The Bantam + Biddy mini chain has been pretty popular with the masses with their diner style grub... I liked it the couple of times I have visited but nothing really stood out to be on my rotation. Diners are great and are an American institution... In NYC, but here in da ATL, the "diner" style concept has become tiresome to me. The B+B location midtown just didn't draw the family crowd because the Crescent area has really been known for clubbing, drinking, and rowdy bar scenes. Yes, it has toned down a lot over the years but you still get a lot of riff raffs in this area during the weekends. I'm glad the B+B crew decided to take another direction and bring back the spirit of Shaun's from the dead... I think a mini-Shaun's will fit much better in this area of midtown than a family-esque "diner" concept. Let's face it, there are no kids or families in this area, and they got limited traffic and street presence... The location is walkable but not with kids. Let's just bring the grown up thing back here... And bringing back the Shaun's concept with a modern Fronchy bistro twist will be a nice change from all the half-assed concepts drowning midtown over the last few years.
Let's go check it out and see if Shaun Doty still has what it takes to make the pouch swoon... Can he still cook like a real man or has frying up cheekan fingaz for bratty kids has killed his will to live and cook? We all know parking sucks a big motherfucking cock around midtown and especially with the Park Atlanta bullshit people had to deal with over the last few years, but they do have a parking lot right next door with 2 hours free. Shit, I better order as much as I can and eat as fast as I can...
Sardinian Flatbread, simple salad, vella dry jack cheese, argan oil. One of Shaun's signature dish... It's changed a little bit with the toppings and garnish but it still retained the flavors and essence of the original dish. It's a cute dish, the broads will dig it.
Antipasto, iowa prosciutto, mozzarella, ligurian olives, deviled egg, duck. It's a nice bistro style plating of assorted morsels. It ain't a work of art visually but when you stick his meat in your mouth, you just want to hum. It was orally satisfying, I would do him, err, it again.
Beef Tartare, belgian style, fries. I can't say no beef tartare, especially, at a Fronch style bistro... I'm glad to see no raw egg yolk on top, did I ever mention that the egg yolk was a gimmick that some hack chef made up decades ago to differential his tartare from the sea of others... But anyhoo, after a taste of it, I suspect there was prolly some egg yolk involved as a liaison to bind the meat and other garnish together. Luckily, it was not overwhelming like in most restos... This version was light and airy with a hint of a mustard finish. It was actually very good, not heavy at all... But my version back in the old resto days is still superior. The fries were as addictive as the original version. This was a good showing of old school Shaun's.
Duck, Jaworski pierogies, cabbage. It doesn't look pretty after the server has been swirling this all around... But look at the size of that portion... That's like 2.5 duck breasts on there. Stop trying to impress me like we're on a first date, Shaun... You had me at 2 hour free parking validation. The execution also looked spot on by the rosy color of it... It was and tender and juicy as fuck, too. He did done good on this dish. The famous Jaworski pierogies did not disappoint either, fat and plump. There's some cabbage underneath all that fowl, too, but who cares about the kraut when Daffy was so tasty.
Pork Schnitzel, onion salad, peanuts, italian parsley. Another famous signature Shaun's dish... The much lauded pounded pork schnitzel... Shit, he can pound me with his porkhood anytime he pleases... Did I say that out loud, again... It's a hefty piece of Ms. Piggy, even when she's been pounded hard. Crispy thin crust, basically it crackles when you bite into it, and a juicy meaty pork flesh inside. It was seasoned spot on, nothing needed except for a quick squirt of lemon juice. The lemon test can be used in so many different oral ways... I also like to use the lemon test on unsavory broads I pick after a round of High Life, they don't know the difference between the champagne of beers or a Zima when it's served in a flute, it's all champagne to them and it makes them feel special and spoiled. I love socially challenged chicks, but the lemon test also comes in handy to see if they are repugnant downstairs, if they squeal like it stings, then you know it's got some open sores, so get your face outta that fucking bush ASAP... After you pump and dump, of course. Is that TMI? Schnitzel always give me a blood flow... I wished Willy Wonka would make this in bubble gum form, it's a lot less noticeable than those little blue pills... Like Jack Black's fucking jelly beans.
Steak Frites, sunflower sprout salad, maitre d’ butter. You can't go to a bistro and not try the clasic steak frites... The steak was spot on mid-rare and seasoned perfectly. Nothing needed except to put Shaun's hot beef injection into your mouth and swallow... And swallow I did, all of it.
Skate Wing, mashed fingerling potatoes. People fuck up skate wings all the time, they break it into pieces while cooking it or trying to plate it. But on this visit, they got it all correct. The skate wing was tender, flaky and had a really satisfying taste to it... That's prolly from the liberal use of butter on this sizeable piece of skate. Why is butter so damn good...
Sauteed Broccoli Rabe. I thought the sides going for $8 a piece was a tad bit high when I first read the menu... Then this came out. A rather sizeable bowl of rabe and garlic that was so fragrant that you can't stop scooping more and more on to your plate.
Sauteed Hen Mushrooms. Another ridiculously aromatic and woodsy mushroom side dish that was filled to the brim. This was totally worth the $8 for a big bowl of hen shrooms... This would be like $300 in Amsterdam... Wait, wrong blog.
Sticky Toffee Pudding and Key Lime Tart, coconut mousse. Another dish that has made it's way back on the menu was the sticky toffee pudding and for good reason, it's a fat ass' wet and sticky dream. I usually eat like one bite of any type of dessert but with this toffee pudding I had two bites, it was that good. The key lime tart was fine, delicate and tasted good.
Overall, Shaun and Lance (sadly, he was not there on this night) have not skipped a beat since Shaun's closed their doors oh so many years ago. The menu is the classic modern bistro greatest hits but it's not without fault, either, some dishes, while tasted good, were a bit rough around the edges and a bit messy on the plating. But those are just the little things that comes with a new concept, a newish menu and crew... Which I have no doubt will be fixed in no time. I'm still getting used to the name but it's good enough already that I would even bring rent-a-friends here... You know how you can tell if a chick is an escort? They're always with a fat guy. So, what... Fat guys need loving, too... Just make sure there's a good supply of lemons in here.
1050 Crescent Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
http://www.thefederalatl.com/
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