THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Blais

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Blais Restaurant Review:

Think of dining in Barcelona at some of its most cutting-edge restaurants. When Richard Blais had the chance to perfect his skills, that's where he headed, blue apron in hand, to understudy with Ferran Adrià at the legendary El Bulli outside of Barcelona. Now back at his eponymous restaurant, Blais has his own staffers sporting the famed blue apron. Blais's cooking may not be quite as edgy and dangerous as Adrià's, but it will take Atlanta to its own edge. Perhaps it's wise to start a little cautiously, but some will find caution thrown totally to the winds anyway, especially when they face their first cube of Tang quivering on a stretched layer of plastic wrap that covers the top of the white dish. It's the spirit of this new wave Catalan fare to take what's local and play with it. Thus you may start with a slim vial of iced tea floating on top of a cube of jellied iced tea. You can't help but giggle. You're supposed to. Get the tasting menu, so you can savor more of these fun things, then settle down to a narrow strip of pure raw tuna with soy jelly and lime flavor. Or the Caesar salad with white anchovies that comes in a carefully cut out anchovy can. Or the perfectly crisp calamari that you'll dip into the harissa-kissed foamy hummus that fills a baby food jar. Or go traditional and dip into a main course of perfectly grilled scallops on rock shrimp risotto with a foamy side of corn bubbles. The beef short ribs, cooked in Dr. Pepper, take down home to a level you wouldn't have thought possible. Snag the molten chocolate cake for dessert, paired with a bit of house-made (natch) saffron ice cream. The wine list is one of the city's best, and even sports a section of dry rosés.