Stella's has been on my go-there list since last year's Euphoria food and wine fest. I interviewed Chef (and author) John Malik a month or so back who told me he was cooking at Stella's with Chef/Owner Jason Scholz, and since, I've been chomping at the bit to get there and have him cook for me!
The restaurant is located in Simpsonville, which to my downtown Greenville friends who have everything they need in a five mile radius, might as well be Antarctica. Frankly, if I'm off the mountain, what's fifteen more minutes on the highway? Spoiled people!!!
Josie picked a bottle of vino to get us started off the very impressive wine list and we ordered the Stella's Sampler. A plate of creamy low country crab dip, thick pimento cheese, Stella's signature fried green tomatoes, house made pickled okra and garlic toasts. It was fun to introduce our friends to pickled okra! The boys ordered Chef Scholz's Dirty Pork Fritters -weird name but meaty heaven.
The boys in Stella's kitchen know how to fry. The tangy sweet tomatoes, the pork fritters, and the rich cake donuts Chef Malik sent out for us were all coated in a thick crunchy crust. It warranted table discussion it was so impressive! The atmosphere is pretty laid back. We fit right in in business casual, but there were prom kids there decked out to the nine and people in t'shirts and jeans, too. It has a low country vibe. I loved that they had art by Ernest Lee on the wall. I'm always impressed with a place that can class up folk art.
On to dinner. Jerry and I ordered Grilled Eden Farms Pork Chop with bourbon smoked peppercorns, bbq braised greens, Adluh Mills cheese grits, green tomato relish and applewood bacon jus for me. For Dan: Crab Crusted Carolina Mountain Trout with melted peppers, basil, asparagus and lemon. I could eat those creamy rich grits every single day for the rest of my life. Everything was perfectly cooked, hot when it came to the table (you'd be surprised how many restaurants can't get this right), and very telling of Chef Jason's wicked food skills...a culinary symphony. We would have liked to see a bit more vegetarian offerings on the menu. Josie had to put in a special request to the chef to whip up something for her non-meat eating self, but he came through with a plate of veggie bliss.
I would like to point out that at this point we were incredibly full, but here's the thing... it was so damn good we didn't want to stop! So dessert it was. A table full of dessert.
Goat Cheese Cheese Cake with a cake donut on top, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with salted peanuts and caramel sauce, Strawberry Shortcake and Butter Pecan Bread Pudding with bourbon brown sugar caramel and vanilla ice cream.
Stella's was so worth the wait. Sorry Devereaux's, Stella's knocked you off our #1 spot for best restaurant experience in Greenville.
On to dinner. Jerry and I ordered Grilled Eden Farms Pork Chop with bourbon smoked peppercorns, bbq braised greens, Adluh Mills cheese grits, green tomato relish and applewood bacon jus for me. For Dan: Crab Crusted Carolina Mountain Trout with melted peppers, basil, asparagus and lemon. I could eat those creamy rich grits every single day for the rest of my life. Everything was perfectly cooked, hot when it came to the table (you'd be surprised how many restaurants can't get this right), and very telling of Chef Jason's wicked food skills...a culinary symphony. We would have liked to see a bit more vegetarian offerings on the menu. Josie had to put in a special request to the chef to whip up something for her non-meat eating self, but he came through with a plate of veggie bliss.
I would like to point out that at this point we were incredibly full, but here's the thing... it was so damn good we didn't want to stop! So dessert it was. A table full of dessert.
Goat Cheese Cheese Cake with a cake donut on top, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with salted peanuts and caramel sauce, Strawberry Shortcake and Butter Pecan Bread Pudding with bourbon brown sugar caramel and vanilla ice cream.
Stella's was so worth the wait. Sorry Devereaux's, Stella's knocked you off our #1 spot for best restaurant experience in Greenville.
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