Chicken and the Egg – Marietta
Yes, you read that correctly – Chicken and the Egg is located in Marietta. However, the new farm-to-table restaurant helmed by Chef and owner Marc Taft, formerly the general manager at Pacci Ristorante, is more than worth the drive OTP. Open only six weeks when Z and I went on our Sunday evening date, the restaurant impressed us with exceptional cuisine served in a modern, yet unobtrusive space.
The décor is stylishly simple – farmhouse chic with clean white walls, wood tables and a glass-enclosed wine display, all serving Taft’s objective to create a place for guests that is “comfortable, familiar and takes them back to a simpler time.”
The menu changes frequently, incorporating seasonal ingredients from local farms to create classic American dishes. True to form, I ordered iron skillet fried chicken, which is served with mac and cheese and braised greens. This was the most flavorful mac and cheese ever! Seriously. As Z put it, his mouth agape in appreciation, “It will make you slap your mama.” For his entrée, Z chose grilled Carolina catfish served with green tomato chow chow. I’m not saying he licked his plate clean, but…I’m not saying he didn’t.
We started with fried green tomatoes (pimento cheese fondue, country ham, tomato jam), a Debutante Ball (beefeater gin, strawberries, hibiscus and white balsamic syrup, lemon juice, black pepper, rhubarb foam) for me and a lame Blue Moon for Z. He pined for the Dirty South cocktail, but the restaurant was out of pickled okra and our fabulous waiter said the drink isn’t the same without. Try it if you like gin: 13th colony gin, housemade pickled okra juice, pickled okra stuffed with pimento cheese. Or any of the other interesting hand-crafted cocktails.
We ended our meal sharing fried peach pie with boiled peanut and sorghum ice cream. Ice cream that tastes liked boiled peanuts, y’all! Wonders never cease. This dessert combination was astonishingly delicious. Taft certainly knows how to pair flavors. While Z is out slappin’ his mama, I’ll be back for that Dirty South, more mac and cheese and perhaps a taste of the rhubarb streusel tart with brown sugar-sour cream ice cream.
Go For: All dates
What to Know: Free parking. Brunch served Sat and Sun from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Price: $9 to $29/entrees
Contact: 800 Whitlock Avenue, Marietta | www.chickandtheegg.com | 678-388-8813
Comments
Great idea, great cause but still falls short
The white walls with long wood style tables and baby blue to grey curtains left me cold and uncomfortable. Wait stations placed well leaving the one room dining area nicely separated and yet sitting in the middle of the room I was left feeling lost in the shuffle. A wonderful tradition started by Chicken and the Egg, our server ask as we were are being seated if there are any food allergies at our table. My heart cheered, I didn't have pull anyone aside and ask about ingredients and be worried if I was going to find something on the menu to suite my fancy, these folks understood. So I thought. The chef politely graced us with his presence explaining what I may eat and what I should opt out of. It was all well and good but I was fussed over way to much. I just wanted to eat peacefully with my love and share our laughs over a good meal. My eggplant sandwich with no bread was terrible. I love eggplant but for a chef to boast about being open to allergies and cooking creatively for all people this entre was a mushy olive oil mess with no life and no sincerity. Sadly to say our midday meal was lost without flavor and our bellies bulged with hand cut fries and a lack of satisfaction.