I met my friend Caroline there for a holiday catch up. As the first to arrive, I had the chance to check out the bar menu... as well as the bartenders. I loved the seasonal cocktails that seemed designed to warm you up... lots of ciders and bourbon based concoctions. At the urging of a Twitter-pal, I went with the Mississippi Punch (really, when is rum punch NOT in season...) It was potent and punchy, a perfect kick off to the meal that was about to unfold. I should also mention that in addition to the seasoned paper bags of popcorn at the bar, they also served fried black-eyed peas as a treat for the New Year. The black-eyed peas were addictive and would be the first sign that each visit to Blue Ridge would have surprises in order.
The menu has a lot of hits if you like Southern food - fried fish, cheese grits, fritters, hush puppies. I liked that our server not only guided us to our choices, but let us know they were using the freshest ingredients available. We decided to start with a bottle of wine and the sweet potato fritters, which were sweet & spicy.

For dinner I had the Fried Cod over Greens & Black-Eyed Pea Hummus. It was perfectly cooked - crispy outside, moist inside... and I loved the nod to New Years -- and want the recipe for black-eyed pea hummus.
Caroline had the Fried Green Tomato BLT. Now, in my mind, nothing can be bad about this order... and there wasn't. It was perfectly done and I loved the deconstructed presentation.
If there was one slight disappointment in our meal it was the hush puppies. They were seasoned well with a jalapeno kick, but ours came out perhaps a little overdone and dry.
Overall, Blue Ridge was my favorite new restaurant in months. This blogger plans on trying it out on a regular basis since the menu promises seasonal surprises for each visit. And if you don't want a whole meal, the bar was a comfortable and cozy spot to meet for drinks and small bites. Check it out!
1 comment:
Blue Ridge is definitely on my "must try" list! Your review just pushed it up higher on the list!
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