Eclipse di Luna
Another restaurant we visited on the trip to Atlanta was Eclipse di Luna, a tapas bar also in the Buckhead neighborhood. Despite the fact that we were there on a Wednesday night, the place was packed. This was even more surprising because of the fact that the restaurant is tucked away at the end of a quiet road lined with interior-design businesses, so that you’d never know it was there if you didn’t already know it was there.
The lighting inside was, well, next to nonexistent, so that a flashlight came in handy in order to read the menu. The decor was a bit hodge-podge, with the requisite Spanish influence—rather as if we’d all crowded into somebody’s casa in Barcelona.
Judging by the crowd, we expect a fairly long wait for our orders, but they came with surprising speed; clearly, the kitchen is used to cranking out the food. And what food it was! The quickness in receiving it definitely did not compromise its quality.
A salad may not be something you’d expect raves over, but the Ensalada de Pera (a frisee, fennel and pear salad with a creamy almond dressing—I got mine without the bleu cheese) was so fabulous, I almost wanted to roll around in it in glee. Each ingredient was fresh and flavorful, and the dressing tied everything together perfectly. I still have yearnings for that salad.
Then there was the vegetarian empanada, filled with broccoli, shiitake mushrooms and sacanova cheese, and topped with a smoked paprika alioli. It was every bit as good as the salad, and I couldn’t decide which was my favorite. Even a carnivorous friend who hates mushrooms pronounced it excellent.
The third dish I ordered was the grilled asparagus, topped with a thin, crispy coating of manchego cheese. It was also delicious, though perhaps paling a bit next to my other dishes in its simplicity. Julie was very fond of the deep-fried green beans with sea salt, and our carnivorous companions were delighted with their dishes, as well. There were quite a few other vegetarian options we didn’t try, including a vegetarian paella that required 30 minutes to prepare. I would love to go back to try them all, though it would be hard to pass up getting that salad and empanada….
