Since its May debut, the 25,000-square-foot Chattahoochee Food Works has swelled from an initial dozen or so food stalls to a vendor count that’s now 21 strong, with another 10 on the way.
What makes this dining destination exciting is the diversity and creativity of concepts, all from up-and-coming local food entrepreneurs. (The added draw during a pandemic is the abundance of outdoor space that facilitates a safer eating and drinking environment.)
The tenant roster was curated by owner Robert Montwaid, creator of New York’s Gansevoort Market, and Andrew Zimmern, host of “Bizarre Foods” on the Travel Channel. Their goal: to create a globally inspired food hall represented by local talent.
“Why would we bring in people from out of town when there’s so many accomplished culinarians in this city?” Zimmern told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a May interview. “As someone who has visited Atlanta a lot, and has eaten in Atlanta a lot, the culinary firepower here in this town, both known and hidden, is massive.”
Firepower is an apt description for the team behind Osha Farm Grill, which debuted in mid-August. It’s a grilling concept by four longtime friends — Bell Chabchit, Pok Aimprig, Kritnapat Chuchotnapalai and Praim Siribothi. Their talents range from cooking (Chabchit) to finance (Chuchotnapalai) to photography (Siribothi) to tattoo artist (Aimprig). “He knows how to make everything pretty,” Chabchit said of Aimprig.
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Osha Farm Grill is the second venture for the artsy, young foursome, all of Thai descent. Their other restaurant, Osha Thai & Sushi Galleria, opened in the space previously occupied by Saltyard in March of 2020, just a week or two prior to the mass shutdowns caused by COVID-19.
When presented with the opportunity to join the culinary lineup at Chattahoochee Food Works, the partners wanted to differentiate themselves from other Asian concepts there, fill what they saw as a void for grilled fare, and offer finger food that would pair well with beer from The Works anchor tenant Scofflaw, said Chabchit, formerly a manager at Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft.
Credit: Julius Mayo
Credit: Julius Mayo
The menu is built around high-quality skewered proteins — rib-eye steak, Cajun shrimp or herbed Springer Mountain Farms chicken — paired with a handful of house-made sauces. Ordered as an entree ($13.95-$16.95), the to-go container brings two skewers, a choice of yellow garlic rice or naan bread, and an organic mixed greens salad.
Osha means “delicious” in Thai. A few of the eatery’s dishes incorporate delicious Thai flavors. There’s Grilled Coco Corn, street corn that’s slicked with homemade sweet coconut milk and sprinkled with scallions before being wrapped in foil and grilled. After the heat treatment, it’s hit with shakers of a Cajun spice blend and Parmesan.
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Two of four sauces also reach into the Thai pantry. The IPA Basement BBQ Sauce unites Scofflaw’s beer with sweet Thai chili sauce. The Jamaican Jerk is a Thai-Caribbean fusion that includes ginger, garlic, Thai hot sauce, and Thai chiles in fresh and powder form. Chabchit said the latter was “the most difficult sauce I have ever made in my life.”
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Paired with Mr. Flintstone’s Turkey, the flavor-packed jerk sauce takes the carnival classic — a giant, uber-juicy smoked turkey leg — to new culinary heights.
The menu item was inspired by a trip to Disneyland that Chabchit took with his two children. The kids were enthralled by the beastly hunk of meat. “They said, ‘Dad, why can’t we find turkey (like this) in Georgia?’” recounted Chabchit.
You can now, kids.
OSHA FARM GRILL
Menu: Fusion grill
Alcohol: Beer and wine
What I ordered: Mr. Flintstone’s Turkey; Cajun Tater Tots; Grilled Coco Corn; Rib-eye and Chicken Skewers with Yellow Garlic Rice
Service options: Dine-in and takeout; delivery via Uber Eats and Grubhub
Mask policy: Required indoors when not eating or drinking
Address, phone: 1235 Chattahoochee Ave., Atlanta, no phone
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
Social media: instagram.com/osha_farm_grill (website coming soon)
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