South City Kitchen

In Short
Trendy, transitional Midtown seemed like an unlikely place to sustain a New Southern restaurant established in the early 1990s, but supportive locals have kept this place hopping through the years, and SCK is now considered a pioneer of the Southern food movement. Properly lodged in an old historic bungalow off Crescent, the gentle yellow tones and white tablecloths set the stage for comfort dining. Despite the myriad creative touches that make the menu a fun read, the best dishes here are the simplest. Buttermilk fried chicken is honest food--crispy skin and moist meat get extra support from homey bourbon gravy. Tangy chow chow and Creole mustard sauce add zip to meaty crab cakes; sherry provides the perfect grace note to a soothing bowl of creamy she-crab soup. It's unlikely the decadent, satisfying pecan pie will ever leave the menu: It alone makes regulars out of first-time visitors.