accessAtlanta

After driving through the Cumming countryside, I pull into Vickery Village shopping center. This isn't just another strip mall, it's a prefabricated town square. Shops and eateries are the first things you see. Directly behind, a neighborhood teems with suburban life.

Atkins Park Tavern, near the entrance of Vickery Village, looks like the dine-and-drink cornerstone of this shiny community. Atlanta's original Atkins Park, still going strong in Virginia-Highland, has been a pub grub staple since 1922. Its other location in Smyrna Market Village rocks with food, drink, live music and the occasional beer fest.

Phil Skinner/AJC STAFF (ENLARGE)
(Left to right): John (back to camera), Bryan, Annalee and Susan Wittmeyer enjoy lunch at the Atkins Park in Vickery Village shopping center. The menu is almost completely different from the dinner list.
Phil Skinner/AJC STAFF (ENLARGE)
The addictive Prince Edward Island mussels are basted in Guinness Stout and come with a mustard/beer dipping sauce.
Phil Skinner/AJC STAFF (ENLARGE)
Salmon salad arrives on a bed of greens for lunch but is crusted with wasabi for dinner.
Phil Skinner/AJC STAFF (ENLARGE)
Grilled meatloaf is partnered with a slightly spicy barbecue sauce, mashed potatoes and broccoli.
MOST POPULAR STORIES Police: Jeffrey Donovan arrested, suspected of DUI Report: Abdul's return to 'American Idol' doubtful Beastie Boy Adam Yauch has 'very treatable' cancer Fallon's '7th Floor West' is a silly, soapy treat Chris Brown apologizes for Rihanna beating
EMAIL THIS PRINT THIS MOST POPULAR

Once inside the Vickery Village location, I realize this Atkins Park is a slightly different animal.

A restaurant first

While the other incarnations of Atkins Park are a bit more focused on the bar atmosphere, the Cumming spot puts a tad more emphasis on the food.

Sure, it has a darkened, British-style pub with stained glass and darts. Live music is Thursday through Saturday nights as bar patrons tip back beer, cocktails and wine from an extensive list.

But during our visit, chef J.J. McFarland diligently runs the kitchen, churning out entrees for a busy lunchtime crowd. When he catches his breath, he cruises through the dining rooms checking on patrons.

"Try the chicken and dumplings," he says. "It's my grandmother's recipe."

I file that away, and open the menu scouting for appetizers. The Prince Edward Island mussels sound good. So do the pretzels. Our waitress informs us that they're basted in Guinness Stout with mustard/beer dipping sauce on the side.

A generous bowl of steamed mussels arrive in a pool of white wine sauce with garlic, butter, herbs and tomatoes. The bivalves are instantly addictive, fresh, flavorful and slightly firm.

The sauce tastes wonderful. Our waitress suggests dipping the pretzels in the mussels' sauce. The bread soaks it up. Soon we create a pattern.

A bite of mussels, a piece of pretzel, dip it in the sauce, devour. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Before we know it, all that's left of the pretzels are crumbs and large granules of salt. A few lone shells wade in the bowl.

"Slow down," I say to myself.

What's for lunch?

Moments later, the entrees arrive. A perfectly grilled slab of salmon sits on top of a bed of greens. Grilled meatloaf arrives with a thick, slightly spicy, barbecue sauce. And don't forget the chicken and dumplings.

Everything is delicious: The crispy yet tender flakes of salmon, the hearty and tangy meatloaf. And those chicken and dumplings! The cooking process is long and drawn out, including a chicken reduction with vegetables, vegetable stock, herbs, bay leaves and black peppercorn.

We dig into our bowl. The dumplings are just the right size and consistency; substantial, warm and comfortable, but not too heavy. They mingle with tender chicken and veggies. Somebody bow down to grandma.

Our meal plays out like anti-pub fare. But the restaurant hasn't forgotten its roots. Sandwiches, burgers, chicken wings, fish and chips and other bar food staples are on the menu, too.

Dinner next time?

The dinner menu is almost entirely different from lunch. On a return trip, we might try the wasabi-crusted Atlantic salmon, the stuffed Georgia mountain trout or the Boursin-stuffed filet wrapped in bacon. The drunken pork tenderloin, with its bourbon brown sugar glaze, sounds inviting. And maybe we'll bundle up and gorge on the porch where a roaring fireplace sets the scene.

Delicious dessert

At the risk of food overload, we share a white chocolate Grand Marnier creme brulee, one of the menu's several desserts. The top features a caramelized layer of crunchy sugar. Beneath the sugar lies creamy, custard goodness.

Hometown service

Throughout the entire meal, our waitress is more than attentive. She wraps up the leftovers in tiny foam containers.

As she hands over the boxes, I look at them. She's taken the time to write down the name of each dish and the date purchased. This way it won't get lost in the cluttered wasteland that's my fridge.

This attention to detail, both in service and food, gives Cumming's Atkins Park the hometown feel it's going for.

So, how much are those houses in Vickery Village?