Review: Table 23 worth the cost

Table 23’s shrimp and grits. Photo Courtesy: De’ja Stokes

If you are looking for a fancy but not so formal restaurant, check out Table 23. Its welcoming and relaxed setting makes you feel at home, all while eating great food.

Located at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Thomasville Road in Midtown, it sits under massive live oak trees with cozy outdoor seating.

The building resembles a house with a big front porch. The parking was also perfect; there was no hassle and no large crowds waiting to be seated this past Saturday.

The building was first built as a house in 1924 and owned by Fred Carroll. Later down the line, it eventually became the home of two restaurants: Chez Pierre and then, the Front Porch. The Front Porch closed due to a fire in the summer of 2015.

A year later, Joe and Mandy Lemons brought the building back to life as Table 23.

I bet you are wondering why the name of the restaurant sounds pretty random. It is actually the total opposite. The Lemons have two daughters and three sons, Mr. Lemon was 23 when he started working for the Bloomin’ Brands, and Mrs. Lemons was 23 years old when they married.

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to dine at the Southern-style restaurant. I was accompanied by a large group for a birthday dinner, so it was definitely a different experience than a date-night dinner.

My group did not wait long to be seated due to prior reservations. Both servers were very attentive and quick on their feet. Which is a plus for customer service, because there were at least 10 of us.

The prices are reasonable but you’re going to spend more on the steaks and seafood. For example, the prosciutto wrapped filet, which is served over garlic mashed potatoes with asparagus, would cost you $53.

For appetizers, I ordered fried pickles, with a ranch sauce on the side. The pickles were nicely breaded and not overly salted. But for $7, it would’ve been nice to see more pickles on my plate.

My group did not have to wait much longer after finishing our appetizers, because the entrees came out promptly.

I went with the shrimp and grits. I am very open-minded when it comes to trying new food. However you can’t go wrong with simple shrimp and grits, right?

But there was nothing simple about it. The presentation was not your typical shrimp and grits look. The dish consisted of Gulf shrimp, mushrooms and bacon-tomato gravy over smoked gouda cheese grits, and nicely garnished with arugula. It had a unique and appetizing taste. It was also filling and worth every bit of $23.

I would like to visit Table 23 again during its Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. so that I can try a different category of dishes. The food, setting, and customer service was excellent and I look forward to dining there again.