AGAINN

When places that serve food and beer open down the street from my apartment, I get all kinds of excited. Truth be told, while I love my hood, there are not tons of casual eateries within 2 blocks. 2 blocks, you say? Well...I am just that lazy. Don't you judge me. We already enjoy the happy hour at Brasserie Beck (happy hour only - otherwise it is WAY too expensive), which is owned by the same crew who opened AGAINN so Mark, Bob, and I stopped in to check it out. The crowd at the bar (for their rather lacking happy hour) was loud and very yuppy that night so we headed to the patio instead. Since their bar special is $1-off-regular-price, we happily paid a premium for the fresh air and distance from the bar crowd.

The menu at AGAINN reads like it was pieced together from a few different restaurant concepts and could use some focus. Or maybe it isn't meant to be a "drink and snacks" kind of place. It took a few minutes to order because we selected bits and pieces from each section of the menu. Let me tell you...we were not disappointed with anything that found its way to our table. First was the Country Ham with Sheep's Milk Ricotta.
Dreamy in every sense of the word. The salty, flavorful ham was melting in our mouths and the fluffy ricotta was unique and delicious.

Next we got the side of Brussels Sprouts with bacon and the Big Chips (fries). Both were fantastic. I am more of a skinny fry kind of girl, but when a big, fat fry is done right, I love that too. Crispy, not too greasy, perfectly salted, and fluffy inside. It hit all points.
The real star was the sprouts. Add bacon to anything and it is a winner, really, but these were caramelized and cooked perfectly. It was a nice size for sharing, too.

Mark's highlight was the Warm Asparagus with a poached hen egg.
Ooooey goooey perfection on a plate. We all lapped this up. There was some watery dressing that we didn't love, but nothing could sully our appreciation for this simple and delicious dish.
Of course, we washed it down with a beer. They have an extensive list, but you are going to pay for that. Beers range from $5-15 here. Select accordingly.
The Sticky Toffee Pudding was calling out to Mark, so we ordered it. Best decision of the night. This dessert was not too sweet, but utterly moist and decadent. I couldn't get enough. Save room for this if you head over.
All in all, this is a great new addition to the area.