The village pub culture of the United Kingdom is a beautiful thing, but it’s difficult to replicate in a low-density driving region like metro Atlanta. Despite that, Confab aims to bring the pub ethos to Brookhaven.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
In many ways, Confab succeeds. Its communal tables, large indoor/outdoor bar and adjacent green space make the restaurant an obvious gathering point. The staff is friendly, and owner Doug Gross, who formerly ran Kaleidoscope in the same neighborhood, cares deeply about the community.
But not everyone on the team seems to share Gross’ care for Confab’s customers. The generally well-conceived food is executed inconsistently.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
In the U.K., pubs tend to prioritize drink before food, but the Confab menu is actually likely to raise diners’ hopes; it’s thoughtful and ambitious, yet approachable and inclusive.
However, many dishes that should have been delightful suffered from underseasoning, including the corn and artichoke fritters and the Scotch quail eggs. The latter dish was a charming miniaturization of the classic Scotch egg, with the tiny quail eggs coated in sausage, breaded and deep-fried. But while the traditional dish is likely to cause an instant spike in blood pressure, Confab’s version lacks saltiness. Yet the Scotch quail eggs remained one of the better dishes I tried.
The execution also was questionable on a few other dishes. The albondigas, made with lamb instead of beef and pork, had excellent flavor, but the romesco sauce beneath them was seemingly straight from the refrigerator. Romesco can be served either hot or cold, but the contrast came as a bit of a surprise.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
The beets and burrata featured beets that were not quite cooked to fork-tenderness, and the variable sizes of the chunks appeared to point to a lack of precision.
A grilled Caesar salad was impressive. Charring lettuce is a delicate operation in any kitchen, but Confab pulled it off; the romaine took on a nice, smoky flavor from the open flame without wilting.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
The lobster roll, one of the most expensive items, was another standout. A generous portion of lobster, cooked and picked in-house, was piled so high on a buttery split-top bun that it could be eaten only with a fork and knife. Paired with drawn butter seasoned with Old Bay, the lobster roll was high-quality and deeply satisfying.
The vegetarian entree, ricotta gnudi with braised kale, was tasty and filling, although not particularly attractive. The pale cheese-based dumplings were tender and tasty, but created a harsh visual contrast with the dark kale and its brown braising liquid.
The amberjack filet, cut from a whole fish, was the most disappointing entree. The filet itself seemed completely lacking in seasoning, which allowed an unpleasant level of fishiness to creep into the flavor, while the accompanying stewed tomatoes, green beans and English peas were limp.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Speaking of limp, the herbs garnishing multiple cocktails ordered on my first visit were sadly wilted, marring otherwise tasty drinks and pointing to a lack of experience or care behind the bar. A garnish is extraneous, so why include a sad, brown stem of basil or mint in a cocktail when it’s just as easy to leave it out?
Still, the beverage program was one of Confab’s strengths. The cocktail list includes a nice mix of creative house specialties as well as classics. Wines are all available by the glass and the beer list is not overwhelming but is likely to please both workaday drinkers and brewery nerds.
Confab is one of those places that has all the elements of a really good neighborhood restaurant, but it needs better execution. Gross is heavily involved in the restaurant and deeply embedded in the Brookhaven community, so it won’t surprise me if he is able to improve things in the kitchen. If that happens, it’s easy to imagine Confab becoming the community tentpole it aspires to be.
CONFAB KITCHEN & BAR
1 out of 4 stars (good)
Food: modern gastropub
Service: attentive and friendly
Noise level: moderate
Recommended dishes: Scotch quail eggs, albondigas, beets and burrata, grilled cauliflower, grilled Caesar salad, lobster roll, ricotta gnudi, braised beef ragout, steak and frites, peach bread pudding
Vegetarian dishes: corn and artichoke fritters, mushroom tart, castelvetrano olives, beets and burrata, grilled cauliflower, grilled Caesar salad, chopped salad, heirloom tomato salad, simple salad, pommes frites, ricotta gnudi
Alcohol: full bar, including beers by the bottle
Price range: $25-$75 per person, excluding drinks
Hours: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 5-11 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays
Accessibility: fully ADA-compliant
Parking: validated, in deck
Nearest MARTA station: less than half a mile from Brookhaven/Oglethorpe
Reservations: yes, via OpenTable
Outdoor dining: yes
Takeout: yes
Address, phone: 1350 Dresden Drive, Brookhaven. 404-963-1305
Website: confabatl.com
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s dining critics conduct reviews anonymously. Reservations are not made in their name, nor do they provide restaurants with advance notice about their visits. Our critics always make multiple visits, sample the full range of the menu and pay for all of their meals. AJC dining critics wait at least one month after a new restaurant has opened before visiting.
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