Finch Me, Am I Dreaming?

Finally.

I feel like my entire life (well, at least the past three years) has been building up to this moment. For those of you who live in Atlanta, you may be shocked to learn that tonight was my very first evening at Holeman & Finch, a legendary establishment known for its unique menu and mouth-watering cheeseburger. My first piece of writing about food, published in an environmental sustainability magazine at Emory (I was the voice of reason), highlighted some of Atlanta's best options for red meat, including the Holeman & Finch burger. I didn't dare admit in the article that I hadn't actually tasted it, but believe you me, I had done my research, and since then have allowed it to be hyped by fellow foodies, friends, and even myself. This has led me to my current philosophy, where I will not photograph or write about anything that doesn't touch my lips.

I am still on a high from dinner and am completely overcome with emotion. My very close friend and dining partner for the evening compared my elation to the way she feels when she walks outside on a beautiful day. She was right -- this is what I live for. When all is said and done with my financial career, there isn't a shred of doubt in my mind that a profession in food will be my next venture, my true calling. And even though my friend doesn't get off from food like I do, I still found myself in good company (despite paying for 75% of the bill). She even took a walk on the wild side when she let our waiter surprise her with a cocktail; perhaps that was only because of me, but if so, I like that I've had that effect on her.

Holeman & Finch is a tiny (but wouldn't say "hole-in-the-wall" because the place is relatively modern) restaurant, but even on a Monday night, it was as crowded as Azuki on a Saturday (not a strong food reference but a good indication of what "packed like sardines" looks like). The place has just recently started offering its burgers every night, instead of only Thursdays through Saturdays, as was traditionally the case. Still, the burger is not on the menu, is only served beginning at 10:00 PM and sells out almost immediately. I wondered if any customers dine at Holeman without knowing the burger exists. Probably not.

I started with the hot dog, served with pickled jalapeño and "ball park" mustard (their own recipe; this place also does its own pickling). Hands down the best hot dog I've ever eaten. The meat was cooked to perfection and the homemade bun (similar to the bun that came with the burger) was soft and buttery all the way through while still maintaining some crunch on the outside.
 

"The Hot Dog"

Next came the richest dish I tasted that evening, a poached farm egg and griddled bacon, served with johnnycakes, sorghum syrup, and SEARED FOIE GRAS (note the caps to highlight my enthusiasm). If I were Jesus in a modern day rendition of the Last Supper, this would undoubtedly be my meal of choice (although probably better suited for a "last breakfast"). Each bite was more flavorful than the last, but next time I probably won't order this dish on the same night I eat the burger; I was a bit overwhelmed.

Poached Egg, Griddled Bacon, Johnnycakes with Sorghum Syrup, Seared Foie Gras

Point blank, I ordered too much food (no beating around the bush) -- but I'd always rather have this problem than the reverse. My third "entree" (all of the dishes were "small plates," but probably not small enough for my stomach this evening) was the farm egg and pancetta carbonara, which consisted of the restaurant's hand-cut pasta. Everything I ate this evening was made from scratch, and it was obvious. The pasta provided a nice contrast against the sweetness of the "breakfast" I had just devoured; I found myself alternating between the two.

Pancetta Carbonara

And, the moment you've (and I've) been waiting for, the Holeman & Finch burger. It's hard for me to come up with any words to describe it, as I don't believe any description could truly do it justice. Just stare for a few seconds and allow your mouth to water (which, trust me, mine did after waiting until around 10:15 to see it). Our waiter brought us the very first burger of the evening; what a doll.

H&F Burger

My friend and I also noticed that all of the waiters were wearing plaid shirts. When I asked ours if it was his assigned uniform, he replied, "No, we're just assholes." Quite the opposite, actually; I wanted to kiss the ground these waiters walked on. He went on to explain that he's worked at many restaurants and always tires of the food, but Holeman is a staunch exception; he eats there frequently and it remains one of his favorite restaurants in Atlanta. Not sure how could anyone get sick of an extremely eclectic menu with the freshest ingredients and a handful of good looking, well dressed waiters. The service was just as memorable as the food, and this is the kind of place that could certainly afford to let service fall by the wayside.

My first evening at Holeman was a shock to the system; it made me realize how passionate I am about food and how inspired I am by my taste buds. I smiled from ear to ear in utter happiness throughout the entire meal, and rushed home to write about it. I have several other friends who plan on going to Holeman & Finch for dinner tomorrow, and I'm seriously considering joining them. I suppose one can have too much of a good thing, but I won't start thinking of it that way until at least my 3rd night in a row...

Dine at Holeman & Finch:
2277 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
(404) 948-1175