Atkins Park Va-Hi New Dishes Satisfy Frisky Fall Appetites

Cooler weather has us craving the new fall dishes at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland. Lunchtime calls for crisp salads with chicken and apple or steak with grilled portabella mushrooms, fried onion, tomato and bleu cheese dressing ($11) or perhaps creature comforts like fried fish tacos and chicken and dumplings ($10-$11). Early darkness primes us for dinners that open with small plates of pork belly seared scallops, Georgia Johnny cakes with smoked pork and jalapeño-corn slaw or pan-fried crab cakes with arugula salad and whole grained mustard cream ($9-$14) before settling in on the 12-ounce ribeye steak with Parmesan potato gratin and creamed spinach, sweet potato gnocchi with roasted cauliflower and toasted walnuts or smoked salmon carbonara ($15-$25). Cornbread-crusted Georgia trout with mashed potatoes, green beans and bourbon brown butter apples or the seasonal local vegetable plate bearing butternut squash, wilted Swiss chard, fried Brussels sprouts, grilled wild mushroom, Parmesan potato gratin and cornbread are new midday and evening hits ($12-$19). Stick-with-you weekend brunch fare adds sizzling skillets full of chorizo, Cajun shrimp and andouille sausage, Southwestern grilled chicken with black beans, Philly steak or vegetarian with spinach, tomato and feta cheese, each served with crispy potatoes and topped with two sunny-side eggs ($9-$12). Other brunch specialties include avocado toast, fried chicken pancake sandwich and crab cake or country fried steak Benedict ($10-$12). Spinach and smoked Gouda sauce top house-made focaccia, which debuts as an appetizer at all three meals. It’s comforting to know those faithful “always available” favorites are still options (even after midnight) -- grilled chicken panini, smoked prime rib French dip sandwich and Atkins Park Totchos really hit the spot, whatever the season. Open Monday-Friday 11:30-3 a.m., Saturday 11-3 a.m., and Sunday 11 a.m.-midnight.