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Ovation
deserves just that June Naylor For
those keeping score at home, there's more than one popular chef creating a
commotion on Yep, Keith Hicks is at it again. With Ovation, the jovial chef
with the giant smile, salt-and-pepper beard and exuberant fan club seems to
have another hit on his hands. His culinary devotees, who have trekked with
him across town from Gunsmoke Grill to Cachonga's,
are lining up day and night for what may be his most delightful food yet. My hunch is that his following will only grow, if my recent
dinner visit can serve as proof. Not only did Hicks' dishes reflect his sense
of joy and appreciation for food that makes people happy, but his widespread
appeal has delivered a crowd of unprecedented diversity -- refreshing in this
heretofore staid neighborhood. Allow me to present Exhibit A, the chicken and waffles ($14),
which has people calling with stories of their joy at first bite. A tradition
that dates from 1930s On one side of the plate, there's half a bird, juicy inside a
thin, golden crust. On the facing side is a pile of Belgian waffles with
cinnamon-laced butter and maple syrup riddled with blueberries. And because
Hicks' grandmother probably insisted on a green vegetable at meals, a bowl of
divine collard greens is included. A bit sweet for my taste -- what wine goes with waffles and
syrup?-- the dish was a utopian adventure for the
sugar addict at my table. Nevertheless, I loved the simple, crispy chicken
and the perfectly prepared, coarsely cut collards. But Hicks had me at the appetizer. Advertised as fried green
tomatoes ($6), the dish actually held two thick slices of yellow heirloom tomatoes,
faintly crusted and quickly fried, then topped with fried ham and a fried
egg. It was heavenly already, but then he gilded the lily by drizzling an impossibly delicate, bearnaise-laced
red-eye gravy on top, and I was smitten. Had that starter not been such a hit, I might have been more
interested in the chopped salad ($6). A tumble of chopped romaine and
iceberg, hard-boiled egg, applewood-smoked bacon
and tomato was given a jalapeņo-spiked ranch dressing -- all of which was
utterly acceptable but paled beside the reverie-inducing fried tomatoes. Although we'd seen gorgeous-looking steaks ($21-$34) en route to
other tables, I couldn't forgo Hicks' famous gumbo ($13). Mixed with a dark,
nuanced roux were firm shrimp, crabmeat, crawfish tails, bits of alligator
tail, shreds of chicken, and okra, with perfectly cooked white rice. Next time, I may just go for a parade of side dishes, which
include black-eyed peas, jalapeņo-cheese grits, four-cheese macaroni and
ratatouille. And I think I'll take a bunch of folks for a sandwich fest at
lunch, so we can share the Note that reservations are a good idea, as Ovation has live
music nightly -- and plenty of people filling up the tables by Ovation Restaurant 817-732-8900 $$-$$$ American Details: Open for lunch |
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Ovation Restaurant
Cuisine type Hours Payment notes Handicap access Smoking
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