A reflection of its region's personality, southern cuisine contains a great deal of warmth, an air of easy sophistication, and an unusually large number of talking, man-sized chickens. Indulge an antebellum appetite with today’s Groupon: for $12, you get $25 worth of southern comfort fare and drinks at Science Hill Inn in Shelbyville. This Groupon is only valid for lunch and the brunch buffet on Sunday.
Originally one of the 19th century's top preparatory school for girls, Science Hill Inn's executive chef Ellen Gill McCarty currently fills its refined, wood-hued interior with the aromas of southern home cooking. An aperitif of peach nectar and champagne Bellinis ($7.95) loosens up the tongue's tongue so it can lose itself in signature plates such as the Hot Brown—a hot open-faced sandwich harboring turkey breast and bacon under cover of an ethereal cheese sauce ($11.95)—or Carolina shrimp and grits sautéed in butter and onions, imbued with herbs de provence, and strewn with crisp bacon ($12.95). Otherwise, relish the fried chicken served with a potato and vegetable of the day ($12.50), or abide by humanity's uneasy peace treaty with birds by ordering the grilled eggplant topped with fresh red pepper, fontina cheese, watercress, and mayo on whole wheat ($11.25).
Science Hill Inn
Originally a 19th-century preparatory school for girls, Science Hill Inn now schools patrons on fine southern cooking served inside a warm-hued dining room laden with chandeliers and white-linen-draped tables. Inside the bustling kitchen, chef Ellen McCarty—who once showcased her skills by cooking for Julia Child—pushes the culinary envelope, stamps it, and mails it to Tastytown with dishes such as grilled salmon topped with a cucumber-dill sauce, marinated chicken breast splashed with a pineapple salsa, and Carolina shrimp and grits. Desserts, such as brown-sugar pie and biscuit pudding slathered in bourbon sauce, can be enjoyed with glasses of wine to cap off meals.
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