Highlands Bar and Grill

Last night we ventured to Birmingham on a pilgrimage of sorts. We were trying to understand the influence of Frank Stitt on so many of the good chefs and restaurants in Chattanooga. Its amazing how with one or two degrees of separation only, Mr. Stitt has some connection to what we consider the best of food in Chattanooga. More on this later.

As many of you have undoubtedly figured out on your own, the best way to sample a restaurant and its chef is to do a tasting menu or,as these are infrequently available in most non New York/San Francisco/European restaurants, assemble one when possible from the appetizer section of the menu. Too often the entrees are a meat and a starch and really offer little in the way of creativity. Ordering three appetizers enables a greater sense of place. We chose this route at Highlands last night.

First impression was excellent...greeted warmly and handed the wine list to peruse while the ladies went to the restroom. And, oh, what a list! One of the best lists outside NYC or the West Coast for California wines. Lots of affordable, solid choices. But special treats rarely seen such as the 2004 Sine Qua Non "Into the Dark" that was offered for 195 dollars, significantly less than what it sells for on the secondary market and a little less than a 2 fold mark up from the release price.

Our party sampled eight different appetizers, two desserts and the duck two ways. The dining room itself is not particularly comfortable and the furniture shows some wear and tear. The website notes jackets preferred for men but there were diners in jeans, too. Headlights from cars parked on the street occasionally shined directly into the dining room. Stemware was not of the highest quality and a decant of the wine was not offered, nor did the wait staff seem to know much about the wine we ordered or the rest of the list. A waiter at another table offered only that a chardonnay being inquired about had "a bit of butter." From the list, though, it seems clear that Frank Stitt, at least, is serious about wine.

The beef tartare appetizer was very good with a nice smokey flavor. My recollection was that the menu offered a fried egg with it, but this never appeared and when asked, the waitress noted "it was mixed in with the tartare!"

Beef carpaccio with arugula and parmesan was nice and had a horseradish sauce rather than a more traditional finish. This was one of the best US versions we've had though they never seem to come close to what's offered in Italy...as it should be!

A shellfish and corn chowder really was disappointing, as was a friture de la mer which was served with a very unfortunate choice of remoulade sauce. Franks' students do versions of this dish better in Chattanooga (more on this in a later post). Aioli is a much better choice to accompany and this version was a bit greasy.

A pea cake also was merely ok. A quail appetizer was perfectly cooked, but a bit too sweet of a sauce. The charcuterie plate was outstanding and generous. The duck two ways was nicely prepared as well.

The star of the evening was a Stone Ground Baked grits which was simply one of those dishes that you want to have again and again. Thyme, parmesan, touch of ham, olive oil, butter and wonderful mushrooms made up a sauce that was terrific. Acidity in the sauce nice, probably derived from a bit of white wine, lemon and a vinegar. There is a recipe for this in Frank Stitt's "Southern Table" cookbook, so will post on this later when we've had a chance to try.

Not a restaurant we would return to, and certainly, in our opinion, not the fifth best restaurant in the US. But we also never felt Commander's Palace was deserving of its occasional mention as the top restaurant, either. Frank's focus is on flavor, and presentation is not the strong point of his food. But we had to make this pilgrimage, and it did give us an understanding of how his restaurant has influenced several of the top experiences in our hometown of Chattanooga. It is always an honor to a teacher when a student improves or excels in ways beyond the teacher and certainly thats what has happened in our hometown. It would seem that Frank Stitt, much like Thomas Keller has influenced the next generation of chefs and restaurant professionals in our country. We all owe him a great debt.