BOURBONS

Attended a get together last night to send off a friend to Oklahoma. about 14 people gathered for a good evening of food and drink. i only knew 2 of the people well, and had met only one other person. but that quickly changed, the attendees were all amiable and we had good conversation. Chef Michael Crouch laid on his personal presence early and told us of the evening's specials. He sent out many appetizers and they were enjoyed by all. The lobster rolls always stand out, especially when you roll them around in that wonderful sweet sauce. The goat cheese and garlic dip was also good, except there could have been more bread. the goat cheese was mild, which is probably good for the masses, but i like mine with some bite. the shrimp and grits was very good and served in a 3 piece connected "snowman" bowl.?. the shrimp were grilled and they were in harmony with the grits, but with all the sauce i almost missed the fact that the tail was still on- maybe they could be removed. fried green tomatoes were also passed along, and the sauce looked terrific on this dish.
Entrees were where the kitchen took a shining. there was much debate about our dining selections, a good sign of people who know food. pork chops were de rigueur, the one on the menu and the special with dijon sauce. i had the special and it was very juicy and the sauce was excellent. the bone-in menu version as very bourbony- which is the name of the restaurant, but it was very distinct, probably too much. a sea bass looked good, and the scallops were very good, perfect searing and nice accouterments. i believe the best dish i tasted was the cheeseburger. this is a cheeseburger that does not fit into the conventional mind set. i think it was about 9" tall. filled with fries, lettuce, tomato, beef, cheese, and an aoili that was as good as i had ever had. the sauce had some fire to it, and i will order this dish next time, maybe with a little modification on the presentation. the chef is a person i have known for 32 years- that is friendship. our parents went to church together and he is about 3 weeks older than i am. he is one of the people i can call about anything, and i feel that is something that only comes with the trust gained by a lifetime together. ***1/2 stars AE