Planet of the Grapes is at 208 N. Pentz Street in Dalton
photo by Janet Wilson
It’s been a good while since someone recommended that we visit Planet of the Grapes at 208 N. Pentz Street in Dalton, but we finally went for a Saturday evening dinner.
The restaurant is very nice with windows down one side as well as across the front, and a large fireplace on the other side wall. Table décor is purple/gold/white. I imagine this would be a beautiful place for a winter evening dinner.
I started my meal with a cup ($4) of the Crawfish Gumbo, which turned out to be a bowl (and I was charged for the bowl [$5] rather than the cup). I really wasn’t impressed with the gumbo. The menu describes it as crawfish, okra and andouille sausage in a rich seafood stock. To me it was more like a bowl of diced tomatoes with a few pieces of okra, and even fewer pieces of crawfish and sausage. I would not order it again.
Wayne ordered the Lardon Salad ($8), which he really liked. It was also quite large! Ingredients are thick Georgia cob smoked bacon diced over mixed baby greens and spinach with bleu cheese, tomatoes, and shaved red onion tossed with a warm bacon and mustard vinaigrette.
There were several appetizers such as a Taster’s Cheese Plate ($8), Antipasto Tray ($9), Eggplant Involtini ($6) and Tuna Seviche ($9). We decided to share the Calamari ($7), with pepper and lemon and served with marinara sauce. This was quite delicious, as it was crisp and not rubbery.
The entrees all sounded quite tempting – Shrimp Carciofini, Salmon Gratella, or Diver Harvested Sea Scallops. They also have sandwiches for those not wanting an entrée. Sandwiches such as Fried Oyster Po’Boy ($9), Angus Beef Hamburger ($8), and Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Panini ($7), are served with a choice of country fries, sweet potato fries or a cup of soup.
I wanted to try everything so I ordered a Mixed Grill ($30) even though I knew I would be bringing most of it home. It included a lamb chop with peach and mango chutney, beef tournedo with caramelized shallots and bacon wrapped scallops with coffee and molasses glaze served with pommes ala leek and vegetable.
Wayne ordered one of the gourmet brick oven pizzas (house-made dough and sauce). He decided to go with a build your own featuring onions, goat cheese, mushrooms, pepperoni, ham, and bacon. He said the crust was crisp, not doughy, and was quite good. He ended up with two pieces left to bring home.
Other than the Crawfish Gumbo, we loved the food. It is definitely a place we would go back to. You are missing a treat if you haven’t visited Planet of the Grapes. They do have a pub adjacent to the restaurant.
Hours for Planet of the Grapes are Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m. They are closed on Sunday and Monday.
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