Shrimp and grits ($20) at Sol Southern Kitchen and Lounge in Portsmouth is backed up by smoky bacon, mushroom, onion, garlic and bell pepper, with plenty of Vermont cheddar in the grits.
Shrimp and grits ($20) at Sol Southern Kitchen and Lounge in Portsmouth is backed up by smoky bacon, mushroom, onion, garlic and bell pepper, with plenty of Vermont cheddar in the grits.
It took more than a year for Sol Southern Kitchen & Lounge’s owners to renovate the spaces formerly occupied by Mr. Kim’s and Agave Mexican Bistro on Portsmouth’s State Street.
This Our Gourmet team thinks it was worth the wait.
A late-night pop-in for drinks and snacks started things off. I ordered a mint julep. This Kentucky Derby classic came in a silver cup glazed with frost, the bourbon enrobed (or perhaps unrobed) in crushed ice and muddled mint. It was a drink that got better with each sip.
My gal pals ordered a Dark and Stormy and glass of prosecco, and we decided to snack on two starters. Labeled “bread” ($8), the basket contained just enough corned bread, buttermilk biscuits and hush puppies to entertain the three of us.
The biscuit could have been a bit more fluffy, but its flavor profile was spot on. The corn bread was not sweetened in the New England fashion (this is a Southern kitchen), but its coarse ground cornmeal base gave it a great deal of mouth appeal. And the hush puppies were crisp and herby, still smoking slightly from their hot oil bath.
This was served with whipped honey butter so delightful that it led to the crossing of three butter knives at our table. We should have asked the server for more.
When our deviled eggs ($6) arrived, we did some quick math (six halves divided by three people) and were favorably impressed by the heartiness of this homey treat. This version was topped with candied bacon and house pickled relish and quickly disappeared.
The deviled eggs ($6) at Sol Southern Kitchen and Lounge are topped with candied bacon and chow-chow relish.
We’d chosen outside seating and it was a little chilly, but our server was fast on his feet, as well as attentive and courteous, and our food never had a chance to get cold.
For the next visit, I took along my usual partner in gastronomical gallivanting, and we sat inside.
The starters included fried frog legs ($14), grilled oysters ($16) and fried green tomatoes ($8). Having gone frog gigging as a child with my dad (I held the burlap sack; he wielded the frog gig) I just can’t eat these amphibious offerings.
My dining companion was in no mood to hear the frog-gigging story, and went straight to the “handhelds” section of the menu, suggesting that for an appetizer we share the fried chicken thigh sandwich ($10).
It was served on a fluffy biscuit and when offered Alabama white BBQ or Nashville hot sauce we went with the less spicy of the two. The Alabama white was reminiscent of ranch dressing, but more complex and with a thicker consistency.
We cut the sandwich in half and savored its crunch and tenderness.
This inspired me to try another variation of BBQ, Carolina style pulled pork ($16) with dirty rice and mac and cheese as the two sides.
The slow-roasted pork shoulder was served with a vinegar-based sauce. Sweet or super-hot sauces have never appealed to me — there’s nothing worse than getting pulled pork slathered in the stuff. When I asked our server for the sauce to be on the side he replied that is how Sol serves the dish.
The pork was fork-tender and very flavorful, and a light splash of the tangy sauce made it even better. My table mate took a generous bite and declared it the real deal.
Both side dishes had the touch of a chef, with the mac and cheese making the most of honest ingredients and thoughtful seasoning. The dirty rice could have been a little more dirty, though perhaps we have been spoiled by the sausage-laden variety served by the Popeyes’ fast-food chain.
My dining companion chose the shrimp and grits ($20), described as being “coastal North Carolina style.”
That meant a rich accompaniment of smoky bacon, mushrooms, onion, garlic and bell pepper. The grits were flavored with sharp Vermont cheddar, a great counterpoint to the sweetness of the shrimp. Yum. We were struck by the heap of shrimp covering the plate and took some home to eat later.
Next time we’ll check out the upstairs of this beautifully decorated space, which highlights the building’s antique qualities — exposed brick, mantle pieces — but still has a contemporary, airy feel. The same can be said of the food. Its roots are in the past, but each dish comes with a modern, fresh twist.
