J. Christopher's

publication date: Jun 23, 2008

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author/source: Tim Altork and John Breech / STAFF

First Impressions
John: Before I even talk about J. Christopher’s, I have to get something off of my chest. Brunch is hands down my favorite meal of the day. Immediately followed by breakfast, dinner, fourth meal (you Taco Bell fans know what I’m talking about) and lunch, in case you’re wondering. I also should note that when I first got my driver’s license, I ate at Cracker Barrel an average of three times a week, just so I could eat breakfast for lunch. Needless to say, I was pretty pumped for our excursion to J. Christopher’s.

The first thing I noticed about the place is that it’s playfully decorated; there’s artwork everywhere. Our table was right below a gigantic portrait of a famous figure. Well apparently the figure wasn’t so famous because I still don’t know who it was. However, judging by the mood, character and tone of the portrait, I would peg the person as a 19th century American president; possibly James Madison, James Monroe or John Quincy Adams… maybe Tim knows, he’s older than me.

Tim: Nope. I don’t think a 4-year age difference makes a difference when it comes to unlabeled giant portraits of important looking 19th century presidents.

Anyway, it’s unfair to list this as a “first impression” for me because I have been to J. Christopher’s too many times to count over the years. But we went to the one in the old Public House building on the Roswell square, and the setting there is very warm and quaint – exposed rafters, brick interior walls, etc.

Our waiter was kind of a goof. But we went there in the afternoon about 30 minutes before they closed, so I think he already had one foot out the door. In fact, having been a server before in that very situation myself many times, I can almost guarantee that the moment we sat down he was like, “Crap. And I thought I was getting out of here early today.” 

Food
John: When it comes to brunch, there’s no appetizer or salad in my book. I just order the food and then entertain my guest with sardonic conversation until it arrives. Or in our case, I just stare at the wall because a good conversation with Altork happens about as often as an Atlanta Dream victory.

Anyway, we ordered the blueberry crunchcakes, the rodeo skillet (which is on the seasonal menu) and the Tuscan chicken panini that isn’t really a panini.

Let me start off by stating that the rodeo skillet was unbelievable. It’s the kind of dish they just don’t serve up north. It’s basically pork barbecue and potatoes topped with two eggs and barbecue sauce. That may not sound like much, but it makes for quite the hearty meal.

If I’m ever headed to an early morning tailgate in Athens, I may have to invite Chef/manager Bill Wooldridge along so he can whip up some of this scrumptious culinary concoction for everyone that I know. The crunchcakes were tasty, but there was no crunch, per se. (Our affable intern who “loves” the crunchcakes, claims they do crunch, but she also thinks that quandary is pronounced ‘coo-on-dairy’), which would have been disappointing if there weren’t so many blueberries. Seriously, I spend $2.99 for about three ounces of blueberries at Kroger, and I’m not kidding when I say there might have been that many in my pancakes. These pancakes not only gave me what was probably a month’s worth of antioxidants, but if blueberries are as healthful as I have heard, I think it’s safe to say cancer and heart disease are out of my future after eating them. (On a side note, the Rodeo Skillet probably offset any health benefit the blueberries might have given me).

I’ll let Tim delve into the world of the Tuscan panini that’s not a panini, mainly because he was a much bigger fan than I was.

Tim: Pesto can be a tricky condiment to master. (Is pesto a condiment or a sauce? Or is that the same thing? “Condiment or Sauce” would be a good Jeopardy category.) It can be an overwhelming flavor if not used properly.

In the Tuscan Panini that’s not a panini, however, the pesto is used to perfection and truly makes the sandwich. The chicken is tender and topped with melted cheese, and the whole thing is on a light, buttered piece of bread that is not pressed like you would imagine a panini being. It was a delicious combination with a very fresh finish.

And as for the conversation, I’m sorry we can’t all speak for hours on end about late night bar hookups and how awesome the Midwest is (where Breech is from).

Final Impression
John: After the meal was over, Wooldridge introduced himself and offered to show us the whole building. We checked out the second floor, where J. Christopher’s usually accommodates large parties that are booked in advance.

Wooldridge also explained to us that the building was haunted and had even been investigated for paranormal activity by a team from the Discovery Channel. Personally, the only ghost I want to eat a meal with is Casper. However, when you’re sitting at your table it is quite interesting to look around and think about all of the history contained within the building. On a side note, I must disappointingly report that the ghosts were few and far between (read: non-existent) during our visit.

Tim: In between ghost stories Woolridge talked about his intent to reopen the upstairs and thrust J. Christopher’s into the dinner market.

All of the restaurants close at 2 p.m., so opening the Roswell square location at night will be a first for the growing franchise. But Woolridge has the perfect place to do it. There’s a bar that’s ready to be stocked (J. Christopher’s doesn’t have a liquor license yet) and there’s ample room to accommodate a nice-sized dining crowd.

They still have to nail down the night time menu, as the plan right now is to only do dinner on the weekends. But if Woolridge’s a.m. menu and seasonal creations are any indications of the quality of his work, the growing flock of J. Christopher’s fans should be eagerly anticipating their p.m. offerings.