A few weeks ago, the upscale casual restaurant Massé Grill & Bar kick-started a “soft opening” for hungry newcomers in Kennesaw across from Town Center Mall. The soft opening features a limited, sample menu of foods that the restaurant plans to offer. This also means that the restaurant will still open its doors to customers without advertisements, so staff members can practice and ensure that their public grand opening will emit perfection.

Massé Grill & Bar’s primarily American dishes include favorites like buffalo chicken dip, wings, loaded cheese fries, fried pickles, seafood, salads, and sandwiches. I ordered two dishes, the caesar salad and the Philly steak nachos. The caesar salad rendered fresh lettuce leaves and contained the perfect blend of creamy dressing and Parmesan cheese. The Philly steak nachos comprised of a massive portion of authentic tortilla chips and a generous heaping of sauteed peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, melted provolone, and seasoned tender steak. With a tempting aroma, the dish burst with delicious flavor, unlike any other nachos I have tried.

“Our restaurant is not a normal one. We are chef-driven, which means we have passion that goes to our dishes, a pre-prohibition style bar, and seasoned bartenders. We have multiple dining rooms, 10 pool tables, a large sitting area, an outside patio, and a huge bar! We will be offering themed entertainment such as college night, with special discounts. We will also have versatile entertainment for all genders and age groups,” said manager Gale Williams.

In the middle of trying my dishes, I chatted with the manager of the restaurant and marveled at how delicious the Cha Cha shrimp sounded. After a couple of minutes, she came back with a small bowl of the entrée to try. Seasoned, battered, fried, and tossed with a savory sauce, the perfectly cooked shrimp brewed sweetness, a hint of spiciness, and a satisfying texture.

“The possibilities are great. I love cooking for this community. Everything is done from scratch. It’s like you’re at home, especially with the atmosphere,” said Chef Williams.

Not only does Massé pose as a wonderful eating establishment, but it also serves as an entertainment complex. The restaurant showcases a pool room and a game room apart from the dining area. While guests have to pay to play the arcade machines, the restaurant does not charge customers for the use of the pool tables.

Furthermore, the fast and friendly service added to their impressive quality. Although the dishes ranged in average prices, they took no longer than 10 minutes to arrive, and the manager and server came over to my table several times to ensure that everything tasted well. They graciously welcomed me to their new establishment and recommended me dishes for my next visit, which will surely be sometime soon.

Although Massé is a new establishment, it has already displayed immense potential as a tough competitor for other restaurants in the Metro-Atlanta area.

The Chant’s grade: A