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Big Jones--"Contemporary coastal Southern cuisine"

Big Jones--"Contemporary coastal Southern cuisine"
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  • Post #31 - June 17th, 2008, 9:15 am
    Post #31 - June 17th, 2008, 9:15 am Post #31 - June 17th, 2008, 9:15 am
    Hey Guys...

    I gave Big Jones another try this past weekend -- i met up with some friends on Sunday -- and I have to say, the place was deserted at 10 am -- and it's especially incomprehensible since it was Midsommarfest weekend up in Andersonville and despite the rain, the festival was definitely in set up mode.

    I came away with a bit of a better impression but not significantly so. I decided to try the Eggs Benedict again -- my previous beef was mainly about the poached eggs so I made a point of asking for them to be poached easy as opposed to the hard boiled eggs I received before. And they were done okay -- runny yolks, but something that hadn't really dawned on me before was just how small these eggs are -- I'm certain they're not using large eggs. Tiny tiny almost quail like eggs. Also -- while I like the concept of serving the Benedict on a popover, the execution leaves something to be desired. They are cold and rubbery and not easy to cut, much less chew. They've removed the fruit from the plate and bring you a separate bowl of fruit for the table, which was kind of odd. It's a small bowl -- filled with strawberries and pineapple and grapes and while i like all of those things and they were fresh -- we had one cereal bowl for 4 people. That strikes me as weird.

    My dining partners had different things -- some went over better than others. One person got the Shrimp and Biscuits which I got to sample. The biscuits were acceptable and the shrimp was cooked nicely but the tomato sauce they were served in was rather blah. No creole accents really -- very tomatoey and not unpalatable, just not memorable at all. One entree that didn't go over very well was a combination of eggs over johnnycakes accompanied by a ratatouille. The eggs and johnnycakes were fine -- although again, not remarkable -- but the ratatouille was studiously avoided. The grits were probably the favorite item on the table and I was eating with some southern folks who know good grits.

    I did end up bringing a little ziploc bag filled with splenda for my coffee and the simple syrup they set down on the table was cloudy -- not a good sign to me. I will say that they the coffee is delicious -- and they serve a mighty big cup of it. Service was pretty good -- refills on coffee and water were inconspicuous but frequent and I never wanted for either. The pepper mill thing still rankles but they brought us a very interesting little salt shaker that actually was sort of a pump shot of salt -- it was rather cool. The complimentary beignets they set down as you sit down were very cold, which to anyone who has had them in New Orleans, is kind of a cardinal sin. Definitely loaded with powdered sugar though.

    I think I may be done with Big Jones -- the day before I had gone to breakfast at Tweet and had a much superior meal for about the same price. Delicious hash browns, perfectly poached eggs, an excellent and lemony hollandaise...in all ways a much finer experience for a weekend breakfast.
  • Post #32 - June 17th, 2008, 10:49 am
    Post #32 - June 17th, 2008, 10:49 am Post #32 - June 17th, 2008, 10:49 am
    I actually I did make it to Big Jones a few weeks ago...and with a companion that knows bunches about brunches. Me, I'm a triple deuce kind of breakfast eater...although my mother was from the South and I do enjoy grits and red eye or sausage gravy.

    Victoria absolutely loves the place; she can't wait to go again. She loved the amuse beignets, but also remarked that hot from the fryer would have been great. It’s been a while and I forgot what I had, but the grits that came with it were memorable. Victoria had the eggs over johnnycakes. I thought the under-spiced ratatouille served was more typical of low country cuisine, though perhaps incorrectly described. My mother would serve stewed tomatoes, sometimes with okra, for breakfast...but it was not spiced like a side you might get in the evening.

    Anyway, Victoria wants to go back, so the next time she is in the hood we probably will.

    [We decided not to go during Midsommer fest, with the thought that it would be crowded.]

    pd
    Unchain your lunch money!
  • Post #33 - June 29th, 2008, 7:15 pm
    Post #33 - June 29th, 2008, 7:15 pm Post #33 - June 29th, 2008, 7:15 pm
    A belated, abbreviated post of our dinner at Big Jones, celebrating the Lovely Dining Companion's four-year anniversary of moving to Chicago.

    The restaurant knew it was an anniversary of some sort and treated us quite nicely. We were there a couple Saturdays ago, relatively early...about 6:30 if I recall correctly. We had asked for a quiet table and were given one in the "alcove" behind the main dining room. It was quite peaceful back there and we treated very well, starting with a comped relish tray. Unfortunately, the pickles were not a star attraction. The pickled okra had a nice texture and integrity but weren't very pickle-y. The javelins of asparagus were likewise impressive to behold but didn't pick up much of the pickling juice. The rest of the tray was pleasant but we were happy not to have to pay for it. We won't order it next time.

    I began with a sazerac in honor of the opportunity to have a mixed drink--the last one in a restaurant was in ought-three, I think. And, of course, in honor of Sazerac (thanks, Das!). I had the rye version instead of armagnac...and a tasty (and potent) drink it was. Yummy way to start, that's for sure. Two orders of black bean soup were both very favorably received and I enjoyed my pulled pork grit cakes. Still think it's an unusual dish but who cares, it was good.

    The beef sirloin was pronounced not a good piece of meat, though cooked properly. (Parenthetically, I feel duty-bound to point out a big plus on the part of our server. The gentleman who ordered the sirloin took the server's advice and ordered a glass of cab that, in the event, turned out to be a fair pairing at best. After only a handful of sips of the wine, and without a word from us about it, the server brought a different glass of red soon after, noting that he had had second thoughts. The second glass was an excellent match and was comped.) The soft shell crabs were enjoyed though they seemed a bit heavy on the breading and smallish. My gumbo, however, was extremely flavorful, rich, hearty, and filling. Couldn't find the alligator, but I imagine it was there.

    Again, the restaurant very thoughtfully comped a strawberry shortcake for the table--enjoyed by all but nothing special. The red velvet cake, on the other hand, was considered excellent. The bread pudding was not enjoyed, though that was due, in part, to stylistic differences with their approach rather than a botched job. Their bread soaks so long that it loses all vestiges of distinctness and becomes instead a homogenous mass. Some like that. I don't. For what it was, it was perfectly acceptable; again, nothing special. Though serving Intelligentsia is a big plus in my book, something I took great pleasure in availing myself of.

    All in all, an enjoyable dinner. Not a destination spot, I think, but since it's only four or five blocks' walk for us, we'll be back.
    Gypsy Boy

    "I am not a glutton--I am an explorer of food." (Erma Bombeck)
  • Post #34 - July 2nd, 2008, 2:31 pm
    Post #34 - July 2nd, 2008, 2:31 pm Post #34 - July 2nd, 2008, 2:31 pm
    I stopped by Big Jones about a week ago for a quick lunch

    It was ok, we were only one of three tables in the place and service was great (I'm a server too, very harsh judge of service)
    Food wasn't too bad but my sandwich fell apart as I tried to eat it; I don't really recommend the Fried Green Tomato BLT. The gumbo however was pretty good

    Presentation was fairly nice; I don't think I will be a regular at this place but I will stop by from time to time to check out seasonal offerings...plus it's in my 'hood.

    Thought I would post a few pics of the meal

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    And the ever hated simple syrup....
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  • Post #35 - July 16th, 2008, 4:58 pm
    Post #35 - July 16th, 2008, 4:58 pm Post #35 - July 16th, 2008, 4:58 pm
    TPA and I played a little hooky today after staying up WAY TOO LATE watching the all-star game (yeah American League!) I had a meeting up in Andersonville, which happened to be right next to Big Jones, which happened to be open for lunch. TPA joined me and I must say it was a lovely meal. I had a hard time ordering given the multitude of good-looking choices. For some reason, though not a particularly Southern dish, I had a hankering for the burger. TPA went with the Gumbo. Both were excellent. I particularly liked the mix of fries, fried okra and onions with the green goddess sauce (I'm always a sucker for green goddess sauce). TPA was happy with his gumbo as well. The piece de resistance was yet to be had. When I saw that the red velvet cake was made with beets, like the original recipe, I knew I need to order it despite my fullness. It was truly extraordinary. Though, that was only dessert 1. I had asked our server, who also was fantastic, what they were making for the Green City Market BBQ introducing myself as the organization's membership chair. Shortly thereafter, the owner personally brought over an intensely flavored black raspberry granita topped with proscecco - a fantastic treat. We had a lovely dry rose (we were playing hooky), which was a good value. And with a large tip, the meal was in my view still reasonable in price given the quality. Having recently been disappointed by the other new Southern restaurant in town (Table 52), I was really hoping to have a good meal, which we did. What's funny is that given Art Smith's focus, this was the restaurant I would have though he would have opened.
    MAG
    www.monogrammeevents.com

    "I've never met a pork product I didn't like."
  • Post #36 - August 25th, 2008, 10:21 am
    Post #36 - August 25th, 2008, 10:21 am Post #36 - August 25th, 2008, 10:21 am
    We went to Big Jones last night and were generally happy if not, perhaps, quite as delighted as MAG. I have a little bit of a qualm about the idea of upscale Southern, I think there was upscale Southern dining which is largely extinct and there is downscale Southern which is wildly popular in many forms and then there is an attempt to take the latter and serve it like the former. This is a bad thing if it just means charging more for a tamed version, like upscale barbecue or Cajun, but a good thing if it means taking the produce and flavors of the region and treating them with the respect we now pay other regions-- using them freshly and seasonally and with respect for time-tested traditions. On the whole Big Jones seems to be oriented to that better sense of upscale Southern dining, and with at least the start of some sophistication in that direction. The menu is still somewhat short and limited to pretty familiar things-- gumbo, pulled pork, steak (!)-- but maybe, over time, it will dig deeper into Southern traditions and become a Chicago equivalent of some of the innovative new Southern restaurants.

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    Very traditional start (because it started the same way as my recent Southern party!)-- pimento cheese spread on a cheese biscuit.

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    This was the best dish of the night-- a really tasty wilted salad with tasso ham, and pickled yellow beans. Fresh, tart, full of flavor, this is the sort of dish I imagined I would have (and didn't, really) when I went to Vie some months back.

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    I doubt this pulled pork ever saw anything resembling a smoker, but very good when you combined it with the rather vaguely-named "Carolina sauce," a green dressing that might have been Green Goddess as MAG indicates above, or perhaps something with mirliton, which appears multiple times elsewhere on the menu). The slaw that came with it was missing some oomph, though, needed mustard or vinegar or something:

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    I was a little surprised that a Southern menu offered little that would have flown with the younger son, and the presence of a stereotypical kids' menu (chicken tenders!) was not the help to this parent that was intended. At least the mac and cheese was freshly and impressively made.

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    Fried chicken salad, untried by me.

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    A nice, authentic if not exactly world-changing gumbo, plated artfully with a pyramid of rice topped by an okrapus.

    The bill was a very reasonable $60ish (the mac and cheese was comped, not for any fault that we saw, possibly for the fact that they saw me taking pictures....)
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  • Post #37 - November 11th, 2008, 4:25 pm
    Post #37 - November 11th, 2008, 4:25 pm Post #37 - November 11th, 2008, 4:25 pm
    i liked the breakfast here, at least mostly. I've been to New Orleans and I've eaten at Cafe DuMonde. The beignets at BJ's don't live up to that but they're decent and free.

    Haven't kept up on it much - checked it out the week it opened and then a few more times, all for breakfast. I missed my Augie's something fierce :( I love the decor at BJ's. I had heard the dinner mostly sucked but I'm willing to give it a chance if you guys say it's good.
  • Post #38 - November 11th, 2008, 6:50 pm
    Post #38 - November 11th, 2008, 6:50 pm Post #38 - November 11th, 2008, 6:50 pm
    Mike G,

    Not sure what time you were dining, but Big Jones has an offer that kids eat free every single night between 5-6 pm (as stated in their window). It doesn't seem to be a coupon-y thing, just a general offering. We have been thinking about trying their Tuesday "Fried Chicken Night" (with two boys in tow) but have been concerned by the lack of bodies in there every time we walk by.

    Maybe we will give it a shot. That pimento spread looked nice and the crackers appeared to be made in-house. A sort of detail that is not lost on me. Does anyone know if they offer beignets in the evening as well?

    bjt
    "eating is an agricultural act" wendell berry
  • Post #39 - November 11th, 2008, 9:40 pm
    Post #39 - November 11th, 2008, 9:40 pm Post #39 - November 11th, 2008, 9:40 pm
    thorough wrote: I don't really recommend the Fried Green Tomato BLT.
    I'm trying to put together that collection of flavors and textures in my head, and I can't sort it out. Could you elaborate? Did it work at all, or was it just that it was unstable? I find riffs on the BLT to be interesting but they so rarely work.
  • Post #40 - November 17th, 2008, 11:25 am
    Post #40 - November 17th, 2008, 11:25 am Post #40 - November 17th, 2008, 11:25 am
    i finally made it in to Big Jones for brunch... Though it wasn't Sunday, it was Saturday and there was no wait... so +1 there.

    Food...
    to start off, they give every table complimentary plates of their very tastey beignets... (they gave us 4, for 2 ppl)

    I had the Eggs Romero ($13), which is organic grits, topped with [free range organic] pulled pork, two poached eggs (Amish farm eggs), onion chives, then sauced with a carolina style vinegar sauce.

    Image

    one of the best brunch items i've had in chicago, anywhere. i am not always a grits person, too often they get cold and lumpy fast and lack any real flavor, these were delicious and creamy and i ate every bit of them.. the vinegar sauce went well with everything.. the onions were fresh and tastey. everything on the plate went well together. (their online menu mentions that this dish used to involve potatoes instead of the grits)

    my SO had the Eggs Rochambeau ($14), Poached eggs, char-grilled Tallgrass beef sirloin, crisp potato cakes, béarnaise sauce, and potatoes O'Brien. again it was very well prepared. the beef was top notch, actually tasted like beef should taste.

    the back page of their menu has something you don't see too often.. tea selections.... 10 or 15 types of tea, i opted for tea instead of coffee....

    service was attentive, prompt, with a great sense of timing. when our plates were cleared, we weren't rushed out with the handing over of the check, we sat and had another cup of tea/coffee...



    For those complaining the prices are high... you really have to look at the quality of ingredients. the old addage garbage in, garbage out holds a lot of truth in the food world. and I'll be the first to complain if a place is overpriced, but i really think their prices are justifiable based off of their ingredients. but you can't complain that a $15 brunch item is too expensive if that plate contains a Tallgrass grass fed beef sirloin on it... Those things come at a price. (Though I wouldn't also be naive and automatically jump to say that just because they're using top notch ingredients their food would be great... Heartland cafe proves that wrong IMO). I can name decent places within a mile where you can get a decent 'standard' breakfast for $5. But using the ingredients Big Jones uses, they would be paying you to eat. you can't have a grass fed sirloin on a brunch platter for $5. you just can't. the places whose brunches are coming in at under $5 probably source their food from the cheapest place they can find and aren't concerned with how much high fructose corn syrup is in their ingredients (Little Corner Restaurant, for example, makes a good diner brunch, but also I know gets a lot of their food from Aldi. they're obviously not trying to be in the same league here...).


    based off of my single experience here, i'd put this place in my top 2 or 3 brunch spots in chicago, markedly above the majority of brunch spots in chicago.. will give it another whirl soon to be sure.
  • Post #41 - December 7th, 2008, 3:09 pm
    Post #41 - December 7th, 2008, 3:09 pm Post #41 - December 7th, 2008, 3:09 pm
    Today we went to Big Jones for Sunday brunch. One of the nice things about Big Jones is that they accept reservations (including through Opentable) so you don't have to worry about the possibility of a long wait to be seated (although during the 12:00-1:30 time we were there, no one was waiting).

    When we were seated (at one of the two window tables - yay!), we were brought some of their excellent complimentary beignets. We had one sweet tea, and a cafe au lait, which was served in an enormous coffee cup. We started with the fried green tomatos, which were superb, the best I've ever had. They were very hot out of the fryer, the breading (which I think contained some corn meal) was superb, and they were topped with chunks of shrimp and an excellent remoulade sauce. Yum!

    We then had two savory dishes and a sweet one: (a) "Eggs New Orleans - Lump crab cakes on fresh popovers with poached eggs, béarnaise sauce, and potatoes O'Brien"; (b) Eggs Romero - Poached eggs, pulled pork in barbecue sauce, served over a bed of grits (this was a nice combination, with the strong taste of the barbecue pork contrasting nicely with the milder eggs and grits); and (c) Whole Wheat Banana Almond Pancakes. All three items were very good. Of particular note was the gigantic size of the three pancakes.

    Service was good and friendly, and the decor is understated contemporary in a typical narrow but somewhat deep storefront. All in all, an excellent choice for brunch if you're in or near Andersonville!
  • Post #42 - January 4th, 2009, 1:30 pm
    Post #42 - January 4th, 2009, 1:30 pm Post #42 - January 4th, 2009, 1:30 pm
    I'm glad I'm not the only person that's pretty underwhelmed by Big Jones. I really enjoyed it the first time I went there except for that damn simple syrup. I did the Stevia and probably used 1/2 the bottle with no sweetening from it. Ick. I like their pulled pork although it doesn't come close to the pulled pork my DH makes. The mac and cheese is wonderful! We went on a Tuesday for the fried chicken night about a month ago. Don't bother. If it's their signature dish then they are in real trouble.
    The second time I was there, I took my Splenda with me and left quite a pile of little Splenda packets on the table. I made a point of telling them that if they couldn't supply what I wanted then I'd bring it myself. Apparently the owner thinks he can make those kinds of decisions for people. Nope. When you run a restaurant, you cater to the clients, the clients don't cater to you.
    I wouldn't not go back but it sure isn't high on my list. I don't think it'll be around for long unless they change quite a bit.
  • Post #43 - January 4th, 2009, 4:38 pm
    Post #43 - January 4th, 2009, 4:38 pm Post #43 - January 4th, 2009, 4:38 pm
    we headed back last weekend w/ 2 friends.

    at 2pm on a relatively quiet sunday, the food took *forever* to come out... unacceptably long really (over 45 minutes past ordering).. and the waitress knew it was a long time and offered us more beignets (which to me tasted like the grease needed changing, another "not as good as last time" item)...

    i had the shrimp and grits this time. the grits were nowhere near as good as the first time... and i think they were cheesey grits... or something. the shrimp themselves were skimpy and small.. the sauce was just OK to me, nothing too remarkable... for $14, it was a tad underwhelming.

    everyone else was pretty underwhelmed with their food choices too... one friend had a frittata thing, he said it was kind of bland. and he's from alabama so he ordered a side of grits, which he didn't think were that great.

    my other friend ordered a side of greens with his entree... when it came, there was a side of greens on the plate and a separate plate of the side he ordered... the waitress didn't say "ohhh, that already comes with greens" and let him order it anyway?? (the menu didn't seem to indicate this, if it did it was off to the side somewhere)

    my friend ordered OJ... she said "i'm not sure if we still have any, but I'll check" ... she came back with a half empty glass saying "well this is the last of it" ... we expected to not be charged, but of course the $3 was on the bill.

    also, we were seated at the first table behind the register along the wall of tables... every time someone came in the door a gust of wind blew directly towards our table (and presumably the whole line of tables along the same wall)... i eventually had to wear my coat. there are relatively easy ways to mitigate the effects of wind when someone's opening a door, they don't seem to be attempting any fixes for this though..
  • Post #44 - January 29th, 2009, 11:24 pm
    Post #44 - January 29th, 2009, 11:24 pm Post #44 - January 29th, 2009, 11:24 pm
    Went tonight around 5 and was one of three people eating. Nobody else evenpopped in for a second.

    Had the gumbo yaya and the catfish sandwich. The gumbo was pretty good but in a much smaller bowl than the one posted above and still seven bucks. The catfish sandwich was decent. I was expecting a filet instead of chunks but it was still tasty.

    The waitstaff was outstanding. Not that they were all that busy but very good all the same.

    I suspect I won't be going back. Didn't blow my skirt up, as it's said.

    If it's always that empty I'd be shocked if it stays open long with the downturn. I'll save my pennies for Patty's Diner.
  • Post #45 - April 9th, 2009, 11:33 pm
    Post #45 - April 9th, 2009, 11:33 pm Post #45 - April 9th, 2009, 11:33 pm
    Our family stopped in for an early dinner at Big Jones a couple of days ago. I had their $25 prix fixe menu, and overall I enjoyed my first-time dining experience there. We'll likely return but bring along a couple of people who know good Southern cuisine much better than we do.

    Here's what I had as part of the prix fixe menu:

    1. Shrimp paté, served with crackers, honey mustard, pickled cuke pieces, and halved cherry tomatoes. The paté was excellent, which is a good thing given that it was the plate's centerpiece. The cherry tomatoes looked and tasted dry, as if they had been sitting around for a while. Everything else on the plate was okay.

    2. Red bean soup (I think it was called a soup, but I may be wrong) with a big slice of a kind of cheesy focaccia bread. The bread was to die-for: freshly baked, light, and tasty. Not too cheesy, and not too filling. The soup was okay -- nothing to write home about, but not bad either.

    3. Shrimp-stuffed flounder (I think it was flounder, but I may be remembering wrong) with roasted carrots and hollandaise sauce, served on a savory pancake. The fish and shrimp tasted good, but the two seemed a little too disintegrated too me, and too mushy. But I'd never had a stuffed seafood dish before, so I wasn't quite sure how to judge it. The sauce seemed like overkill to me and much too heavy for that point in the meal; I'd have much preferred squeezing some fresh lemon over the fish/shrimp...

    4. Huge slice of lemon-meringue pie (enough for 2-3 people) and a pecan praline -- both of which were really, really well executed.

    So, overall, I had some outstanding items (the paté, the bread, the desserts) but I was a little underwhelmed by the stuffed flounder entree. Still, we're planning on returning and trying out some other dishes. The things we liked, we liked a lot! Service was very, very courteous.
  • Post #46 - April 10th, 2009, 3:13 am
    Post #46 - April 10th, 2009, 3:13 am Post #46 - April 10th, 2009, 3:13 am
    Their red velvet cake is Amazing. It comes as a wedge with lots of great cream cheese icing. It's' very moist, with a denser(not in bad way-it doesn't glob up in your mouth as you try to eat it, it's just not light and springy like box cake), consistency that i prefer in cake-which I presume means it is made with butter, not oil.

    If you've ever had Sweet Mandy B's cakes, it's similar to that style. Just a really well made bakery style cake using high quality ingredients.
    Logan: Come on, everybody, wang chung tonight! What? Everybody, wang chung tonight! Wang chung, or I'll kick your ass!
  • Post #47 - April 11th, 2009, 10:39 am
    Post #47 - April 11th, 2009, 10:39 am Post #47 - April 11th, 2009, 10:39 am
    I've been to Big Jones twice, and I really want to like it because the menu and style is right up my alley, but I find that the execution is severely lacking. On both of my visits (once dinner, once brunch) the service has been outstanding - very friendly, welcoming, attentive . . . really as good as I've experienced in Chicago. But things seem to be amiss in the kitchen. I didn't post about my dinner and it was several months ago so all that I can recall is that I was underwhelmed, but figured I'd let some time pass and give it another go.

    So last weekend, a friend joined me for brunch. the beignets were tasty, but somewhat undercooked in the middle. I liked them anyway, but this was a problem.

    My shrimp and grits was actually cooked very nicely (especially the shrimp which so many overcook) but it was totally lacking in flavor. There was supposed to be a tasso gravy, but it was really a few pieces of diced tasso in a thin and hardly noticeable sauce. And there was no heat (spice) whatsoever, which I crave in my shrimp and grits.

    My friend ordered an egg white omelet, but there was quite a bit of raw egg white on the dish. I told him he should send it back but he just scraped the uncooked egg white (there was plenty of it) to the side because he hates to create friction . . . oh well. But the instant you looked at the plate you could see the uncooked egg on the dish so to me, this was inexcusable on the part of the kitchen.

    So it's two strikes for me with Big Jones and if I wasn't such a huge fan of southern food, I'd tell you I'd never return. But the location is pretty convenient for me so I wouldn't be surprised if I give it one more try . . . which given my first two experiences I would anticipate being my last.
  • Post #48 - April 13th, 2009, 9:39 am
    Post #48 - April 13th, 2009, 9:39 am Post #48 - April 13th, 2009, 9:39 am
    I went on a Tuesday afternoon for lunch a couple of months ago with a family friend. We were going to go to Calo, but we walked by Big Jones and thought we'd give it a shot.

    Fried chicken was the special, and I couldn't resist. We were both going to order it, but the waitress informed us that one order would be enough to feed the both of us. She wasn't kidding. When I saw the plate, I thought that the chicken must have come from Barry Bonds Farms. Huge, including the biggest chicken wing I've ever seen. Almost as large as a small turkey's.

    It was half a chicken sectioned into four pieces (breast, wing, leg and thigh), and it came with collard greens and mashed potatoes. The greens were simply sauteed without any bacon or similar fat. I'm used to a lot of salt with my greens, but this was a welcome change. The potatoes were skin on and not fully mashed; more of a cross between mashed and smashed. Again, not much seasoning. This was because . . . the chicken itself was unbelievably salty. I enjoy salty foods, but this was a little too much. It was close to being inedible; it was a good thing the sides were cooked plainly to take the edge off the chicken. I'd bet that the cook mistakenly added salt twice to the batter. Salt issues aside, it wasn't my favorite, but the chicken was pretty good.

    The chicken was cooked to order because it took a loooong time to come out (there was only one other table occupied while we were there). The chicken wasn't cheap; it was $17.95 (I think, maybe +/- a buck or so), but it did feed two of us. I thought the rest of the menu was a little high priced.

    The service was as good as I've enjoyed in any restaurant in quite awhile. I appreciate that the waitress suggested we only have one order of chicken. If we had ordered two, each of us would have taken home dinner in a doggy bag.

    I don't know if I'd go back; southern cuisine isn't really my cup of tea. I do think they need to rethink their pricing. Even though they have a unique niche, there's so many other dining options available in the area that aren't nearly as expensive. If Big Jones was a little more affordable, I think they'd do better because people would return just for the service. Yes, it was that good.
  • Post #49 - April 13th, 2009, 1:00 pm
    Post #49 - April 13th, 2009, 1:00 pm Post #49 - April 13th, 2009, 1:00 pm
    jaybo wrote:The chicken wasn't cheap; it was $17.95
    I do think they need to rethink their pricing. Even though they have a unique niche, there's so many other dining options available in the area that aren't nearly as expensive


    ... i think you're naming their niche as being southern, while really their niche is being southern + sustainable food ...

    the "expensive" fried chicken you had was actually a free range from a local farm (Gunthrop farm--which is truly free range, not just store labeled as such with a door in the back of the barn).

    The price per pound of the chicken they use is probably 3 times that of what is served at the "many other dining options" in Andersonville ... given that the same fried chicken meal at a sit down restaurant would cost at least $10 for the slop chicken, dot dot dot ... Their food cost is significantly higher because they dedicate themselves to using such ingredients...
  • Post #50 - April 13th, 2009, 2:56 pm
    Post #50 - April 13th, 2009, 2:56 pm Post #50 - April 13th, 2009, 2:56 pm
    dddane wrote:... i think you're naming their niche as being southern, while really their niche is being southern + sustainable food ...

    the "expensive" fried chicken you had was actually a free range from a local farm (Gunthrop farm--which is truly free range, not just store labeled as such with a door in the back of the barn).

    The price per pound of the chicken they use is probably 3 times that of what is served at the "many other dining options" in Andersonville ... given that the same fried chicken meal at a sit down restaurant would cost at least $10 for the slop chicken, dot dot dot ... Their food cost is significantly higher because they dedicate themselves to using such ingredients...


    Sorry, but I could not care less if the food is sustainable or if the chicken is free range. If it matters to you, more power to you.

    First, $17.95 is not cheap for a fried chicken dinner. Period. I did not feel ripped off in the slightest because there was enough food to feed the two of us. Let me mention that the price of the chicken was never stated. I found out how much it was when I got the bill. If I had known the price beforehand, I would not have ordered it, even if I knew how much food it was. If the chicken had been fantastic, I would not hesitate to return and order it again, but it wasn't.

    As far as other options, I'm not referring to fried chicken, but rather lunch/dinner as a whole. I looked at the menu and found the prices to be high. If it's because their costs are high, too bad. I don't care what they're paying; I DO care what I'M paying. If I'm going to spend that kind of money, there are several other restaurants I'd rather go to, and not just in the area.

    I'd be willing to give the place another visit because I enjoyed the service so much, and places with good service are extremely rare. But if the food doesn't wow me, then that's it. The bottom line to me is, "How much did I enjoy the food?" Good service only goes so far; the kitchen has to back it up.

    If what the restaurant is trying to accomplish is something that you support, congratulations. I just don't feel the same. I think it's going to be hard for them to sustain it. Good luck to them.
  • Post #51 - April 13th, 2009, 3:04 pm
    Post #51 - April 13th, 2009, 3:04 pm Post #51 - April 13th, 2009, 3:04 pm
    jaybo wrote:First, $17.95 is not cheap for a fried chicken dinner. Period..


    I agree, $17.95 for a 1/2 chicken dinner is out of line. No matter how it was raised.
  • Post #52 - April 13th, 2009, 5:45 pm
    Post #52 - April 13th, 2009, 5:45 pm Post #52 - April 13th, 2009, 5:45 pm
    Sorry, but I could not care less if the food is sustainable or if the chicken is free range. If it matters to you, more power to you.


    And if it doesn't matter to you, fine, but you can hardly blame the restaurant for having principles with which you disagree which drive its costs, and then eating there anyway. If you don't think free range chickens are ever going to taste better to you, don't eat chicken at Lula, Mado, or Big Jones, to name three.
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  • Post #53 - April 13th, 2009, 7:20 pm
    Post #53 - April 13th, 2009, 7:20 pm Post #53 - April 13th, 2009, 7:20 pm
    Mike G wrote:And if it doesn't matter to you, fine, but you can hardly blame the restaurant for having principles with which you disagree which drive its costs, and then eating there anyway. If you don't think free range chickens are ever going to taste better to you, don't eat chicken at Lula, Mado, or Big Jones, to name three.


    Wow, you guys do a lot of inferring.

    I don't "blame" the restaurant for anything. This has nothing to do with their principles or mine. I didn't decide to eat there because the food was "sustainable" or whatever you want to call it. I had no idea that that was their focus, and it wouldn't have made a difference if I had known. I just wanted to try the place out. I think their prices are a little high. That's my opinion. If you feel otherwise, that's your opinion.

    This also has nothing to do with whether the chicken was free range or not, except that if it costs them more and they have to pass it on to customers, I'm not inclined to pay that much for fried chicken. I couldn't tell you if a free range chicken tastes any different from other types of chicken. Aside from being salty, the chicken was okay. Not great, not horrible. I already said that if it was great, I would definitely order it again. It wasn't. That has nothing to do with whether it was free range or not.
  • Post #54 - April 13th, 2009, 8:24 pm
    Post #54 - April 13th, 2009, 8:24 pm Post #54 - April 13th, 2009, 8:24 pm
    jaybo wrote:First, $17.95 is not cheap for a fried chicken dinner.


    I definitely would not eat at Chalkboard, brah.
  • Post #55 - April 13th, 2009, 9:23 pm
    Post #55 - April 13th, 2009, 9:23 pm Post #55 - April 13th, 2009, 9:23 pm
    chezbrad wrote:I definitely would not eat at Chalkboard, brah.


    I actually did eat at Chalkboard, just after it opened. Wasn't impressed; never went back. Didn't even consider the chicken.
  • Post #56 - August 1st, 2009, 9:39 pm
    Post #56 - August 1st, 2009, 9:39 pm Post #56 - August 1st, 2009, 9:39 pm
    First visit to Big Jones today. No wait around 12:30 p.m. Everyone enjoyed their meals. The server took a bit too long to take our orders and then to deliver the drinks. But, after that, everything was smooth sailing.

    I ordered the Clancy's Morning Eggs sandwich: Two pastured eggs, Niman Ranch applewood smoked bacon, fontina, jalapeno, fried sage, and avocado on multigrain. The sandwich really worked. I would happily order this again. I would've liked the eggs to be just a tad less cooked and would request that next time. My step mother also ordered the same sandwich and enjoyed it - - but she ended up pulling out some of the raw jalapenos as they were a bit too spicy for her. The sandwich came with a side and I went with the hash browns, which were far too underdone and I didn't finish them. I feel slightly responsible for this, though, because I neglected to request that the potatoes be well done, something I normally do.

    RAB ordered the Fish & Grits. The catfish was moist with a crispy and not greasy breading. Grits were nicely seasoned and creamy. The over easy eggs were perfectly cooked. Sliced scallions were a nice accent, tying the flavors together. RAB's only minor issue was with the corn cake. He would've preferred a biscuit or a slice of bread with which to enjoy the runny eggs. RAB also ordered sweet tea, something he rarely does, and was pleasantly surprised.

    Dad ordered the pulled pork. Tasty pork with a zesty vinegar sauce. He was quite happy.

    After reading several mediocre reviews here, I wasn't expecting much from Big Jones. Gotta say, though, that lunch was good and that I'd happily return for another meal.

    Ronna
  • Post #57 - August 3rd, 2009, 10:57 am
    Post #57 - August 3rd, 2009, 10:57 am Post #57 - August 3rd, 2009, 10:57 am
    Went here again last weekend. It's right around the corner, and I love NOLA cooking, but it always seems to be very "meh" to me.

    Had the eggs benedict. It comes with potatoes, and I asked if I could ALSO get cheese grits (because I do love theirs) - she brings it out with cheese grits like soup on the middle of my eggs benedict, and no potatoes. I didn't even bother correcting, I was just hungry.

    Eggs Benedict 11
    Niman Ranch applewood pit ham, poached eggs, fresh popover, hollandaise, with potatoes O'Brien

    Eggs were actually pretty good, if overdone - not runny at all. Big hunks of ham and a nice hollandaise sauce over english muffins - drowning in cheese grits. I made quick work of them. Really seemed overpriced for something that is basically just eggs and ham on toast with some sauce.

    Their cafe au lait's are awesome. The foam is so firm that it made my simple sugar run off the top when I poured it in.

    I just really seems like it's too pricey for what you get. I wish they would try to be more hearty home cooking and less upscale. I'd much rather get some down and dirty food for a decent price than stuff that looks pretty but isn't really that filling, and hurts your wallet.
  • Post #58 - August 29th, 2009, 9:50 am
    Post #58 - August 29th, 2009, 9:50 am Post #58 - August 29th, 2009, 9:50 am
    My wife and I went to Big Jones - the coastal Southern restaurant in Andersonville - recently (we had lived near Atlanta for seven years, and she is from north Florida), and while there were sparks of excitement, in general the meal was disappointing. The first problem was the service (and especially the kitchen). When we arrived at Big Jones, our table wasn't ready yet (not a problem since we arrive five-ten minutes early), so we sat at the bar and started to order cocktails, but by the time we finished our order, our table was ready and the bartender told us that it would be quicker if we ordered from our server (I didn't understand that logic, since we had just ordered). So we went to our table, and after about ten minutes, our server arrived, and took our order, and then we waited another fifteen minutes for the drinks. Twenty-five minutes from when we started to order drinks. During the whole evening, even after the restaurant cleared out, service was slow. To be fair, our server took 15% off our bill (without us asking) because of the slowness of the service, telling us that the kitchen had been "hit hard" just before we entered. Given that we entered a little after 8:30 on a weekend, this seemed odd in that this would be the time that one would expect people to dine and we weren't standing with a large crowd of diners.

    What struck me about the dinner food was how sweet it was. Almost every dish (with the exception of the Shrimp and Grits) was surrounded by syrup or jelly. That was fun at first, but became wearying. (The dessert - Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - was the least sweet of my courses).

    I ordered the "Southern Table Menu" - a four course menu (starter, appetizer, main course, and dessert), and my wife ordered an appetizer and main course. Our server promptly noted that the restaurant preferred the whole table to order the table menu, but that we could order as we wished, even though timing might be a problem. Why timing would be a problem I couldn't figure out (this is not Alinea, after all), but she knew her business. My wife's appetizer appeared before my starter. It shouldn't have been that hard to coordinate.

    Appetizers (and the starter) were notably superior to the main courses and desserts. I began with a chunk of fried pimento cheese served with a toasted baguette with some sweet and peppy 5-pepper jelly. Not a startling start, but a nice opening. My wife ordered roasted fresh hearts of palm with cane-glazed pineapple, frisee, spiced peanuts with boiled peanut-ginger vinaigrette. The fresh hearts of palm (a specialty at BJ) were excellent, but this dish, as is evident from the description, counts as a "dessert salad." My appetizer was equally sweet: Lamar heirloom watermelon with lime and violet accents (really sugary syrups). But again this was very tasty, and I would have been delighted if it had been my dessert.

    We also received light and airy corn muffins (looking like a Wolferman's muffin, but not as dense), served with honey butter and plum jam. Tasty and honeyed.

    Main courses were less successful. I ordered Carolina stone bass served with griddled fresh hearts of palm and sweet bell peppers, napped with a citrus gastrique. Putting aside that the peppers didn't add much, the fish was overcooked, losing a good bit of its flavor. Perhaps to balance things, my wife's shrimp and grits (with house tasso gravy) was served with slightly undercooked shrimp. The shrimp did not bother me as I like all food undercooked, but shrimp rarely is served "sashimi-style" (that's an exaggeration, but only a little). Neither of us were impressed by the craftsmanship in the main courses. (Although the spicy ham was fine).

    Dessert - peach cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream - had seemingly been sitting out too long. The cobbler was served at room temperate and the ice cream was starting to melt. It was not as lush or as buttery as one expects a deep south dessert to be, but at that point we were grateful that BJ was holding back on the calories.

    The price of my four course meal was $29 prix fixe, and even without the 15% deduction the price was reasonable. Yet, despite some ambition on the part of the menu-whisperer and despite their admirable recognition of the timing problem, Big Jones is not a restaurant that I long to try again.
    Toast, as every breakfaster knows, isn't really about the quality of the bread or how it's sliced or even the toaster. For man cannot live by toast alone. It's all about the butter. -- Adam Gopnik
  • Post #59 - October 24th, 2009, 10:09 pm
    Post #59 - October 24th, 2009, 10:09 pm Post #59 - October 24th, 2009, 10:09 pm
    Well, folks -- i think i'm done with Big Jones.

    Finally tried dinner here -- thought I'd give them a shot at a non-brunch meal but I have to say that I am truly uninspired by this place. Tonight I started with fried green tomatoes -- which normally I adore -- but these were really very blah. There was little spice to them, which I could live with, but the sauce that covered them (accompanied by pickled shrimp which I did not care for) was nothing more than a bad thousand island dressing. Heavy on the pickle relish. The cornbread that came out before the meal initially excited me -- it smelled good and was hot, straight from the oven but the taste was really off to me. And whether the corn inside of it was fresh or not didn't matter -- it tasted like canned corn to me, which is not a good sign for a restaurant that likes to be thought of as focusing on sustainable products.

    My entree was shrimp and grits and that wasn't bad. I like their grits -- it's been one of the things I actually liked about brunch and the shrimp were fine -- not overcooked, not "sashimi" as someone else pointed out in this thread. The tasso gravy left me confused -- it had very little flavor to it -- certainly not spicy ham at all. My dining partner had a really well prepared pork chop over sweet potatoes that was probably the best thing I had ever tasted at this place. I had entree envy.

    My drink was loaded with ice and extremely tart (Peach daquiri that tasted more like lime than peach). My dining partner tried a pomengranate daquiri that was more lime than pom -- but at least was red.

    We left for other climates for dessert -- i couldn't face the whole "no fake sugar" debacle for coffee.

    Everytime I go here I want to really love it. I go in hopeful and I leave very deflated. I think I'm done -- and that bums me out because I love my 'hood -- I love eating in it and I love supporting it. What really burns me is that we took a walk by Great Lake after dinner and it had almost 5 empty seats in it. I have STILL not gotten to try it because it's insane. Saturday night -- 8:30 pm -- and 5 empty seats. Wow. I felt like a schmuck.

    Service was fine -- although when the guy took my empty drink glass away he didn't even ask me if I wanted another and ran away before I had a chance to say "Gimme something else -- with about 50% less ice". And of course, I didn't see him again until the bill.

    So -- adieu, Big Jones. Sorry it couldn't work out between us. I'm headed to Dixie Kitchen for brunch tomorrow and I know I'll have a better meal.
  • Post #60 - October 25th, 2009, 12:00 am
    Post #60 - October 25th, 2009, 12:00 am Post #60 - October 25th, 2009, 12:00 am
    earthlydesire wrote:Everytime I go here I want to really love it. I go in hopeful and I leave very deflated.
    I'm sorry to hear that . . . I knew they got a new chef a month or so ago, and I was really hoping that would be the kick Big Jones needed. But from your descriptions it sounds like the same place that has also left me deflated. I'd be shocked if I waste my time with another visit.

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