First Look: Paper Plane, Decatur

Plates, $6-$16; desserts, $7; cocktails, $8-$11.

340 Church Street, Decatur, 404-377-9308, paperplaneatlanta.com.

Repeat after me: Paper Plane is not a speakeasy. At least not according to barman Paul Calvert and his partners at Victory Sandwich Bar + Emporium in Decatur, where Paper Pane is not-so-secretly stashed as a separate bar and restaurant with its own kitchen.

The look: Gain entrance via an unmarked black door near the restrooms in the back of the Sandwich Bar, or find another unmarked black door in the alley between Victory and Cakes & Ale. Inside, the cozy retro-modern space is dominated by a long bar with comfy upholstered stools, mirrored by a row of matching u-shaped upholstered booths.

The scene: Though the bar and booths can be packed until late, on a recent weeknight the crowd was agreeably scattered around the space, and well-attended by a friendly group of servers. Several groups were sipping wine and sharing plates while others were content to explore Calvert's cocktail creations.

The menu: In the kitchen, Melissa Allen and Josh Sample are cooking up a short list of "fine foods" presented as artfully designed medium-sized plates that recall the "modular" cocktail-friendly offerings at Sound Table. Recent items include: black bass collar with greens, satsuma and soy ($8); creamy spring Vidalia and English pea soup ($6); steelhead trout with rhubarb, blood orange, watermelon radish and hakurei turnip ($15); braised short rib with cannellini bean puree, tamarind, onion and shallot ($13).

The drinks: The beverage list features some 17 wines by the glass and bottle ($7-$72), 15 bottled craft beers ($4-$11), and 11 cocktails ($8-$10). Biggie Snugs ($8) is mixed with Johnny Drum 86 bourbon, Byrrh, lemon, ginger, honey, Bitter Truth Creole bitters and soda. Red Rooster is a concoction of Death's Door gin, pickled strawberry, lemon, Krogstad aquavit and Campari ($10).

The extras: A recent dessert list ($7) included fennel panna cotta, blood orange parfait, mascarpone cheesecake and cardamom chocolate cake.