Atlanta's Finest Dining



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It's Prime Time
by Christine Woodhouse

Normally, I might question the notion of a top-rated sushi and steak house in a mall. Lenox Square, however, is not the average shopping destination and its patrons are not your everyday consumers. Lenox Square is where, on any given day, you’ll find yourself staring at oversized HumVs and Jaguars languishing in the valet’s circle drive. Embarrassingly, it’s even part of the Atlanta experience for out-of-town celebrities. Who can forget when the 2003 NBA All-Star games were played in Atlanta? Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and a slew of other celebrities were spotted at the retail mecca. Fans followed in droves and Lenox Square mall closed early two days in a row after crowds 75,000-strong created a safety hazard. In other words, this mall is truly a place to be seen.

It follows that Prime is not your average mall restaurant.

Prime possesses a well-earned reputation for fine food and social scenery. On a recent Wednesday night visit, the sushi bar buzzed with activity while a variety of patrons, from mother-daughter duos to businessmen in suits, filled the dining room tables. I noted how well the low lighting, gauzy curtains and thick white table linens sufficiently disguised the retail surroundings, transporting all of us to an upscale otherworld.

Sinking into a plush, half circle booth my date and I relaxed in the hands of an expert wait staff. Water glasses were wordlessly filled and menus dispersed before I could exhale. In a timely yet unrushed manner, our waiter took our drink orders and described the specials as we settled into the atmosphere of superior service and guaranteed good food.

My mouth watered at the memory of fresh makimono as I scanned the menu for the densest-sounding rolls. Luckily, my date had no strong preferences on sushi and allowed me to dictate our first course. We tried the Miami Vice, Dynamite and Tommahawk rolls, extolling the virtues of our favorites. Ironically, the least expensive of the three, the Dynamite roll with spicy tuna, yellowtail, asparagus and masago, topped my list. I applaud any sushi chef who takes the time to properly season the tuna instead of glopping on spicy mayonnaise after the fact. The resulting heat combined with the crunch of asparagus and super fresh tuna, gave each bite loads of texture and flavor. The Miami Vice was a very close second, and not just for its fun, 80s retro name. Both smoked and fresh salmon are rolled up with avocado, asparagus and a twist of lemon. The double salmon combination comes through loud and clear, each complementing the other without overpowering. With the light contrast in textures, between soft avocado and crisp asparagus, you are treated to yet another layer of flavor. By no means less than excellent, the Tommahawk combines tuna, avocado, cucumber and eel topped with teriyaki. Each compact, meaty piece was a pleasure.

When the entrees arrived, my date visibly regressed to age five. The look of joy on his face when the waiter presented his ‘cowboy’ steak was priceless. Wiping the drool from my mouth, I considered the monkfish medallions on my own plate and wondered if they were really all that “special.” I didn’t waste much time pouting before tasting them to find out. The fish was served with shrimp and a mild tomato puree, and green beans and pesto mashed potatoes on the side. The delicate fish was baked with a light coating and easily took on the nearby flavors from the peppery herbed shrimp and delicious pesto potatoes. The green beans were crisp and fresh – not very Southern, but very much to my liking. Overall, I had no complaints on the chef’s daily feature…except that it wasn’t steak.

With his assurances, I permitted myself a few bites of my date’s dinner and quickly realized that Prime is very aptly named. The 20-ounce ribeye was cooked to perfection, tender on the inside with beautifully seared edges. After luring me in with the intense charcoal-grilled aroma, the meat delivered serious flavor beyond my expectations in every juicy bite. I exercised supreme willpower by handing the plate back to its rightful owner and watched helplessly as the ribeye disappeared.

For dessert, we ignored recommendations, which is strictly against normal protocol, and went straight for the chocolate caramel torte. As the resident expert, I justified the breach of etiquette by citing Prime’s earlier demonstration of expertise with the simple, yet divine steak. I wasn’t interested in layered puddings and other complex concoctions of sugar. Despite the fancy name, I knew our chocolate choice was the equivalent of good old-fashioned chocolate cake. The rich chocolate cake coated in dark chocolate ganache attempted an elegant disguise beneath chopped pecans and a garnish of sliced bananas but I knew better. I led the charge as we stabbed our forks into the cake and sighed with absolute contentment minutes later when we polished off the last two bites. Prime, indeed!

Prime is located at Lenox Square, 3993 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30326. For reservations call (404) 812-0555.

From top: Tuna martini; Steak and lobster; Executive Chefs; Delectible desserts.