A flavorful meal at good prices

The excitement at Citizen Corners in downtown Rock Hill is infectious. This fine dining Southern restaurant where South Carolina Low Country meets New Orleans was just what I was looking for — a fine dinner experience all about flavor with meals at comparable prices.

After parking on Caldwell Street in the back of the building that sits on Main Street, while walking to the entrance, we passed the kitchen — completely visible through the glass windows and door. We watched the chefs preparing meals that looked absolutely scrumptious.

After walking over lighted glass blocks to enter the front door, we were greeted with a friendly hello and quickly seated in the quaint, yellow one-room dining area with high ceilings and elegant fixtures — a great place for a date or celebrating a special occasion with a touch of class. The building was formerly a bank, and photos hang all around displaying bits of Rock Hill history. Despite being a large open room with several other diners, it was quiet and easy to carry on a conversation.

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Described as a high-end Southern restaurant with dishes such as shrimp and grits, Frogmore stew, flounder stuffed with crab, apple pork tenderloin and blackened catfish, the menu made my mouth water. Luckily, our happy waitress, Christine, was being honest about the dishes. But even more importantly, she was excited about the menu — really excited. I wanted to try everything.

So we started with an appetizer of fried green tomatoes and shrimp remoulade ($9) and a cup each of chicken and sausage gumbo ($3), which were served pretty quickly. They were as pretty as they were tasty. The gumbo was, as my sister said, a Carolina gumbo with a very flavorful roux with a little kick.

For the meals, after much back and forth, we decided on one of two specials of the night, the filet topped with crab meat ($25) served with asparagus. Off the menu, we had Ray Ray's Favorite Ahi Tuna ($19) served on a bed of mango salsa topped with a soy, fruit juice and ginger reduction. The meals take time —it's worth it.

My sister loved the tuna, and I loved the filet, which melted on my tongue. Citizen Corners satisfies the seafood and steak lovers.

Citizen Corners also offers a full bar and extensive wine list, as well as serves lunch and weekend brunch. There's also a children's menu for ages 12 and younger.

Catherine Muccigrosso, Lake Wylie Pilot editor