Review: Elixir

The Sir Isaac Newton. (Credit: Daphne Nabors)

The not-so-tragically hip in Jacktown know where to go to see and be seen.  Elixir, besides being an excellent place to enjoy a first-class meal under mood lighting not seen since Austin Powers lost and regained his mojo, is also a great place to have a drink or three, with cool contemporary and old-school music providing the soundtrack.

The drinks: Elixir prides itself on its specialty drinks.  Cocktails are creative and fun (but not cheap—see below); try the Mississippi martini (“tea-infused” vodka, lemon, powdered sugar, fresh mint) or the Mr. Bond, which is “shaken, of course.”

The wine menu is less extensive than one might expect but does provide a nice diversity of regions; beer is disappointingly standard fare.  (Why is that, the fancier the drink menu, the more pedestrian the beer choices?  Why does it have to be “either-or”?)

The decor: It’s almost a cliché to say that, upon entering Elixir, you will forget that you are in Jackson.   This is true—the style factor is high, with modern designs that would do New York City proud.  Walk outside, of course, and the whizzing cars on I-55 will instantly remind you where you are.

The crowd: Like most places in Jackson, it’s hard to completely pigeonhole the Elixir crowd into one category.  “Trendsetter Fridays” is a special weekly event with excellent DJ music and a largely African-American and almost entirely “beautiful” crowd.  On that and other nights, though, you’ll see people from all walks of life.

The service: Given the large, boisterous crowd, the servers do a good job of preparing drinks as promptly as is practicable.  The bartenders look like they are having fun, although the layout of the bar area—with just a narrow space between the bar and a wall—can make for extensive waits that are really not the fault of the servers.

The food: The “fusion”-style menu is creative, with interesting items like the crawfish wontons, lobster risotto, redfish bruschetta, and a couple of nice steak options.  Original chef Grady Griffin (no longer with the restaurant) established a high culinary standard that has survived his departure.

The damage: Here’s where it gets tricky.  With specialty drinks going mostly for between $8-10, wine mostly in the $8+/per glass range, and food entrees starting at $24 (small plates start at $9 – the lobster les deux is a $24 appetizer!), you’re definitely not in free pitcher land.

The discerning drinker would argue that you are paying for the “scene”, and Elixir definitely is a scene, but don’t expect to spend an evening there without some serious wallet damage unless you’re, um, connected.