Photo by Erin Nelson.
Watkins Branch Bourbon and Brasserie
Owner and chef JP Holland, executive chef Alex Johnson, and general manager Justin Church atWatkins Branch Bourbon and Brasserie in Mountain Brook Village.
Chef JP Holland has opened a new eatery at 2708 Culver Road in Mountain Brook Village. Watkins Branch Bourbon and Brasserie, which took residence in the former Icehouse space, welcomed its first customers in early January.
“I’m from Atlanta, and there’s a really amazing food scene going on in Atlanta — just like Birmingham has an amazing food scene — but we’re missing a couple of things,” Holland said, “and we decided to do a chef-driven bar because I think that’s something we don’t have.”
Upon opening, Watkins Branch carried 35 bourbons, with hopes of doubling its inventory over time. It also offers an array of cocktails that bar manager and beverage director Lauren McDonald said are influenced by the 20th-century prohibition era in France.
One such drink is Années Folles, which is French for “crazy years.” It’s made of butterfly pea flower tea, creme de violette, lemon juice, absinthe and gin.
“I’m taking old-school cocktails from the ’20s and trying to reimage them into 2020,” she said.
As for the food, Holland said dishes will be hyper-seasonal, range in size and change with demand.
“We’re really trying to get as super simple or as super complicated as we want,” he said. “As far as that, we have some dishes that are super simple that just soothe your soul.”
They include an elk burger, farm burger — made from cows raised locally in Warrior — and classic steak frites, which features bearnaise sauce and truffle fries.
“I want our guests to feel comfortable to be able to speak to me or him and say, ‘Hey, this is what I want to see,’” said Alex Johnson, Watkins Branch executive chef, “and we’ll work with you so that we can keep those people as happy as possible to keep them coming back.”
Johnson has worked with Holland at Holland’s other restaurant, Fig Tree in Cahaba Heights, since 2015. Fig Tree offers farm-to-table fare that falls under the broad label of chef-refined Southern comfort food.
Holland said he opened Fig Tree in 2014 and believes that Watkins Branch will complement it well.
“There was so much more that we wanted to do that just didn’t make sense for Fig Tree that makes sense here,” Holland said. “I think it’s really going to be a perfect yin-and-yang kind of balance, honestly.”
Holland said the idea to start Watkins Branch had only been in the works for a couple of months when he decided to pursue it. He’s always enjoyed brasseries, which in France are a step above a bistro, and he thought one would be a good fit for Mountain Brook. Holland picked the name Watkins Branch because he said that’s what the area surrounding the restaurant used to be called before it became part of Mountain Brook. Watkins Branch will seat 24 people inside and about 20 outside.
“A lot of restaurants operate as a machine,” Holland said. “This is an experience.”
Under the guidance of general manager Justin Church, Watkins Branch will open seven days a week at 3:30 p.m., though Holland said he plans to begin serving brunch in the spring.
Cocktails will generally range from $9 to $13, and food will range from $12 to $30.
“Come eat and come drink,” Johnson said. “I want this place to be a second home for our guests.”
For more information, visit watkinsbranch.com or call 205-593-4403.
