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| South City Kitchen ~upscale casual **** 1144 Crescent Avenue Atlanta, GA 30309 404-873-7358 Located smack dab in bustling Midtown, South City Kitchen pleases natives and transplants alike with its witty take on classic Southern comfort food. Its sexy digs attract a sophisticated crowd that reflects the ‘hood: gay and straights couples and pals, business folks on expenses account, arty types, clubbers and Fred from the B52s who dined on one recent weeknight. After 10 years, this restaurant, part of the local chain Fifth Group, delivers value and consistency and very often, knockout food. MENU: **** This is contemporary Southern cooking at its best, freshened by two “Yankee” chefs” who cook mean Southern specialties. There’s no foie gras or truffles in sight, but there’s everything from cornmeal-crusted catfish to a non-traditional Appalachian cassoulet. If you’re a vegetarian, your choices are limited; otherwise, there are enough choices to entice you to over-order or plan another visit soon. Servings are generous—you’ll want to share. FOOD QUALITY: ***** Executive chef Dean Dupuis is a fanatic for “indigenous” ingredients and is passionate about the Southern food culture (don’t get him started on the Civil War background of fried green tomatoes). He uses locally grown produce, organic meats and poultry when possible and allow absolutely no frozen seafood pass the front door. A hundred pounds of Florida Gulf shrimp and black grouper are trucked up weekly—and you can taste the difference in the creamy sautéed shrimp and scallops over stone-ground grits (the mill’s been in business for a century). FOOD PRESENTATION: **** There are no annoying vertical towers to contend with here, just great looking ingredients arranged artfully on oversized white plates. No superfluous parsley, carved vegetables or fancy sauce flourishes, just stuff you really want to eat. ATMOSPHERE: **** Located in a two-story bungalow on a jumping street in Midtown, there’s a palatable buzz that may be a bit noisy to some seeking a more intimate vibe. Interesting art punctuates the walls, there’s white linen and candlelight, hardwood floors, lots of glass and chairs that are much more comfortable than they look. Solo? There’s seating at the bar overlooking the open kitchen. CLEANLINESS: ***** From the bathrooms to the kitchen and prep areas to the floor under your table, it’s all spotless. SERVICE: ***** Our server had only been there for three months, but she confidently recommended her favorite dishes without being prompted. When we waffled between two zinfandels, she gave an in-depth description of one that included the words “chocolate undercurrent.” Our water glasses were constantly refilled, a candle that extinguished was quickly relit, plates are removed expertly. This is warm, intelligent, attentive service delivered sans attitude. MENU RECOMMENDATIONS: For starters, the Maryland crab cake is popular, but opt for the sautéed chicken livers: luscious nuggets plunked atop creamed grits and caramelized onions—your mama never cooked like this. And don’t miss the hickory-smoked (and cured on the premises) wild salmon with okra-caper relish; it’s just divine. The jambalaya has a Tabasco kick—be forewarned—while the slow-cooked, fall off the bone pork shank with mac-n-cheese was a clear favorite. The pecan-crusted Carolina trout with butternut squash ravioli was a pleasure: perfectly cooked and the balance of flavors was just right. Chocolate pecan pie is a rich favorite, but I adored the light lemon chess pie with cream fraiche. OVERALL RATING: **** It had been a while since I visited South City Kitchen and it didn’t disappoint. This is confident cooking from a very well honed culinary team that interprets flavors with élan and has trained servers to match their professionalism. There’s a real pride of ownership here that translates into a well-choreographed staff. The menu doesn’t insult or intimidate you with its choices and offers something for everyone. The return on investment is solid, but you pay a bit more for this kind of experience (appetizers are around $9, entrees average $18). Said a companion “I’ve never had a bad meal here.” And in our fickle town, that is saying something. review by Suzanne Wright |
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