Parish Foods & Goods

Some things have changed for Parish Foods & Goods since it opened nearly two years ago. Painted into the now bustling mural-like landscape of Highland Avenue in Inman Park, the restaurant opened with a bang, then wrestled with the business of getting on with things.

When I first reviewed this three-fold concept of restaurant, market and pastry get-away back in July of 2008, Timothy Magee was chef, and there was as much an emphasis on New Orleans style fixins as there was on the market downstairs, where po’ boys and pastries shared billing with the dining room, upstairs.

Restaurants are no different from people, dogs or shoes: Sometimes it takes some settling in for us to get comfortable with them. Parish has certainly settled in. And it has adjusted and made changes both minor and major, most notably, chef Nick Melvin at the kitchen’s helm.

Tiny tweaks to the downstairs market (the addition of wine, the absence of knick knacks) and the take out offerings (the array of wonderful desserts has dwindled) are minor adjustments — a shift in response to the basic economics of supply and demand.

But Melvin has brought a strong change to the menu; his emphasis is far more local than Magee’s, and while he has kept some of the better New Orleans classics (such as a refurbished offering of ‘Nawlins style barbecued shrimp), his focus widens to include a broader realm of Southern tastes. He arrived at Parish with a strong background in the locavore movement, having worked as the chef at the Farmhouse at Serenbe in Palmetto. And he’s no stranger to Concentrics’ kitchens; before Parish he worked at Murphy’s, Tap and Room at Twelve.

Along with this newfound Southern flair, there’s a strong nod to Americana classics: his “TV dinner” serves as a blue plate special, a meat-n-three offering of goodies like meatloaf and mac-n-cheese served on a cafeteria tray that’s a little too kitschy to work, yet a “picnic plate” is a breezy, winning combination of Southern-style thinly shaved ham served with peppy pimento cheese and delightfully fluffy, two-bite biscuits and house-made pickled okra (pickles are something Melvin excels at making).

The goofiness of that TV dinner is evidence of a young chef experimenting with boundaries; the smooth, tangy creaminess of his savory cheesecake encrusted with nibs of spiced pecans and layered with savory pulled pork, then doused with a rich brown roux sauce is proof that he can reach and succeed. A holdback to the restaurant’s menu under Magee, it reaches new heights with Melvin’s touch.

Not surprisingly, Melvin excels at vegetables and Southern classics. His take on wilted greens over local Jenny Jack grits is inspiring enough, but his fried chicken is super crispy, juicy and even better with a four-bean salad along side. He fails when he mires simple selections such as blackened New York strip with too much — a hash of sweet potatoes and shrimp mixed with a sweet pepper slaw complicates and ultimately disappoints.

Ending a meal with a dessert from the dining room has never been my favorite thing to do at Parish; the upstairs offerings of banana pudding and “heaven and hell’ take on layer cake with chocolate and vanilla are nowhere near as fun as making a trip downstairs to the market, nestling in at the communal table and ordering a coffee or cappuccino.

The core of Parish — including the upstairs dining room with its layered, rich textures, original tin roof ceiling and exposed brick walls — remain the same. But the dining room’s menu boasts a new attitude with Melvin’s touch, and it’s a welcome change.

Parish Foods & Goods

Overall rating:

Food: Southern and Americana favorites

Service: Everyone from Melvin to restaurant manager Justin Amick can spot a dining critic. Noticing other tables, it seemed that things run smoothly for everyone.

Price range: $$-$$$

Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express

Hours of operation: Dining room: open for dinner Tuesday - Thursday from 5:30 to 10 p.m; Friday and Saturday from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Sunday from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Market: Tuesday - Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday - Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Best dishes: Barbecued shrimp, vegetable plate, fried chicken with grits and four-bean salad, savory cheesecake with pork and pecans

Vegetarian selections: Veggie plate, organic greens

Children: Yes

Parking: Complimentary valet

Reservations: Yes

Wheelchair access: Yes

Smoking: No

Noise level: High when busy

Patio: Yes

Takeout: Yes

Address, telephone: 240 North Highland Avenue, Atlanta, 404-681-4434

Web site: www.parishatl.com

Pricing code: $$$$$ means more than $75; $$$$ means $75 and less; $$$ means $50 and less; $$ means $25 and less; $ means $15 and less. The price code represents a typical full-course meal for one excluding drinks.

Key to AJC ratings