reviews >> Gourmet Southern Comfort at Midtown Grill 

Nat Watkins has always been fascinated by cooking. “Even as a small child, I wanted to help in the kitchen, even if it was just stirring a pot of soup,” he recalls. Although he initially chose banking as his career, he kept his passion for cooking and entertaining. When Watkins was given the opportunity to purchase Midtown Grill, in March 2004, he decided to do it. “I felt like I just had to try being a restaurant owner,” Watkins explained. “It’s been absolutely great! It’s changed my life. I love getting up in the morning and coming to work.”

Old fans of Midtown Grill will be happy to learn that it hasn’t changed much with new ownership. The atmosphere is still classy casual with dark red walls, cozy booths, cherry wood chairs and white linen tablecloths. The walls are adorned with oil paintings of vegetables, which adds just enough whimsy to keep the décor from crossing the line to pretentious. The total effect is such that diners feel comfortable if they happen to be  dressed up for a special occasion or have just dropped in for a casual mid-week meal.

The menu is simple and offers a nice variety of pork, beef, fish, chicken, and pastas. Your server will answer any questions you have about the preparation of each dish and will also give you a litany of the evening’s specials. Except for the pasta entrées, dinners include your choice of two vegetables and a salad.  Some of the side dishes are mashed potatoes, sautéed garlic spinach, cheese grits soufflé, broccoli cheese casserole, sweet potatoes, turnip greens, and baked potato. Although this reads like a typical southern diner, don’t think for a moment that this is your grandmother’s cooking. It’s southern with a gourmet flare.

My husband and I were enjoying the rare treat of dining without children, so we decided to make the most of the evening. We selected a bottle of wine from a list of mostly Napa Valley wines. The server, a pleasant, helpful and attentive young lady, offered to give us a sample of the week’s featured wine from the University of Georgia, but since we’re not Bulldog fans, we declined. The wine list is not extensive but for the average imbiber, it’s adequate.

We started our meal with the evening’s special appetizer of crab cakes. It was served on a plate with two sauces, a tangy cocktail sauce, and a side dollop of tartar sauce. The crab cake was a little bland and could have been crispier. The cocktail sauce livened it up a bit, but the tartar sauce was much too heavy for the light, mild flavor of the crab cake.

The house salad was a plate of greens and cucumbers, topped with the chunky tomato basil vinaigrette dressing. The dressing was superb, but I would’ve preferred less iceberg lettuce and more green leaf lettuce or romaine.

For the entrée, my husband chose one of the evening’s specials, a marinated, grilled Tuna Steak with mashed potatoes and sautéed okra. We were skeptical about unfried, unbreaded okra, but our server promised it wouldn’t be slimy and it wasn’t. It was crunchy, and lightly seasoned. It was an original and appealing way to prepare a very difficult vegetable.

The mashed potatoes were made from new potatoes with the skins intact. They were buttery with a slight hint of sharp cheese that added just the right depth of flavor.

The tuna steak was immense. At least three inches thick and seasoned with cracked pepper. Our server explained that it could be cooked to order just like the beef, and she recommended ordering it medium.  My husband complied but was disappointed when it was served rare. He sent it back for more time on the grill. It was better when returned and worth the wait. The outside was a little crispy, while the inside was melt-in-your mouth tender.

I ordered another evening special, the filet mignon stuffed with crab meat. It came served with roasted new potatoes and a mix of sautéed green peppers, red peppers, and mushrooms. My filet was so thick; it towered over the plate. Some steak lovers may argue that a good steak shouldn’t be adulterated with sauces or stuffings. A beautiful woman doesn’t need make-up either, but she looks fabulous with it. This filet certainly didn’t need the crabmeat, but it was superb with it. I think my favorite part of the whole meal, though, was the sautéed peppers and mushrooms. They were hauntingly delicious.

The desert selection has everyday standards and some weekend specials. There is always a fresh cobbler available, a sinfully rich mud pie with cappuccino ice cream, and a walnut pie. On weekends, the specials might include crème brulee or cheesecake. We followed our server’s recommendation and ordered the walnut pie. It tastes just like warm, gooey, Toll House cookies and it was served with vanilla ice cream. All I can say is that it will cure whatever ails you. You should definitely save enough carb points to have a piece of it.

I wouldn’t have thought of Midtown Grill as a child-friendly place but we saw several elementary-age children there and a toddler in a highchair. As a family man, Watkins knows how hard it can be for parents to get a babysitter each time they want to dine in a nice restaurant. He encourages parents to bring their children and suggests they use Midtown Grill as a training ground for restaurant etiquette. He said, “We can expose them to linen tablecloths, and a multi-course meal without the fear that a spilled drink will be a catastrophe.” Right now, they don’t have a children’s menu, but if requested, they will prepare a smaller portioned meal at a reduced rate.

We were glad we didn’t have our children with us that night. The deep red walls, dim lights, and cozy booths were conducive to a leisurely meal and quiet conversation. I was happy to savor each course and enjoy some quality time with my husband. I was also glad that my daughters weren’t there to demand their share of the walnut pie.

VITAL STATISTICS

Cuisine – Continental and Southern

Price Range – Dinner entrees range from $10.95 - $19.95
Early Bird Dinner Specials 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Entrees range from $9.95 - $17.95

Reservations – Not necessary

Alcohol – Full bar, wine & beer

Child Provisions – Highchairs and reduced portions

Smoking – Not Available

Extras – The restaurant can be reserved for private parties during the day for lunch or on Sunday evenings. Catering available.

Hours – Dinner only:
Mon.-Thurs., 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Fri. & Sat., 5:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.