Friday, February 26, 2016

Cotillion Southern Cafe- Southern shabby chic with overpriced entrées

Cotillion. How many times do you hear that word these days? Well, if you're in Wildwood, you will. It's on the lips of every white woman between the ages of 50-90. And if you happen to be in this demographic, the Cotillion Cafe may be a good pilgrimage for you. And if you're not, you better be on your best manners because you'll be in the company of them when you get there.

Needless to say, I don't fall in this demographic and I only ended up here because of the 'you so have to try this place' talk that some friends persuade you into. I acquiesced to the word-of-mouth because I am a huge fan of Southern food.

While at the Cotillion, reservations are absolutely a must. Wha', it just wouldn't be fittin' if you didn't. While service was on point for the entire experience, it seemed to me a very noticeable inconvenience to be accommodated during their lunch hour without one. Eventually, they were gracious enough to figure out a table after a few adjustments on their small dining room area. For lunch, we ordered Chicken and Waffles ($13.75), the Junkyard Sandwich ($11.75) and Miz Kathi's signature Fried Green Tomatoes as an appetizer ($9).

We were lucky to arrive when we did. Apparently the table that was split-off from ours (and literally 1.5 feet away) told us that they had to wait 45 mins for their food due to how busy the kitchen was. The fried green tomatoes were quite good when they arrived- hot and crispy, there were 8-9 discs of them nicely arranged around their in-house remoulade sauce. The batter had a mild seasoning of paprika and other scant dry spices that gave the tomatoes a hint of of crunchy complexity. It wasn't too spicy and neither was the sauce. All in all, their signature dish scored high points not only for authenticity but also for universal appeal.

The main course, however, left so much to desire. Let's start with the chicken and waffles. The waffles were limp and soggy. The tenders were coated in the same exact batter as the fried green tomatoes. More over, I couldn't get over the paltry portion sizes. Yes, it was accompanied with gravy with crumbled sausage in a dainty boat. However, it just couldn't even compare to what other restaurants put out for chicken and waffles- a nice big waffle with meaty, crispy chicken strips. Yes, I ordered 'lunch portion size'. But does that warrant this price tag? Unfortunately not. I'd have paid more for a better, generous product. But then again, I looked around the room and thought, perhaps for the retired ladies, something soft to chew, smaller-portioned but with a posh price point was what this restaurant was catering to. I'll stop while I'm ahead.

The Junkyard dog was alright. Noteworthy? Not really- a standard medley of sautéed peppers, onions, bacon, accompanied by a borderline bland sausage. What was really annoying was the side dish glaring at me from the plate in all its puniness- the green bean casserole. In all my years of blogging, this dish brought about a lot of ire especially when it comes to the reputation of Southern food. Firstly, the portion size was less than 3oz- probably enough to fit inside a small jar of baby food. Secondly, never in my entire life have I seen a green bean casserole soaked with that much butter. Thirdly, and probably the worst offender, the casserole was so bland. I was hoping to taste something beyond the salt and fat. But those two flavors murdered the flavors of the vegetable and anything else that was in that baby jar.  I was trying to justify this entire debacle, but then I caught myself- why am I justifying this when I should honestly be enjoying it?

In a pleasant turn of events, we ordered the Hoochie Momma pie ($6.95). For it's unabashed title, this Chess pie with pecans was devine. Finally, my salvation came during dessert! The portion size was generous, flavors sweeter than a sack of sugar, replete with pecans, and a flaky crust. This dessert was a life saver (and stomach-filler) and I knew then and there that at least the baker at Miz Kathi's Cotillion knows how to do Southern right. The rest of the kitchen can head back to Kansas.

IN A NUTSHELL: This restaurant prides itself on making everything from scratch. Service is good but stressed during busy timeframes. The room layout can feel cramped and there is a lot of tasteful (antique milk glass dishes) and not-so-tasteful décor (ordinary displayed aprons and mittens for $25+ each? Please stop preying upon senile patrons) along the walls including the restrooms. The place screams old lady even though I wish it didn't (especially when you have items on the menu like 'Junkyard', 'Hoochie Momma', and 'Redneck Nachos'). Unfortunately for me, my social security checks haven't kicked in yet so I'll take a rain check on food and probably have the dessert to-go. Food times may be a problem depending on the time of day. Though the salads are generous in their portion sizes and there is attention given to food presentation in dainty serviceware, the rest of the food has a disparaging contrast between their price point, quantity, and quality. Just because it's Southern food with simple ingredients doesn't make it acceptable for the food to be bland or floppy. Side dishes need to be presented differently and substantially. True craftsmanship is only derived when you can make simplicity sing and the Cotillion missed the mark on this for the most part.




Cotillion Southern Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato










Sunday, February 14, 2016

Ole Times Country Buffet- Surprisingly good food, meh on the ambiance



Walking into this place, I immediately knew I was walking into a relaxed Southern atmosphere. The walls where covered with a shade of yellow wood panels festooned with random memorabilia crap that someone found a space and decided to hammer a nail to hang it. Some call in ole country chic, I call it beyond tacky and quite frankly, a useless distraction.

You have to go through a double-laned cash register channel before you get to the buffet. Sardonically, it reminded me of how pigs are probably queued before they pay they meet their maker. The entrance winds into a narrow hallway that wraps around the parameter of the restaurant and opens up in the middle of the restaurant to- tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and honey for sale (all at pretty reasonable prices).

I could tell by this sales structure that they either a) may have been overwhelmed by large crowds b) may have experienced people that didn't pay on their way out c) needed to figure out a way so that a hostess doesn't have the headache to find you a table or d) all of the above. I think there could have been a smoother, classier way to handle this but it did bring about a burning question- if the food is purportedly good, why relegate customers to this?

It was rush hour and I had to forage for a table before food. I had to mark my territory with an empty plate before heading to the buffet. It was every man for himself. It's funny when you're the paying customer and you have to fend for things. After being initiated into all things Ole Times, I sat down to eat. The food was surprisingly tasty. And that's the only reason why this restaurant made it on to my blog. Everything seemed to have been freshly readied and maintained. There was a cold buffet bar with salads, dressings, and toppings as well as a long warm buffet island with fried chicken, various kinds of prepared beans, fried catfish (on the bone and filleted), smoked sausage, smoked ribs, and bbq pulled chicken among other things.




Let me tell you about the vegetables- they were simply prepared but yet so flavorful. I couldn't help but notice smoked ham hocks bobbing in most of them. Though some many find it revulsing, I actually liked that they didn't shy away from where their flavor profiles were hailing. I enjoyed the collard greens and the stewed cabbage- both of which were not cooked to death but were soft enough for nuanced texture while still imparting their juicy earthiness. The mashed potatoes were perfectly fluffy and salted. All in all, the first plate really rejuvenated the lunch experience. What can I say?When food is good, you stop griping and you start paying attention to what's in front of you.



The fried catfish fillets were so perfectly done. A perfect cornmeal coating gave the right amount of crunch before my teeth sunk into some of the moistest fish meat that I have had in years. Matter of fact as soon as I had it, my mouth screamed for more even though I wasn't particularly hungry. This was the only item that I went back for seconds. Speaking of fried, you probably are wondering by now how the fried chicken was. Yes, I'll admit it- I'm a fried chicken snob. But this restaurant's was quite good. It doesn't take the first place prize of the most amazing crispy skin of my dreams, but the meat was moist and the batter-to-meat ratio was nearly exact to what I always look for. And speaking of chicken the Smoked Chicken and BBQ Pulled Chicken were really good. The smoked chicken had a great rub with a very evident smoke ring that showed the penetration of the flavors into the meat that only happen skillfully. The meat was moist when I broke into it and the skin had a good char that made the palate happy. I loved the BBQ Pulled Chicken rendition- it was sweet with an addictive meat-to-sauce proportion. 


The smoked sausage needed some added dimension. It was too Plain Jane and unlike the fried catfish, I did want this meat to have been elevated somehow with added spices during it's preparation. On the other hand, the ribs were dry but spiced well. The smoke muted and married the ingredients almost too well and I couldn't discern if cumin, paprika, or sugar were the leading ingredients for the rub. I could have preferred some more heat on the ribs but looking around the dinning room, I think the rub mix was neutral enough for everyone to enjoy. Similarly, the Mac-N-Cheese was okay and probably more for the kids who lust for it's cheese sauce than for adults who want a bright cheddar flavor to come through. However, the spaghetti and meat sauce was very tasty and delicious. It had been a while since I had last tried this classic dish so it was a welcomed surprise to see it on their buffet.



What I understood from this experience is that this restaurant understands good southern food. Southern food tastes best with few ingredients but cooked with a higher skill set so the flavors speak for what home cookers cannot pull of. I also enjoyed the service here. The server was friendly and the employees replenishing the buffet line were more than helpful when some standard questions were thrown at them. I even was brazen enough to ask the attendant about the spices that were smothered on the smoked chicken and he offered to bring the chef out to describe his preparation for me. The attendant went on to say that each cook has their own particular vegetable that they like to prepare in a certain way- which means, if you go there, you may not get the exact product that I got. Yes, in a way, that's job security. But in another way, the freedom that the chain gives for the cooks to pour their love into their signature side dishes can only benefit the customer by ensuring a quality product is presented.Ole Times has been in business for over 8 years now. They have several outlets in South Georgia including sister restaurant chains by the names of Mama June's and Smok'n Pig.

Additionally, there are some quirks to this place- they have a separate counter for fried pork skins, a soft-serve machine (if this is by popular demand, tell those people to go somewhere else), and pies for dessert that are pre-sliced into tiny slivers and then served on styrofoam plates (while everything else is not).

IN A NUTSHELL: For less than $9 per person for lunch, I can see why there was a crowd. The food is good. I just wish they would explore different options of corralling the masses while still retaining it's casual dining experience. Regardless, it's worth the awkward pay-up-front-Golden-Corral experience because some of the food was indeed yummy. You don't want to take someone here for a first date- it's way to casual for that. But you do want to take your long time partner when food in the fridge is running low and you need a low cost, but delicious restaurant to go to. Do try the fried catfish, smoked chicken, and BBQ pulled chicken. I realize that with the masses, price is king. But I do want Ole Times Country Buffet to understand that they have a better food product than most in their league- and that deserves a higher platform for in my book.




ole Times Country Buffet Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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