Florida-based chain Planta has set up shop in the former Watchman’s space in Krog Street Market, and judging by the crowds, the appetite for plant-based cooking continues to grow locally.
It helps that Planta doesn’t feel like a chain. The menu is creative enough that it seems unique, though most of Planta’s locations serve the same core items.
Credit: Courtesy of Planta
Credit: Courtesy of Planta
No other place in town serves exclusively plant-based sushi. And the sushi section not only takes up nearly a quarter of Planta’s relatively large menu, but it also shows off much of the restaurant’s best cooking.
You could imagine having unagi eggplant nigiri, which replaces eel with glazed eggplant, in a good sushi restaurant. The soft slices of sweet, savory eggplant provided much of the same satisfaction as traditional unagi.
The spicy tuna roll, which substitutes “ahi watermelon” for minced tuna, was a refreshing, surprisingly savory dish, though it didn’t mimic the namesake fish quite as well as the unagi eggplant.
The torched and pressed sushi, featuring avocado pressed on top of neat little rice blocks, was glazed with a miso truffle sauce that was caramelized lightly. It was a lovely piece of cooking that benefited from not being named after a traditional sushi dish. So many plant-based foods invite direct comparison to a meat-based dish and — for the nonvegans among us — end up falling short of expectations.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Planta’s menu has a few other big hits. The baby gem Caesar salad was excellent, with incredibly fresh lettuce, tangy dressing and a savory crunch from mushroom “bacon.” The surprisingly hefty avocado lime tartare was made of chopped beet “tuna” topped with mashed avocados brightly dressed in lime juice.
Luxurious 1,000-layer potatoes were topped with nondairy sour cream and kelp-based “caviar.” The four little spud squares will cost you more than $14, but they’re probably worth it. Bang bang broccoli was another standout appetizer, fried to a delightful tempura crunch and slathered with a fun, palate-tingling sauce.
Street corn ribs are available from the brick oven section of the menu, but our quartered cobs were cut short, so we didn’t get the fun curling effect you often see with this kind of preparation. The brick oven at Planta also produces pizzas, and the excitingly spicy vodka pizza, topped with cashew mozzarella, was our favorite.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Planta does not use any of the newer plant-based meat options like Beyond or Impossible. Refreshingly, their burger features bean-based veggie patties prepared with straightforward toppings, such as lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle. The truffle fries served alongside it were terrific, with a crunchy exterior and fluffy interior, and they helped complete the burger experience.
The pasta options, on the other hand, mostly were unimpressive. Spicy lumaconi pasta did have a bit of sting in the tomato sauce, but the cashew mozzarella and almond Parmesan largely were undetectable. The bowl cost just under $25, but seemed identical to store-bought pasta and sauce from a jar.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Similarly, udon noodles with truffle mushroom cream and shaved truffles (which turned out to be two minuscule black truffle shavings) was one-note. It was not quite creamy enough, and with nothing to add texture, quickly became boring. The same could be said of the eggplant rollatini, stuffed with lemon-accented spinach. Mowing through the softball-sized wad of cooked greens provided a reminder of why the phrase “eat your vegetables” has a negative connotation.
But, aside from a few dishes, Planta is not a boring restaurant. The loud, attractive dining room crackles with energy, and the colorful cocktails are fun to look at and drink.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
However, if the restaurant wants to maintain its popularity, the service could be more consistent. Your experience is likely to vary depending on your server, and the tapas-style philosophy of delivering dishes as they come out of the kitchen can result in awkward pacing. With each round of dishes ordered, it always felt like one took significantly longer than the others. Also, the bartenders often seemed confused, even if a customer was ordering directly from the cocktail list.
Still, even with a few rough edges, Planta is a creative, energetic addition to Atlanta’s plant-based restaurant scene. Recipes can be tweaked and staff can be trained. Ultimately, Planta’s core concept should allow it to thrive.
PLANTA
2 out of 4 stars (very good)
Food: modern plant-based cuisine with Asian influences
Service: friendly but inconsistent
Noise level: loud
Recommended dishes: unagi eggplant nigiri, spicy “ahi watermelon” tuna roll, torched and pressed sushi, baby gem Caesar, avocado lime tartare, bang bang broccoli, 1,000-layer crispy potatoes, corn “ribs,” vodka pizza, burger
Vegetarian dishes: the menu is 100% plant-based
Alcohol: full bar, including mocktails and nonalcoholic wines
Price range: $$-$$$
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays
Parking: paid deck
MARTA: less than 1 mile from King Memorial and Inman Park/Reynoldstown stations
Reservations: recommended
Outdoor dining: yes
Takeout: yes
Address, phone: 99 Krog St. NE, Atlanta. 404-905-1480
Website: plantarestaurants.com/location/planta-atlanta
Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter
Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
About the Author
