Part Wes Anderson film, part campground, Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall is the new restaurant getting buzz in Old Fourth Ward. This campground-style eatery sits right on mile 9.25 of the BeltLine, separated by a tastefully orchestrated landscape design and a small walking path. The concept is one-of-a-kind yet perfectly represents the quirky personality of the up-and-coming Old Fourth Ward.
After traveling down the narrow roads of this old and charming neighborhood and turning into a tiny, unevenly paved parking lot, I caught a glimpse of the industrial building. What looked like a former warehouse—the facade covered with tin—stuck out of a group of trees and shrubs. A small staircase with bold block letters that read “you are here” sat covered near the entrance. I had finally arrived at “the base camp for the urban explorer,” as Ladybird deems itself.
The restaurant had an expansive patio with white twinkling lights dangling from the top of the building. An illuminated sign on the side of the building, “Ladybird,” shone brightly. From the patio, the BeltLine was only steps away and a beautiful skyline view was in plain sight. Unfortunately, the 15-degree weather prohibited me from sitting outside, so I made my way inside through the heavy glass door at the entrance.
Walking into the restaurant was like stepping straight into the wilderness. The ceilings were an expansive two stories and painted black, giving the effect of a pitch-black night sky. A dark tenebrous mural was painted on one of the two-story tall walls: a huge grizzly bear snarling in the middle of a dark, wooded forest, with an owl looming in the corner and a full moon shining brightly in the middle. On another wall was an expansive vintage American flag, various mounted deer heads and small wooden frames holding several small pictures of animals and other miscellaneous paper clippings. Nearly 40 industrial light bulbs hung in clusters from the vast ceiling, and several cabin-esque industrial lamps were placed around the walls. Overall, the entire restaurant resembled the set of a Wes Anderson film taking place in the middle of the forest.
My two companions and I were seated at a wooden table with a rustic wooden bench expanding the entire length of the wall. The menu, a small brown folded sheet of paper with a bison sketch and “survival guide” printed on the front, was placed on the table. The camp theme was carried through the menu with the different sections labeled as trail snacks (appetizers), vittles (small dishes), campfire (entrees), base camp (heavier entrees), picnic basket (entrees for sharing) and dessert. I started off with the double-stack burger ($10) from the campfire section, while my two companions ordered the chicken and dumplings ($13) and creamy ham and potato soup ($6) with a side of hearty greens and farro salad ($9).
The burger was absolutely delicious. The bun glimmered with butter and had a nice toasted, golden tone. Beneath the crunchy exterior and soft interior of the bun was a phenomenal burger. The house beef with bacon grind was tender and juicy, almost a melt-in-your-mouth texture, and had a rich smoky undertone. A good helping of pickled vegetables really made the burger—think a more luxurious cole slaw with even more flavor. The burger, however, was not overly fancy or pretentious with the addition of simple American cheese. On the side was a generous helping of house-made pickles, with a sweet-dill flavor and a slightly spicy aftertaste.
Of course, I had to try the other plates at the table. The chicken and dumplings was a surprisingly tasty, modern take on this classic southern dish. The dumplings were balls of dough, rather than the traditional sheets of dough, but the comforting flavor was all there. The dough was soft and had that slightly undercooked texture that really melted in your mouth. The chicken—instead of the traditional pulled chicken scraps—was an entire leg quarter placed in the middle of the iron skillet. The meat was fall-off-the-bone and had a smoky, peppery flavor that perfectly complemented the creamy stock—chock full of roasted root vegetables—surrounding the chicken and dumplings.
I moved on to the creamy ham and potato soup next, which was placed in an unassuming tiny brown ceramic bowl that evoked a nostalgic camping feeling. The soup was by far the best meal of the night, with its silky, creamy texture—pureed to perfection—as if no potato or ham was even in the dish. The taste of the dish, however, left me assured of their presence. The soup was almost like drinking smoked gouda with slight hints of potato and a smoked ham intertwined. Sitting on top of the soup was a delicate house-baked cheese cracker that was full of toasted cheesy goodness. The farro salad was a perfect side dish to the hearty, rich and decadent potato soup. The “hearty greens” were really just kale, but the farro was mixed with smoked blue cheese, sliced green grapes and walnuts, all topped with a basil vinaigrette. Together, the components of the salad all blended harmoniously, bringing out each unique flavor in the dish.
Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall is an experience not to miss. The decorations alone are enough to warrant a visit, but the food was fantastic as well. The creamy ham and potato soup is a must, and everything else was wonderful, delicious and had its own unique spin.
