There was yet another girls night last night at yet another of Maverick’s restaurants. Lord willing, the town is still hurting.
In all seriousness though, we did have another lovely evening, this time at High Cotton. I was a tad skeptical as a result of my last experience there which was definitely less than stellar. To refresh your memory, everything seemed to be over salted and the whole experience evoked feelings of a lazy chef behind the line. Not so last night. Also, the service was pretty fantastic. Our server couldn’t have been more efficient and friendly without being overbearing.
Let’s skip to the food!
I got homemade prosciutto with melon and roasted peppers. One thing that I really enjoyed about it was that it kind of reminded me of speck instead of prosciutto; it was so tender and not quite as dry as some cured meats have a tendency to be. I would have appreciated a little dusting of sea salt (possibly a mild one of the pink variety) to give it a little more bite but otherwise the texture was silky. It more than made up for the lack of saltiness that I appreciate so much from a good Italian prosciutto.
Jessica ordered the fried green tomatoes topped with poached shrimp. The impeccable texture on the tomatoes was delicious. Easily some of the best that I have ever enjoyed. Part of me wishes that I had ordered that instead but a bite was enough to remind me how much I generally enjoy the dish. Actually, generally is an understatement. It was divine.
For dinner, we had the option of a duo of lamb, swordfish, or steak and a “fishcake”. Being the lamb lover that I am, I decided the duo was the dish for me. (I apologize about the quality of the picture. I had a tiny purse last night that couldn’t accommodate my camera so I used the camera on my blackberry which is just aight at best.)
The presentation was actually quite nice and I did appreciate the two different preparations of lamb. The first was a tenderloin type cut that I was unimpressed with. It had a very Moroccan feel to it that I wasn’t really expecting. It was over seasoned which was such a shame; it was a gorgeous, unfatty piece of lamb that didn’t need to have nearly as much seasoning on it as it did. To the chef’s credit, it was expertly prepared. Tender enough that I could have cut it with the side of my fork. I just didn’t agree with the seasoning. The chop, however, was a completely different story. Tender as anything and delicately prepared, the chop was melt in your mouth delicious. I have not had a better lamb chop in recent memory; it was exquisite.
Ok, so this picture actually came out a lot better than the other one. This was the swordfish that both Mandy and Jessica ordered. As far as swordfish goes, I very rarely am satisfied with the preparation. It’s either too fishy or way overcooked and chewy. There is a chef in the kitchen at High Cotton that really knows his fish. This was one of the best pieces of swordfish that I have EVER had. It was expertly prepared. Crispy and warm on the top and perfectly soft in the center; the embodiment of a dreamy pan-seared fish filet. Very rarely do I find myself having a craving for a fish of that caliber. I usually prefer to do a lighter white fish like snapper, cod, grouper, sea bass, or wreckfish and shy away from the heavier, denser fish like swordfish or monkfish. This is the first time (today being that time) that I have ever craved swordfish. And not just any swordfish, no sir. I want High Cotton’s preparation. Now. Like really, employees of High Cotton, if you’re reading this I’ll take one any time between now and 7PM this evening.
Mer got the carpaccio, which was also delicious. The most tender beef and I believe those were pickled radishes but I can’t be certain. Still, it was also awesome.
Ok, and I totally apologize that I didn’t get a picture because it was absolutely beautiful and delicious. My souffle. Mandy, having not had souffle before, said to our server that she actually wanted a bathtub filled with it. It was cookies and cream flavored, by the way. My only complaint, which is rather tiny, is that I wish the sauce they drizzled atop the souffle was dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. It was a little bit too sweet and kind of tasted slightly like Splenda but was otherwise delicious in every aspect of the word. I would also like another one. Right now. Hop to it, please.
At the end of the day, I can say that I’m going to walk away having learned a few valuable lessons about my experiences at High Cotton.
1. Consistency is key. No exceptions.
2. I have the ability to change my opinion on absolutely anything.
3. No matter what the circumstances are, no restaurant can ever run on 100% every single day out of the year. I myself don’t and I certainly can’t hold every other person (or restaurant for that matter) at an impossibly high standard even if I am paying for a premium service.
4. Almost everyone deserves a second chance from time to time.
5. I am an enormous sucker for good food and the way to my heart is through my stomach. (As if you haven’t realized this yet.)
Based on last night, not only will I happily recommend them to my guests but I will most definitely dine there again, sooner rather than later.
Suzanne
