Feedbag - Positively So-So

The tailored-suit, expense-account set may favor Veni Vidi Vici, but if a recent Friday lunch hour is any indication, everyone else in Midtown is eating at Carolyn’s. The place is cute as a button: They’ve done a beautiful job rehabbing an old building, and everything looks fresh and new. The big, loft-like dining room is airy and bright thanks to high ceilings and a garage door that rolls open to let in the breeze. Out back is a lovely, tree-shaded patio. Best of all, they’ve nailed down a system that moves the hordes through the lunch line quickly, so no one’s kept waiting for long.

Here it comes - the inevitable “but.” The food is largely forgettable. Above the sandwich menu is a big banner that reads, “The key to success is positive thinking.” On that note, all the sandwiches have names like “Enthusiast,” “Passion” and “Champion.” Mmm-kay. Resisting my urge to make a snarky comment, I ordered my “Positive Thinker” with a straight face. The pizzas and salads are just pizzas and salads - no rah-rah names.

Turns out my “Positive Thinker,” a pile of roast beef topped with horseradish sauce and a dollop of coleslaw, was the best sandwich of the bunch we ordered. The coleslaw eventually turned the rye toast soggy, but the sharp horseradish and creamy slaw were a winning flavor combo.

The Turkey Galore could have been called the White Sandwich: roasted and smoked turkey with Swiss cheese and mayo on white bread. It tasted as bland as it looked. Something as simple as a smear of mustard might have livened things up a bit.

The “High Energy” (tuna salad) fell somewhere in between - there wasn’t anything remarkable about it, but there wasn’t anything wrong with it, either. A tuna sandwich is a tuna sandwich. A side of potato salad badly needed salt. A brownie was so undercooked that when I upended the Styrofoam plate it was on, it remained glued to it.

Clearly, no one seems to mind the mediocrity (it’s only lunch, after all). It’s just a shame, considering how utterly charming the place is. The counter staff and food runners were upbeat and friendly, though I could tell they were loath to call the sandwiches by their silly names. I can’t say I blame them.

florence.byrd@creativeloafing.com

Life on the LineMore than 130 Atlanta restaurants will participate in the 13th annual Dining Out for Life event on Thurs., April 28. Participating restaurants will donate at least 20 percent of the evening’s proceeds to Project Open Hand. Visit www.diningoutforlife.com for a list of restaurants.

Belgian Brews Meehan’s Public House in Brookhaven will host a beer dinner featuring Brewery Ommegang on Thurs., April 28. The dinner begins at 7 p.m. and is $32 per person, plus tax and gratuity, for a four-course menu. 4058 Peachtree Road. 404-467-9531. www.meehansalehouse.com.

Song of the South Chef Michael Tuohy of Woodfire Grill will host a Slow Food dinner highlighting regional ingredients Fri., April 29. The menu will include soft shell crabs, Georgia white shrimp, Sequatchie Cove Farm spring lamb, Anson Mills Carolina Gold rice, cheeses from Sweet Grass Dairy, and local organic produce including the season’s first Vidalia onions. The four-course dinner includes wine, tax and gratuity. $85 for Slow Food members, $90 for nonmembers. 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road, 404-347-9055. www.woodfiregrill.com.

Fez Dances Flamenco Imperial Fez puts the belly dancing on hold for an evening to host a Moorish-Spanish-themed dinner Sun., May 1. The evening will feature Andalusian tapas and a live flamenco performance at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $15 per person (drinks not included). 2285 Peachtree Road. 404-351-0870. www.imperialfez.com.

Heavenly Hog Just in time for cookout season, sign up for “BBQ and More BBQ” at Cook’s Warehouse on Mon., May 2. The class, taught by barbecue masters Bennett Brown and Johnny Ham, will cover pulled pork, barbecued ribs and chicken, and Brunswick stew. Cost is $55 per person. All proceeds of the evening benefit Atlanta’s Table. To sign up, call 404-892-3333, ext. 1444. 549-I Amsterdam Ave. www.cookswarehouse.com.

Fire Up the Grill Stop in at Murphy’s on Tues., May 3, for the weekly wine class. This week’s focus is wines for grilling out. The class runs from 6:30-8 p.m. and costs $15 per person. 997 Virginia Ave. 404-872-0904. www.murphysvh.com.

Wine Odyssey On Wed., May 4, Kyma hosts “Wines of the Greek Isles” from 6-8 p.m. Flights of red and white wines from the Greek Isles will be paired with savory tidbits. Cost is $30 per person. 3085 Piedmont Road. 404-262-0702. www.buckheadrestaurants.com/kyma.??