Bantam 46

Bantam 46… Bantam, the descriptor of small chickens, does little for the ample portions served in this quaint downtown spot. The downstairs holds itself true to the bantam idea­­– small, cozy, and welcoming with its bright, white and black tile– leading the guests from dark table to booth, to the open faced kitchen full of frenetic energy. The stairs, that lead you to a contrasting, trendy, and welcoming upstairs, stay hidden from view.

Climbing the brightly colored and playful stairs, you find yourself in a space that reminds me of some of the trendy, high-end restaurants of Europe or New York. A space I have never felt in Bellingham. To note, Bantam 46 provides you with more than ambiance; they have the ever crucial– and typically lacking in Bellingham– service. This is most likely a result of the owner’s mission to recognize and reward the work his staff provides by working towards 46% of his sales going towards his staff’s salaries. However, as we all know from our dining experiences, service and ambiance can only take a restaurant so far.

The food, the important part, can best be described as rewarding and satiating. My wife and I love to experience as much of the menu as possible by sharing our plates, in order to see the experience and craft the chefs and cooks put into their work. We’ve done this from local eateries to three-star Michelin restaurants, and that night we did the same at Bantam 46. After looking over what I would say is a perfectly sized menu, we decided on the hushpuppies, hot chicken with mac and cheese, and the root salad. All of which were amazing.

We started our meal with the hushpuppies. They came out piping hot with a crispy exterior and a remoulade along its side. Biting into the hushpuppy, we were greeted with a filling that was delectably seasoned cornmeal and whole kernels in exact proportions. The remoulade was firm with a great texture and color, and a flavor that could have been supported a little with a tad more salt. This would have also let the remoulade balance the “fatty” mouthfeel of the hushpuppy itself. With that said, I wouldn’t hesitate to enjoy their hushpuppies any day. However, one can always find something to criticize, and for me, it would have to be that the fryer oil seemed a bit “aged.” Not a huge problem, just noticeable in color and some flavor.

Next up, the root salad. I would like to first note that we requested the bleu cheese on the side. The salad presented beautifully, with the dark greens of the kale and the bright and earthy colors of the beets and carrots. The one thing that could have improved the salad was if the mouthfeel had been considered and was more prominent. Having been passed through a Benriner, the carrots and beets lost the excitement that these vegetables can bring to your bite. The soft snap of a beet and a crisp tooth of carrot, combined with the multitude of textures kale gives, would have made every bite a delight and excitement.

Finally the hot chicken with mac and cheese. This dish surprised me, to say the least. The batter was crisp and spicy, while the meat was juicy and tender. To make it even better, the meat just soaked up the hot base and carried the heat across your palette from start to finish. With the exception of cooking at home, I don’t know the last time that I bit into a piece of chicken and thought that this is how it should be– delicious, moist, crisp, balanced heat, and utterly satisfying!

With such a star to the plate, I felt that the mac and cheese just couldn’t hold up to the chicken on its own. It was beautifully cooked and moderately seasoned, but to me, what made it pop and share the stage with the chicken was adding the bleu cheese saved from the salad, giving it a dynamic flavor that could cut through the residual heat on the palette. Soaking up the hot sauce from the chicken with the silky al dente pasta added the final flourish to the meal.

The food was close to comfort superb– dynamic, varying, and excellently prepared. But what made Bantam 46 stand out in my mind, and the Bellingham food scene, was the whole package. It was refreshing to experience that level of service and the shared enjoyment of the atmosphere. I not only plan to return and sample more of their fare, but enthusiastically recommend Bantam 46 to my friends and readers as well.