I've been once before for my birthday in December, and IT WAS FABULOUS! Looking forward to visiting during a new season with new drinks and foods to enjoy.
The restaurant is easy to miss: located in the old engine room of the Southern Dairies’ building. It's located at the corner of North Avenue and Glen Iris.
The Chef/Owner is Jay Swift ( who WAS with South City Kitchen and Rainwater). His goal is to bring local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients and prepare them in a modern way. What he does with simple ingredients is amazing.
The interior has open ceilings and a sort of industrial loft feel, but with the lighting and decor, it's warm and inviting.
We were seated quickly in the main dining room and our server (Craig) appeared immediately. He was what you look for in a waiter - friendly, knowledgable and unobtrusive.
Here are some shots of the menu on the day we were there:
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| Photo Credit: Cate Bogue |
We opted to start with drinks. One was a vodka concoction with apple cider and the other with bourbon. Both fantastic!
Chrysanthemum
Vodka, Cocchi Americano, Spiced Apple-Pistachio Gastrique,
Angostura, Prosecco, flute
Meyer’s Trilby
Woodford, Toasted Almond Honey, Grapefruit,
Smoked Peach Bitters, rocks
And the rolls with fresh butter were to die for!
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| Photo Credit: Cate Bogue |
But the MAIN reason to go to 4th and Swift is the food! It's fresh, local and exquisitely prepared. We had 2 starters: Red cooked bershire pork belly over fried rice and with bok choy and a brussel sprout "salad" with creme freche and shaved apple slices. Both were amazing, and we left not a morsel on our plates.
“Red Cooked” Berkshire Pork Belly
Fried Carolina Gold Rice, Local Choy, Spring Onion Kimchi, Spiced Black Garlic Jus
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| Photo Credit: Cate Bogue |
The Brussels salad
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| Photo Credit: Cate Bogue |
Our main courses were equally good. We went with sea bass and a dish they're know for called 3 Little Pigs that features pork loin, served with house made sausage, and some pork belly.
I've included 2 pictures from others so you can see more clearly, as mine didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped.
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| Photo Credit: Cate Bogue |
The sea bass was prepared to perfection - crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside. A light and delicious dish. And the pork loin was tender and flavorful along side pork belly and sausage - somehow the dish works and isn't too heavy. It's absolutely delicious!
We had an early wake up call to head to Augusta, and we were stuffed, so we opted out of dessert, however I still remember the dessert from the last visit: Sticky Toffee Bread Pudding. It's the best bread pudding I've ever tasted!!!
All in all I highly recommend 4th and Swift! From the bar area (which has a very fun and welcoming atmosphere, not to mention one of the best mixologists in Atlanta!) to the dining area, the place has a great atmosphere. You're immediately put at ease upon sitting down at your table. The only difficult part is choosing what fabulous dish to enjoy! I'll be back for sure - this time in the summer months to enjoy what's fresh at that time!
*Only negative note: we made reservations weeks earlier and when we arrived at the restaurant there were perhaps 2 or 3 tables occupied at 6:45PM. The host had the entire restaurant to choose from (yes, I realize he needed to work within the waitstaff's domain), but he seated us right next to a table of 3 women who were loud and animated and so talkative it was difficult for us to carry on a conversation. It was even a bit difficult to maneuver over their table to get to ours. Just sort of an odd choice. It ended up being fine, (and we loved Craig!) and the place was packed within 30 minutes drowning out any conversations beyond our table.
I'm headed to NYC next week to continue my culinary exploits but will return to the Atlanta dining scene shortly.
Next up: Abbatoir, Barcelonia, Seasons 52 and Iberian Pig!
