Food Feature: Lost in gloss

It makes sense that an Indonesian restaurant should suffer from multiple personality disorder. Made up of hundreds of islands, each influenced by neighboring regions such as India, Thailand, Vietnam and others, Indonesia is a hodgepodge of cultural differences. So maybe it should come as no surprise that Shelby’s Thai and Indonesian is in need of psychiatric help.

Located in a nondescript shopping center on Jimmy Carter Boulevard, miles away from the Buford Highway mainstays, Shelby’s true identity is masked by an uncharacteristic facade. The first thing that is cause for confusion is the name: Shelby’s? Not only is this an unusual name for an Asian eatery, but it dredges up visions of a Southern cotillion that don’t quite keep with the exotic fare. The restaurant’s moniker is emblazoned in white neon with the “Y” forming a tipped martini glass. The sign clearly states that it’s a bistro and piano bar. But the lettering on the door reiterates that it serves both Thai and Indonesian cuisine. Split personality for sure.

Inside, the decor is not what you’d expect in an out-of-the-way Asian restaurant: marble-topped tables, plush chairs and a stage with piano and guitar. When prompted, our server explained that when the former tenant — that would be Shelby — closed up her piano bar, the server’s brother bought the place. He didn’t hassle with changing the name or the decor. So now, a restaurant named after a different person and opened for a different reason is playing host to a very different clientele.

Luckily the menu sticks to its Asian roots. With a full Indonesian menu and a separate one for Thai dishes, it’s hard to decide where to start. I went with the ketupat sayur ($6.95), a coconut soup with chicken, chilies, egg and cubes of steamed rice. Similar to other Asian soups, the coconut is an appetizing contrast to the mild spices. Cumbersome cubes of rice replace noodles found in its Thai counterparts, but the strangest item was a large brown ball rolling amid spoonfuls of broth. Once I sliced the muddy exterior, an entire hard-boiled egg was revealed. The egg didn’t add much flavor to the soup, and despite its thick brown coating, which is a mystery to me, the egg tasted just as it should ... like an egg.

After soup, the attention of the servers lagged although we were the sole diners. Perhaps we were lost behind the fake ficus foliage or the high gloss of the piano. But once they were reminded of our presence, the servers were quick to please and very helpful.

For the next course, a traditional salad dish, gado-gado ($5.95), arrived with another hard-boiled egg and a thick peanut sauce drenching the cucumbers, corn and sparse lettuce, blocking out any other color the dish may have had. I should have skipped the salad and stuck with the main dish of mie goreng ($7.95). Despite the noodles being dry and not as spicy as I would have liked, the dish was prepared with obvious attention, the sauteed shrimp being fresh and the green onions, carrots and cabbage not too limp from the heat. The sliced fish ball, a processed fish substitute, produced a too-strong, fishy aroma and flavor to the dish, but after a couple of bites it was no longer distracting.

A long list of beverage desserts consisting of coconut meat, syrups and jellies round out the menu. Included in some were avocado and kidney beans — not my idea of an after dinner treat, despite the bright colors and sweet smells of the frosty glasses.

With the late hours of the restaurant still intact (Shelby’s is open until 2 a.m. every night of the week except Sunday), it would be a great venue to enjoy live music on the baby grand or even karaoke with the large-screen TV.

Currently, the place is a bit too big for what it offers. The family-run charm is lost in the glossy interior. Despite the warm smiles and friendly greetings, you feel out of place, much like the food does up in Norcross.

Once it finds its true self, Shelby’s will prosper with its low prices, authentic dishes and friendly service. Now it just needs to find a good shrink.??