Farm 255 is the truth.

The Cod does not have much to add to my immediate take on Farm 255. I'd eaten there back in the day, enjoyed it, but I gather in the intervening years Farm 255 had become a victim of the popularity of its own burger. You do that well, that's what people want, and it's hard to escape. But, Whitney Otawka, formerly of 5 &10, and a recent Top Chef participant, took over the kitchen in December, and has it going on. Richman is a fucking troll, and his takedown of Husk is bullshit, but I'd agree, in general, that reverently sourced ingredients might be necessary for a good meal, but they are not sufficient. Farm is serious about what comes in the back door, but they pay a lot of attention to what happens in the kitchen, too.

It's a big, energetic room -- the cinetrix was holding it down at Strange Beauty, so I was solo, sitting at the bar w/ a view of the open kitchen. Started with a winter salad that did the fried Brussels sprout thing better than anyone I'd experienced. I know Whitney from 5&10, and good goodguy treatment in the form of a shrimp roll (like a lobster roll, but tiny, and shrimp -- a blast of summer and New England on a rainy Feb night in Georgia). The main was braised pork shoulder w/ heirloom Santa Maria (?) beans. It's exactly the kind of dish where sometimes you see a restaurant spend more time writing the menu than cooking the food, but technique here made for a hearty but refined plate of pork and beans. Dessert (foisted on me) was a chocolate and banana thing that transcended its parts. There are other nice spots to eat in Athens, but there is always room for another spot that does it the right way, and does it well. 

Comments

[Jay Porter]

My guess is that Santa Maria beans = pinquito beans, an heirloom bean from the Central Coast of California, and an essential part of Santa Maria BBQ (which, as an aside, is "real" BBQ, slow and low, but performed using an open grill burning red oak).

Also, yay Farm 255. Love those guys.

[Mr. Sidetable]

I had a couple very fine meals at Farm 255 a few years back during a conference/food bender visit to Athens. And some of the nicest restaurant folk imaginable.

[flourgirl]

It has been one of my very favorite places on so many levels. Haven't been since the switch and trying to arrange that-- but have to drive about 750 miles. Looking forward to dessert!