Fork In The Road

Cotton Row

Article and Photos by Kathleen Walls

Cotton Row

If the way to a man (or woman)'s heart is through the stomach, Cotton row in the historic section of Huntsville, is dearly beloved by all its diners. This downtown sidewalk-cafe-style restaurant has the pizzazz of top hat New York eateries combined with the Southern charm of traditional 19th century club.

Back interior wall upstairs at Cotton Row

The traditional part is due in part to its fabulous setting. Huntsville's premier restaurant is housed in a 1821 red brick building that was the home to a prosperous cotton merchant in the days when cotton was king and the cotton exchange was the place to make a fortune. It was designed by famed antebellum architect George Steele. In later incarnations it became a book store and finally a bank. Then New York Chef James Boyce discovered the building. Boyce had already achieved fame in the culinary world. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America spent several years at New York's renowned Le Cirque, moved on to become executive chef at the Phoenician resort and just before moving to Huntsville, he owned Studio, at the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach, California. He appears regularly on the Today show.

Bar and restaurant on ground floor

He and his partner who owned the building originally, have done wonders in restoring the decaying building to its former glory. On the ground floor, the bar and restaurant have a feel of old New Orleans about them. The exposed beam ceiling, back brick wall, granite and wood bar, stools and tables are cozily lit to offer an ambience of old world culture.

Upstairs apartment

Underneath the old building, the massive wine cellar proudly houses the restaurant's collection of nearly 5,000 bottles and 300 different selections of wine. Here guest may dine amid the collection of famous vintages. The upstairs apartment is not usually open to the public but is used for parties. It is even more French Quarter style. The wrought iron balconies add to that feeling. We had an opportunity to visit and were served desserts upstairs on the scrumptious Alabama limestone island.

The bedrooms and baths up there are unbelievable. There is a reclaimed copper tub with a waterfall, a railroad steel wine rack. You really have to see it to believe. Mere words cannot do it justice.

This blending of cultures has created a world class restaurant in Cotton Row.

Assorted desserts at Cotton Row

We enjoyed a combination of desserts created by Jay Hendricks, the pastry chef.

We sampled Chocolate bombe, a semi-frozen combination of light and dark chocolate and brandy garnished with light chocolate ganach and surrounded with chocolate truffles.

Key Lime curd a little Genoise topped with baked meringue and dried coconut and hibiscus syrup.

A Mocha Semifreddo, a concoction of semi-frozen sugar, syrup and eggs combined with Kailua, chocolate and cinnamon.

The unbelievably gorgeous and equally delicious creme brule

Cream Brule topped with spun sugar worthy of a sculptor's talented hand and garnished with caramelized figs.

A milk chocolate mousse with some Genoise and drenched with Myers rum.

A dark chocolate cheesecake and several real fruit sorbets raspberry, honeydew and peach.

If you held a gun to my head I could not pick a favorite. They were all out of this world. I have to admit the Cr�me Brule was the prettiest with its gleaming strands off sugar arching above it for at least six or seven inches.

So when you visit Huntsville put this restaurant at the top of the list.

www.cottonrowrestaurant.com