High marks for Carrabelle’s Low Country inspirations

As soon as the building started going up on Rhea County Highway on the south end of Dayton, Tenn., I got excited. It looked like a restaurant, and it was in front of a hotel. Could I possibly have another lunch option coming soon?

Slowly the building began to take shape, and rumors of a new restaurant started to spread. Finally, several weeks ago, Carrabelle’s Casual Café opened its doors. Carrabelle’s is bringing the Low Country to Rhea County and, with it, rich, complex and delicious food.

The menu leans toward the heavy side, which is perfect for i mpending winter weather. Bring a big appetite, and get ready to explore.

THE SPACE

It took several months to build and open Carrabelle’s, which is located in front of the Sleep Inn, but it seemed much longer. But as impatient as I was driving past it every day on the way to work, it was worth the wait. The interior of the restaurant is minimalist — concrete floors and partial rock walls with spacious seating. Nothing detracts from the good conversation and the great food.

THE MENU

Carrabelle’s offerings lean heavily on a Low Country influence from the South Carolina coast. The Low Country Nachos appetizer is topped with Carolina pulled pork. Bacon jam appears in several dishes, and an entire section of the menu is devoted to the restaurant’s cheddar biscuits.

Starting at $7.99, biscuits are loaded down with a choice of a fried pork chop, Calabash chicken, sausage, pimento cheese or filet mignon tips and eggs.

Carrabelle’s also serves

a decadent shrimp and grits, which is loaded with bacon and Andouille sausage. Other nods to the restaurant’s Carolina beginnings include chicken and waffles and a Charleston fish fry dish.

There are also several beef dishes, like a fried steak and a steak and ale potpie, and pork entrees, including pork ribs and a lemon-pepper pork chop.

While most of t he menu leans toward heavy fare, Carrabelle’s does offer a variety of salads, including Cobb, spinach pecan, Caesar and several chicken offerings.

Carrabelle’s dessert menu is short and sweet. Diners can choose to end their meals with a chocolate sundae, a chocolate waffle with ice cream or peach cobbler.

THE ORDER

To kick off our first visit to Carrabelle’s, my dining companion and I dove into an order of Biscuits and Jam, which includes two cheddar biscuits and a sweet tomato bacon jam. The biscuits, which also come with a lot of Carrabelle’s meals, are dense and rich. The jam is loose and the perfect consistency for dunking biscuits into.

Ever since I first looked at the menu, I knew I wanted to try Carrabelle’s fried chicken. I opted for the Southern Twice Fried Half Chicken, which came with a biscuit and the sweet tomato jam. The chicken was perfectly cooked — juicy and crispy. I paired the golden chicken with cheese grits, which worked exception- ally well together.

My wife chose the Herb Roasted Half Chicken, which was slow- roasted and slathered in a unique and savory rosemary cheese gravy. The Creole smashed potatoes were a perfect complement to the chicken.

THE SERVICE

Our lunch didn’t take long at all, which was surprising since I ordered chicken that was fried twice. Our waitress kept our glasses filled, and she checked on us frequently.

THE VERDICT

Carrabelle’s is a welcome addition to Dayton’s small but vibrant dining scene. The menu is expan- sive, and the food is delicious. Next time I visit, I’ll make sure to either be disciplined enough to dine light- ly — or wear bigger pants.

PHOTO BY GILBERT STRODE Southern Twice Fried Chicken is served with, from left, cheese grits, a cheddar biscuit and tomato bacon jam at Carabelle’s Casual Cafe in Dayton, Tenn.

PHOTO BY GILBERT STRODE Herb Roasted Half Chicken is served with smashed potatoes and a cheddar biscuit at Carrabelle’s in Dayton, Tenn.