Domaine South
My husband and I discovered this wonderful place back in 2018 when we stopped by for a glass of wine while walking around an outdoor art show on the courthouse square. It has since grown into not only a great little wine shop but also an upscale eatery with a unique menu. The owners of this charming eatery are Kristian and Mike Denis. Kristian has a background in the wine business which is apparent when browsing their comprehensive wine list. I am a devoted fan of Domaine South’s abundant options of meats and cheeses, and it’s so much fun to assemble a tasty charcuterie board. But more recently, I’ve been ordering their entrees and have been impressed with how delicious and special they are.
How many of you remember back when Bunco was a thing? I was in a wonderful Bunco group of ladies many years ago, and I thought it would be fun to get back together to catch up! It had been way too long since we’d seen each other, and our lives had changed in many ways. So we all met for drinks and food after work in Domaine South’s newest location off the courthouse square downtown overlooking the Big Spring. The building previously housed Keegan’s and Big Spring Tavern, and is distinguishable by the spiral staircase landmark. By the way, their smaller location and wine shop on the courthouse square is still open and going by the new name of Le Petit Bijou Café & Wine Bar. I had booked the 8 of us a table, and our server Jessica was definitely up for the challenge of serving a loud group of ladies on an already busy night. Many of us started the evening off with one of their special Boozy Slushies. Mine had blood orange juice and bourbon, and it reminded me of an adult icee. So refreshing! I ordered the Tarte Flambe appetizer which came on a gluten-free cauliflower crust with both mascarpone and mozzarella cheeses, fried prosciutto, shallots, balsamic glaze, arugula and a sweet Spanish fig jam on top. Really amazing! Since I had previously enjoyed their popular Fried Green Tomato BLT, I decided to also order the Tomato Tian starter. It was a stack of both fried and grilled green tomatoes surrounded by arugula and a green tomato coulis. So fresh and tangy! Domaine South is a great place to gather with friends, and everyone was so happy to spend time catching up over some tempting food and drinks.
This past weekend on a date night with our best friends, we stopped by Domaine South for an early dinner before a movie. We sat on the patio overlooking the water of the Big Spring, and it was a beautiful fall evening to be outdoors. One nice thing about arriving before 6 PM was that Happy Hour was still in full swing, so we enjoyed some cocktails and wine at the discounted price. Jessica was our server again, and I was happy to see her! For appetizers I knew I loved the Tarte Flambe from my previous visit, so we ordered that as well as the Burrata en Croute. The large scoop of burrata came on top of some puff pasty with chunks of baked apples from Scott’s Orchard in Hazel Green. Surrounding the pastry puff was a reduction of apple cider with caramelized onions. If food could be a season, this was fall on a plate!
For our entrees, we decided to each order something different. My choice was the Alaskan Halibut, my husband chose the Denver Venison, and our friends ordered the Joyce Farms Chicken Confit and the Farmer’s Market Plate. My piece of a halibut was quite large and served on a puree of white sweet potatoes and onions with a champagne Buerre Blanc sauce. The crookneck squash on the side was grilled and seasoned to perfection. It was my first time trying a dragon tongue bean! It tasted like the wax beans we grow in our garden but had a scalloped shape on the edges. The piece of venison on my husband’s plate was a perfect medium-rare and plated with sweet potato medallions, carrots, and mushrooms in an apple cider fig reduction. I had to stop my husband from picking up his plate and licking it, it was that good! The Farmer’s Market Plate was a vegetable plate that included dragon tongue beans, roasted poblano peppers, grilled squash, heirloom tomatoes, fried green tomatoes, pickled okra, white sweet potato puree, and red tomato coulis. In my friend’s own words, “I don’t normally order the veggie plate, but this was the best one I ever had!” In the Chicken Confit skillet, the chicken was served over a white bean cassoulet, roasted radishes, slices of conecuh sausage and roasted crookneck squash. We all were too full to order any desserts, so we happily headed off to the movies.
Having a menu that changes often ensures that each time you visit, you can choose from brand new entrees. I love that this place always serves what is in season and comes from local farms. Other past menu items I have enjoyed at Domaine South include the Pan Seared Grouper, the Pork Belly, the Diver Scallops. the Schnitzel Sandwich, and the Heirloom Tomato Salad. In my opinion, you won’t be disappointed with anything you order here. This is why it stays a favorite of mine that I continue to recommend to friends and family. The view of the Big Spring serves up those classic Huntsville vibes, especially when the colored lights get going after dark. So please take my advice and check out Domaine South for an excellent dining experience!