(This post has languished in my drafts folder for days, but it actually is a good lead-in to why I need a health reset.)
Monday ,6/28, was my birthday, and of course it turned out to be exceptionally awful. I was very grateful for a do-over day. Weeks ago my daughter had made a 6/29 reservation for Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ at Disney Springs. We ate lunch there, and it was just what I needed.
(I still think the name of the restaurant is weird and awkward. We generally refer to it as Art Smith’s, because that dropped “g” affectation is like sandpaper on my nerves.)
It was our first time actually dining there. We’d grabbed “to go” fried chicken sandwiches at the bar a couple of years ago, in the Before Times, and talked about them for days. We swore we had to go back for a real sit down meal. Then COVID happened and we never made it back to actually dine there, so I asked for that for my birthday. It truly lived up to our expectations. The food, the friendly and efficient service, everything was just delicious and casual and so relaxing.
My granddaughter was introduced to fried green tomatoes. She was very skeptical about the idea and made a face, then complained that the appetizer we’d ordered to share was too small.
The restaurant comped us a huge slice of Hummingbird Cake for my birthday, and we also tried the Shine Cake.
Of the two, I’d go with the Shine Cake. It’s a rich, buttery bundt cake soaked with moonshine syrup and a glaze that I suspect contained more shine. It reminded me of a rum cake I used to make for the holidays, though I doubt Chef Art’s started with a box of cake mix. Maybe it did, he seems like a practical man.
The Hummingbird Cake was delicious too, but really, really sweet. Banana bread with pineapple chunks and rich frosting is the best way I can describe it. I liked it, but I definitely preferred the buttery rich cake with the booze cutting the sweetness, it’s utterly decadent.
Portions are very generous, my daughter and granddaughter split the fried chicken platter and added a side of the amazing mac and cheese, and had enough leftovers to take home, along with half of each slice of cake. We were stuffed, and I had to walk off the effect of a single moonshine margarita, which I had sipped carefully.
Disney Springs is about 45 minutes from my house, so it’s not the kind of place I’ll visit on a whim. This is a good thing, because if this restaurant was any closer I’d be in trouble.