Restaurants Offer Grown-Up Dining in Johns Creek

With all the buzz about banning children from restaurants in Philadelphia and other cities, as well as possibly airplanes, vacation destinations and other establishments, I suppose I should not be shocked by the constant Facebook posts from my childless friends about children annoying them in public places — but I am. As the mother of a very “spirited” 2-year-old, I know all too well how hard it is to attempt to control a child in public, and I am tired of defending myself.

Children are not robots, and parents can’t program them to behave a certain way in public — or anywhere, for that matter. That being said, I do believe it is a parent’s job to teach manners, remind a child to use an “inside voice” and provide distractions to keep a child busy in public. I feel that with these tools, a parent can take a child anywhere.

Others do not agree with me, and so there will always be places that do not allow children inside. Right here in Johns Creek, in fact, we have two restaurants that impose age restrictions on customers, and they do so with a mostly positive reaction from the community.

is an authentic Italian restaurant that caters to a crowd aged 14 and up with a bar area for adults 18 and older only. Viande Rouge is a classic steakhouse that allows only customers aged 18 plus. Both are located in a strip center on the corner of 141 and State Bridge Road, at 9810 Medlock Bridge Road, and both are owned by Chef Marc Sublette and Thomas Taylor.

During a recent visit to Trattoria 141, I had a chance to taste Chef Marc’s cuisine and speak to Taylor about the age restrictions.  I, of course, was curious as to why the restaurants would choose to eliminate potential profits from an entire segment of the public, and I wondered what the reaction from the community has been.

One step inside Trattoria 141 gave me my answers, but I asked Taylor anyway.

Trattoria 141 is a cozy “white-table-cloth-restaurant” featuring soft lighting and music that create an adult ambiance. One look around, and I could tell that I would not be comfortable bringing my child there. There simply wasn’t a family-friendly feel, and according to Taylor, this is because after about a year in business, he realized the restaurant wasn’t an appropriate place for small children. I agree, by the way.  

Open for five-and-a half-years now, Trattoria 141 was created due to Taylor’s desire to open, as he says, “ a fine-dining Buckhead-type establishment in the suburbs.” With Chef Marc’s prior experience in North Fulton restaurants, the pair naturally opened Trattoria 141 in Johns Creek. But it was after that first year that they realized their concept of an alternative to upscale intown restaurants really did not lend itself to a child clientele. So now the concept, according to Taylor, has become “top-notch Italian food in a warm, charming environment for grown-ups.”

Open Monday through Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m., Trattoria 141 has become the go-to restaurant for business dinners and date nights in Johns Creek. Taylor says customers enjoy the childless environment and appreciate the convenience of the locale. He must be right, because the place was packed, which he says comes mostly from word-of-mouth recommendations and very little advertising.

Taylor says that the reaction to the age restrictions has been generally positive, but he recognizes that families who frequented the restaurant in the first year still want to dine at the restaurant.  Therefore, Trattoria 141 offers “family night” on Sundays, where the same dinner menu is served, but patrons of all ages are welcome from 5 to 9 p.m. The bar, a very popular area for socializing, does remain 18+ on Sundays, though, providing a quiet getaway for those customers who were expecting a childfree meal.

Speaking of the meal, mine was divine, from the soft chewy bread with the crispy crust dipped in creamy marinara sauce infused with whipped goat and cream cheeses and crushed red pepper, for a little added kick, to the decadent warm flourless chocolate soufflé cake topped with homemade vanilla gelato that melted in my mouth—and everything in between.

I told Taylor that I love food, and there is nothing I don’t eat except a raw tomato (so no Caprese salad for me, though the one my neighbor at the bar ordered looked good enough to eat), so he should surprise me with his meal selection. I started with one of the most popular appetizers, Carciofi, which is grilled long-stem artichokes with pancetta, garlic and lemon. To say that I enjoyed this appetizer would be a huge understatement, as I having been craving it ever since. I then had the Cannelloni stuffed with braised beef short rib, Gorgonzola and béchamel.

The Cannelloni reminded me of the beef brisket my mother makes for holidays (only put in a pasta), and, when I mentioned this to Taylor, he said that “Chef Marc likes to make food the peasants eat,” in other words, comfort food—just like my mom’s brisket.

Taylor also “forced” me to take home some Salsiccia, homemade Italian sausage with roasted peppers and onions. I shared this with my mom who said it was some of the best she’s ever had. I suppose this is because it’s homemade, much like the gelato and many other items at Trattoria 141.

Viande Rouge, Taylor and Chef Marc’s steakhouse, has been in business for about four months and is open Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Sundays, because Taylor says they don’t do a family night there at all.

In fact, Taylor decided to up the age restriction at his second restaurant to 18 and older, which allows for the possible future addition of a cigar bar. In my opinion, a cigar bar would be quite fitting for this retro steakhouse with a French flair, which is a throwback to the 1920s and 30s (think Rat Pack Las Vegas), according to management. 

I didn’t get to eat at Viande Rouge, but I have to imagine the food would be equally high quality and equally delicious to Trattoria 141. Taylor told me that they use only prime beef, which is a higher grade than what most steakhouses use.

Viande Rouge specializes in steaks, seafood and shared sides but also boasts several specialties prepared tableside such as Spinach & Mushroom Salad with hot bacon dressing, Steak Tartare, Steak Diane, Steak au Poivre, Sauteed Whole Dover Sole and desserts like Bananas Foster, Cherries Jubilee and Peach Lily. These artful presentations make for an interesting anniversary or other occasion that Taylor says many customers celebrate at Viande Rouge.

When I asked Taylor if Trattoria 141 offers any similar specials, he replied, “No, we do what we do.” And they do it well, I say! But don’t take my word for it; decide for yourself. Both restaurants request reservations; make yours today.