Amuse Bouche from the Chef: Deviled Eggs
A fun little amuse from Chef Art Smith. They were good deviled eggs, not amazing, but very delicious. They were creamy with a little paprika for a slight bit of heat. They were more fun than anything else and we were all starving from our day of running.Art Smith's Southern Version of Bread: Parmesan Buttermilk Biscuits
Parmesan and buttermilk. The combination just sounds good. Cheesy, moist and not quite as heavy as they sound. Very delicious and a great bread for cheese lovers. Given that it was parmesan cheese, it would actually work for even those that don't love cheese as parmesan is more mild, sharp and nutty.First Appetizer: Low-Country Shrimp and Grits
Wild Gulf Shrimp, Stone-Ground White Corn Grits & Spicy Tomato Stew
Smith is known for his grits, so we absolutely had to get this from the menu. Grits are usually self explanatory, but Smith adds the right amount of seasoning to make them savory and creamy in texture. The corn is cooked in a way that you still get a lot of bite from the dish instead a mouthful of mush. Smith complements the dish well with the heat from his spicy tomato stew. It's not as much of a stew than a liquid topping. Bold and full of flavor, it is integrated well with the shrimp who sit and just soak up the goodness.
Second Appetizer: Fried Green Tomatoes
Romesco Puree, Pickled Red Bell Pepper & Orange Creme Fraiche
These tomatoes were still crunchy and firm to the bite - a good southern appetizer to resemble the flavors from the deep south. Smith sure knows his bread crumb coatings- it wasn't heavy at all, allowing the tanginess of the fresh green tomato to shine through.
Side: Three Cheese Mac
I agree that no description is necessary, but I'm going to post one anyway. This dish contains almost 1lb of cheese, but is surprisingly not overwhelmingly cheesy. The cheese explosion goes everywhere and my first question was: how do they get all of that cheese off of that bowl? It's literally caked to the noodles, drooling over the side of the bowl, and oozing onto the saucer below it. From our second visit, we found out that the noodles are bathed in a mixture of bechamel sauce and white cheddar, then mounded under a pile (and I mean mountain) of cheddar cheese. Baked in a stone oven, the signature dish is cooked until its bubbling and overflowing with cheesy goodness.
First Entree: Low Country Jambalaya
Bay Scallops, Mussels, Crawfish, Amish Chicken & Chorizo Sausage
Wooh! This dish was SPICY! A bit more spice than I probably would have liked, as it was difficult to get through all of the delectable seafood. There was as much heat as there was flavor, and although the seafood was cooked well, the balance was just slightly off. Nevertheless, this dish is on the right path, but could use a bit more refinement.
Second Entree: Striped Bass with Seafood Bisque
This was the special of the night which worked out well. Loved the crispy texture of the bass, and the aromatic flavors of the bisque. Executed well, but I wouldn't say it was a memorable dish for years to come. There was a little langoustine lobster section adorning the bass. What's not to love about that??
Third Entree: Berkshire Pork Chop
Chorizo Crumble, Great Northern White Beans, Pine Nuts, Guajillo & Date Sauce
The pork chop was a bit dry and chewy- our table wasn't as impressed with this plate. As an accompaniment, the date sauce didn't help to bring the level of this dish up. Most likely wouldn't try it again. Art Smith- please stick to your mac and cheese.
Dessert 1: Southern Pecan Pie
Shortbread Crust,
At this point, we were trying to make room for the heavy lifting of dessert. After we had ordered the Hummingbird cake, the server came out with the pecan pie in hand. Upon realizing his mistake, he graciously gifted us the pie on the house. Wasn't sure if that was exactly what we had wanted at that point, but at this point, it's all about making lemons into lemonade. So we ate it anyway. The pie was good- not a unique dessert that I would remember nor go back to the restaurant for, but a good homemade southern treat. The cold and creamy vanilla bean ice cream didn't hurt either :)
Dessert 2: Hummingbird Cake
A banana-pineapple cake with cream cheese frosting and vanilla gelato. The cake wasn't as heavy as we thought it would be, but it's definitely one that you will need to split amongst several people. We loved the pineapple and the cinnamon and all-spice flavors of the cake. And of course, when anyone adds a cream cheese frosting, what's not to love? Note to self: Make sure you go and run a couple of miles before you go anywhere near Art Smith's restaurant. You'll gain wait just walking by. But it'll be worth it.
Finisher: Meringue with Caramel & Drizzled Chocolate
