Ocean Prime  – Atlanta’s fresh take on seafood and steak – adds a splash of casual elegance to the heart of Buckhead. This latest addition to the nationally-acclaimed family of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants boasts the same superb service and decadent dishes found throughout the collection – yet you’d never guess it’s part of a chain. Pairing the freshest seafood and finest steaks with a from-scratch menu, the quality cuisine and creative cocktails make this one of the best meals in town.

Boasting “simple, pure and regional flavors,” Ocean Prime’s namesake seafood is selected daily, delicately seasoned then seared to perfection. My favorite fish dish was the season’s special: Blackened Snapper dusted with the house seasoning, topped with a jalapeño corn tartar and plated with tender spinach – spicy, palate-pleasing and oh so flaky! If you’re wanting for a heartier dish, try the tender, chargrilled Ribeye and a la carte sides (the jalapeño au gratin potatoes and caramelized brussels sprouts are delicious!) My other recommendations include the mouthwatering Surf ‘n Turf appetizer – buttery seared scallops topped with flaky, slow braised short ribs ­– and the decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie – a sinful, sharable confection of ­ whipped peanut butter mouse coated in a bittersweet chocolate ganache.

Still unsure of where to start, given such a sumptuous dinner selection? Make a meal of Executive Chef Jason Shelley’s top-selling creations:

• Libation: the Berries and Bubbles, a vodka-based sipper, is cooled by a splash of dry ice and tickles your taste buds with bubbles and a berry-scented sweetness.
• Teaser: the tender Ahi Tuna Tartar and avocado slices plated with a spicy-sweet ginger ponzu.
• Starter: the House Salad is a crisp, refreshing blend of spinach and romaine lettuce, tossed with tart apple slices, goat cheese and caramelized walnuts then drizzled with a sherry mustard vinaigrette.
• Entrée: the flakey Chilean Sea Bass is lightly seasoned and seared, then plated with whipped potatoes and topped with a savory champagne truffle sauce.
• Dessert: the Ten Layer Carrot Cake is a succulent, sweet treat swiped with a citrus cream cheese icing and drizzled with pineapple syrup.   

First and foremost, however, you gotta pick your potion. The dining room offers a view of the 240-bottle wine list (a Wine Spectator winner, three years and running.) As for the cocktails, each are infused with Prohibition-era pizazz and mixed tableside, adding an unexpected flair to the already stellar service. My favorite was the Whiskey Clover, a fragrant concoction of Gentleman’s Jack shaken with honey water and a splash of lemon juice.

A perfect fit for Atlanta’s fascination with art of dining, Ocean Prime seamlessly blends boutique tastes with the heirloom hospitality of days gone by. Inside, the masculine mainstays of quilted leather, chiseled stone and rich woods are tempered with rosy lighting, white linen service and the supple curvature of hand-blown glass – all nods to the feminine influence typically missing from a steakhouse. Combined with live piano music, wrap-around bar and cozy firepits, this supper club offers a fabulous, lounge-like atmosphere that’s at once welcoming and aloof.

Put simply, I’m headed back – and soon!

P.S. Make reservations online and be sure to ask for Morgan. A master mixer and conversationalist, her conspiratorial grin and infectious laugh will have you lingering for “maybe just one more round.”