Although Georgia is a coastal state, sometimes it’s difficult to find really good, fresh seafood. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a girl who had dreams of becoming a mermaid when she grew up. When I crave fresh seafood, and it is a frequent craving, I need it. STAT.

Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar in Marietta has provided a seven day a week, 12 hour a day answer to my dilemma. Serving both lunch and dinner, their menus are creative, and their food is nothing less that stellar.

The Restaurant

Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar, located at The Avenue East Cobb, offers a seasonal menu of simply prepared coastal American fresh seafood, employing both modern and age old live wood fire cooking techniques. Inspired by travels
and experience on all three US coasts and abroad, the cuisine is bound by no border, but is always fresh, bold and driven by our obsession for quality.

From the same team behind Seed Kitchen & Bar and Stem Wine Bar, our approach is familiar: we strive to provide amazing food, drinks and service in a sleek and comfortable setting. As always, we strive to support local farms and artisans.

Drift is a beauty. The decor reminds me of a beach cottage on Edisto Island.

There is a great outdoor seating area with colorful plants and a fantastic fresh, open air feel. It’s the perfect setting for summer cocktails and nibbles or a great fall bourbon.

The interior bar area is modern, but cozy. It’s an inviting area for casual drinks or even dinner at the bar.

Drift also has a fantastic raw bar featuring various seasonal oysters as well as wood roasted oysters.

As a chef, I’m truly fond of open kitchens. I appreciate the transparency they offer and really enjoy watching chefs and professional kitchens at work. It’s always educational to see various techniques, for instance these fire roasted peppers.

 

The Food

It’s always fun to have brunch out. I actually prefer it over dinner. Any excuse for day drinking is a good thing. Drift has an excellent selection of craft cocktails from a smokey bourbon to Mezcal and everything in between. Two examples are the CANVAS which is comprised of cocchi americano, elderflower, ginger, Thai basil, and lemon. The CATCH & RELEASE features benedictine, sparkling wine, passion fruit, and lemon. You can visit their website for a complete list of specialty craft cocktails, beer and wine.

My first treat was the BOURBON CURED SALMON with benne seed cracker, apple and jalapeno cream. Although smoked salmon, or any salmon is my husband’s universal favorite food, I’ve not ever really been a huge salmon fan. This dish though was amazing. The jalapeno cream suited the salmon perfectly without being overwhelming. The apple was the perfect accent of sweetness to marry the spice of the cream. It was excellent.

The next order of business was my favorite dish, the BBQ WILD SHRIMP. This dish is a steal at $15! A delicious blend of Lea & Perrins, spice, bread, served New Orleans style was STELLAR! It could possibly be my most favorite seafood dish this year.

So much flavor comes from serving the shrimp head on. This dish wouldn’t have the flavor it does any other way. I applaud this decision!

SIAM TUNA SALAD with Napa cabbage, peanuts, avocado peach, mint, Thai basil, and shallot was next. This was an incredible blend of flavors and an excellent choice for lunch.

The next on my list of favorites was the combination of tomato soup with a lobster grilled cheese. Yes. LOBSTER. GRILLED. CHEESE. It is a REAL thing and it was unreal. I now have a brand new way to do winter. Bring on some snow!

Following the LOBSTER. GRILLED. CHEESE… 🙂 ❤ … was this spectacular cauliflower. WOOD ROASTED CAULIFLOWER, PINE NUTS & CURRANTS mingle to form another fantastic way to serve cauliflower. 

Lobster rolls are another favorite. The MAINE LOBSTER ROLL features lemon mayo, or hot buttered fries, slaw & lemon.

SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT because you won;t believe this one. A Drift original is the SALTED CARAMEL SUNDAE with caramel popcorn, hot fudge, flourless chocolate brownie bites and honey roasted peanuts. There are no words for this dessert except indulge in THIS. 

Another great option is the FRENCH SILK PIE with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and burgundy cherries. Any combination of cherries and chocolate is a winner in my book.

Other things about Drift that were really impressive to me were the warm towels served with the seafood and the table hangers for bags and handbags. It’s the attention to details that set restaurants apart and Drift is a master. 

I can hardly wait for my second visit. As soon as my husband takes the first bite of smoked salmon, I’m going to be a HERO!

About Drift