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EAT: NEIGHBORHOOD NOSH: The Famous Fish Co. BYLINE: KRISTA REESE CORRECTION: 1/22/04, page A/2: A Neighborhood Nosh review of the Famous Fish Co. in Norcross in the Dec. 25 accessAtlanta erred in reporting the restaurant is a franchise operation. All Famous Fish Co. Restaurants are wholly owned by the company, which has offices in Peachtree City. The Famous Fish Co., 5131 Peachtree Parkway (in the Forum shopping center), Norcross. 770-449-6800 EVERYONE HAS some kind of relationship deal-breaker, and that of course varies according to taste. If someone is interesting and polite, you might be able to tolerate a lot (eye-stinging cologne, that odd habit of humming after every bite). But there's always something that represents a River Styx in friendships, beyond which there's no return (dissing your family, a fondness for Abba). It's the same way with restaurants. No place is perfect, but if it can provide two or three things you're looking for, without flunking some basic litmus strips, you know you're going to hang out together. The Famous Fish Co. offers the promise of quality hang-out time, with its attractive environment, outgoing staff and stated goal of "simple food, served with simple ideals." Unfortunately, however, two months after opening, the kitchen still hasn't mastered the basics, delivering too many over- and undercooked items. And while you can find some simple dishes, too many are overly layered with competing and conflicting flavors -- sweet, salty, tart and tangy, all overwhelming some pretty nice, fresh fish. THE SETTING: The restaurant is airy, with exposed brick and shiny, new silver TVs hanging over the bar, televising the kitchen action. (We found the place open for lunch despite several calls during business hours monitored only by the answering machine, which gives the address, not the hours of operation.) The service is swift and sweet, even if the manager (who takes your order) is hesitant to make menu recommendations, and finally confesses, "It's my job to recommend the specials." THE MENU: The Famous Fish Co. was born in South Africa and has franchises in the United Kingdom (as well as another location in Peachtree City). So along with the expected finny fare (salmon, tilapia, cod, lobster, calamari), you'll find more unexpected choices like whole jumbo prawns, looking like small lobsters in their red shells, chicken livers, several styles of fish and chips, paella (described on the menu as served "wet" and topped with . . . cheese?), pasta and some nonfishy items like burgers, chicken and a few vegetarian options. TO WASH IT DOWN: The wine list is big (about 35 labels), with mostly from South African offerings andwith a few New Zealand and Australian choices. SECONDS, PLEASE: Those big, red prawns are nearly reason enough to go on their own. You could just about make a lunch of one of them -- and you have the option to do that, for just $5.50 per prawn, served with rice, "chips" (fries) and lemon garlic butter sauce. The house gets these babies right, and the tails are split so the big, sweet chunks are readily accessible. Fried calamari is also soft inside, the crisp, fine bread crumbs a good turn for this so-standard dish. The Seabisque is also worth ordering: a smoothly pureed, tomato-tinged cream soup of fish and shellfish, its flavors and red-orange color as bold and bright as a new penny. DRAMAMINE, PLEASE: The deal-breaker comes with the house special, the "pan" servings of a variety of items, including chicken livers that are scarily red-centered; big, pretty scallops rendered rubbery by overcooking; rice that's still crunchy in the middle. The Lloyd's fish sandwich, on the lunch menu, is cooked well enough, but sinks in a multitude of confused extras: sweet honey-mustard vinaigrette, sharp dill mayo, buttery bits of avocado and salty, grated smoked gouda. Yick. I opted for scraping it all off and having the nicely cooked tilapia on its own. I understood the restaurant better when another manager told me, "I hate fish, but I can eat everything here." With all these cheeses and sauces heaped on perfectly innocent sea creatures, the Famous Fish Co. may be a fish restaurant for people who don't really like fish. HOURS: Lunch and dinner: 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; noon-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; noon- 9 p.m. Sundays. Tea (a short menu): 2:30-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays PRICES: Lunch specials $6.50-$13; dinner entrees $12-$19
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