THE BUTCHER THE BAKER
23 N. Park Square, Marietta. 678-224-1599, eatlocaleatbetter.com. $$$
3 of 5 stars [merits a drive if you’re looking for this kind of dining]
Opened by the husband and wife team of Micah and Katie Pfister, this restaurant asserts its unique voice on the square in Marietta. Every aspect, from the decor to the vibe to the cuisine, feels current. The dining room is swathed in rustic Southern touches like Mason jar drop lighting and weathered wood tables and flooring.
The rather large menu is built around local produce, much of which comes from four of the farmers selling their harvest at the Marietta Square Farmers Market. Start with the farm greens tossed with curled strips of fried kabocha squash and thick chips of parmigiano to set off the pumpkin pie-spiced vinaigrette. Then move to Micah Pfister’s perfectly salted and charred Brasstown strip with a combo of charred okra slices, lightly battered fried pickled okra, a swipe of sweet potato puree and a pile of al dente sweet potato greens.
Katie Pfister, our baker, prepares a warm apple spiced gateau de honey in a swirl of hard apple cider and melty caramel ice cream. I’m not sure which is better, that or the maple pot de creme made with roasted pumpkin and accented with a fried pumpkin chip.
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