Mountain Cove Grill: Dinner Destination

I made the drive to Mountain Cove Grill on a lush spring afternoon — the skinny back road winding me between mountains, through a tunnel of oaks and past a pasture of Texas longhorn cattle.

“What is this beautiful, unfamiliar place?” I wondered to myself.

“Do you know much about the cove?” owner Greg Cornelsion asked me as I arrived at Mountain Cove Grill, which is adjacent to a stately manor complete with large white columns.

I shook my head.

The grill is located on Mountain Cove Farms, a sprawling, picturesque property owned by Walker County in Georgia. It includes a variety of show barns, cabins, a country store and, of course, Mountain Cove Grill.

The inside of Mountain Cove Grill is as elegant as its facade, featuring black linens and matching wall paint. The décor is rustic and minimal. But appearances aside, Greg said he is most proud of the restaurant’s five chefs: Larhonda Hise, Jeff Williams, Mackenzie Porter, Calli Stoker and head chef Philippe Gehin.

French-born Philippe, Greg told me, has cooked all over the world — a fact that surely influences Mountain Cove Grill’s varied menu. For example, best-selling dishes include the 20-ounce cowboy rib-eye steak, blue Maryland jumbo lump crabcakes served with ginger orange aioli, and shrimp and grits tossed with an Asian-jalapeno sauce.

The shrimp and grits dish is featured on the restaurant’s brunch menu, alongside other popular plates such as the chicken and pancakes. Meanwhile, its dessert menu is always rotating and may include housemade options such as bourbon bread pudding, classic Key lime pie or lava cake.

“The scenery is beautiful,” Greg said. “The food is excellent; just try it. I guarantee it is worth the drive.”