The Southern: A Conversation Over Brunch

After a long sleepless night, the FSC eats at the Southern for Brunch. Animesh, Jschus and KidItamae regroup to discuss the meal.

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KidItamae: This is the first time [that I remember, not counting that time I was sleep eating] that I’ve gone out to brunch after a sleepless night at the hospital. So, the memory of the food is a bit hazy, a bit like a vivid dream [after which you wake up full]. I wonder if my stupor enhanced or inhibited my experience? Anyhow, let’s talk about the restaurant, and maybe you can help fill the blanks to my memory.

Restaurant Décor:

Animesh: The interior was made from roughly-hewn wood and stone, all in rectilinear arrangements, as though we were meeting in a rough draft for Fallingwater.

KidItamae: It is rustic and filled with a warm distressed wood. The décor seems like such a departure from the Miami-chic of Chaise Lounge, which seemed like a unique concept in the cold of Chicago. But I suppose this may suit our city better. But it also seems like with all the gastropubs and restaurants serving upscale comfort food have a similar look.

Jschus: I am always a big fan of being able to eat and have my feet dangle off the chair and not touch the floor. And I liked the wood. The bar was nice, modern, and with clean lines.

Drinks:

KidItamae: I didn’t order a drink, but I think it’s fabulous that Jschus ordered a ‘Dirty Peach’. I feel a nickname coming.

Animesh: My Old Fashioned came and it was bitter with cheap grenadine. I took it as warning.

Jschus: I ordered the ‘Dirty Peach’ in hopes that my high school nickname would recur. It was sweet and ok.

Food:
Animesh: We were 4 and we ordered for 5. Pancakes for dessert.

KidItamae: Are you saying we should have ordered more? Because I would.

Animesh: The shrimp and grits were pleasing, with smoke and spice. Plump, sweet and briny shrimp.

KidItamae: I have been on shrimp and grits tear lately and was especially excited to try Cary Taylor’s ever since they have been talking about the Chicago shrimp and grits throwdown. The Three Sister’s Farms grits were smooth. I’m not sure whether the smokiness was from the cheddar or the Frank’s Red Hot. But the grits may have been my favorite thing we ate. The flavors were complex, and peppers added a nice sweetness. Really makes me what to try the grits at Kith and Kin.

Jschus: So in my tour of the south, I ate shrimp and grits the following night in Nashville. And these were better. Don’t even get me started on how I don’t like grits. Grits are a waste and merely a vector for whatever food that you put on it- butter, cheese, sugar. But these were amazing! I think there was cream in them.

Animesh: There was a deconstructed gumbo: braised chicken and okra over rice, with a poached egg. There was good flavor in the braise, all tomatoey, but the rice was a dry clump, and I thought the egg was a footnote reminding us we were having brunch.

KidItamae: I’m not sure I’d say it was deconstructed as re-configured. All the components of gumbo were in the original form, just in different proportions. Either way, it was my least favorite by far for the reasons you listed. Mushy clumped rice is so distracting. I’m also not sure that a dryer, less soupy gumbo is necessarily a good thing.

Jschus: I didn’t even know it was deconstructed. How was it deconstructed? It was just gumbo. And not very good gumbo. I thought it was somewhat bland and lacking spice.

Animesh: A colossal ramekin of mac-n-cheese with sausage and custardy eggs came, to our delight. You can't blame the dish for containing too much food for even 4 people to finish. The mac was up to the task of feeding us. Even better, it was up to the task of feeding our worst hangover. We were sober, but we knew it would have our back if we needed.

KidItamae: I was worried when they first presented that massive mac n’ cheese. We were deep into the entrees when it came out and I was worried it was going to be heavy, but I thought it was very light. Even though I was already getting full, I kept wanting to eat. The scrambled eggs, smoked gouda and garlic sausage made for a delicate and delicious breakfast pasta.

Jschus: So this was my pick. It was good but not my favorite. I liked the garlic sausage. It broke up the creaminess of the mac and cheese. But it would be way too much for one person to eat the entire plate.

Animesh: The fried chicken was masterful. A crisp, craklin' crust, popping with celery seed (ID'd by my astute companion). Inside, the flesh was moist, with white and dark equally tender.

KidItamae: Chicken and biscuits are an irresistible combination. The chicken was moist with the slightest tang. The really interesting part of the chicken was the skin. It was thin, crispy and profoundly savory. [Did Animesh just call me an @$$ toot?]

Jschus: This was my favorite dish. I have talked about this dish every day since we have eaten there. Primarily to say that it was better than any chicken and biscuits I have had in the south…and better than Table 52. The chicken was moist, tender, and delicious even without the skin. With the skin, it was heaven. Perfectly crisp without being greasy which is hard to find in the south. I will leave the biscuit discussion to the boys. I cannot put it better.

Animesh: And a word on the sides: the biscuits were pillowy moist squares of comfort. A few links of andouille sausage were sweet with the kick of garlic and pimenton.

KidItamae: The biscuits were fluffy, buttery and everything good biscuits should be. With a drizzle of honey the biscuits became a dessert on their own.

Animesh: And for dessert: I was leerly of the recommendation our server made -- bacon chocolate chip pancakes, which he explained he liked because he thought the flavor combo was unusual. That was red flag number one. In 2010 it is not unusual. However, the flapjacks were good. The thick chunks of smoky bacon, and the chocolate chips, were sandwiched between the cakes, melting away. Maple syrup and a sweetly spiced butter rounded out the plate. The cakes themselves were moist and well-griddled. The green server was redeemed.

KidItamae: I totally agree with you about being wary of recommendations like that. But I thought it was important to try something sweet. These pancakes ride the line between savory and sweet fairly well. I also agree that chocolate and bacon is far from unusual these days. In fact, bacon in desserts is starting to become a bit hackneyed. Nevertheless, I still enjoy it. And smoky bacon and pancakes is a natural match.

Jschus: Perfect combination of salty and sweet. They didn’t even need syrup or butter. And these aren’t little bacon bits. Thick chunks of delicious, crunchy, smoky, non-kosher bacon.

Final Thoughts:

KidItamae: The Southern was a great brunch experience and it makes me want to try the dinner.

Animesh: Dinner! I forgot about dinner! Actually, I enjoyed myself but thought I might not return, only because there are so many new places I am looking to try. Though, if you tempted me with that fried chicken I would be back before the gravy got cold.

Jschus: Agreed. Back for brunch. And I want to try Johnny cakes, beignets, and more fried chicken!