Ambiance
The exterior of High Cotton exudes a quaint, old-school Southern charm, but with a modern twist thanks to their live band performances on Saturday nights. Unlike many places that offer live entertainment, this venue manages to avoid feeling seedy or overwhelming. Instead, it strikes a balance between elegant and comforting, making it an inviting spot for an upscale night out.
Service
Despite a busy evening, the staff at High Cotton demonstrated exceptional hospitality. After an unfortunate experience at California Dreaming (where we waited for an hour despite having made reservations a month in advance), we made a last-minute reservation at High Cotton. To our relief, we were welcomed warmly and seated right away. The staff remained attentive throughout the night, which helped create a positive dining experience.
Food Selection
High Cotton specializes in steaks and seafood, offering a robust menu for those seeking indulgent, hearty fare.
Appetizers
We started with calamari and a salad. The calamari was well-prepared, crispy, and flavorful, while the salad was fresh and light, offering a pleasant balance to the richness of the seafood.
Main Course Dishes
For the main course, we opted for the filet mignon special and the smoked duck. The filet mignon, served with two scallops and truffle butter, was superb. The steak was cooked to perfection, tender, and complemented beautifully by the rich truffle butter.
The smoked duck, however, was a different story. The heavy smoke flavor overpowered the meat, making it difficult to even recognize it as duck. While the Brussels sprouts served alongside were well-cooked and added a nice contrast, the main dish itself was disappointing.
Desserts
We finished the meal with the chocolate mousse, which was beautifully presented but fell short of expectations. The sweetness overpowered the dessert, leaving it lacking the rich, intense chocolate flavor that defines a great mousse..
Final Thoughts
While the service and ambiance at High Cotton are top-notch, the food didn’t quite live up to the high price point. The filet mignon was outstanding, but other dishes, like the smoked duck and chocolate mousse, fell short. For the price, I’d expect more consistency across the board.