Feedbag - Fairlie Forgettable

We picked a good night to head downtown for dinner. It was 10 o’clock on a Saturday, still too early for the club crowd that flocks to the Mark next door. But as we approached, it was obvious something was going on. We turned the corner and stumbled upon a street party in full swing right in front of our dinner destination, Icon. The restaurant was nearly full, and the celebratory vibe outside seemed to have seeped in and blanketed the room in a fun, mellow glow. On our last weeknight visit to Icon, Fairlie-Poplar was desolate and we were literally the only people in the restaurant. That was a monumental improvement.

Despite the decent-sized crowd and no reservation, we were still able to get a table right away. Over a well-made mojito, I began to peruse the menu. There doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to the offerings - when was the last time you saw lamb chops and risotto on the same menu with buffalo wings?

The summer green salad in a “cucumber wrap” caught my eye. Sounds like something I’ve had done at the spa. We asked our server what a cucumber wrap was, and after a brief blank stare, she scuttled off to find out. Another server came over a minute later and explained that it was a garnish of thinly sliced cucumber wrapped around the outside of the salad. Sounds glamorous - bring it on. The salad arrived a few minutes later, and what’s this? No cucumber wrap! All that build-up and all we get is limp salad greens in a plain white bowl. Next course, please.

The parade of silly names continued with an appetizer called - I kid you not - Dragon Lips. I didn’t care what they were, I was ordering them. They turned out to be an even bigger letdown than the cucumber wrap. Dragon Lips are chicken fingers. Plain, bar-food chicken fingers. Come on.

Still, I held out hope for the entrees. My last visit wielded a reasonably good boneless fried chicken breast. The chicken was crispy-skinned and juicy, served over homey, skin-on mashed potatoes. Gelatinous gravy pooled around the potatoes, but it was easy to avoid.

This time, I opted for cedar-roasted salmon in a mustard marinade. Instead of new potatoes, as the menu indicated, it was served with more of the skin-on mashed potatoes. An accompanying sauce had the mysterious, exotic perfume of saffron. Too bad the salmon itself was overcooked. That could be my own fault, though. When the server asked how I’d like it cooked, I told her to let the chef decide. I guess this chef prefers salmon well done.

On a warmer note, the service was uniformly friendly and down-to-earth. You won’t find any pretense here. Too bad you won’t find a great meal, either.

florence.byrd@creativeloafing.com

Wine and Dine

Iris in East Atlanta continues its monthly regional dinner series Mon., May 30. The series, which highlights the foods and wines of France, focuses on the Loire Valley this month. The five-course, prix fixe tasting menu and wine tasting is $65 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Without wine pairings, the dinner is $48 per person.

1314 Glenwood Ave. 404-221-1300. www.irisatlanta.com.

City Sipping

Morton’s in Buckhead is one of 40 locations around the country to host a wine tasting with Ste. Michelle Wine Estates on Wed., June 1, from 6-7:30 p.m. Wines from the award-winning Icon wine collection will be paired with hors d’oeuvres. Featured wines will include Eroica, Northstar Columbia Valley, Conn Creek Anthology and Col Solare. $40 per person includes tax and gratuity.

3379 Peachtree Road. 404-816-6535. www.mortons.com.

Something’s Brewing

Athens-brewed Terrapin Beer is the star of dinner Thurs., June 2, at Meehan’s in Brookhaven. The dinner matches four of the brewery’s beers with a four-course menu of Brunswick stew, lobster plantain crisps, chopped bookmaker’s salad and Chesapeake Bay blue crab and shrimp boil. The dinner begins at 7 p.m. and is $45 per person (plus tax and gratuity).

4058 Peachtree Road. 404-467-9531. www.101concepts.com.

Screen Scene

Every Monday night through June 27, mosey on down to Cowtippers for “Dinner and a Moo-vie.” Each week, the restaurant screens a different movie on two large screens on the patio. Screenings start at 7 p.m., and each week there will be food and drink specials to coincide with the theme of the movie. No cover charge.

1600 Piedmont Ave. 404-874-3751. www.cowtippersatlanta.com.

Fruit Fete

Did you know that June is National Papaya Month? Well, now you do. And Fogo de Chao in Buckhead is celebrating with complimentary papaya cream desserts at lunch from May 30-June 5.

3101 Piedmont Road. 404-266-9988. www.fogodechao.com.