Food review: South City Kitchen

Photo courtesy of South City Kitchen on Google+

Growing up in the South, I’ve been bred to believe there’s no food like Southern comfort food.

It’s true, too — nothing will satisfy the taste buds quite like a delicious piece of fried chicken or a fresh, buttered biscuit. We all need something like that from time to time.

So I treated the girlfriend to a nice weeknight date at South City Kitchen Vinings, a delicious slice of the South tucked in our own neighborhood. We weren’t sure what to expect, but we took our $30 gift card and arrived just on time for our reservation.

The restaurant is a neat little setup — there are big windows that swing wide open on those cool southern nights, and plenty of room for big groups to be entertained. It’s modern, yet a throwback to a Cracker Barrel-esque time in the Old South.

But you want to know about the food, and there’s nothing to be disappointed about when it comes to the offerings at SCKV. The previously-mentioned biscuits were as soft and flaky as the biscuits at Kentucky Fried Chicken, but they tasted better. There was cornbread, too.

Then, the main dishes arrived.

My girlfriend ordered the fried chicken, which is served on a bed of mashed potatoes and garlic collard greens. The portion was large, so she “lent” me a piece of the chicken. The buttermilk batter was golden-brown and oh-so-good as I peeled it off the chicken, and everything beneath it was incredible, too. It’s one of the dishes they do best, so it’s definitely worth a try when you visit.

I ordered the shrimp and grits, which did not disappoint, either. SCKV serves you about a half-dozen plump, juicy shrimp, and they come with a sizable helping of grits that are cooked as well as any grits I’ve ever had.

It was salty. It was a little tangy. It was perfectly comforting.

At the end of the night, the bill was a reasonable $40 before the tip, but it should be noted that I was the only person who ordered alcohol, and I only had one drink. As I said, we had a gift card, but the average party of two can expect to spend around $50 if you’re going to order drinks and two entrees.

SCKV is also SCKM, as they have a Midtown location, too. For all details, visit their website.

And maybe prepare yourself before you go, because you’ll be comforted by the incredible food, laid-back mood and fantastic service. It’s a win-win for anyone looking to get a taste of the South, right in the middle of the South.

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