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| - I'll get the only negative out of the way first- the bread pudding wasn't spectacular. I know that every review says amazing things about it, and the description on the menu made my mouth water, but as much as I like desserts, I didn't eat much of mine. In fact, I went back to my hotel bar and ordered some strawberries with vanilla marscapone cream, and that was yummy!
Still, this was one of the best meals I've had in as long as I can remember. First, they brought cornbread and strawberry cornbread with cheese and Kudzu butter. I would have been satisfied with just that for dinner. But then, they brought the diver scallops appetizer with the sliced figs. They were tender. They were gently seared. They practically melted in my mouth. I detected a hint of tamarind, but it could be my imagination.
Thanks to fellow Yelper Zan F's recommendation, I passed up bison for the shrimp and grits and was glad I did. The shrimp and scallops were almost an afterthought, as I wanted to ask the waitress for a bowl of grits to go for breakfast the next day. The spicy smoky Tasso Gravy was a nice touch.
My dinner companion 'allowed' me a taste of the guinea hen, and that was cooked to perfection too. Crispy outside, fatty in some places, lean in others, but flavorful and supple all around. I really liked the spicy black kale too!
Compared to other restaurants of the same caliber, this isn't one of the pricier ones. The best part is their focus on using fresh ingredients from local farms. On top of that, the portions are just right- not selfishly small and not so large that you can't savor every dish put in front of you without busting your gut. I love this place, and I can't wait to get back to Charlotte, sink into one of their red, deep, cushiony seats for another culinary celebration.
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