New Atkins Park Va-Hi Menu Rakes in Fall Comfort Foods

You know it’s fall when sweet tea converts from an ice-cold beverage to a sweet tea brine for herb-roasted chicken at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland. No fear, iced tea and cold beverages are on the lunch, dinner and brunch menus -- along with the heartier fare we crave as the temperatures slide downward. The aforementioned herb-roasted airline chicken breast from Joyce Farms plates up with fried okra and butternut squash gratin ($13-$15) for a lunch or dinner treat. Pan-seared scallops with fried leeks, whipped cauliflower and herbed butter sauce ($12); jambalaya skillet with chicken and andouille sausage ($12); and autumnal grilled apple flatbread topped with arugula, Sweet Grass Dairy Asher Blue cheese and honey ($10) appear as entrées at lunch, small plates come dinnertime. Change out your usual appetizer for fried okra and remoulade dipping sauce ($5) at lunch, brunch or dinner. Substantial dinner fare satiates, whether you’re a beef eater sticking with a 12-ounce Certified Angus Beef rib-eye, goat cheese mashed potatoes, braised leeks and garlic and herb compound butter ($25) or desiring a Southern staple of shrimp and grits ($19). For lunch, choose among pan-fried salmon cakes with corn maque choux and green tomato chow-chow ($11); a bowl of classic chicken and dumplings ($11) or cornbread-crusted Georgia trout with mashed potatoes, green beans and bourbon brown butter apples ($19). Atkins Park’s “Always Available” menu pleases those wanting to “veg” out on kale and sweet potato salad with dried cranberries, feta cheese and roasted garlic vinaigrette ($7) or the grilled vegetable muffaletta plump with grilled portabella and zucchini, roasted red pepper, artichoke-olive relish and provolone on ciabatta ($11) and those preferring a can’t-put-it-down smoked prime rib French dip with caramelized onion, Gruyere cheese and horseradish cream on a hoagie ($13). Big Green Egg aficionados will be glad to know that specialties such as pulled pork with spicy vinegar BBQ sauce on a jalapeño bun ($10) and smoked wings with spicy BBQ sauce, veggies and blue cheese or buttermilk ranch dressing ($12) are available anytime, and they can roll into Sunday brunch for BGE smoked beef brisket and eggs with crispy potatoes and sourdough toast ($14). Another enticement, Atkins Park serves these delectable dishes more hours than not, open Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m.-3 a.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-3 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-12 a.m.