 |
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iris: Family Chic by Laurel-Ann Dooley Crispy duck leg confit, cold water lobster risotto and pistachio crème brulee aren’t the usual selections at restaurants that provide changing tables, high chairs and children’s menus. But then suits and eveningwear aren’t often found seated comfortably next to jeans and running shoes. And copper-lined walls and original artwork rarely adorn the interior of a former gas station. Such is the delightful contradiction that is Iris, a new dining spot in East Atlanta Village. On a recent evening, I visit with my husband and daughter, counting on the restaurant’s Web page promise of a “family-friendly atmosphere” but worried that our restless toddler qualifies us as “unfriendly family.” Translation: Not welcome. My heart sinks as I enter the restaurant’s sleek interior. With its industrial-chic design, subtle sconce lighting and muted palette of ochres, purples and taupes, Iris looks like no place we have ever brought our two-year-old before. Used to the typical Hobson’s choice of parents eating out en famille, we usually either go the burgers and fries route or attempt finer fare at warp speed. Fried fast food or fine food eaten fast – Not great options. The owners of Iris don’t think that’s the way it should be, and their restaurant clearly reflects that belief. Aiming to be a gathering spot where everyone feels welcome, Iris combines glossy appeal with a down-home sensibility. “We wanted to be the sort of place where people from the neighborhood could come in and just have a baguette if they wanted,” says owner Alan Raines. Or a multi-course meal prepared by four-star chefs. “Where grandma can come and bring the grandbabies.” Or a company can host a corporate dinner. Iris is all about the mix. And the food. Drawing on the backgrounds of an international triumvirate of chefs – executive chef Nicolas Bour is from France, chef de cuisine Lein Schoe hales from Amsterdam and sous chef Walter Saenz is from Costa Rica -- Iris offers a variety of creatively prepared and presented dishes that use high-end ingredients and locally-grown organic produce. The three owners, Raines, Bour and Schoe, have extensive experience in top-rated restaurants and hotels (Raines on the sales and marketing side) and are “just fanatical” when it comes to their self-imposed high standards. Raines handles the front, where he manages an exceptionally smooth and polished wait staff. “I’m the nit-picky guy who says ‘Why isn’t that glass lined up like all the rest?’” he says, laughing. Bour and Schoe share the same all-or-nothing nature, which Raines says is what makes the partnership work. “They don’t know what less than excellent is. They are such perfectionists that we actually get in disagreements on what perfection is!” The only downside to eating at Iris is having to pick from its array of strong choices. At dinner, starters include a grilled Portobello and mozzarella short stack (layered with grilled vegetables, basil and sweet roasted peppers, $6.50); vitello tonnato (sliced veal top round, tuna cream, tomato and basil, $7.50); red snapper fillet (crispy seared with prosciutto and mango salsa, $8.50); and a hearts of romaine Caesar salad with crispy cornbread oysters ($8.50). We decide on the short stack and a butternut squash soup served with crème fraiche and pepita seeds ($5). Both are beautifully presented and very good. But the crispy flounder entrée deserves top honors. Served whole with ginger snap peas and spiced apricot and shallot glaze ($15), it is one of those stand-out dishes that registers in your culinary memory bank with the first bite. Delicate crispness wraps the melt-in-your-mouth freshness of the flounder, with a sweet pique of apricot-ginger completing the taste. Raines later explains that the flounder entrée is becoming their signature dish, and I can see why. The free-form ravioli is our second entree choice, which is offered daily as a special. On this particular night, it is served with snapper, broccolini and leek sauce ($19.50) for a light and mild blend of subtle flavors that satisfies in the same way as a warm fire on a cold night. For dessert, pistachio crème brulee ($5.50) rounds out a perfectly delicious meal. The East Atlanta neighborhood has been very supportive of the new bistro, Raines says. “On our first Friday, we did 180 dinners in three and a half hours,” he says. “And we only seat 51 people!” Within the first three weeks, word of mouth had brought patrons both from nearby Midtown and as far away as Suwannee. Iris is also enjoying a solid business lunch crowd. “We are two minutes from downtown and the airport,” says Raines, “And a nice bonus is that groups can go in our back room (three steps up from the main dining area and separated by muslin tie-backs) and do PowerPoint presentations.” My two-year-old decides to present her own power points the night we dine at Iris, but my initial fears are wholly for naught. Our server Carla is outstanding at accommodating the whims of a tired toddler. She brings crayons right away, produces a requested red one and serves French fries and chicken bites from the extensive children’s menu within minutes of ordering. While I am not accustomed to bringing my daughter with me to sleek bistros, I welcome the opportunity to develop the habit. The goal at Iris, Raines says, “is for everyone to leave happy.” Based on my experience, goal accomplished. Iris is located at 1314 Glenwood Avenue in East Atlanta. For additional information, call (404) 221-1300 or visit www.irisatlanta.com. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| from top: Grilled portobello mushroom “short stack”; Iris Salad; Whole crispy “scored” Flounder; Chefs Nicolas Bour & Lein Schoe. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg)
