Muss & Turner's - Review - Smyrna - Atlanta - The Infatuation

"Anyone who lives in Smyrna knows about Muss & Turner’s. In fact, they’ve likely been there within the last two weeks. It’s the quintessential casual lunch and dinner spot that you need to have in your back pocket for a reliable meal. At peak meal times, the shaded patio is full and the dining room houses a mix of families with little kids focused on their coloring books and couples who forgot to thaw the chicken for dinner. The American menu doesn’t get too fussy. But what reads as a little hum-drum on the menu, appears at your table with a surprising flourish like a burger with a wood-grilled taste, hand- fries that come with 13 dipping sauce options, and thick housemade pickles with every sandwich. It all proves that a dependably good meal never goes out of style. And just when you think you’ve got Muss & Turner’s nailed down, they hit you with a hidden speakeasy in the back. We usually nab a cocktail at Eleanor’s, but the full M&T menu is also available. And we can confirm the food tastes a little better with muted lighting and the air of exclusivity that pervades just beyond the freezer door entrance. Food Rundown Fries & Dips The house-cut fries are a must—salty with just the right amount of crispiness. Pair them with a few of the dipping sauces, which are also made in house. There are 13 choices in total. Our favorites are the house aioli, garlic mud, and spicy sambal, but you do you. photo credit: Sarah Newman El’s Wings You get eight of these wings covered in a rich ras el hanout spice. Prepare to use the creamy tzatziki dipping sauce that cools the wings down and gives the plump flats and drums a fresh taste. Spring Vegetable Pappardelle Spring is the right adjective for this dish that reminds us of the light, fresh season of renewal (but sans pollen). The glob of lemon ricotta on top gives the bouncy pappardelle noodles a hefty dose of cheesy goodness. A few peas and cut-up asparagus bits help us forget that we're devouring a bowl of carbs. photo credit: Sarah Newman The Burger Get this if you’re a burger lover. The patty is made from grass-fed beef and is so tender we’re unsure how it stays packed together in patty form. The cilantro-aioli and poblano pepper spread mixes well with the wood-fired char on the patty. photo credit: Sarah Newman Skirt Steak Asada The steak is about as good as skirt steak can possibly be with a little trail of spicy chimichurri on top. But the real reason we get this is for the frijoles charros. The pile of beans wallops you in the face with a strong meaty flavor, and we’d be content having this as our entire meal. photo credit: Juli Horsford" - Juli Horsford