Fia Comes with an Attached Destination

Fia at The Burgess Hotel is the right setting for a restaurant that succeeds at being something more than a hotel eatery.

The Burgess, formerly a Wingate by Wyndham, transformed its 102 rooms and themed suites wrapped in a striking design that feels less like a conventional Buckhead hotel and more like an exotic movie set. Owners Burgess and Freny Jokhi, raised in Hong Kong, have filled the property with found objects, natural materials, photographs, and artifacts that reflect their travels and history. It’s a National Geographic appeal to the senses … meaning eat there and/or stay there for a wild ride.

The walls are lined with compelling photographs honoring Freny’s father, Keki Bunshah, deputy leader of the first Indian expedition to Mount Everest. His story gives the hotel its sense of place and unmistakable personality. This blend suggests that Thailand, Namibia, or Nepal somehow got transported to Piedmont Road.

Then there is the food. Fia (little fire) is the hotel’s 68-seat restaurant, centered around an open kitchen and wood-fired grill. Its Mediterranean menu emphasizes seafood, vegetables, and shareables, with Jokhi bringing global influences.

Fia was humming on a Saturday night with a mélange of locals and tourists. We began with wood-fired hummus ($15), a departure from the traditional chilled version … warm with charred sweet onion, pineapple, it was smoky, sweet and creamy. Lots of leftovers here. The Caesar salad ($15) combined baby romaine, Parmesan, and white boquerones. For anchovy aficionados, this speaks of marinating in vinegar vs. the tinned salty variety. The Spicy Tuna Tartare ($24), with avocado, Sriracha mayo and endive, arrived looking almost too beautiful to poke into. It’s as much about presentation and pomp as flavor brought to the table by the chef himself.

For the main course was whole Branzino with fennel and citrus salad ($42). We requested that the head be removed, although folklore has long attached a certain romantic symbolism and virility to fish eyes. The Faroe Islands Salmon ($34), with capers and a lemon-butter sauce over sweet potato purée, was another standout. The Faroe Islands are a remote North Atlantic archipelago within the Kingdom of Denmark, renowned for their cold, clean waters and strong ocean currents well suited to Atlantic salmon aquaculture; Faroese salmon is farm-raised (not wild) and has become known for its firmness and clean flavor. Desserts were on point: Chocolate Truffle Mousse Tort with raspberry sauce and Caramelized Apples with cinnamon, candied pecans, and vanilla ice cream.

A favorite from shareable sides was the Crispy Brussels Sprouts with maple-pear gastrique (a caramelized sugar mixture deglazed with vinegar, adding a sweet-acid balance to sauces and vegetables) and chili ($14). Brussels Sprouts may now be ubiquitous on Atlanta menus, but this combination gives them renewed personality, if not a little syrupy.

As a destination or a drink before Fia, Mr. B. Bar, named in honor of Keki Bunshah, seats 60 and serves the full Fia menu along with cocktails. Its photographs of the Himalayas and intimate atmosphere make for lingering over a drink.

Burgess and Fia fan Judy Landey related, “My favorite menu items are the warm goat cheese and tomato tartlet, and the seasonal beet salad. I love Mr. B. Bar for special occasions or when out-of-town friends come in … it has a very personal feel yet feels like an exotic location in a ‘Casablanca’ movie. The formality of the library is adjoining with open door. The staff is very personable, and the bartender makes the best martinis.”

The standard rooms feature lush royal-blue velvet seating areas and elegant appointments, while the themed suites layer curated wood grains, exotic tile patterns, elaborate brocades and whimsical details, including hissing dragons. “Themed” is code for “I’ve been all over the world, and these really rank.”

Dining table for 12, real animal skins, two bathrooms, details, details, “Am I on a safari or in Phuket?”

Fia is open for breakfast daily from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.; and for dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday to Thursday, and from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Free valet parking is available at Fia at The Burgess Hotel, 3600 Piedmont Road. 404-949-1450.