Dining Out: Revival

You all know how I LOVE Kevin Gillespie's Gunshow, but the place is so popular you have to plan a month in advance to get a seat there.  However, if you're open to more traditional southern fare, or if you'd like to order the way you do in every regular restaurant (!), you need to try his latest spot, Revival.Revival is in Decatur, not far from the town square. There's a sweeping wraparound porch and enough memorabilia in the place to qualify as a tribute to quaint country life. However, this spot has much more to offer than your grandma's cooking (no offense granny!). The first decision you'll need to make is how to order. There are two different approaches, either family style or a la carte.  Family style is probably a better deal ($42pp) if you're looking to sample the menu or if you're with a group. For our first trip around the block, we ordered a la carte.

We started with the toasted deviled ham tea sandwiches which, as it turns out, is a very good place to start. Imagine a grilled cheese sandwich, but made with a light deviled ham, and you'll get a feel for what the dish is like.

Absolutely a must order!

Next up we tried the kale salad with pear, apple and cheese. The leaves weren't at all bitter and the balance of the fruit made for a delightful middle course.In between the salad and the entree our server brought the cornbread which was entirely savory, but paired with a honey butter. YUM!Then it was time for the entrees.  The short rib was ridiculously tasty.  The pork chop was not only a fine choice, but it was perfectly moist.  This feat always impresses me! And, of course we had to order a couple of sides.  The grits were creamy and topped with sauteed greens.  I'm not generally a grits eater, and while these were fine,  I wouldn't consider them noteworthy.  But the carrots were a different story entirely.  SOOOOOO good. Perfectly roasted and seasoned to perfection.We saved a some space for dessert. (Don't we always?) Billy opted for the upside down pineapple cake. I had exactly one bite of the cake and then hogged most of the Dr. Pepper ice cream.

You read correctly. Dr. Pepper ice cream.  Dreeeeeeamy!!!

Still, the better option was the lemon icebox cake.  Perfect graham cracker crust, tart lemon filling, and even the lemon zest on top were divine. I was stuffed at this point, so I boxed up the majority of the goodness and nibbled at it for days.And like any good southern experience, there's a gracious send off before leaving, from the chef himself.I can't wait until our next visit!