Central: New, like me.

On a weekday afternoon, on my way to the downtown post office, I noticed a sign on Coosa St. near the Alley development that simply read "Central."   After googling it to death, I couldn't come up with any local results... UNTIL I found the facebook page for Central, Montgomery's hottest new restaurant.  It was actually set to open the very week that I discovered its sign.  Per usual, I had to check it out.  So, a new friend and I headed there for drinks around 6:30pm on their first Thursday in business.  

Since we are both recovering urbanites living in Montgomery, my new friend and I could not get enough of Central's decor (Atlanta! DC! New York!).  The place has that great feel: intimate yet sprawling, just enough noise, exposed brick, great design.  It had us at hello. 

I decided to return to Central a week later for dinner. I had a great reason to celebrate: My BFF (from college and DC) was in town. Before I moved to Montgomery, she generously offered to come visit me during my first month in Alabama.  Knowing that I'd be a little lonely and in need of some help settling in, she booked her flight to Montgomery before I even left DC.  Now, THAT is a good friend. 

And, she loves good food and wine, just like me.  So off to Central we went on a Saturday night in late February.

What we ordered:  Biscuits and pimento cheese (cheese was to die for, biscuits were meh).  Raw oysters (as pricey as DC but delicious and worth every penny, and paired well with the pinot gris). Seared Ahi tuna skewers with avocado (AH-MAY-ZING and only $8).  Wood-grilled Gulf Amberjack (delish but we just wanted more of the Ahi tuna..... that will be my go-to dish at Central in the future).  Brussels sprouts with bacon (incredible).  All in all, we were happy campers amid the candlelight, wooden wine racks, sea of happy diners and potted cotton blossoms (BFF gets credit for noticing that the cotton blossoms really "made" the decor).

While the evening wasn't perfection (some of our food got cold on the table while we waited for our second glasses of Oregon wine - pinot gris for me, pinot noir for BFF), we wholeheartedly enjoyed the cuisine and ambiance at Central.

After my return visit, I am certain that Central will now be a regular Girl Meets Gump hotspot for drinks, dinner, and lunch.  And when they introduce brunch, I will be all over that.  Welcome, Central.  You and I, we're both new to Montgomery.  We need to stick together.