You’ve likely seen the sparkly new building that looks like a metal beehive on the Eastside BeltLine. That’s Forth, Atlanta’s newest luxury hotel, and now it’s got a new resident.
Elektra, a Mediterranean all-day restaurant on the fourth floor of the hotel is now open for service. It channels a coastal seaside in its decor and atmosphere — conveniently located by the hotel pool deck, which helps seal that vision. It opened on July 12.
Executive chef Jonathan McDowell, formerly at Barcelona Wine Bar, Delbar, and 9 Mile Station, has taken inspiration from Levantine and Mediterranean flavors to create the menu. Expect dishes like a seasonal mezze platter served with warm pita, lamb kofta with sumac onions, salmon with dill labneh, mussels in a white wine fennel sauce, and a yogurt panna cotta with lavender gel for dessert on the dinner menu.
McDowell’s inspiration to cook Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food started young.
“I grew up with a Lebanese and Egyptian family – we’ve been friends for a very long time,” says McDowell. “I was helping them roll dolmas and I was eating mortadella sandwiches as a kid. I was learning from grandmas and aunts, and I’m still refining my Middle Eastern cuisine.”
McDowell also spent time in Spain, where influences can be seen in the octopus, prawn, and steak dishes. Simplicity, freshness, and locality are the central focus on the menu. He says the branzino he uses is just two days out of the Mediterranean sea and delivered to the restaurant. The merguez (spiced lamb) sausage used in the mussels is sourced from Sausage World, a family-owned artisan sausage business in Lilburn.
“I’m really getting into the freshness of everything,” says McDowell. “It’s about understanding not to add too many things to a dish.”
The freshness translates to the drinks menu, which includes innovative cocktails and two zero-proof options. The wines cover a good amount of Mediterranean regionality with options from Lebanon, Italy, Greece, and Armenia — try the Yacoubian-Hobbs white blend with the fried cauliflower or octopus. The breakfast menu includes shakshuka, olive oil pancakes, Turkish eggs, and pastries.
Forth is a 16-floor hotel with a private social club between the Historic Fourth Ward Park and the Eastside BeltLine Trail. It has 196 hotel rooms and 39 extended-stay apartments. Jim Irwin, president of New City, developed the hotel and is the same person behind developing Ponce City Market and the BeltLine Kroger at 725 Ponce.
Elektra, one of four restaurants in the hotel, is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and reservations are now available.
Dining and Cooking