I wrapped up my last meeting of the day downtown, was by myself, saw it was 6:45, so I laced up and ran* over there, making it just in time to grab the only seat left at the bar. Let me rephrase that, there was a half a seat available at the bar. The other "half" was occupied by the belongings and half-an-ass of the incredibly inebriated girl (at 6:45 on a Thursday) at the stool next to it. And she was the better half of her date, who was a portly young lad in a blue blazer with brass buttons and a bow tie, who I expected to have an English accent, but didn't...or at least I couldn't decipher it through the spitting and slurring.
I knew I was in for it when I asked her if anyone was using the stool and couldn't understand her response except for a gesture that suggested no. That didn't prompt her to move either her posterior or her belongings though, which elicited a chuckle from the three guys to the right at the bar, who'd evidently been watching this show for a while. We got things situated, and I was a little disappointed, but also very pleased to see that Mr. and Mrs. Cocktail were wrapping things up and trying to get their bill.
I had a few minutes left on the happy hour, so wanted to put in an order quickly. I wasn't feeling like anything out of the ordinary, just wanted something simple, and I asked the bartender what the best thing on the menu was. Evidently the other half of my stool thought she was the bartender when she loudly chimed in with "Ghet sthe gah nocky."
What?
"Ghet sthe gah nocky! Sthe gah nocky is soooooooooo GHHHHOOOD!"
Gah Nocky (n) - small dumplings made from potato, semolina, or flour, usually served with a sauce. Also, usually spelled gnocchi, and pronounced with a silent G.
I didn't take her recommendation.
Instead went with one of the chef's favorite items, a fried egg sandwich with a side of fried okra, and then decided to also give the risotto fritter appetizer a go. The fried egg sandwich was good. Over easy egg that spilled out on the plate with the first bite, creating a nice little dipping sauce for the sandwich, a couple of strips of bacon, and a touch of cheese on some very light, very soft, and very thickly cut homemade bread, with a nice char on the outside to give it an initial crunch before giving in to the soft white bread that goes so well with a fried egg. Nothing fancy, just simple and good. The okra was also great. Sliced in one inch pieces on the bias and deep fried, it's got perfect crunch, is not slimy at all, and is served with a homemade "ranch" dressing which is actually a bright green herby and slightly spicy ranch spread. Very good with the okra, and very good compliments to the sandwich.
The risotto fritters. Little balls of risotto deep fried and served with a citrusy sofrito. The rice was cooked very well for the dish, leaving a little tooth left in it to give some texture underneath the thin, crispy exterior, and the sofrito did a nice job of cutting the oil in the risotto (don't get me wrong, these were not greasy at all). A nice appetizer, and well executed, but I'll probably opt for something with a little more punch next time.
So an appetizer, a sandwich, and a healthy side dose of okra, in addition to one of their signature cocktails, a tequila based Texas Negroni, ran me a whopping $13 before tip. Wow.
I'll be back for this deal for sure, and want to make sure I do so on a night when I'm in the mood for something more adventurous. What I've described above I realize makes this place sound like a diner of sorts, with a deep fryer and maybe a flat top. It's not at all, and is instead one of the best and most well regarded restaurants in town. Next Thursday I may give the fried oyster blt with green goddess aioli ($4.25) a go, or maybe the grilled bar steak with fries ($9.50) or the quail with blue cheese, apple and celery ($4.50).
This is a great place for a meal, or to stop in after work with some friends for a drink. It's a classy atmosphere, a little trendy maybe but not in a bad way, with a great, long bar to sit at, and plenty of tables in the bar as well.
I'll be back.
Summary
Atmosphere - classy with a tilt toward trend, good for a date, good for a group, good if you're flying solo, great for happy hour, and a great bar to sit at
Food - upscale new American, seafood
Dog Friendly - no
When to Go - happy hour, dinner
Crowd - dressy, trendsters, 30somethings, drunk chicks, guys with bow ties, hotchicks
*"Run", "ran", or any derivation thereof really just means "walked briskly. I don't run.
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