I paid Shaun Doty’s new chicken rotisserie, Bantam & Biddy, a visit during lunch last week and came away with a few 1st impressions:
- The restaurant was busy
- The food was definitely better than fast casual joints
- It was a tad expensive for lunch ~$15 for a sandwich (side included), drink and tip
Bantam & Biddy
Set on the front side of Ansley Mall in Midtown, B&B strives to offer above average, family friendly fare in a relaxed atmosphere. The space itself is pretty small with a long bar, outdoor/indoor patio and an assortment of local pastries and products for purchase in the front. Be leery of the tables that run parallel to the bar/counter, as they are really close to the higher stools where patrons lean forward to eat; on the day we visited, two elderly ladies had the misfortune of being within 3 feet of at least 6 inches worth of exposed crack…
Interior shot
Pastry case
B&B positions itself as a chicken rotisserie, but they offer much more, including pork, fried chicken, salads and schnitzel! As far as sides go, the brussel sprouts, albeit a little salty, were pretty solid as were the greens and grits; they also offer chopped liver, which sounds intriguing.
Brussel sprouts
Deviled eggs with bourbon smoked paprika
On this visit we sampled the fried chicken sandwich and the rotisserie pork. The chicken was crispy and well seasoned and served on a fresh French loaf.
Crispy fried chicken sandwich
As most of you know, I’m a pork fiend and I was a little skeptical of the rotisserie pork being able to retain its moisture. Undaunted I ordered away but I wasn’t disappointed; the pork glistened with juice and required multiple swipes of the napkin…it could have used a little more seasoning, but it was fresh and tender.
No dry pork here!
Overall I was pleased with my first visit and look forward to coming back to try their dinner offerings. I read a lot of mixed reviews right after they opened, but we didn’t experience anything that would keep us from returning; sometimes restaurants just need a few months to find their rhythm. I wouldn’t drive out of my way to come for lunch, but B&B is a good addition to the neighborhood and if I lived closer I would probably make them part of my regular casual rotation.
