A blue alcoholic drink (it is —- brace yourself —- an azure wine margarita that I promise I will assess later) sits before me as I wait patiently for my bite-size Mini-Me cheeseburgers with special aioli-blend sauce and seasoned French fries to arrive before a screening of "The Happening."
I am usually not a big eater at the movies. I don't even like popcorn. But an old trend is becoming new again —- dining and watching first-run features.
The longtime dinner-and-a-movie Buckhead Backlot has been remodeled and reopens today as AMC's Fork & Screen Buckhead. It has new plush seating, a large menu that includes fancy-schmanzy beer-battered shrimp and feed-your-face desserts and a big bar that within 30 days is promised to dispense hard liquor.
I am so there.
Tucker's eight-screen Northlake Festival Movie Tavern —- offering burgers, salads, pizzas, beer and wine (and which will soon serve me my Mini-Me's) —- has been open about two months.
At South DeKalb Mall, Galaxy FunPlex has taken over Screenworks, which has been serving cooked-to-order hot sandwiches, burgers and pizzas for moviegoers in intimate screening rooms for about a year.
Coming in 2009 to Brookhaven is Cinebistro from Birmingham-based Cobb Theaters. It promises upscale dining and screenings targeted to adults-only crowds.
All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my feedbag.
AMC FORK & SCREEN BUCKHEAD
> How it works: After buying tickets outside, you enter, receive a menu and can go to the new bar, a seating area or your screening room. Once you take a seat in your screening room, either at long tables or one of the few circular tables, you can summon a waiter by pressing a service call button. Drink orders arrive first and, later, your cooked-to-order food. Your check is brought to you about 45 minutes before the film ends. Once you pay, you are given a receipt in about five minutes. You can also come to the theater, not pay admission and order food and drinks to eat in the bar area.
> Menu samples: Upscale burgers ($9.59-$9.99), grilled sandwiches ($8.79-$9.99), flatbread pizzettas ($9.29-$9.79), beer-battered shrimp or fish and chips ($10.50-$10.99), chicken and mozzarella rigatoni ($9.99) and 14 appetizers ($5.69-$9.59), including Thai coconut chicken fingers, Parmesan fries and spring rolls quesadillas. Among the desserts: a Belgian Callebaut chocolate brownie topped with Haagen-Dazs coffee ice cream ($6.29). Wine (Chateau Ste. Michelle, Kendall Jackson, Nobilissima, Wolf Blass, for example) served by glass ($6.69-$8.59) or bottle ($26.79-$34.39). Among 10 beers on tap: Sweetwater 420, Blue Moon, Stella Artois, Bud Light, Coors Light (pint: $3.89-$4.89; pitcher: $16.49-$21.49). When the theater starts serving hard liquor, it will have 16 specialty drinks (margaritas, martinis, mojitos and more) and a full bar.
> What I like: The food. What I sampled was mostly downright tasty. The Verite Veggie Griller (grilled red and green peppers, portabella mushrooms, Vidalia onions and tomatoes with goat cheese and guacamole aioli on a focaccia roll for $8.59) is outstanding. Also first-rate are homemade potato chips ($5.69 for a basket). They are part crunchy, part chewy and arrive greaseless with tasty smoky ketchup and garlic-basil aioli dipping sauces. Main courses arrive in Bento boxes.
The theater's decor is colorful (lots of reds and yellows), fresh and clean. Theater chairs, upholstered in comfortable faux leather, are on wheels, swivel and can be adjusted for height and the ability to rock or recline. The installation of new projection and sound equipment is expected to be completed in all theaters by today. In those that have been upgraded, picture and sound were top drawer.
> What I don't like: The staff will readily help you but there are no printed instructions for how to adjust theater chairs. There are strands of table viewing lights that remain on throughout a film screening (film purists, be warned that if you come to a place like this, it is about eating while watching a movie). I wish the bathrooms had super-power hand dryers as opposed to paper. I'm not a fan of the theater's name. Fork & Screen? I'll have to get used to it.
> The credits: 3340 Peachtree Road, Atlanta (best place to enter is at Tower Walk shopping center on Piedmont Avenue). $5 Monday-Thursday and before 4 p.m. Friday-Sunday; $10 after 4 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Kids at all times are $5. Theater will validate parking for three-hour time window. www.amctheatres.com/Buckhead.
NORTHLAKE FESTIVAL MOVIE TAVERN
> How it works: After buying tickets, patrons are escorted to waiting lines to order food and concessions. Most drinks, including wine and beer, are dispensed on the spot. For food, orderers are asked which movie they are seeing and given a number displayed on a tall stand. After you seat yourself at one of the long tables in your screening room, a food runner eventually brings you your dining order.
> Menu samples: Wings ($8), Southwest egg rolls ($8), pizzas ($8-$9.75), hamburger ($7.50), Philly cheesesteak ($9.75), side salad ($3.50), flour tortilla wrap sandwiches ($7.50-$8.50), decadent brownie ($2) and milkshakes ($3.75). Kids' menu items are $4.25-$5 and incude macaroni and cheese, mini corn dogs and pizza.
> What I like: The staff is helpful and friendly (I am not a heathen so, yes, I tipped the runner who brought me my food). Beer can be served in large, clear steins that patrons can bring back with them and reuse. My four Mini-Me cheeseburgers made for a very large burger. There was no seasoning on my seasoned fries, which was just fine by me. Admission prices are a bit lower than many major megaplexes.
> What I don't like: Theater chairs are comfortable but bolted to the floor as are the long tables at each row of chairs. Trouble is, the tables are too far away from the chairs so many patrons have to lean aggressively forward in order to eat. My wine margarita —- dubbed a Blue Thing ($5.75) is, in my humble opinion, undrinkable. I imagine they are better in other Movie Tavern locations in other states where they have full bars and make Blue Things with tequila and blue curacao.
> The film credits: 4043 LaVista Road, Tucker. $7 for adults Sunday-Thursday and $8 Friday-Saturday. $5 for kids/seniors. All matinees are $5. 678-680-5782. www.movietavern.com.
GALAXY SOUTH DEKALB FUNPLEX 12
> How it works: After buying tickets, patrons may approach the large concession stand for cooked-to-order meals. You may wait for your food or a staffer will ask you which movie you are seeing and will bring you your order.
> Menu samples: Hamburgers and Philly cheesesteak ($6-$7.50; comes with fries), basket of French fries ($4), chili cheese fries ($5.50), mozzarella sticks ($5.50), pizzas ($5.50-$6.50), ultimate nachos ($7.50), root beer float ($3).
> What I like: It is one of the cleanest movie theaters I have ever been in. Many of the screening rooms are small, with about 40 seats and tables situated to the side between seating. Sound and film projection are quite good. My food was served piping hot in a covered Styrofoam container and remained hot. On Tuesdays, all screening admissions are $5.
> What I don't like: Even though this is Galaxy South DeKalb FunPlex, the theater's outdoor signage still screams Screenworks. The screening room side tables are low and when you are eating your overflowing-with-meat Philly cheesesteak you have to lean down and turn away from the movie screen. Even after a year, the theater lacks a liquor or wine and beer license, which means its closed bar area is virtually useless. And though there are photos of glistening beer and wine at the concession stand, you can't order either.
> The film credits: 2801 Candler Road, Decatur. $9 for adults; $6 for kids. All matinees are $6. 404-243-3605 (showtimes recording). 404-243-3606 (box office). www.galaxyfunplex.com.
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