Bar Blanc Opens Above Little Sparrow at Westside Provisions for Steak Frites, French Wine, and Cocktails

Beth McKibben is the editor and staff reporter for Eater Atlanta and has been covering food and cocktails locally and regionally for 12 years.

Unlike the former JCT Bar at Westside Provisions District, Atlanta restaurateur Ford Fry doesn’t think of its replacement as just another spot for cocktails. Located above his French-style brasserie, Little Sparrow, which opened in the former JCT Kitchen space downstairs, Fry sees Bar Blanc as a “steak friterie” and a restaurant in its own right.

Opening Tuesday, November 14, Bar Blanc continues the French theme upstairs, but within closer quarters, and with a much livelier atmosphere. While Little Sparrow is charming and sophisticated, consider Bar Blanc its sassy little sister. Fry describes Bar Blanc as “slightly more rebellious in nature.”

Outdoor seating overlooking the train tracks and a plush velvet couch near the bar inside are meant for lingering over drinks, while banquettes and cafe tables provide the opportunity to enjoy cocktails, wine, and dinner that includes steak and bowls of thick-cut French fries. An evening at Bar Blanc comes soundtracked by French hip-hop and indie Americana tunes pumping through the speakers.

You won’t receive a food menu at Bar Blanc. There’s only one option available. For $49.50 per person, the prix-fixe menu offers a baguette of crusty levain and salad for the table, followed by steak sliced and served in a steel pan kept warm by a candle underneath. A gravy boat filled with brown butter bearnaise sauce accompanies the steak, along with sides of unlimited frites. Dessert sees gateaux basque or creme caramel with a scoop of creamy gelato served a la carte.

The wine list at Bar Blanc leans heavily toward French producers, with everything from champagne by the glass and bottle to chablis, burgundy, champigny, and bordeaux. Look for classic cocktails like the Grasshopper, Brandy Alexander, Sidecar, and Sazerac, as well as a lengthy list of after-dinner drinks with selections of eau de vie, calvados, brandy, and armagnac. Bar Blanc even features the multi-layered digestif Pousse Cafe (“push coffee” in French) — a multi-colored, 19th-century layered shot of liqueurs meant to aid in digestion.

A women with red nails cuts into sliced steak on a white plate, with a bowl of fries, glass of red wine, raclette sauce in a gravy boat, bread and more steak warming in a dish displayed in front of her.

Steak sits cooked and sliced on a black platter beside a basket of thick-cut fries, a bowl of salad, and aa crusty baguette and butter.

Open Tuesday - Thursday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.

1198 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. barblancatl.com.

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