Falling Rabbit
3580 W Lawrenceville Street
Duluth, GA 30096
770-623-1452
In the last issue, one of the most Instagram-worthy restaurants was mentioned by a fellow foodie, which made us want to go check it out for ourselves! Falling Rabbit is the fantastical love child of culinary genius Chuck Woods (chef) and Babs Woods (General Manager and cocktail creator) that they brought to the ‘burbs by way of Chicago. The quaint spot in Duluth is the perfect addition to the growing “foodie” scene hopping up I-85.
From the cottage facade to the whimsical decor, the moody teal walls and the gold accents create an ambiance unlike any other in Gwinnett. While reservations are not required, we were glad we had them as it was a bubbly crowd that filled the bar and the tabletops giving the small space lively energy and sophistication.
At first glance, the ever-changing seasonal menu seems a little unusual and overwhelming . . . because it is . . . in a good way. Overwhelming descriptions of flavors that seem so bizarre together that they must work. The staff took great care to explain dishes that had us questioning their descriptions.
The first course seemed to be a balancing act. We started with the “crudo” that was too beautiful to eat, yet we devoured every last bite. The fish was perfection on its own, but the kimchi mayo added a smoky twist to the layering of flavors. The tempera spring onions covered in a smoked blue cheese drizzle countered the sweetness of the delicate, flaky crusted onions (think upscale onion rings). We followed with a course of crunchy brussels sprouts tossed in a melody of flavors: a Vietnamese sauce called Nuac Chom, cilantro, cashew butter and watermelon syrup to create something special.
Our main dishes came to the table, the explosion of flavors had almost tipped us over the edge. As expected by its name, there was charred rabbit on the menu, which piqued our interest as well as the sea scallops. Between the two, the rabbit won our taste test. The rabbit was nestled in a bed of wild mushrooms that provided the perfect texture to soak up the sunflower crema on the plate. The scallops were slightly salty but paired nicely with the creaminess of the elotes (which is pureed charred Mexican street corn).
Dessert was in the form of liquid: a FLIP HOP cocktail that was a nutty, sweet ending to a filling meal.
Next time: we think we’ll drink our way through the bar menu. We watched some pretty creative cocktails float across the room to other tables.