farm 255 (athens, ga)

"Food had power. It could inspire, astonish, shock, excite, delight and impress." - Anthony Bourdain

Farm 255. It's one of the most talked about restaurants in our humble town of Athens. The responses, although mainly positive, are mixed from the college crowd. "It's overpriced". "The food is to die for". "The food's good, all their stuff is local but it's really expensive". What's the deal with this place anyways? Why is this place so magical? Is the food worth the price? I had to check it out for myself.

Located in downtown Athens, Farm 255 serves local, seasonal and sustainable foods. The menu is short, sweet and simple - just the way I like it. The bar's quite impressive but what really caught my attention was the open kitchen. No open, unsanitary practices here my friends - you're exactly able to see how your food's being cooked.

One thing you should be aware of is that the menu changes according to the day's harvest. What you see on their website or what you're about to see here may not be available to you should you decide to eat at Farm 255. That being said, Thursdays and Fridays are your best chances in finding an item that's listed on their seasonal menu.

Warm bread and butter accompany lemon flavored water as you wait for your order. The bread is delicious and the soft, creamy butter makes it that much better. The water actually took me by surprise because I was expecting well...water, not something already infused with lemon. Very refreshing and a pleasant surprise to cool down on a rather warm, fall evening. As for my food, I ordered poutine fries (a childhood favorite) and braised beef tongue tacos with pickled cabbagle and spicy aioli.

The poutine fries were quite different from the ones I was used to back in Canada. A poutine, if you aren't familiar with it, is composed of french fries, fresh cheese curds and a generous portion of gravy. The cheese melts from the heat of the hot gravy and the fries absorb all that amazing, meaty flavor - a heavenly combo indeed. Farm 255's version is served with pork gravy and cheddar cheese that's bruleed before serving. I found the gravy a little thick but it helped keep the fries crispy - which is impossible to do with your usual poutine. The cheese is beautifully melted and come on - is there anything better than using a blow torch in the kitchen? (Okay...maybe using liquid nitrogen) Overall, I thought this adapted version was well executed and the fries were fried to perfection.

(revisiting an old, childhood friend)

The braised beef tongue tacos were also a tasty treat. The beef tongues were tender, juicy, well balanced by the spicy aioli, acidity from the pickled cabbage and brightness from the cilantro and lime. A delightful dish. Although the sound of beef tongues may sound odd, it's quite delicious when done right and Farm 255 executed well.

Expensive? With respect to Athens, perhaps. Is it worth it? Definitely. The food lives up to the hype and the staff is laid-back and friendly. Too damn friendly if you ask me. My waiter knew exactly where all the foods came from and how they were prepared. I just wish I can get service like this at all the restaurants I go to. Instead of making up some bullshit excuses like, "It's too expensive" or "Overpriced", lay off those disgusting Keystone Lights and spend it on something more delicious like food from Farm 255.