2708 Culver Road, Mountain Brook, AL
From the mind of culinary alchemist, J.P. Holland (The FIg), comes a cozy upscale restaurant and whiskey bar. I visited Watkin's Branch shortly after it opened and was impressed by the variety of creative dishes and tasty cocktails. I am a fan of "The Fig" in Cahaba Heights and figured that the cuisine was the same, but with a large whiskey and bourbon collection. I was wrong. I suspect that Watkin's Branch is the place that Chef Holland comes to experiment with new flavors and combinations. (Read "experiment" as "play" because it is obvious by his food, that he is having fun!)
First Impressions
If you follow me, you know that I consider there to be three components of a great restaurant; Atmosphere, Food/Menu, and Service. Let's start with atmosphere. While the vibe of the place doesn't exactly match the menu, that is a good thing here. The vibe is relaxed with a touch of western flair, NO, there are no saddles, cowboys or anything of the sort! The long bar in front of an EXPANSIVE bourbon collection as well as the cozy dining room is what I might call "saloon chic". Warm woods and homey touches belie the level of food that is served here. To be honest, I am more likely to enjoy beautiful food more often if I am not having to be dressed up and quiet! It is obvious that you can "come as you are" for drinks and an appetizer at the bar or have a nice date night in the dining area.
Food/Menu
If you have been to The Fig, you know that Chef Holland shines when he is taking the best ordinary ingredients and consistently combining them into unique happy families of flavor. Well, at Watkin's Branch, it feels like Chef Holland has a place to turn those ingredients on their heads, adding a few plush ingredients and making them get along like family. (Would that be a SUCCESSFUL episode of "Wife Swap"?) I need to find him and ask if Watkin's Branch is his playground and The Fig, his stage.
Im told the menu changes often and I found several items I wanted to try. (I will share pics of the menu but only for an idea of what you will find on any given night!)
For appetizer, we chose the Seasonal Flatbread ( homemade pesto, parmesan, prociutto, feta, and mozzarella, garnished with "bull's blood" microgreens). It was large enough to be shareable (cut Into four pieces) but the two of us scarfed it down. Our second appetizer (yes we were feeling bougie) was a Jerk Ahi Tuna Ceviche. This was my absolute favorite. It was a combination of tuna, papaya, cucumbers, and melon? The mound of ceviche was served with fresh made fried wontons. It was so fresh and I couldn't pick out one single ingredient - it all worked so well together that I wanted a little of everything on each chip. It is also shareable but I think maybe by three. I would love to have this item at lunch as a entree all to myself!
Our entrees were good-sized portions for upscale dishes, and I always appreciate that. When you pay for an upscale entree and it is hard to find on the plate, I am understanding (Hey! Good ingredients aren't cheap) but disappointed. I felt like both of our entrees were just right in size. We had the Southern Style Chicken Thighs and the Grouper Scampi.
Dear Jesse, my husband and dining partner, has resigned himself to having to share both dishes. I can tell you he was not pleased to have to share the Grouper! It was our favorite. It was grilled grouper baked with breadcrumbs and parmesan in a skillet with maybe butter and a touch of wine (my guess). It was served with "Alabama hoppin' john"- blackeyed peas and rice with bacon. If you are a longtime resident and enjoyed the Greek Style fish offerings, you are going to love this flashback to dinners of Leo's Imperial Baked Snapper or Captain Anderson's at the Gulf. The hoppin' john was a nice complement to the fish and delicious if you are a blackeyed pea fan like me.
The Chicken Thighs with Purple Hull Peas and Collards was a riff on Nashville Hot Chicken and we enjoyed it a lot. It wasn't the spicy like, "Can you take the heat?" It was more "Hey that's got a little bite to liven it up!". I will say that the chicken could have done with a bit of salt, but not enough for me to stop eating and ask for the shaker. The peas and collards, fresh from the farmer's market were seasoned perfectly. I won't insult your southern intelligence to say that they went well with the chicken. Well, DUH!
There is an interesting cocktail menu that is not exclusively Bourbon centered. Some summer offerings are on the menu as well. The most interesting and showy cocktail was the Smoked Old Fashioned. This is a regular Old Fashioned boosted with a smokiness that goes really well with the other flavors. I had the Strawberry Sunset, which was a refreshing vodka and strawberry drink that was great for the heat.
Service
The service was friendly and we never had an empty glass. The server was happy to describe any entrees that we asked about but we didn't ask much because the menu did a great job explaining each selection. She did let us know where a lot of the food was sources and was very knowlegeable about the bourbon selection. Crystal was a rock star. You can teach friendly but you can't teach warm and she interacted with everyone like she had known them for years. She was there when we needed her but didn't hover- my favorite kind of server! The tables were cleared quickly and when I spilled my drink, in graceful fashion, they were there in an instant to help!
Final Thoughts
Watkin's Branch is a strange and wonderful bird. The food is upscale, yet comforting. The atmosphere is comforting, yet elegant.
I asked about special events that they have and they have a couple of interesting events. On Wednesdays, they spotlight an interesting bourbon selection and pair it with your choice of appetizer for only $15. Saturday and Sunday brunch are offered and Sunday night is for Family Dinner. I recommend this place for a date night or a place to savor your favorite bourbon, as well.
Watkins Branch is in the heart of Mountain Brook, at 2708 Culver Road. You can get more details at Watkinsbranch.com or If you have questions - watkinsbranchbham@gmail.com
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