The menu at the Optimist, one of Atlanta’s hottest new restaurants, focuses on sustainable seafood prepared in a wood-burning oven. Its spacious vaulted building originally belonged to Talmadge Country Hams — a space that designer Smith Hanes saved as much as possible while also modernizing it.

We began with some fresh east coast ($2.75 each) and west coast oysters ($3.5 each) served on ice along with fresh horseradish. In addition, we tried their Maine mussels in a Thai green curry broth ($9) so flavorful that we asked for additional bread for sop it up.

Don’t miss the wood roasted beets in a smoky vinaigrette with horseradish and diced apple; or their beignet-style corn milk hushpuppies drenched in powdered cane sugar butter ($6 each). Both worth the trip. So is the most amazingly juicy and tender swordfish poached in duck fat and served with green papaya, crispy country ham, peanuts  ($24). The dish would have been perfection, albeit the tasteless papaya. I still recommend it highly.

Also delectable and  unusually tasty are the three Maine sea scallops slathered with oxtail marmalade all in a brown butter-chicken jus ($28).

For dessert, we indulged in an apple buckle topped with sharp cheddar streusel and  sweet cream ice cream ($8) and a warm chocolate cassoulet with  walnut nougatine, whipped cream ($8).

– bonnie
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The Optimist
914 Howell Mill Road
Atlanta, GA 30318
404 477 6260
theoptimistrestaurant.com

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