For metro Atlanta lovers of fried food, Dec. 6 was a special day, as it marked the opening of two restaurants offering dishes that have taken a dip in the fryer.
Small Fry, located in the Atlanta Dairies development, serves what co-owner Omar Ferrer calls “fat kid food” — fried handhelds, baskets, shoestring fries — with an Italian bent. And Mother’s Best, which began as a pop-up in 2021 and now has a permanent home on Decatur Square, is known for its fried chicken.
The two fast-casual eateries have more in common than just a tight menu of fried comfort food. Both kitchens strive to make their renditions best-in-class — with impressive results. And the owners embrace unpretentious fun, whimsy and nostalgia — similar to the relaxed vibes, design quirks and personality shown at other newish spots, including Gene’s, Nicky’s Undefeated, Breaker Breaker and Motorboat.
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
SMALL FRY
Prior to the opening of this no-frills, 18-seat restaurant, Ferrer said he and partners Anthony Spina Jr. and Duane Kuelers were aiming to fill the void of fast-casual food along a strip of Memorial Drive in Reynoldstown.
However, the menu’s fish sandwich, vodka Parmesan sandwich, fritto misto in a cardboard fry cone, baskets of fried bay scallops and shoestring fries showered with truffle Parmesan are more than just an additional dining option for the neighborhood. They are so well executed by Spina that you’d be hard-pressed to find better versions anywhere in greater Atlanta.
The fish sandwich overachieved on its McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish inspiration. Unlike the fast-food chain’s fried pollock patty, Small Fry shapes its version with Atlantic cod, scallops and prawns, and tops it with a slice of uber melty New School brand American cheese, sweet-tangy yuzu tartar sauce and chile crisp for a bit of heat. The brioche bun by local Leftie Lee’s bakery had the perfect density: airy enough to soak up flavors without falling apart.
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
The vodka Parmesan was another sandwich masterpiece. Unlike the traditional Italian-American version that he grew up eating in New Jersey, Spina’s sandwich combines the fried chicken cutlet with melted burrata instead of mozzarella, uses pistachio instead of pine nuts for the pesto and is served on brioche instead of a hoagie. Despite vodka sauce, red sauce (a Spina family recipe that is partial to Sclafani brand tomatoes), pesto and melted cheese, the handheld stayed intact, and the cheese was gooey and creamy, rather than gloppy.
Other dishes sported smart ingredient additions or swaps. The fritto misto combo of shrimp, cod and calamari also included tempura-fried lemon slices and cherry peppers, for a pop of citrus and sweet, mild heat. The meaty flavor of beef tallow permeated the crispy shoestring fries without leaving them oil-drenched and heavy. And a must-order wedge salad offered unexpected umami from gorgonzola crumbles, crisped pepperoni and a concoction of sun-dried tomato, fish sauce and sesame oil blended with the house herb dressing.
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Only a couple of dishes were lackluster. Falafel was salty and dry, with the inside undercooked. And I would have preferred a more brothy cioppino, rather than a stew so saucy and thick.
I’m looking forward to returning for such recently added lunch offerings as a grilled cheese and tomato soup combo, as well as a chopped cheese sandwich; such late-night bites as smashburgers and rippers (deep-fried hot dogs); and specials that include shrimp and oyster po’boys.
Another attraction: the desserts by consulting pastry chef Claudia Martinez (order a slice of olive oil cake with lemon curd if it’s available).
Also, whenever the black and yellow neon sign out front (they call it the “Bat Signal”) is lit, I’ll gladly whet my whistle from a full bar with cocktails as delicious and creative as the smoky mezcal- and rum-based surge, the tropical typhoon and the frothy paloma royale.
MOTHER’S BEST
Mother’s Best serves finger-licking fried chicken and lip-smacking sides in a shotgun space whose every nook and cranny — even the restroom — is crammed with nostalgia near and dear to its Gen X and millennial owners.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
While the surroundings are fun — the faces of Ken Griffey Jr., Hank Williams, Hank Aaron and Dale Earnhardt plastered on the walls, a Nintendo 64 open for play on the order counter, a collection of slingshots hung near a salvaged Huddle House booth — founders Ean Camperlengo and Ross Winecoff are dead serious about their fried chicken.
During the years that it took to turn their pop-up into a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the former Calle Latina location in downtown Decatur, the pair went down the rabbit hole in search of the formula for killer fried chicken.
Culling from fast-food chain methods, modern techniques such as sous vide cooking and YouTube videos, they broke the code for super crispy, tender, juicy and deftly seasoned chicken. The brine used is made with a lengthy list of ingredients and their house blend of 14 spices gets incorporated into multiple cooking steps. But what you need to know is that this fabulous bone-in fried chicken is available in four-, eight-, 12- or 16-piece buckets. A tip: Order the eight-piece bucket ($32) at a minimum; you’ll want leftovers.
Mother’s Best also is justifiably proud of its chicken sandwich, which sees a breaded breast topped with pickles and the sweet, smoky, peppery Mom’s Sauce — all between slices of buttered, toasted, thick-cut white bread.
A short list of sides is afforded as much care and attention as the bird. “Whirled famous” mashed potatoes, inspired by French chef Joel Robuchon’s oft-copied recipe, were rich from cream and butter. But even more impressive was a velvety, dark-as-night gravy that lived up to the menu description: best gravy ever made.
“We season the crap out of anything we cook here,” Camperlengo said.
Like its signature spice blend, Mother’s Best should bottle and sell that gravy.
The collard green coleslaw was a welcome change-up from the traditional fried-chicken-supper side dish. Using a friend’s recipe as a starting point, Camperlengo chefs it up by brining the collards, chipping them with the cabbage, then tossing the veggies with a dressing that is both tangy and creamy.
Also, I couldn’t get enough of their crinkle-cut fries. The beans and rice, however, were so salty that I put down the plastic spork after a couple of bites.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Somehow, Mother’s Best also manages to cram a full bar into its dinky service space. There’s draft and canned beer, wine and four cocktails (make it the yummy rum-rhum Brickey blast). The cocktails are served in souvenir cups that boast they are a “Damn Good Liquor Drink.”
Mother’s Best loves to engage in self-deprecating chest-thumping. I won’t argue. The claims are deliciously true.
Small Fry. 777 Memorial Drive SE, Atlanta. 404-555-5555, Instagram: @smallfry. Hours: noon-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, noon-midnight Fridays-Saturdays, noon-8 p.m. Sundays. Recommended dishes: fish sandwich, vodka Parmesan sandwich, fritto misto, shoestring fries, wedge salad, olive oil cake
Mother’s Best. 406 Church St., Decatur. Instagram: @mothers.best. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays; also open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays beginning Feb. 3. Recommended dishes: fried chicken, chicken sandwich, velvet potatoes and gravy, collard green coleslaw, two-step fries
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