Tucked back into the woods in Covington is a place that predates its boisterous neighbors Chimes by over 190 years, and Blind Tiger by 200. Annadele’s Plantation is more of a wedding venue, and B&B, but it does do a la carte dining most days. We never go to Annadele’s precisely for this reason - we never see it. And, as the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind.
But Mary Ann’s steely resolve to generate content for the readers reminded her that we are overdue for a visit. After all, it could be called a neighborhood restaurant for us.They had a surprisingly steady stream of customers last evening. We sat in the small dining room in what looks like an old carriageway. Exposed brick walls and arches now enclosed by glass, the dining room is unassuming and low key. Its upholstered chairs and carpets give it a hushed vibe, which I find appealing and Mary Ann calls boring.
We started with a nice Manhattan for me, and a waiter amiable enough to let me belt out the song, which he claims to have never heard. He did have fair warning when I ordered it. Still, he came back. To hear it, I think, until MA reminds me he had to deliver the drink. She is encouraging me to take another local restaurateur up on his offer to let me sing on Tuesday nights.
After the requisite song was dispatched, we got a nice fennel salad for me, and MA had a few bites. More than a few, She loved this light and citrusy dressing with large nuggets of feta cheese, thin shavings of fennel, a few tomatoes and a generous bed of spinach.
I realized I might be eating like the millennials I continually decry when I noticed I had ordered only two small courses. Mary Ann got just one. This is probably a good thing, because the pace of the service was glacial. This is not some place one would go in a hurry anyway, so who cares? The service staff was a group of young guys who were very nice, just overwhelmed, as I suspect the kitchen staff was.
The plates coming out of the kitchen looked good, and ours rather ordinary, but that’s what we ordered. Two casseroles, essentially. I got oysters and artichokes, which MA teased me looked mysteriously like spin dip topped by oysters. I had to admit that not only did it look it, that’s how it tasted. A very spicy spinach dip that came with half-inch slices of seemingly stale garlic “crostini.” The oysters, too, were flat.
Mary Ann liked her small casserole of seafood au gratin. It came to the table bubbling hot, really too hot to eat. Alongside it were very sad baby carrots and squash.These might have been fried or roasted. Probably roasted because they were shriveled. Mary Ann thought the casserole itself was pretty tasty. Very creamy and cheesy, with enough seafood to satisfy.
It’s a good thing neither of us wanted dessert. I don’t want to think how long it might have taken to get it.
Annadele’s Plantation
71518 Chestnut St Covington 70433
985-809-7669
Lunch Thursday and Friday 11am-2pm
Dinner Wed-Th 5:30pm-9pm Fri-Sat till 9:30pm
Sunday Brunch 11am-2pm
annadeles.com
