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| - We finally had the opportunity to try this micro-restaurant in the Desoto. It was a Sunday night, so the place was fairly quiet. Walking up to the counter, we were intrigued by the menu. The chef was super friendly and explained each item in detail. Since we were with others, we ordered practically the entire menu, which, while small, is ambitious for the tiny space. We decide to go get cocktails at the main bar and by the time they were completed, nearly all of the food was ready. It is served in paper boats and cups and we headed upstairs to partake.
Every item was delicious. I particularly enjoyed their take on cauliflower which was twist on Buffalo chicken wings, but so much better. The fried cauliflower had blue cheese, a hot sauce and celery leaves. Much better than any wings I've ever had. The shaved catfish was pretty amazing, too. By cutting thin slices of catfish and then breading and frying them, the ratio of textures was considerably better than the traditional fried catfish filet. The pickled cabbage slaw was nice and tart to cut the richness. A couple of dishes featured traditional golden rice from the South and we loved how some of the rice was intentionally allowed to crust on the pan and char a bit. This resulted in textural interest and some smokey and charred notes.
Even though Stephen Jones, himself, was not in the kitchen, his fellow chefs executed everything well. The ingredients were true to Southern cuisine and the dishes were prepared in a way that respected the traditions while innovating. Nice work!
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