At The Table's fare is fresh, delicious

At The Table's fare is fresh, delicious

Once the eating is done, one of the things I like about meat-and-three dining is the quality of conversation with strangers. You always meet a more interesting cross-section of the eating public, because there isn't anybody who doesn't like bad-for-you Southern food. This is as true here as it is anywhere in the South, and the staff are quick to let out a friendly laugh, which sweetens the deal.

And did you know eating in At the Table is good for your skin? No, not because of the peanut oil from the fried chicken. The place is so warm and steamy inside that condensation drips from the plate-glass windows constantly. Some might not like that, but you can't argue with the fact that it'll cure wind-chapped hands in no time.

The prices are a little high, but I think the cost is justified in the freshness of the sides as well as the high quality of meats, though certain shortcomings like the use of Velveeta are puzzling.

In toto, it's good to have another restaurant doing Southern cooking very well, and as long as At the Table keeps up its high standards, it'll keep its nearby competitors busy in a brisk match of one-upmanship. Already, it's raised the bar for vegetables, a category that often finishes second place in a meat-and-three. Perhaps this is the first three-and-meat restaurant?

Nah, the meatloaf is just too good to come last.

AT THE TABLE
907 12th Ave. S., 242-0077
10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday; closed Saturday
Payment: Major credit cards accepted