High Cotton

High Cotton Restaurant Review:

Located in a historic downtown spot, High Cotton offers an old-style Southern plantation atmosphere. The action inside is upscale and a bit clubby; the food is heavy on meat and fish, with a couple of tasty game dishes. The "Butcher's Plate," with an assortment of pâtés and other charcuterie, is as appealing as a similar dish at sister restaurant, Slightly North of Broad, which assembles the best charcuterie plate in town. Both the carpaccio and the buttermilk-fried oysters over arugula are tempting starter options. Particularly nice entrées include the espresso-rubbed venison, which is properly seared and served with a rich, dark red wine balsamic jus. The grouper filet with sweet potato purée is a lighter choice but still satisfying. Desserts are mostly winners, but stay away from the inconsistently prepared soufflés, which are sometimes undercooked. High Cotton used to be a bit overpriced and featured all menu items with à la carte side dishes, but that has been largely changed and now the restaurant, while still definitely not for the faint of wallet, offers better value.