Spoonbread: Affordable Elegance at the Westin Poinsett

Elegance.

It's a word that evokes a sense of quality, attention to detail, and well-executed design. Unfortunately, it's a concept that's largely lost these days, what with the economic slump demanding bare-bones functionality and a general sense of jittery hyperactivity provoked by all things digital.

Most times, making do with less allows us to move more rapidly through daily tasks. A pared-down aesthetic functions like Olympic swim gear, letting us slice through life at warp speed.  But when haste gives way to being frazzled and out-of-sorts, it's time to stop and experience the respite that an elegant setting can offer.

For those times, there's Spoonbread at the Westin Poinsett Hotel on Main Street.

The restaurant has a long history, and the name "spoonbread" comes from a favorite Southern treat (a meltingly delicious cornmeal-based pudding) that was a hotel mainstay until recently. In the 1940s, its popularity was attested to by the famous "spoonbread lady," Irene Griffin, who regularly served 20 to 25 casserole dishes of it on busy Sundays. It's still available, but now you have to request it in advance.

Contrary to such a home-cooked moniker, the restaurant on the mezzanine level of the hotel is the epitome of another era's refined opulence with its soaring ceilings, graceful columns, and tall windows flooded with light. 

But rather than make a guest feel uptight, these sumptuous surroundings seem to provoke a deep exhale immediately upon passing through the intricate wrought iron gates that mark the entrance. Once inside, a courteous staff member leads you to a table bedecked in white linen and glimmering with silver and crystal. In another study of contrasts, the airy room becomes intimate, partly because the tables are well-spaced and many conversations are hushed.

Should you be dining at lunch, it quickly becomes evident that, in keeping with the name Spoonbread, the restaurant takes something of a stand on food and how it should be prepared, served, and consumed. Items such as jumbo shrimp sautéed with arugula, cherry tomatoes, and hearts of palm tossed with olive oil and fresh lime juice, or grilled ahi tuna steak over lentil salad topped with mango-cucumber salsa, distinguish the kitchen. When one dish after another looks like a standout, you start to realize that the menu is a public declaration of handcrafted and soul-satisfying food.

Did I forget to point out that those aforementioned entrees top out at $9?

So when the economy has you in a personal slump, and you just want to slow down and enjoy the small pleasure of coaxing open a steaming cheese biscuit and topping it with a gleaming pat of butter (which incidentally is perfectly shaped into a rosette) or tucking into a generous meal that was thoughtfully prepared – without breaking the bank – take yourself down to Spoonbread and enjoy the creations of chef Curtis Wolf.

Oh, and if you're planning a coffee or breakfast meeting, consider taking it to Spoonbread. They're open daily and for brunch on Sunday. 

Everyone can afford a little of this kind of elegance.