So I guess you didn't like it?

Kris

P.S. - At least it sounds like Paula's son is a proper manager


Goomba38 wrote:
> 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.