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.