I was in Savannah on business and a group of us (four women) wanted to
go out to eat before having to report for duty at midnight. One woman
seriously wanted to go to Chick-Fillet (the fast food place!) as she
LOVES that place. I'm still in shock that it was even a discussion!? LOL
Another wanted to go to some place called Carey Hilliard's. I finally
convinced them to go to someplace we couldn't just eat at home and we
agreed to try Paula Deen's restaurant "The Lady and Sons."

We arrive in a drizzle of rain and early, about 5:30 PM and were told to
return at 7:30 PM. Walking the streets I suggested popping into one of
the local bars for a drink and munchie to hold us over? Nooooo..they
don't "drink".. but they wanted to go to a particular candy store and
get the pralines and a big diet coke to carry around with them as they
strolled the area. The pralines could hold a certain attraction, but not
something I want to eat before a meal to come? We trudge on and all the
while we're being rained on (without umbrellas or caps darn it) so look
a bit shaggy by the time we return to The Lady and Sons earlier than the
7:30 reservation time. They bring us right in anyway and we're seated at
what must be the worst table in the place. Right next to the "souvenir"
shop on one side and right next to "the buffet" area on the other. I had
NO idea her restaurant would be just a higher price cafeteria!! And
worse yet my cow-orkers were thrilled to be sitting closer to the trough!

The waiter took almost 10 minutes to come to us, and he did make
apologies for his delay. Everyone ordered iced tea, and I ordered a
glass of red wine (Coperridge Merlot, $6.00/glass). They inform the
waiter that they just wanted to get the buffet, but I wanted to eat off
the menu hoping it would be a bit nicer? I ordered the fried green
tomatoes as a starter, and the steak with tomato pie for my entree. I
assume the starter will arrive before the meal. Silly me.

Someone came around with a basket of johnny cakes (a bit greasy, not
very corny although they are proudly declared to have fresh corn in the
batter) and a very large biscuit. The bread server lays one of each on
our individual small bread plates and points out some syrup on the table
which he says is good with the breads. I miss hearing the type of syrup
it is? One woman at my table takes her bread plate and moves it front
and center to her and pours enough syrup on it to make any pancake syrup
commercial proud and she spreads thickly with her knife. She then
precedes to eat the biscuit by hand and johnny cake with her fork and
knife just like a pancake. I guess pouring a smidgeon of syrup on the
side of her bread plate and dipping small bites into it as she ate
wasn't considered an option? I was just thinking that if she'd put her
napkin on her lap, and perhaps used her fork and knife in a bit nicer
way, she'd have less dribbles on her shirt? Just me being bitchy.. I
know. The johnny cake would have been improved if it hadn't been quite
so greasy, and perhaps some seasoning like cayenne added? They didn't
have a particularly "corny" flavor. Three bites was enough for me. I
didn't bother trying the generously sized biscuit and no one commented
on them while eating so I don't know if it was particularly noteworthy?

The waiter has been gone a while and then returns with the iced teas,
but no wine. I ask him about my wine and he states he'll get it. I sit
and wait. It isn't a priority I guess.

My cow-orkers descend on the buffet and returned singing the praises of
the offerings. Fried chicken, sweet potatoes, cooked cabbage, black eyed
peas, gravy over pork...to me this is school or cafeteria food, whatever
you call it, it just wasn't something I'd go out of my way to eat when
in a city with many renowned restaurants. They are chowing down...
literally. One sings the praises of "good southern cooking" and says I
just don't recognize "delicious homestyle cooking" although I note that
the majority of patrons at the buffet were middle aged obese women. Any
defense of preferring to eat foods that aren't all fried or cooked into
soft pablum fell on deaf ears.

Neither my wine, starter nor my entree have arrived by the time my table
mates have consumed half their meals. Eventually my starter and my
entree all arrived at the same time. I guess calling something on the
menu here an appetizer or starter is just a tease? I had ordered the
fried green tomatoes in part because I like them but also because one of
the women had never tried them before and I wanted to introduce her to
them. About 8 of them arrive on a plate. They weren't fried as I've ever
had or made myself before. These were more in a tempura like coating? On
top of each was some minced pimento (very slightly pickled in flavor
like the jarred ones)and while not quite the flavor of roasted peppers I
was expecting it was truth in advertising eh? In the middle was a small
dish of Vidalia onion relish, which was very tasty. I couldn't taste any
tomato itself because of the "fried" coating flavor. Such a shame.

The beef with tomato pie was billed as "beef tenderloin and mushroom
ragout surrounding our famous tomato pie". The beef chunks were tender
and in a brown gravy that might have been improved with wine or herbs.
Perhaps de-glazing the roasting pan with wine before proceeding with the
gravy? It just didn't have much flavor. The mushroom ragout was chopped
cooked mushrooms with a nice strong mushroom flavor itself but a huge
wallop of salt! Perhaps someone seasoned the dish immediately after
plating it up and sending it out but it was wayyyyyy too heavy on salt
in areas. The salt was off putting, and the dish as a whole
disappointing. My tablemates were being offered a desserts while I was
still eating my meal. I ate about a quarter of the meal and just had
enough. The waiter came around and noticed my untouched food and asked
if anything were wrong? I told him about the salt, but not that I was
just disappointed in the food on the whole. He apologized and left, soon
to return with one of the Deen boys (I don't know which one,very tall
and lanky) who again apologized and asked if there was anything else he
could get me. I explained that I was fine, and how my food had arrived
so much after everyone had starting eating so I didn't want anything
else at that point. He stated he would remove the charge from my bill.
So I was happy with this arrangement.

I can see how this restaurant serves the tourist crowd well, in fact we
saw bus tours dropping off here, but I was not impressed. These folks I
was with are not terribly sophisticated nor adventurous eaters. They
want their fish fried, their veggies soft, three starches per meal and
the same "comfort food" they've always eaten in mom's kitchen and little
more. They value quantity over quality. It was very discouraging.