for the first time in a while, i have nearly nothing planned this weekend!  i say nearly because we all know i’ve always got something going on.  last night all i did was eat chips and salsa and do laundry.  thrilling, i know.  i tried out a new brand called desert pepper, the roasted tomato chipotle corn salsa flavor, and it was delicious.

after getting my oil changed (and four new tires?!) this morning, it was on to another adventure!  as a self-declared foodie and restaurant critic, brunch is one of my favorite meals.  today it was time to discover another spot in atlanta, and so i found myself at bantam + biddy in the piedmont heights part of town.

my older brother kyle had been here with his good friend jarrett a month or so ago and said it was a spot i definitely need to try.  well then, let’s go!

i had very much wanted to sit outside.  unfortunately, the patio was full, so i hopped up on a stool at the bar.  i was quickly greeted by the waiter (who proved to be just as attentive and friendly throughout the whole meal) who promptly brought my mug of coffee upon request.

bantam + biddy almost reminds me of a market with its décor and loudness, but i don’t feel lost in the shuffle despite the busy morning they seem to be having.  it’s industrial and modern but still quite welcoming once you step inside.

the long wooden bar isn’t too heavy in the space and is quite spacious.  the white-washed brick wall is a nice touch, too.  i almost feel like this kind of restaurant is one a bird might like.  please don’t ask me why that came to mind.  it just did.

for a place of its styling, i would have expected something a little more unique than its plain, eggshell mugs and ordinary drink glasses.  although i liked the feel of it, i wanted a touch more of personality, but hey, that’s just me.

before i could even get through my first impression of bantam + biddy, my brunch arrived!  per kyle’s recommendation, and personal testimony, i ordered a fried chicken biscuit with an over-easy egg and pimento cheese.  uuhhhh….that’s a good sound!  i promise!

there is no way i was going to tackle this beastly biscuit with my hands, so i armed myself with fork and knife.  first, the chicken was fried very well.  it was still juicy even with that extra crispy coating.  the yolk from the egg was, of course, divine.  and that pimento cheese?  it was rich with a little kick, but it wasn’t too much.  i’m quite glad they didn’t heap more on there, because that little schmear of it, nuzzled between the chicken and egg, melted so perfectly.

the biscuit itself was nothing too special, so i set the top half aside so that i could devour the rest of the dish.  for someone like me, a meal this size is enough.  however, don’t be fooled!  i was quite interested in everything else happening on that menu.  had i been in more of a lunch mood, i certainly would have ordered a helping of the cucumber/feta/red onion salad.  can you think of anything that sounds more summery?

p.s.  i should have ordered a second over-easy egg so that i’d have even more soupy, yolky goodness.  mmm.

i wasn’t quite ready for my brunch to end, so what better way to prolong my stay than with dessert!  quite a kelsey move, i know.  i won’t say i’m a carrot cake connoisseur by any definition, but it had eyed me from the dessert case the moment i arrived.  their carrot cake isn’t made in-house, but it comes from alon’s bakery, which is the STUFF.

ooh, yes.  the cream cheese icing was the first to hit my tongue, and it was simply perfect.  the cake itself wasn’t dried out (which sometimes happens with carrot cake).  it had that signature cinnamon and nutmeg flavor, and it was hitting the spot.  although i could have had probably two slices, it was the perfect size to fill me just to contentment.

bantam + biddy, although decent in size, is not the sort of place for a terribly big crowd.  they have some space up front where you can push tables together to accommodate probably up to eight, but the rest of the restaurant is long and narrow, more ideal for parties of four or fewer.

the crowd did not cease in my visit to bantam + biddy, understandably so since owners shaun doty and lance gummere strive to provide high quality food in an enjoyable atmosphere.  is bantam + biddy my new favorite brunch spot?  no, but it will be a good (and affordable) place to throw in the mix when i tire of my regulars like buttermilk kitchen.  the quest for spectacular breakfast in atlanta continues!