The Sophisticated Life
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Wine
  • Culinary Travels
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
The Sophisticated Life
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Wine
  • Culinary Travels
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
The Sophisticated Life
No Result
View All Result
Home Atlanta

Basque Inspired Cuisine at Cooks & Soldiers Restaurant in Atlanta!

by Nadeen
September 19, 2019
A A

Have you been to Spain? How about the Basque area? If you have not, do you consider yourself to be a “foodie” willing to try almost anything? If yes to any of the above Cooks & Soldiers is the Atlanta restaurant for you! When I first heard of this restaurant two things caught my eye-1) It was opening in West Midtown which is my neighborhood. As those of you who follow my blog know, I love the variety of great restaurants here and have blogged about them in not 1 but 2 restaurant guides. 2) The restaurant is from the Castellucci Hospitality Group responsible for such restaurants as Sugo, Double Zero and one of my favorites-The Iberian Pig.  Although I have never visited Basque country in Northern Spain, I have visited Madrid, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca and love Spanish cuisine. But this is not your typical Spanish restaurant…

Basque Inspired Cuisine at Cooks & Soldiers Restaurant in West Midtown Atlanta! Read my review of this contemporary dining establishment serving unique Spanish food!
Cook& Soldiers restaurant in West Midtown Atlanta

 

The Place: Cooks & Soldiers is based on Basque cuisine. This is an autonomous community in Northern Spain similar to Barcelona. The Basque people are equipped with their own language, history, culture and cuisine. The most popular foods are bean dishes, seafood including “marmitako” which is a fish stew and bar finger food called “Pintxos” (aka as tapas). You will also see “Asado” noted on their menu which stands for various barbecue techniques. The actual name of the restaurant is inspired by the Tamborrada Festival of San Sebastian that takes place in January. During this drum festival locals dress up as cooks and soldiers and march through the streets.

Basque Inspired Cuisine at Cooks & Soldiers Restaurant in Atlanta!
Basque Inspired Cuisine at Cooks & Soldiers Restaurant in Atlanta!

Adults have dinner in clubs consisting mostly of seafood and wine and children even get involved dressing as soldiers and marching around the city. The actual restaurant is located at the intersection of Howell Mill Road and 14th St adjacent to the new Elan West Side apartments. It has a simple classic contemporary design with a long bar, high top bar tables with booth style seating, a separate dining room as well as private dining areas. It was a cold and rainy winter Thursday night but the place was packed! We were not able to get a reservation so we grabbed two high top tables at the bar. There is full menu service with a server for the entire bar area.

Basque Cuisine with Tempranillo Wine at Cooks & Soldiers in Atlanta!
Basque Cuisine with Tempranillo Wine at Cooks & Soldiers.

The Drinks: So I will admit we had a lot of questions as we read the drink menu. I was with a group of world travelers and fellow foodies so that should tell you this menu is very special. Lucky for us we had a very informative server who turns out is Christopher Dobson the beverage manager. I asked if they had Sangria. He said “No”! I look forward to drinking sangria when I visit Spanish restaurants. However, he did a great job of describing the Basque Specials “Especiales” listed including the cider-not the sweet apple cider you would normally imagine. This cider tasted like a flat white wine with a touch of beer. There are varieties of “Txakoli” which is a “slightly” sparkling dry white wine (my friend who drank it said she didn’t notice any sparkles) and various cocktails with “Warm Soul” consisting of whiskey, house ginger beer, basil, and aged balsamic vinegar being a hit. The drink menu also offers several sparkling wines “Cava” (as you recall in my South African wine tasting post only sparkling wines from Champagne France can be called Champagne) as well as an extensive wine menu. I had a glass of one of their Tempranillo wines which is derived from a black grape variety in Spain. It was smooth, rich and delicious!

Drink varieties at Cooks & Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta including wine, cider and mixed drink cocktails.
Drink varieties at Cooks & Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta including wine, cider and mixed drink cocktails.

The Food: The questions continued as we perused Cooks & Soldier’s food menu. It consisted of “Pintxos Tradicionales”-traditional small plates served atop toasted bread such as “Piperade” Basque pepper stew which consists of slow cooked yolk with Bayonne ham and guindilla-chili peppers. So this was not a “stew” as we know it but it was my favorite dish.

Basque pepper stew from Cooks & Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta!
Basque pepper stew from Cooks & Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta!

The ”Pintxos Especiales” section of the menu had more to choose from and we decided to order a few to truly sample their cuisine. Our dishes included “Huevos Revueltos” of soft scrambled eggs with mushrooms and truffle served with toast. We actually sent the first one back because it was way too salty. I still wasn’t fond of the second offering but my friend enjoyed it.

Huevos Revueltos dish at Cooks & Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta!
Huevos Revueltos dish at Cooks & Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta!

 

The “Sapelo Island Clams” with Basque cider, bacon, feta, apple and fennel were a big hit as well as the Veal cheeks with potato puree and roasted mushrooms. Although also a bit salty I enjoyed the “Cassoulet” which was a white bean stew (this one really was a stew) with sausage and duck confit. ( I am abbreviating some of the descriptions on the actual menu).

Sapelo Island Clams at Cooks & Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta!
What was left of the Sapelo Island Clams by the time I was able to take a picture!
Veal Cheeks at Cooks and Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta!
Veal Cheeks at Cooks and Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta!
Cassoulet white bean stew with sausage and duck confit at Cooks & Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta!
Cassoulet white bean stew with sausage and duck confit at Cooks & Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta!

The “Pulpo”-grilled Spanish octopus with potatoes and piquillo emulsion was also tasty with the octopus cooked to perfection. We did not sample any of the “Asador” which are wood fire grilled meats and fishes or the “Postres”-desserts but we did enjoy a side of Charred Buttered Vegetables. I may have to go back for the “Fruity Pebbles” dessert described as cereal croquetas, goat’s milk gelato and marshmallows.

Grilled Spanish Octopus served at Cooks & Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta!
Grilled Spanish Octopus served at Cooks & Soldiers restaurant in Atlanta!

Overall Impression of Cooks & Soldiers: I appreciate the convenient location, the interior is simple, stylish and contemporary and the service was excellent. Not only was our server, the beverage manager, courteous and informative but the hostess gave us a food gift certificate to use in the future since they were unable to seat us in the main dining room. The prices are reasonable for this type of new specialty restaurant. However, the “ Asador” section had meals ranging from $22 for prawns to $74 for a 1 kg bone-in rib eye! In terms of the food, we all agreed many of the dishes were too salty. Out of the 7 dishes we sampled I would say we all agreed on 4 being flavorful and well executed. These 4 were the clams, the “piperade” , the “pulpo” and the charred buttered vegetables.  The veel cheeks get honorable mention. While at the restaurant I couldn’t help feeling as if the restaurateurs and chefs of Cooks & Soldiers were trying too hard with this menu and type of restaurant. I appreciate the uniqueness and bringing new cuisine to West Midtown and Atlanta but unless you have been to or are from Basque country I feel you will struggle a bit with the menu and dishes. If like me you are an adventurous eater willing to try something at least once and love International cuisine then definitely make a stop here. The good thing is I learned a lot of history about Basque culture and food while researching this post! (I love to learn) AND it is close to my house so I can make a return trip.

Yelp reviews give Cooks & Soldiers 4 ½ out of 5 stars based on 29 reviews. I find that to be a bit high and would give it 4/5 for reasons mentioned above.

Have you been to Cooks & Soldiers? For more information visit their website. If have you been to Cooks & Soldiers or Basque country share your thoughts with us!

N.S.W.

 

Sign up to learn about luxury travel with food + wine experts all over the world.

Curated small group trips where all you have to do is pack your bag, relax & enjoy!

+ Receive my free packing & to-do lists for International travel!

Thank you! Check your email for your checklists!

Tags: Atlanta restaurantscooks and soldiersfine diningfoodiesgeorgiaspanish foodusa
Previous Post

Horseback Riding on the Beach in Dominican Republic!

Next Post

The 5 Most Romantic Cities in the World!

Nadeen

Nadeen

Dr. Nadeen White is a "Blogger by Day, Physician by Night". She is an award-winning travel blogger, Amazon bestselling author and speaker. The Sophisticated Life Blog covers affordable luxury travel, culinary travel and wine. Her domestic and international travel guides gets people to the destinations of their dreams. So, if you are living the sophisticated life or desire to do so, this is the blog for you!

Related Posts

san francisco golden gate bridge, most romantic cities in the us, valentines day
Travel

The Most Romantic Cities in the US for Getaways.

February 12, 2023
photo by Adam chandler courtesy of charleston wine and food festival
Wine

2022 Charleston Wine + Food Festival-Recap!

March 31, 2022
sonoma county wineries and restaurants, sonoma, california wine region, sonoma wines, wine tasting
Wine

Sonoma County Wineries & Restaurants.

December 13, 2021
things to do in malibu california, malibu restaurants, wine tasting in malibu, malibu beaches, shopping in malibu
Travel

Things to do in Malibu California this Weekend.

March 21, 2022
asheville travel guide, things to do in asheville north carolina, places to stay in asheville, where to eat in asheville north carolina
Travel

The Ultimate Guide of Things To Do in Asheville, North Carolina!

September 22, 2021
black-owned businesses in asheville north carolina, hood huggers tours, black-owned business in asheville, asheville north carolina, black-owned restaurants in Asheville, downtown Asheville,
Travel

Black-Owned Businesses in Asheville, North Carolina.

September 22, 2021
Next Post

The 5 Most Romantic Cities in the World!

Sophisticated Valentine's Day Gift Ideas For Him!

Comments 10

  1. Chanel | Cultural Xplorer says:
    10 years ago

    When I come to ATL, please lets go eat! 😀

    • nadeen says:
      10 years ago

      Chanel absolutely! looking forward to it. Atlanta has such a great food scene!

  2. Holly says:
    10 years ago

    This looks good. May have to check that place out when I come to ATL.

    • Nadeen says:
      10 years ago

      Holly let me know when you are n town and Ill go with you!

  3. Christine @MomsNCharge says:
    10 years ago

    Yup, I definitely would’ve been beyond lost with that menu, just reading your descriptions. I definitely love the contemporary look of the restaurant though and the presentation of the dishes do look nice. I’m not the most adventurous when it comes to food, but a few of the dishes look like something I could definitely try at least once 🙂

    • Nadeen says:
      10 years ago

      Christine yes I agree. If you have a good server who explains the dishes it is helpful!

  4. GinaB says:
    10 years ago

    I too love West Midtown and its offerings. However this restaurant sounds as though it would be a stretch for me though I enjoyed hearing about its origins.

    • Nadeen says:
      10 years ago

      GinaB yes West Midtown has so much to offer and there is more coming! I wrote 2 guides about eating there and I will have to update them soon! Cooks & Soldiers is definitely worth trying thou!

  5. MJ says:
    10 years ago

    Oh boy Nadeen. You just keep adding places to my list. One day I will get out there and enjoy some of this goodness. I have never been to Spain but I do love the cuisine from that region. Definitely need to visit on of these restaurants.

    • Nadeen says:
      10 years ago

      MJ I am glad you enjoyed it! Once you and the hubbie starting going out you will have plenty to choose from based on my posts 🙂

Black-Owned Businesses

black-owned businesses in asheville north carolina, hood huggers tours, black-owned business in asheville, asheville north carolina, black-owned restaurants in Asheville, downtown Asheville,

Black-Owned Businesses in Asheville, North Carolina.

September 22, 2021
black-owned rosé wine brands to sip on this summer, rosé wines, black-owned wines, rosé wines, summer wines, black-owned wines, black-owned wineries, mcbride wines, black girl magic wines, brown estate wines,

Black-Owned Rosé Wine Brands to Sip on this Summer.

April 27, 2022
atlanta black-owned restaurants, black-owned restaurants in atlanta, atlanta restaurants, brunch in atlanta, atlanta restaurants

45+ Black-Owned Restaurants in Atlanta You Should Support!

May 15, 2022
black-owned wineries, black-owned businesses, black-owned wines, black winemakers, black wines, black owned wines, black owned wineries, black podcasts, wine, wineries, winemakers. wine regions, napa valley, wine tasting

50+ Black-Owned Wineries & Businesses You Should Follow & Support.

March 15, 2022

Explore the U.S.A

san francisco golden gate bridge, most romantic cities in the us, valentines day

The Most Romantic Cities in the US for Getaways.

February 12, 2023
photo by Adam chandler courtesy of charleston wine and food festival

2022 Charleston Wine + Food Festival-Recap!

March 31, 2022
sonoma county wineries and restaurants, sonoma, california wine region, sonoma wines, wine tasting

Sonoma County Wineries & Restaurants.

December 13, 2021
things to do in malibu california, malibu restaurants, wine tasting in malibu, malibu beaches, shopping in malibu

Things to do in Malibu California this Weekend.

March 21, 2022
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
15 fun facts about quebec city canada, travel to canada, canadian

15 Fun Quebec City Facts

April 12, 2023
Myrtle Beach Restaurant Guide for Foodies!

The Best Myrtle Beach Restaurants: A Guide for Foodies!

April 12, 2023
Dubai Trip

Dubai Travel Guide for First Time Visitors!

April 12, 2023
Diner en Blanc Guide for First-Timers! Everything you need to know to attend this magical event! Includes information on purchasing tickets, preparing for the event, costs and what to expect at Diner en Blanc!

Diner en Blanc Guide for First-Timers!

September 19, 2019
Dubai Trip

Dubai Travel Guide for First Time Visitors!

How I spent 5 Days in Dubai and Abu Dhabi! A Desert Safari, Camel rides, Burj Khalifa, High Tea at Burj Al Arab, Shopping in Souks, Visiting the Grand Mosque and so much more!!

How I Spent 5 Days in Dubai and Abu Dhabi!

Visit Jamaica: Land I Love!

Cruising the Mediterranean Sea on Norwegian Epic!

marrakech, 2 day itinerary marrakech, marrakech morocco, best things to do in marrakech

2 day Marrakech Itinerary-things you must do!

February 23, 2024
morocco travel planning guide, morocco travel guide, morocco first time visitors guide, merzouga, the sahara, glamping

Planning a trip to Morocco: First-Timer’s Visitor Guide

July 29, 2023
luxury cruise lines, cruises, cruising, top cruise lines,

Top Rated Luxury Cruise Lines!

June 27, 2023
napa valley sign, black-owned wineries in napa and sonoma

Black-Owned Wineries in Napa and Sonoma.

June 19, 2023
The Sophisicated Life

  • About
  • Travel
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 The Sophisticated Life

The Sophisicated Life

  • About
  • Travel
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • About
  • Travel
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2020 The Sophisticated Life

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Wine
  • Culinary Travels
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

© 2020 The Sophisticated Life