The Old Edgefield Grill in Edgefield, S.C., specializes in wild game but serves all types of Southern fare, from grits to crawfish. (Christine Deriso/Special)
Restaurant turns Southern dining into art
Our first inkling of what a special evening was in store came during the drive to Edgefield. We meandered leisurely on Sweetwater Road, passing some of the most pastoral scenery on Earth. Trotting horses, bucolic cow pastures, rambling farmhouses and seas of green grass stretched in every direction. The drive was so sublime that we considered the evening a success before we reached our destination.
But the best was yet to come.
The restaurant features fine Southern dining in a renovated, century-old house gracing the historic town square. The decor reflects the town's rich history, with a Strom Thurmond room and extensive wild-game artwork.
Owner/chef Sean Alexander Wright is disarmingly unpretentious, mingling with diners when time allows while wearing a backward baseball cap and T-shirt. He could pass for a high school kid, but this guy has serious chops, having studied culinary arts at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. He specializes in wild game but brings exceptional flair to all kinds of dishes, eschewing trends and letting his instincts lead the way.
We started with Cajun popcorn ($6), an appetizer of fried crawfish tails with a Cajun-style, mustard-based remoulade. It was zippy and fantastic. The soup of the day, tomato bisque with melted Parmesan cheese, was uniquely textured and flavored - as silky and soothing as satin sheets.
The mixed green salad ($4) featured baby organic mixed greens, honey Creole mustard dressing and fried onions. The Southern salad ($6) was sprinkled with goat cheese and seasoned pecans.
For entrees, we chose grilled Angus filet ($22) and a daily special, grilled halibut ($21). The filet, grilled over mesquite and served with a Cabernet wine reduction sauce, was perfectly cooked, tender and juicy. It was served with cream-whipped potatoes and oven-roasted asparagus.
The halibut - mild and flaky, with a tongue-tingling citrus butter sauce - was served with asparagus and garden-ripe tomatoes. A basket of warm-from-the-oven rolls disappeared so quickly that we requested a refill before the server left our table.
Dessert - chocolate pie with raspberry sauce and creme brulee with almond flavoring and a burnt-sugar crown (both $4) - left us awestruck.
Every feature of the meal was beautifully presented. Dashes of color, spritzes of sauces and dabs of pretty herbs transformed superb food into artistry. We loved the white tablecloths, fine silverware (including a butter knife), stemware and subtly seamless service. (Clutter? Not on your life.)
We're tempted to wish the Old Edgefield Grill were a little closer to home, but an out-of-the way drive is an easy tradeoff for an out-of-this-world dining experience.
ON THE TOWN
The Eatry: Old Edgefield Grill, 202 Penn St., Edgefield, S.C. (map)
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 6-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
Final Word: An out-of-this-world experience in fine, eclectic dining.
