Cherry, 04-22-2005

Cherry
1051 West Peachtree St.
404-872-2020
http://www.aboutcherry.com/

Cherry still blossoms After a few years on the restaurant scene, this fusion of fruit, food and style is still pleasing to the palate.

(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)

By RODNEY SMILEY
Friday, April 22, 2005

Cherry opened its doors in 2001 to a flurry of pomp and circumstance befitting the newest hot spot on West Peachtree Street. The stylish historic house was the coolest place to be for the tragically hip, and better yet, it became a place to get a really decent plate of food.

In the Atlanta dining scene, specifically with fusion restaurants, it’s often either hip or tasty, rarely both. But Cherry, designed by Patti Krohngold around the theme of the pitted cocktail fruit, was a welcome and surprising combination of both. A few years and a few thousand cherry-befrocked martinis later, it maintains the best of both worlds.

Cherry’s sense of style begins at the front door. Just feet from the front steps on West Peachtree is a mammoth maraschino perched atop a block support. It’s whimsy eye candy, and it’s not unusual to find a few tourists stopping to grab a quick photo.

On any given night, the 45-seat downstairs dining and bar areas are congregated by a combination of the stylish, the “foodies” and a few neighborhood residents who seem a bit perplexed by the décor. But everyone still appears comfortable and at ease. Even more at ease is the staff: young, pretty and quick to smile, knowledgeable and eager to help.

And that’s Cherry’s foothold. Despite the glitz, rich reds, funky wall coverings and thumping lounge music, it’s a place that doesn’t make the uninitiated fusion diner feel nervous.

But if the comfortable surroundings and easy-going staff aren’t enough to set the easy tone, the menu reads like a descriptive Asian specialty shop inventory. Tataki this and satay that, with a smidge of wasabi and ginger over everything.

Despite the Pacific Rim overtones, the menu features easy to understand descriptions to assist the diner who doesn’t do the fusion thing all that frequently.

The restaurant adds a full wine list of Rieslings, Pinots and Zinfandels by the glass or bottle to the myriad of specialty cocktails from the bar.

Highlights of Executive Chef Timm Dumansky’s kitchen include Korean Beef and Thai Chicken Satay ($9), skewers of beef and chicken grilled yakitori style over a ginger dressed Asian slaw. There are few places in Atlanta that do yakitori justice, and Cherry’s are among the tastiest. The slaw is crisp and biting, cutting the sweetness of the skewers.

For the sushi and sashimi lover, a full menu of ocean delights is available, ranging from scallops and salmon to even fresh water eel. The maguro ($5), tuna with a bed of rice, is perfect. Pink and tender with just a hint of the sea, this is fine-grade tuna.

Entrees run the gamut of global flavors. The standards are here, including pork loin, roasted chicken, dinner salads, noodle bowls and ravioli, prepared alongside dishes like lamb chops ($29) with garlic mash and a New York Strip ($21), served with mixed vegetables and roasted fingerling potatoes.

The lamb is a bit gamey, but it is perfectly rare and almost glowing pink in the center. The beef strip is seasoned and grilled to order and is as pleasing as any standard beef-and-potatoes plate.

Desserts at Cherry change frequently, so no set menu is available. The server is quick to advise on the night’s sweet temptations, but frankly nothing spectacular stands out.

A roasted banana cheesecake ($6) sounds mildly tempting, as does the bread pudding. But nothing this night screams “must have.” Oddly enough, nothing cherry-inspired is offered.

Having established itself amongst the wide range of choices in Atlanta, Cherry holds its own with style, attitude and the kitchen chops of a mainstay. No pits here.