was tender and juicy.  The gravy was thick and rich but not overpowering. The stuffing was sweet and moist.  They also do an excellent job of fried okra.  I'd been raised by my Oklahoman father that okra was beneath contempt, and I must admit that stewed okra doesn't do much for me, but fried okra has really grown on me.  

Unfortunately, neither time nor diet allowed us to have dessert tonight.  But I've tried it there before and their cobblers are definitely worth the pain they will cause you in working off all those calories.

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The Colonnade

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