Lunacy Black Market = Good Cheap Eats
Good cheap food, that’s Lunacy Black Market. People say you get what you pay for; which is usually meant in an arrogantly snobby way to talk badly about things you do not have to pay an arm and a leg for. About a week ago my best friend and I went out to eat. We were looking for good food. We did not want fast food. Most importantly, we did not want to spend money we did not have.
Then I remembered reading in Creative Loafing’s Best of Atlanta 2010 issue that Lunacy Black Market was the winner for Best Cheap Eat. Lunacy was also mentioned in Atlanta Magazine. I am always trying new restaurants. It is a hobby of mine. I even have a list of several Atlanta restaurants for various occasions to try.
According to Creative Loafing, Lunacy’s food is priced between $3-$9. I couldn’t believe it and so my friend and I decided to see for ourselves. Well folks, this rumor is true on all accounts. Lunacy is guilty for having very cheap food! So we decided to have dinner there. They serve small plates and open for dinner at 6 p.m. We arrived about 15 minutes after they opened.
First, I must rewind. Upon walking through the door my friend and I were greeted by a lovely young hostess. We were then seated on a love seat at our table. Yes, our seat was a love seat. The layout of Lunacy is not like that of a typical restaurant. It is very intimate and unique. It looks like they raided the best of all antique markets and furnished the restaurant with it. The walls are adorned with funky artwork. The furniture is odd, no sets or ‘matchy, matchy-ness’ going on. It is just an eclectic collection of chairs, sofas, and centerpiece tables. The soundtrack that soothed my ears was just as impressive as the decor: smooth R&B oldies.
By 6:30 p.m. a wait began for a seat and that’s when it hit me that I had been missing out on this place. This place must be one of Atlanta’s best kept restaurant secrets. The crowd was very mixed in race, age, and gender. There was a family sitting enjoying several plates of food together. Sitting quietly at a table for two was an older professional couple on a date. At a front table was a group of older professionals who looked like they were enjoying an after work dinner. Then sitting behind me was a college couple giggling away. The attire: comfortable-cute.
Last but certainly not least, the low-down on the food. I ordered the curry chicken leg and fries. The fries were amazingly fresh. They were salted with sea salt which made a huge difference in the taste department. These fries are clearly set a part from fast food fries in the same price range. The chicken leg was fair taste-wise. It was quite small so don’t order it expecting a huge piece of meat. My friend ordered the shrimp plate which came with a side of bread. She also ordered a very colorful salad which is not my cup of tea, but she couldn’t stop raving about it. The shrimp on the other hand, was a jewel. I highly recommend it to anyone. It was succulent and buttery. The flavor was a treat to my taste buds.
This is definitely not a first date spot but it is a worthy (like 4th or 5th date) date spot. A party of two can easily have a bill of 20-25 dollars total and your appetites will be completely satisfied. Needless to say, I will be back. My newest restaurant jewel has been shared with you but let’s keep it between us.
More details on Lunacy Black Market: http://www.lunacyblackmarket.com/
-Live with your eyes open, S.
