Restaurant Reviews By Chef Paul

December 24, 2009

Table 220

This “Fork in the Road” begins at Table 220 Fusion Grill in Hickory. Located on Union Square in downtown and easy to find the cuisine is “fusion” which is foods from other cultures combined. This menu is an exciting mix of Asian, European and American influences. The first change to the remodeled restaurant is the sushi bar, which is staffed by two professionally trained sushi chefs. Another fascinating touch is “German Night” on Tuesdays, when Chef Footsie Schlutter returns to his former Old Heidelbergh location to prepare authentic German Cuisine. So everywhere you seem to turn an interesting international twist awaits around each corner.

The first choice this evening has got to be California Roll. Loaded with crabmeat, avocado, and cucumber this beautiful appetizer certainly started the meal off right.

While looking over the menu it is easy to become distracted by the beautiful artwork that adorn the freshly painted walls. The dim lights seem to take the diner to a more tranquil world than the one they just walked in out of. For an extra special show walk up stairs and look down onto the sushi chefs below for a culinary treat.

The salad that we chose was a freshly tossed mixed green salad with intricately cut vegetables. I enjoyed the fact that the chefs took the time to give the dish height, which adds a more three dimensional appeal to the salad. The freshly baked croutons were also a touch added that many restaurants should defiantly go back to.

Choosing the entrée wasn’t an easy task, because the restaurant offers many creative dishes. But the Crab Cake caught my eye, I guess it was just a seafood kind of night. Large chunks of crabmeat filled the cake and the spices were just right. The side was a split pea risotto that could have used more fresh parmesan cheese, but it was creamy and cooked to a proper consistency.
To finish the evening a taste of the Apple Bread Pudding awaited. This dish is offered as a side but to me it had dessert written all over it. It was simply wonderful just as the preceding dishes were. The fact that Table 220 has reopened and seems to be doing well, is a breath of fresh air to our community. Good Luck Table 220!! I certainly will return.

Jessie’s Diner

On a cold and snowy day nothing warms you like a home style meal. The restaurant
is a local hot spot, located at 2145 N. Center St. in Hickory, because of the simplicity and wholesomeness of the food and atmosphere. When entering you are transported back in time with photos of The Rat Pack and Marilyn Monroe. In classic diner fashion, the daily lunch and dinner specials are written on a board and consist of great items just like mom used to create. Today the Chicken and Dumplings sound like a trip back in time.

Jessie’s is the type of place where folks know each other and they feel at home, so bringing the whole family is a great idea. My server informed me that the restaurant now serves breakfast all day, and they are even open for dinner. The cooks make sure the food is served hot and fresh. When lunch arrived, a large steamy portion of chicken and dumplings with fried squash and mashed potatoes immediately warmed my spirits. I could instantly tell that the dumplings and mashed potatoes were made from scratch, no short cuts were taken. My fried squash was fried to a golden brown, and not saturated in oil.

This restaurant is the type of place that makes small town southern living so good. I personally detest corporate establishments with no personal connection with their patrons. Small business is what our nation really needs in this time of economic recession. Jessie’s seems to bring the qualities we learned in our past into the present.

The only way to cap off such a meal was to order the apple pie. It was a nice portion with just the right amount of perfectly seasoned apples. I am hesitant about ordering pie in restaurants because they usually leave me disappointed, but not here. As far as the service, my wonderful server made sure that all of my needs were taken care of. This meal was large and the price was not. I really enjoyed this home style meal while reading my Focus, and watching it snow.