I had been asking Peter to take me to Hugo’s Oyster Bar for months, until we finally went for a visit on my birthday. Hugo’s Oyster Bar opened in 2013, and is located on Alpharetta Highway, just moments from Canton Street, Roswell’s well-known culinary hub.
They serve brunch, lunch, and dinner, so there is no reason you can’t find time to add Hugo’s to your restaurant rotation. The theme of the restaurant reminded me of a classic Cajun seafood joint that I could find along the Gulf Coast. My parents both went to college in New Orleans, so I have a soft spot in my heart for true southern flavors.
The ambiance is casual enough to wear jeans and a nice t-shirt, but fashionable enough to dress up if you wanted to. The interior is brick with New Orleans-inspired art decked walls. They offer complimentary valet parking, which elevates the overall experience.
Since it was my birthday, we went all out by trying the best dishes Hugo’s had to offer. Below, I will give you an overview of everything we tried with our honest opinion!
Gulf Oysters on the Half Shell: We started off with half a dozen east coast oysters, which have a salty and briny flavor. I found them delicate and delicious, and highly recommend starting your meal with oysters.
Tasso Ham Deviled Eggs: My mother often made us deviled eggs growing up, so when I find them on a menu, I have to try them! I loved Hugo’s take on deviled eggs because they added a touch of heat with sriracha aioli. I am giving them high marks!
Fried Green Tomatoes: Not the best fried green tomatoes I have ever tasted, but still enjoyable. They were prepared with tasso smoked ham, goat cheese, basil, and confit sweet pepper sauce.
Tuna Tartar: Tuna tartar is usually served the same way on any menu, but I loved how fresh the tuna was from Hugo’s! It was made with avocado, crispy shallots, soy mirin sauce, and chips.
Chicken and Andouille Gumbo: Gumbo is a quintessential Creole staple, so naturally, I had to try Hugo’s take on the dish. We opted for the chicken and andouille gumbo instead of seafood this time. I enjoyed the texture and richness of the gumbo, but it was a little sweet for my taste.
Iceberg Wedge: Peter and I can’t help but try the wedge whenever it is on the menu. We are fully aware that is it not the healthiest salad choice. We loved their wedge salad, made with tomato, onion, blue cheese crumbles, lardon, and blue cheese dressing.
Sides- Truffle Mac & Cheese, Lemon Garlic Spinach, and Fried Okra: I loved all of these sides, but I was least impressed by the truffle mac & cheese. The truffle flavor was underwhelming, and the noodles were a bit soupy. I still ate it but prefer when the cheese is a little more baked over the noodles. The lemon garlic spinach was my favorite. It was the perfect balance of citrusy and salty, savory and sweet. Last, we tried the fried okra, which is a comfort food of mine. As a southerner, I love okra (or anything fried), so you can’t go wrong with these!
Dessert- Sweet Praline Beignets, Bread Pudding, and Gelato: The restaurant was super generous, and overloaded us with desserts for my birthday! Out of everything we tried, I enjoyed the sweet praline beignets served with caramel sauce the best. Growing up, my mother would make my friends and I beignets after school. They are basically homemade donut holes, topped with powdered sugar and any other sweet sauce you desire!
Our waitress was friendly and patient, as she walked us through the menu. Our overall experience was pleasant, and even the manager came over to personally wish me a happy birthday. We will definitely be going back to Hugo’s soon. I’d love to try their brunch menu!
Hope you enjoy,
S
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