Fodor's Expert Review Table Fifty-Two
Editor's Note: This location is no longer in operation.
If it feels like everyone is a regular at chef Art Smith's Gold Coast restaurant, they very well might be. Oprah's former personal chef is not short on friends and admirers, yet newcomers who score a reservation feel just as welcome in the cozy, country-home environs, particularly when the complimentary cheese biscuits arrive. At its core is a formidable Southern lineup of dishes such as Lowcountry shrimp with white corn grits, fried catfish with maitake mushrooms, and a fried chicken worshipped by Lady Gaga (a Sunday- and Monday-only special). Save room for Smith's hummingbird cake, a homey banana-and-pineapple concoction topped with cream-cheese frosting. If you're in the neighborhood without a reservation, walk in and see whether the chef's counter is available: the restaurant keeps five seats open in front of the pizza oven.
