Inman Park and Parish

    Yesterday Brian and I went to Inman Park for the street fair that's
held there every year.  The neighborhood is located just east of
midtown and south of the Virginia Highlands neighborhood.  It's a nice
urban neighborhood with bungalows and victorians lining the tree shaded
streets with many uneven brick laid sidewalks.........lots of charm.


The street fair was pretty massive and incorporated several blocks within the area.  Lots of food vendors selling the traditional fare but I also stumbled upon a fried seafood booth that looked really tempting but I decided to hold off  to try a New Orleans style restaurant on Highland Ave. within walking distance of the fair.


After walking around for a couple of hours and seeing all the artists' wares we headed over to Parish.  This  restaurant is operated by owner / chef Nick Meloin.  From what I've read he's originally from New Orleans.  I couldn't wait to sample some of his Big Easy bites.
  We arrived there around 2:30 pm and I was excited to examine the menu and make a selection and be treated with some good old fashioned New Orleans food.  Unfortunately, the brunch menu was all there was to offe, I was told as we were seated.  My heart sank.  The brunch items looked inviting but I really had my taste buds ready for something more traditional to the New Orleans scene.
    The server saw my disappointment and suggested we go downstairs to their marketplace where they have an ongoing menu of sandwiches including poboys and muffulettas.  I perked up.  I decided this would be adequate for a late lunch and we hurried down the stairs to this exposed brick room with a coffee bar, small pastry counter and tiny selection of fresh vegetables  and wines for sale.  At the end of the room there stood a counter with a handwritten chalkboard menu with their selections.
    Brian decided right away he was having the fried oyster poboy.  I saw muffuletta written on the chalkboard and the satisfying taste of Central Grocery filled my head.  That bubble quickly burst when I saw listed as an ingredient of the sandwich.......gardenaire.  Gardenaire?! OMG, if this New Orleans chef is listing gardenaire as an ingredient on his muffuletta and not olive salad, I'll pass.  Would the bun be a kaiser roll?  I wasn't taking any chances.  I chose the fried green tomatoe BLT.
     When Brian placed his order, the clerk asked what would you like on it?  Brian responded....."dressed".  The guy looked at him as if he were speaking Latin, so Brian calmly said lettuce, tomatoe and mayo.  Maybe Nick needs to give a New Orleans food lesson 101 to his staff.
     Our food came and it was good.  Brian's oysters were nicely fried in a cornmeal batter on a french roll - not true french bread but it was good.  Mine was served on grilled white toast.  The bread was a little too delicate for this sandwich and couldn't hold up to the fried green tomatoes, bacon and fresh tomatoes.  All in all it was tasty.  Each sandwich came with a few slices of half-sour pickles, which was a nice treat.  I want to go back for dinner and see if Nick has brought the right style from New Orleans with his dinner menu.