Anniversary Dinner at Southern National

Mobile has a complicated relationship with fine dining.

It seems that any time a unique, upscale eatery opens, it’s filled with supporters, only to shutter months or years later due to waning patronage.

Some of my past favorites—Bistro Escoffier, True, RBS Chicken Shack, The Italian Fisherman, among others—are all but a memory (and faded blog review).

But then there’s Southern National.

image courtesy of Cane Creek Media Group

The beautifully decorated, culinary masterpiece of Southern National opened in late 2017 under the proprietorship of James Beard-nominated chef, Duane Nutter, and restaurateur Reggie Williams.

Williams is a Mobile native returning to his local roots, while Chef Nutter is best known for his 8-year stint as executive chef at One Flew South, an upscale restaurant situated at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport.

I’ve had the privilege of dining at Southern National three times. First, for brunch with Mark, early last year, and second, for a happy hour meetup with my fellow Mobile Bay Bloggers. The event was wonderful exposure for us all, and I enjoyed meeting some of the lovely, talented ladies and learning about their platforms. Caleb of Cane Creek Media photographed the event.

image courtesy of Cane Creek Media Group

But our third visit—our recent anniversary dinner—reigns favorite. I love a good, bubbly-filled brunch and casual happy hour, but I’ve been eyeing Southern National’s dinner menu since they first opened.

Seated at a cozy patio table with golden hour views of the cathedral, Mark and I began with cocktails.

I opted for The Southern National, their aptly-named version of the classic Manhattan, while Mark chose The Vieux Carré, which is a cognac and whiskey-based drink.

For an appetizer (which ended up being the star of our meal), we chose the scallops. Served over a carrot and parsnip purée and accompanied by braised mushrooms, cranberries, and turnips, these delicate scallops were perfectly seared and melted in our mouths.

One can rarely go wrong with diver scallops, and these were some of the best.

Though I would have eaten any entrée on the menu, the pan roasted duck called out to me (usually the ducks are the ones called upon, no?).

The roasted duck was served atop duck confit grits along with roasted Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, pickled blueberries, and sweet and sour sauce.

While I found the duck to be slightly tough (I’ve only eaten duck a few times over the years, so I’m not sure if it was simply the preparation, the cut, or just my expectations), I had no problem devouring every last bite.

The flavors were spot on, and the combination of textures and ingredients was masterful.

Mark chose the crispy fried lobster tail, which was a decadent showpiece of a dish.

The sweet, succulent lobster was exquisitely fried, and it rested atop black eyed peas (our favorite component to the dish, believe it or not) and cilantro cream sauce.

Though we were pleasantly full from our meals, we were not going to pass up dessert.

We each ordered one more round of cocktails (another Vieux Carré for Mark, and a version of the ginger-y happy hour mule for me) and opted for the “chocolate 3 ways,” which consisted of a perfectly moist chocolate cake, crispy chocolate “pearls,” Nutella cream, and raspberry coulis.

We had no trouble polishing off the dessert. It was both light and rich, and was exactly what the sweet tooth needed after a savory and satisfying meal.

If you’re planning your next special occasion dinner or looking for a venue to host happy hour guests, I highly recommend Southern National.

image courtesy of Cane Creek Media Group