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Fall Flavors at The Feed Store
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3141 Main St. College Park GA
I walked in with some trepidation. Having just read a somewhat unsavory review of the restaurant I was about to indulge in, I wondered what was in store, The Feed Store, that is. If that line sounds familiar, remember it well when you walk into the restaurant, once a former feed store, and you’ll know exactly what I mean. The décor reminds me of the mixed up love between the two on Green Acres, city meets country with a twist of Vegas. The booths are designed to maximize privacy, arranged in a triangular fashion with dividers all the way to the ceiling. On the back of the coffee colored leather booths is a large golden diamond, reminiscent of casino furniture. Okay, I’ll admit I didn’t see any hearts or clubs, but there was a spade, although it was for the garden, a spade is a spade. The exposed brick walls and cement floors pay homage to the good ole’ days, while the modern inclusion of pine colored hardwood underneath the booths give us that up to date feeling we long to find in modern restaurants. The use of curves throughout the design gives the room lots of ebb and flow. One might even get a floating feeling looking around, especially if the wine is strong enough.
Looking past the décor and to the menu, printed on brown paper with a similar texture of a brown paper bag, diners will be equally delighted by the twists they find. Besha Rodell of Creative Loafing describes the menu as a “Northerner’s take on southern food.” Perhaps she was right, but the menu speaks loudly of the south and Chef Peter Golaszewski always takes the time to find the freshest ingredients, including fresh Sweetgrass Sevenwood cheese, muscadines, and pecans.
Our meal started with a complimentary amuse bushe. A Deviled Egg topped with Mayhaw barbeque pork and garnished with fresh pickled okra gave me the familiar feeling of southern potlucks. In one bite of the small dish, I had the sensation that I had just eaten an entire plate of picnic fixins’. It was warm, filling, and very southern.
Our server swept through the dining room and dropped a basket of fresh and hot corn muffins in the middle of our table. I was delighted, as I would never be one to go on a low-carb diet. The muffins/rolls weren’t crispy like we’re accustomed to here in the south, but rather, they were soft and creamy. It was a new breed of corn muffins, with half the texture of a roll and half the texture of a corn muffin. The flavor was full of butter and they melted in my mouth every time I took a bite.
“Crunch” is the adjective I would use to describe most of my courses. I had Seared Foie Gras served atop a pumpkin puree with a muscadine demi glaze. In food you might expect to be soft, Chef Golaszewski managed to find a place for just enough “crunch.” The foie gras was seared and served with a crunchy blackened exterior. The pumpkin puree was laced with pecans and gave me an unexpected texture to dissect. The muscadine demi glaze broke through the richness of the foie gras and the thickness of the pumpkin.
Next on the menu for “crunch” were Spare Ribs, served with Mayhaw sauce and a Wild mushroom and Sweet Potato Salad. The ribs were cooked sous vide and infused with smoke via a smoke gun. They were served after a quick braise, just enough to give it a good “crunch.” After all that cooking, they were a little dry, but the sauce made up for it. The mushroom/potato salad was warm and familiar and it reminded me of our earlier deviled egg appetizer.
Next, we had the Carmalized Onion soup served with a brioche crouton, and a fresh slice of Sweetgrass Thomasville Tomme. The cheese and the crouton dissolved in to the soup and gave it a smooth texture. The cheese was mild enough to meld in with the soup, but it had just enough bite to keep my spoon coming back for more. Let’s not forget the candied bacon; this garnish gave the soup the little “crunch” I was starting to grow accustomed to.
Our next dish gave us a refreshing break from the heavier foods. I had the Arugula salad with sous vide candied beets and fried Sweetgrass cheese. I personally like my salad to have more acidity than was offered. The candied beets didn’t have a distinct flavor. For me, they didn’t give the dish any depth. The fried cheese, an American’s dream, was pointless and didn’t fit in, flavor wise, to the rest of the dish. I didn’t get that “refreshing-feel good” feeling in my stomach after I ate it. It was just as dense as my previous courses. However, there was still hope. I also tried the Mixed Greens with celeriac, boiled peanuts, and apple cider vinaigrette. The mixed greens and celeriac were light and refreshing. The peanuts were salty and offset the sweet vinaigrette for a nice balance. I liked this salad much more, and I felt less guilty after it than the one served with fried cheese.
On to the main course, I had a country fried braised short rib with brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes. My dining partner had the fried duo, including chicken and duck served with pepper jack macaroni and cheese, coca-cola baked beans, and the all famous mayhaw barbeque sauce. My dish was half and half. I loved the short rib, the country fried crust mixed with the mashed potatoes reminded me of a time I had forgotten since I made the move to the big city. The meat was tender, delicate, and full of flavor.
The fried duo was a perfect representation of southern appeal on a plate. Everyone in the south raves of their mac-n-cheese, but few are ever as good as they claim. The Feed Store’s mac-n-cheese, mixed with a little of the coca-cola baked beans, make me salivate even now as I write about it.
For dessert we had Fried Chocolate Pies and Banana Pudding Bread Pudding served with vanilla ice cream. The fried chocolate pies were piping hot, but they were delicious. The pies reminded me of the corn muffins, soft, buttery, and delicate. The banana pudding bread pudding was thick and carried the banana bread taste far more than the bread pudding. The ice cream was scooped and rolled in crushed vanilla wafers, giving the dish, and the restaurant, that last famous “crunch” I will always associate with The Feed Store.
The Feed Store is open for both lunch and dinner. Visit www.thefeedstorerestaurant.com for more information.
Insider's Tip: If you're dinner conversation is in need of a good story, ask for Agnes. She's one of the managers and is a delight to talk to.
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