One of the hottest lunch spots in Marietta is not on the square. It’s a mile and a half north, right across from the always-expanding Kennestone Hospital.

This area has undergone a chain restaurant explosion in the past year. McAlister’s Deli and Panera Bread have both recently opened. I guess people are getting tired of hospital food. When you are on the road, McAlister’s and Panera are good, safe lunch spots. In Marietta, Canvas does lunch better.

We have visited twice. The first was on a rainy Sunday and the second was with Cobb County Dining Society founding members Bill and Stefanie on a Wednesday.

You stand in line to order and they bring you your meal. The one thing you must order is the avocado and egg dish from their breakfast (all day) menu.

Two poached eggs sit atop avocado mash, which sits atop baguette slices. The cherry tomatoes are marinated in a parsley and lemon oil. When you dig into the poached egg, it flows over the top, making this a wonderfully messy concoction. (Note to Canvas: we have seen this dish twice. The first time, the eggs were perfect. The second time, one egg was good, and the other one was almost hard-boiled.)

Something else you must try is the grits.

In this case, the grits come with a mushroom and truffle omelet. The eggs are full of mushrooms and brie. With the cheese, ‘shrooms and truffle oil, it’s a very “earthy” dish. Some are put off by truffles, but I find this omelet to be very enjoyable.

On our second visit, we order the healthiest thing on the menu along with a sandwich that makes your doctor cringe. (My doctor, who does not read this blog, is a vegetarian.)

The doctor would love the faro and quinoa bowl. There’s two more poached eggs (one runny, one overcooked–what is going on here?) with the grains, kale, avocado, cucumber, radish, sprouts, and a grilled tomato. It tastes good and it’s good for you. What more could you want, besides two runny eggs?

On the other end of the spectrum lies the Arthur Reuben.

They make the corned beef here. It’s smothered in sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. To make it even more juicy, they add Russian sauce. It comes warm and messy and is a joy to eat. Just don’t tell your doctor.

And you might not want to mention to your doctor what is down Canvas’ back stairs. In our next installment, we’ll visit Doughnut Dollies for dessert.

In the television business, we call that a “tease”.