Hot Dish Review

This is one of those events that I would not believe existed if I didn’t see it with my own eyes. Imagine….a packed stadium of 1200 guests watching a wild west show complete with horses jumping through rings of fire and lumberjacks pitted against each other in friendly competition.

Our group of six sat a few rows back….a better view and less smell from the horses, according to DC. Indeed, I would prefer not to smell manure while eating. Dinner is prix fix and served without utensils. From the folks we talked to at Dollywood, both the ride operators and the visitors, it was clear that food in Pigeon Forge would be best if it didn’t require chewing. Attention: all dentists please report to the Smoky Mountains!

Here’s how the Dixie Stampede works: you have a choice of Pepsi or iced tea (would you like some tea with your sugar, sugar?) a creamy vegetable soup is poured from a pitcher into a bowl with a little handle. It tasted like cream of mushroom to me. Another server placed biscuits on each plate with practiced speed.

Shortly after the last sip of soup was slurped, the bowls were whisked away and replaced by a whole rotisserie chicken, which sits all alone on each plate until it is joined by half a potato. Moments later a dry slice of pork joins in, then a half ear of corn on the cob. All the while, horses are pulling wagons with cowgirls singing along to country tunes, all recorded by, you guessed it, Dolly Parton. If there was a story line, I wasn’t paying attention, only that the opposite side of the stadium represented the North, while our side was for the South. Good.

Horses galloped, a woman from the audience was hidden in a barrel, and everyone tore their chickens apart by hand. The skin was not crisp so I pulled it off, picking off bits of leg and thigh. With meat under my nails, I took a big gulp of my tea before gnawing the kernels off the corn cob. The tasteless potato was simply filler. In fact, the entire dinner was filler, designed to entice the hungry masses to see a show at dinnertime.

Our plates were cleared as we packed up the leftover chicken in a doggie bag. The show continued as another wave of servers came by with dessert, huge apple turnovers that could have browned in the oven a few more minutes, but were nonetheless hot and crispy.

At the conclusion, a huge video screen appeared with Dolly singing a patriotic song in a sequined red, white, and blue costume. Yes, it was a spectacle to behold.

Speaking of spectacles, I almost forgot the buffalo! A small herd of well-trained buffalo made a special appearance….don’t ask me why, I can’t explain it.

The show, including food service, was complete in 1 1/2 hours, like clockwork. Also, no photos are allowed so I only took nine or so. Notably, there is no alcohol served during the Dixie Stampede, so make sure to get liquored up beforehand. You’re gonna need it.

Weeks after our drive back from Kentucky, I am finally getting to the food. Derby parties consisted of plenty of liquor and the ubiquitous BBQ. Dry rubbed or smoked, BBQ was present at practically every meal, from the sandwiches at Churchhill Downs to the graduation party we attended right before hitting the road.

Not that the BBQ wasn’t delicious. We had amazing ribs, tender pulled pork and juicy chicken slathered in mustardy sauce. But folks that know me know that BBQ is not at the top of my list.

On our way back to Atlanta, LC and I stopped for dinner at O’Charley’s somewhere in Tennessee. Another thing I’m not a fan of….national restaurant chains. But at least we’d have the option to eat something other than BBQ!

Having stopped at an off-track betting place on the Kentucky border where LC won a couple of grand, we were running late, so we took a seat at the bar in hopes of getting a quick meal. We didn’t even order any drinks.

The menu at O’Charley’s doesn’t hold any great surprises. Its choices, like potato skins and spinach artichoke dip, are pedestrian yet somehow comforting as well.

LC decided on the cedar planked tilapia with broccoli cheese casserole on the side. A special appetizer of chicken tortilla soup was half price, so he got that to start. I ordered the California chicken salad, a dish that has become somewhat standard, even at chains. Made with grilled chicken on field greens and romaine, it was topped with blue cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, candied pecans, mandarin oranges and strawberries. Fruit overkill. LC had the strawberries and mandarins for dessert.

His soup was a tasty bowl of sodium. The “healthy” fish entree was slathered with butter and the broccoli, of course, was baked with cheese, cream, and butter. Vegetables just aren’t worth a darn without cheese, right? Despite the butter, it probably was the least artery clogging dish on the menu.

Honestly, my salad was really good, although I’m pretty sure the chicken was not organic. The greens were fresh and crisp and the contrast of tart cranberries and sweet candied pecans has become a classic.

I can’t say I’d choose O’Charley’s in the city limits, given the numerous authentic restaurants, but it was a good choice on the road.

This should be the standard for all air travel….after enjoying a snack and drinks in the Sky Lounge, take a leisurely stroll to the jet where you can casually slip on your comfy socks and sip a little champagne.

First Class, now called Business Elite, on Delta is the ultimate in comfort on overnight flights, providing noise cancelling headsets and fully reclining seats. And then there’s the food. You know all the clinking of silverware you hear when you are in coach? Yeah, that’s First Class getting real food while you are removing the plastic wrappers and foil from your TV-dinner-like meal (more on those later).

Flight attendants in First Class take your order before you leave the ground. It’s cute that the options are in English and German….my first taste of my native language in quite some time. Celeb chef Michelle Bernstein designed some of the swanky dishes.

There is a choice for the first course, however, generally you get both. We had rosemary duck breast and couscous salad with dried fruit and almonds….indeed! Of course the duck was well-done, but the flavor of the dish was nice and I always love dried fruit with duck. Pumpkin bisque soup, “Kuerbiscremesuppe” auf Deutsch, the other appetizer choice, paired nicely with the duck and couscous.

Having already had two glasses of champagne, I chose the 2006 Chateau Beaumont bordeaux to have with my meal. Mom tried a South African chenin blanc that was similar to a good sauvignon blanc.

The second course was a large salad of mixed greens with yellow peppers, pecans, and blue cheese with balsamic vinaigrette. Nice and fresh.

Given the choice of grilled beef tenderloin with shrimp scampi or crab cakes, both me and my Mom chose the latter. For me, it was the fact that all meat is cooked well-done and I prefer beef medium-rare. Plus, the crab cakes came with baked spaghetti squash and braised leeks. Braised leeks!

The entree was very well-executed, with two meaty crab cakes and those meltingly delicious leeks. There was a bit too much nutmeg in the spaghetti squash though. And Mom complained about the copious mound of lemon aioli that sat between the two cakes.

Next was the cheese course or dessert. Actually, I have been known to have both, but this time Mom got the cheese and I got the ice cream sundae made with vanilla ice cream, strawberry sauce, chopped nuts, and whipped cream….very traditional.

After a second glass of red wine, I watched the Oscar winning movie The King’s Speech. It was awesome, but left only a couple of hours to try to sleep.

The next thing I knew the smell of coffee filled the cabin and we were awakened from our slumber to be served yet another meal of scrambled eggs on English muffins topped with melted cheese, spinach, served with Canadian bacon and a croissant. No doubt they feed you well in First Class!

Arriving in Frankfurt, the city of my birth, always causes me to reflect on the years that have passed since my last visit. So much has changed! Am I on the right path? I can see myself in one or two years, landing in Frankfurt once more. Then I will know the answers to all the questions I have now, but there’s always a list of new ones.

The four of us rolled into Athens like a circus, B wearing a multicolored neon fur. How appropriate that we ended up at a pub called Trappeze for a bite to eat before Widespread Panic.

It also happened to be J’s birthday so we chose a couple of beers, Terrapin I believe, among the pub’s selection of fifty on draft to celebrate. Cheers to another year!

B and I wanted to eat light so we each ordered a mini burger topped with caramelized onions and beer cheese. She added a cup of beer cheese soup made with cheddar and onions. LC tried the roasted turkey and Swiss sandwich with house cut sweet potato fries on the side. Guess who ate most of them. J ordered a big fat bacon cheeseburger with more of those sweet potato fries….nutrition be damned on your birthday!

When the food came out B fixated on J’s scrumptious looking burger covered with bacon and melted cheese and decided she wanted that instead. Her soup was cheesy yet somehow not heavy. I added an extra spoonful to my mini burger which had great beef flavor, especially with the sweet caramelized onions.

LC’s sandwich was fantastic. Roasted turkey, Swiss cheese, housemade guacamole, sprouts, and bacon made a perfect combination on toasted sourdough bread. The sweet potato fries were hot and crispy with a light sprinkling of sea salt. Honey with mustard seeds was provided for dipping.

B ate half of her big burger, washing it down with a very generous pour of pinot noir. The woman’s got self-control, I would have eaten the whole f*ckin’ thing. Service at Trappeze was friendly and fast and the food was most impressive.

Then it was show time!

269 North Hull Street, Suite 6, Athens 706-543-8997

Now that my office is near Buford Highway, tempting tacos and fiery pho are just moments away. Last week, I invited my friend BG out to lunch for his birthday. His Mom is Vietnamese, so I let him choose the restaurant….Dai Loi #2. Ironically, it is the same one I have visited several times, located in one of dozens of Asian strip malls on the street.

The decor is not nearly as gawdy as I remembered, save for the huge crystal chandeliers. Walls are turquoise and deep red, an unusual combination that I really like. Faux marble tables are cluttered with Sriracha and other condiments.

No need to waste time perusing the menu….the numerous photos won’t help you. All you need to know is you are ordering pho Thai, the one with beef and no tripe. Unless, of course, you want the long clear tendrils of grizzly tripe.

BG and I ordered a small bowl each. The traditional accompaniments arrived in seconds…a plate of bean sprouts, fresh jalapeno slices, basil, and cilantro and limes. Moments later, two steaming bowls of pho were delivered. Customizing your pho can take some time, adding some hot sauce, maybe a bit of hoisin sauce, and copious handfuls of herbs.

Pho is made with oxtail broth, flavored with onion and cilantro. Very thin slices of raw beef are added at the end, cooking in the hot broth while the bowl is enroute to your table. A tangle of rice noodles rest at the bottom of the bowl. Slurp them up with your chopsticks along with a tender slice of beef, crunchy bean sprouts, and fragrant herbs. Wipe your brow as the sriracha takes effect.

I love Vietnamese food, from pho to lettuce wraps with grilled meats dipped in fish sauce, it is a cuisine rich in flavor and tradition, and naturally healthy.

At lunch with BG, I caught a glimpse of the dessert menu and commented on how I crave the authentic dessert drink made of crushed ice, red beans (or bean paste), coconut milk, and jelly candies. Sounds like a freakshow, right? Turns out, BG finds the weird riot of textures somewhat disconcerting. I had to order one to go.

Dai Loi’s dessert contained two kinds of beans, one large white variety and the typical red beans, a.k.a. azuki, both canned in high fructose corn syrup specifically for use in sweets. The addition of crushed peanuts was a pleasant surprise. Chewy, crunchy, wonderfully weird.

4186 Buford Highway 404-633-2111

Dinner Party Atlanta did it again, hosting a dinner for nearly 40 guests at the Atlanta Ballet’s new space on Marietta Boulevard. BB and I arrived just as DC was lighting candles, placing them strategically along the mirrored wall of a rehearsal studio.

Dramatic lighting set the stage for an eventful evening, but there was plenty of drama on our way to the venue. BB and his driver, Warren, picked me up after a frenzied day at work. After a few moments enroute I realized the ribbon ties on my dress were loose. Numerous attempts to tighten it produced the opposite result, finally proving futile as the ribbon was broken. I re-laced it in the dark and secured it at the shoulder by turning my head nearly backwards, Linda Blair style. Disaster averted!

I breathed a sigh of relief, rummaging through my bag for my powder compact. It wasn’t there. Sonofabitch. Pulling into the venue’s parking lot, Warren dropped us off and sprang into action, memorizing the brand and color of powder I needed, then delivering it tout de suite.

Greeted with a deceptively light rum cocktail, KC showed us the space. One long table ran the length of the dark room, set with a black tablecloth, white napkins, and lots of glasses sparkling in the candlelight. Across the hall a group of little girls danced their hearts out.

In a perfectly choreographed dance of food and wine, the meal began with a shot of bright yellow pepper soup. Suspended by a spear of asparagus above the liquid was a crispy crab beignet. A glass of Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Reserve from Austria started the wine service, expertly chosen by sommelier John Dirga.

The second course was a tuna-less Nicoise salad constructed of haricots verts, fingerling potatoes confit, organic lettuces, and a tiny hard boiled quail egg, the salad paired nicely with a crisp white from France.

Third, we were served a dish of chilled pickled Georgia shrimp topped with ribbons of cucumber and daikon radish. There was a drizzle of egglant-miso puree beneath the shrimp and a couple of cubes of watermelon, making it seem more like a Summer dish. As a cucumber hater I quickly removed the offensive bits and proceed to enjoy the huge shrimp and the garlic croustini that was served alongside. Some folks do not care for sweet wines, but I loved the German spatlese riesling paired with this course. Blame it on my heritage!

Chef Shane Devereux doesn’t produce generous servings, but rather concise compositions, each component playing its roll providing texture, color, flavor. The main course on October 29th was a perfect example. Venison loin was first marinated in black mission fig puree and sherry vinegar, then cooked to a deep scarlet rare. The result was exceedingly tender meat, sliced into thin medallions and placed on a brightly hued carrot puree, accented with crispy chanterelle mushrooms (OK, I thought it was onions but the menu said mushrooms) and the odd addition of crunchy granola. A dish fit for Fall and the only course that merited a red wine, a dry blend from France.

Dessert was a rustic seckle pear tart accompanied by a dollop of salted creme, a fantastic contrast. A dessert white from Portugal finished the show.

Not only did we enjoy an amazing meal prepared by chef Shane Devereux, we were all part of the culinary rat pack’s pilot for a new reality series on NBC. Filming was so discrete that diners may have been unaware that it was taking place.

Afterwards, we all headed to The Sound Table where Dam Funk tore it up! I danced off the entire meal and then some.

The Dinner Party Atlanta guys never fail to surprise, with their ingenius locations and young culinary talents coming together to create a dining experience unique to our city. In one evening they turn a bare space, warehouse, or penthouse, into the most desired of destinations, a clandestine event only twenty to thirty lucky folks are invited to attend. Imagine opening a restaurant in just one day. That’s what Darren, Patrick, and their kickass staff do almost every other week!

Last Friday was my third Dinner Party event, this one in the partners’ potential new restaurant space, with their new chef, Julia LeRoy, preparing the five course meal. Very appropriate considering my dining companion was BB, another restaurateur on the verge of opening his place in Brookhaven. Two tables draped in white ran the length of the spacious patio. The weather was absolutely perfect for dining al fresco.

Shane Devereux of Top Flr and Sound Table is often the chef of such affairs, but he was out of town, giving the guys the perfect opportunity to showcase LeRoy’s skills.

After a minor snafu with cocktails, service was flawless the rest of the evening.

Her approach is simple and seasonal, with a focus on home-grown produce and humanely raised animals. Our first course was a chicken rillette, served in a little Mason jar and topped with a pickled vegetable and cilantro salad. Much less fatty than most rillettes, it was a solid starter. Only issue….rillette is generally served with bread. A rustic piece toast on which to spread the rillette would have elevated it to a ten.

John Dirga did a brilliant job with the wine pairings, his first not a wine at all but a sparkling ale, Cooper’s from Adelaide, Australia. A perfect match with the vinegary punch of the pickles.

A salad of watercress and baby radish was dressed with a buttermilk dressing featuring small chunks of a creamy feta made locally by Decimal Place Farm, perhaps even from the very goat that LeRoy milked a few months ago! A refreshing sauvignon blanc complimented the simple greens.

Butternut squash bisque displayed a vibrant flavor and color, unadorned except for a drizzle of olive oil. Dirga chose a crisp, light albarino from Spain. I think the squash could have stood up to a red, maybe a pinot noir? Truth is, I was tiring of whites, to hell with pairing.

Leroy’s main course was an outrageously juicy roasted pork tenderloin. The meat’s pinkish color was mirrored in the accompanying stewed pink eyed peas. Roasted baby turnips and braising greens provided a slightly bitter contrast. A cab franc from the Loire Valley in France was less dry than I expected, having been decanted prior to service. Lovely.

An Alsatian gewurtztraminer set the stage for a creative dessert, highlighting a variety of textures and temperatures. LeRoy prepared a homey blueberry Betty, topped with toasted bread crumbs and bits of chewy crystallized ginger, then a dollop of pear sorbet that was pure fruit.

Everyone chatted, exchanging cards and laughs. You never know who you might meet and what kind of business deals can be struck at a Dinner Party!

Following my inaugural Widespread weekend with B, we were coerced into brunch at Hobnob (will post when I receive the photos) after arriving back into Atlanta from the remote state of Cumming.

A shower washed off the makeup and the mud, but instead of tucking into my ridiculously comfortable and enormous bed, I ended up hopping in the car with LC and T to check out some football at Taco Mac. We chose (OK….I chose) the Metropolis location due to its proximity to T’s hotel, the Palomar. Known for their huge selection of specialty beers and wings, the space is big enough to comfortably seat 5 or 6 NFL teams with flat screens in every direction. I’ve tried their “death wings” in the past which are, needless to say, deadly hot.

The fried green tomato benedict called the “hangover helper” at Hobnob, plus the three mimosas, had perked me up quite nicely. Now at Taco Mac, I was craving onion rings. The three of us ordered the NEW! queso poblano, a bowl of melted white cheese with ground beef, poblanos, jalapenos, and cilantro in the center, served with a basket of not-so-good corn chips. Their salsa had a nice kick.

A couple of Miller Lites later, LC decided on the NEW! Buffalo chicken tacos. Among the choices of sides he got the fresh veggies. Why? You’re at a sports bar not a salad bar. Anyway, a bowl of chicken tortilla soup and a side of onion rings sounded like the perfect cure for me. T made the wise decision to get a cheeseburger, cooked medium. Then he made the bad call of apples on the side. WTF?

Food arrived but there was a flag on the play. LC dove into his broccoli as I pounced on the onion rings. It is possible (although a long shot) that his broccoli was better than my onion rings. With an ultra-thick breading, they were the kind that the slice of onion pulls out of the breading when you take a bite. Obviously frozen. I sent them back and ordered fries instead. I hated to do it but had to send the soup back as well because it was barely luke warm.

My soup came back piping hot and hopefully not with any unsavory additives. Corn, chicken, and some peppers and tomatoes in a stew-like broth was soothing and satisfying. Fries were delivered sizzling, straight out of the fryer. They were certainly better than the half-ass onion rings.

I took a bite of one of LC’s Buffalo chicken tacos, a flour tortilla filled with fried chicken nuggets tossed in hot wing sauce, blue cheese, cole slaw, and tomatoes. The chicken tenders weren’t spicy and I didn’t care for the blue cheese. Overall, they scored low. T offered me a bite of his cheeseburger which was the real winner of the day.

Another beer for dessert and we headed out, only moments away from my soft and fluffy bed. Game over.

All of the restaurants in my Top Ten are dinner spots where I order fatty pork, decadent foie gras, and anything wrapped with bacon, stuffed with butter, or covered in hollandaise. Except one.

Dynamic Dish is an organic, mostly vegetarian restaurant on Edgewood that I have only visited for lunch, although they do serve dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. I love it.

Saturday I picked up my Mom to take her to the airport. We got back into Atlanta right at lunch time so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to take her to Dynamic Dish.

Thanks to her passion for healthy eating, I grew up with an understanding of nutrition and vitamins that very few people are lucky enough to have. Making healthier versions of Southern classics as well as experimenting with trendy health foods like wheat germ (that’s right, it was the ’70′s!), tofu, and soy milk made my childhood rather unique and ultimately, food became my passion as well. My parents look much younger than their 60 plus years which I directly attribute to their emphasis on a healthy diet and supplements, rather than relying on pharmaceuticals to “cure” them.

So I knew my Mom would appreciate the fresh, clean, organic food at Dynamic Dish. Chef and owner David Sweeney was behind the counter when we arrived. I introduced them, mentioned her imminent flight to Germany, whereupon he began speaking German! I had completely forgotten his background, having spent years in Germany making and delivering vegetarian meals to a select clientelle. Funny how the universe works.

Perhaps my first visit to Dynamic Dish this year, the sunny space has undergone a recent facelift, adding a dark gray tile backsplash and more barstools for what will soon be a full service bar. David informed me he would finally have his liquor license in a matter of weeks! He plans to extend the hours, serving lunch and dinner six days a week. Great news, but I miss the big blackboard menu.

The day’s offerings were written instead on three pieces of brown paper attached to the side wall. Now guests enjoy table service rather than ordering at the counter, however, the once-complimentary bread and butter will now cost you $3.

Mom and I chose to split a bowl of chilled Haas avocado soup, a cool puree with yogurt and ginger. Topped with chopped tomatoes and cilantro, I thought it might remind me of guacamole, but the sharp zing of ginger gave the soup a bright, zippy character. A sprinkling of sunflower seeds provided textural interest.

We also split a roasted tofu sandwich with carrots, onions, and basil pesto on thick slices of fresh organic bread. Pesto is my favorite Italian sauce but it often contains copious amounts of garlic so we got it on the side. Somewhat small, our sandwich was piled high with sweet roasted carrots and onions. We both spread a generous amount of pesto on our portions….so much for taking it easy on the garlic! Sweeney’s pesto was made with lots of it, but it was so good I was eating it out of the side dish with my fork.

Although most of the menu remains vegetarian, I was surprised to see a turkey sandwich with bacon (what what?) offered. Sweeney’s brief menu changes daily based upon his creative whims and what is available at market.

From his innovative cuisine to his quirky location, David Sweeney’s passion for his craft has made Dynamic Dish a success.

427 Edgewood Ave. 404-688-4344

Driving through my neighborhood a few months ago, I noticed a new restaurant had quickly taken over Figo’s old location. It would have been hard to miss, with its red awning sporting a catchy name and tagline, Goin’ Coastal….a sustainable seafood joint.

My curiousity piqued, I googled it. The original location is in Canton. Happily, I do not know exactly where that is. I’m a city chick and easily develop amnesia regarding suburbs, not to mention my direction dyslexia.

I love seafood, primarily shellfish. And the promise of super-fresh seafood fished from environmentally sound waters is certainly appealing! LC accompanied me, ready to do some serious seafood sampling.

Black and white photos of fishermen adorn the pale turquoise walls. Reddish wooden chairs with black leather seats and solid black wood tables sit upon concrete floors. The open kitchen and bar sit a few steps above the main dining room in the multi-level space. Pendant lights emit a soft glow, illuminating the blackboards with daily specials. Brown paper table-dressings add a casual flair to the fishy theme but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a chain. Almost too clean, it felt like it was a concept being groomed for franchising.

Starting in on the specials before taking our drink order, our server was clearly nervous. Perhaps it was her first day but as the evening wore on she proved to be quite competent. Water please.

She brought out a basket of what can best be described as corn muffins. Too cakelike in texture, straight-up cornbread would have been better. I needed a drink. For a seafood joint their cocktail list was quite intriguing. I ordered the coconut lime rickey and LC tried the watermelon jalapeno margarita.

We started off with sweet potato chips with a blue cheese dip, a bowl of she crab soup and a baked oyster sampler. I don’t know what I was expecting but the chips were just like the ones you can buy in a bag in the health food section at the supermarket. I guess I was hoping they would be very thickly sliced, or perhaps spiced with cayenne or black pepper or something. On the plus side, they were not at all greasy, just nothing special.

Our cocktails, however, were special! I enjoyed my rickey but it was LC’s watermelon jalapeno margarita that stole the show. Only mildly sweet with the fruit juice and slightly tart from a dash of fresh lime, it finished with a swift kick in the pants from the jalapeno. A salted rim was icing on the cake.

My only experience with she crab soup is, again, from a can at the supermarket. Called she crab because it is made using cream and the roe from the female crab (obviously), it has a distinct, rich flavor. LC and I agreed, Goin’ Coastal’s rendition of this seafood classic did have good flavor but there was something off about the texture.

I’m not an oyster lover but if I must partake, at least I’d rather have them cooked. So we ordered the baked sampler with two Rockefeller, two crab stuffed, and two parmasean garlic. On our order of six, some were huge, some were tiny. Of the three, the crab stuffed were my favorite.

Chef and co-owner Zach Kell brought out a plate of steamed side-striped shrimp from Alaska. Especially sweet, they required no seasoning at all, not even a dip in the drawn butter was necessary.

Along with the peel ‘n’ eat shrimp, our server placed a white ceramic dish on our table with three little white dots inside. Then, from a tiny metal pitcher, she poured water onto the dots, making them expand right before our eyes. They were like freeze-dried towelettes! I was very impressed.

By this time we were on our third watermelon jalapeno margarita each. They packed some heat but clearly not much alcohol. For an entree LC chose the freshly caught swordfish with cheese grits and collards on the side. Despite having tomatoes in it, I ordered the low country boil with scallops, shrimp, crab legs, and mussels plus a side of the jalapeno corn bread pudding.

Simply grilled, I thought the swordfish looked overcooked when it came to the table, but LC loved it. His grits were fantastic. He liked the collards because they weren’t cooked to mush, but they would have benefitted from a liberal dose of vinegar.

My low country boil was good, but not stellar. Fish stews are challenging due to the varying cooking times of different shellfish. The scallops were perfectly cooked leaving the shrimp a tad tough. Crusty bread that came with it was awesome. Although submerged in a tomatoey broth , the crab legs had to be cracked by hand. Thank goodness for the magic towelettes!

The savory and spicy jalapeno corn bread pudding, baked in its own ramekin, turned out to be my favorite dish.

There are many dishes on the menu we didn’t get to taste. I was interested in the fried Creole salad but our server would not endorse it. Lobster and peekytoe crab cakes sound delicious. And I wouldn’t turn down a duo of roasted and fried shrimp served on grits with andouille sausage gravy.

A couple more watermelon jalapeno margaritas went down as we chatted, finishing it all off with a mini chocolate cake with blueberry sauce.

I wanted to love it, I was hoping it would wow me. I think they take great care in their sourcing and I appreciate that but in the end, what works in a small town might not fly smack in the middle of the trendy Virginia Highlands. After all, we are food snobs.

1021 Virginia Avenue 404-941-9117