Restaurant review: Farm to Fork

Entree options include beef tenderloins, above, along with massive pork loins (fried or grilled), crab cakes, a shrimp platter, grilled chicken, hand-breaded chicken tenders, hamburger steak and veggie plates. Sides, above, include a vegetable medley and mashed potatoes with skins.

I lived in Paris, France, for several years, so it almost goes without saying that dinner is not dinner without wine. Before I decided to make the drive to Ringgold, Ga., to try down-home restaurant Farm to Fork, I wanted to find out if they serve wine, since this is not the South of France.

I scoured the restaurant's Facebook page - scrolling through photos of country cooking kicked up a notch and customers' comments like, "If that don't make you hungry, I don't know what will!" and "My parents loved the Toscana Potato Soup tonight!!" The restaurant posts pictures every day of its specials, which start with farm-fresh vegetables and classic country recipes and are elevated with quality ingredients and presentation you'd expect at a $20 price point - not a $10 one.

But despite how much I started hankering for fried green tomatoes and chicken salad heftily piled onto an onion roll, I had to find out about the wine. I called the number listed but received a busy signal despite several attempts, so I sent a Facebook message. Within minutes I had my answer - and a hint of the serious helping of customer service that comes standard.

THE SPACE

I wasn't sure what to expect, since wine and country cooking don't go hand in hand in my Southern-bred mind. To me, wine means an elegant setting and country means a comfortable one. Farm to Fork is kind of both.

Located in the Shops at Remco strip mall, the restaurant can be a bit hard to find and easy to miss, and I was being escorted by my boyfriend who grew up in Ringgold. The interior is homey, with an edge of elegance; inviting yet starkly lit. Gingham is replaced with deep-red accent walls, augmented with black touches, refinished country hallmarks and light-colored wood-laminate floors.

But there was no mistaking the country charm. It was as thick in the air as smoke from a fire.

THE SERVICE

We were warmly welcomed and told about the specials: mahi mahi, Low Country boil and chicken and dressing, plus sides including mashed sweet potatoes, white beans, sautéed cabbage and fried okra.

"Have you ever been here before?" our server, Jenny, asked. She paused before entering my order on the iPad in her hand. "No? Then you don't want the hamburger steak," she said with the gentle coaxing of a grandmother known as much for her sweetness as for her legendary sweet treats. After some discussion, I went with the tenderloin medallions: two plus two sides for $13.75. "You look like a vegetable medley girl," which I am, "and I'm going to say mashed potatoes with that," Jenny concluded. But just to make sure, she brought me a side of chicken and dressing.

I'd wanted something quintessentially country. Turns out wholeheartedly trusting others was Southern enough.

THE FOOD

I can almost never pass up fried green tomatoes, and, since they're a hallmark of Southern cuisine, I ordered them as soon as I saw them on the menu ($6.50). The breading was the perfect amount of browned and thickness to give just the right crunch for my liking. The tomatoes inside tasted a little acidic when eaten on their own, but Jenny had brought us a side of creamy ranch because we "just had to try them with that," as well as their version of Thousand Island, which tasted like ranch with horseradish and provided a bite that wasn't overwhelming yet still flavorful. All in all, I was happy with my choice, though maybe next time I'll opt for fried pickles or portabella mushrooms (both $6.50).

My medallions were well-cooked (not well done), which Jenny came back to double-check on specifically, and the heap of potatoes was chunky and still had the skins mixed in, which is how I prefer. Even though the restaurant has no brown gravy (only white), the potatoes were not dry. My boyfriend's side of creamy sweet potatoes, however, were a hands-down winner, if even a bit decadent-tasting. But Jenny was right: I preferred my zucchini and squash medley to his haricots verts. Even though I lived in France, I still prefer country-style green beans.

If I had to pick a last meal, Farm to Fork's coconut cake ($4) might be included. Though we'd said "to go," Jenny brought us forks in case we couldn't wait until home. Ribbons of I don't care what provided a moistness that could probably survive several days on the counter - and definitely lasted into the morning, when I snuck some bites for breakfast. The toasted coconut lent a slight yet satisfying crunch to the silky icing.

THE VERDICT

"A little hospitality goes a long way," my boyfriend said as he held the door open for me to exit the restaurant. It sure does. It might even go so far as to make me take on the trek back to Ringgold to see what my friend Jenny has cooking.

Contact Jennifer Bardoner at jbardoner@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6579.