Table Fifty-Two

Description:

• How does a modest restaurant specializing in non-trendy Southern food become so high-profile that weekend reservations are mandatory weeks in advance? Call it the Oprah effect. The chef-owner of this unassuming, cozy spot is Art Smith, Oprah's longtime personal chef, and his association with the talk-show titan was enough to make Table Fifty-Two a hot spot practically the minute it opened. The fact that it's tiny -- only 13 tables -- has kept up the demand. You'll get a taste of Smith's Southern heritage as soon as you're seated, when the server brings out warm goat-cheese biscuits and deviled eggs. Appetizers and entrees include upscale versions of down-home classics, such as shrimp with stone-ground grits; pork chops with Brussels sprouts and pickled cherries; and fried chicken with garlic mashed potatoes (available only for Sun dinner). There are a few nods to more eclectic tastes, too, such as wood-fired pizzas and vegetarian risotto. I think the prices are quite high for what's essentially comfort food, but the locals who have become devoted regulars aren't complaining -- for them, Table Fifty-Two's charm is worth the price.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2009
•  Recommended 2010