On the Friday evening of Memorial Day weekend, Dave Rasp asked me to drop by the Royal Scam, across from the Riverview Plaza, to try out four new small plate offerings he has added to the menu. In addition to tender seared tuna I have always ordered, there are three other standards, for a total of eight selections.

The first new item that arrived were some enormous crab cakes with a remoulade sauce – and I am correct in telling you that these were all crab, with just a bit of binding. This is quite impressive.

Next was ostrich in a rosemary port reduction, and while I had not ever had ostrich, it was great. Tender, mild in taste actually, and the sauce marinated nicely, not overpoweringly into the meat.

All agreed that the tenderloin with béarnaise is the best beef around – unbelievably tender, I just placed my fork down and it cut away. And a fish dish with a zippy pico de gallo of onions and peppers was a surprise, it did not appear on the menu as astounding as it tasted.

We had a relaxing time languishing through the meal, enjoying our drinks and visiting. In fact, the place was packed, which is quite a statement for Memorial Day weekend in Mobile.

Digging the new digs

I had lunch for my birthday at the Battle House, and also have a report from my editor who ate dinner recently. The Trellis Room at the Battle House is filled with light pouring into the stained glass ceiling. Plush chairs and booths offer a comfortable arrangement. We sat at a table right in front of the open kitchen, where we could see the plates being assembled. It made for a nice peek at what we were considering ordering.

It was a lively Friday and the room was filled with pleasant people and chatter. The menu is large enough, with lots of starters that could also double as a light meal. In fact, one tablemate ordered the prawns atop mixed greens that she exclaimed are quite good. Two of us started out splitting the arugula salad with fresh parmesan and lemon vinaigrette that when cracked with fresh pepper was superb. The two others split Caesar salad with a light dressing rather than a heavy, creamy one and both enjoyed this along with the homemade croutons. Alone, either of these would be an ample meal. There is also a tomato, basil and mozzarella salad.

Fresh bugatelli pasta was tossed in a creamy pesto intermixed with grilled shrimp with a light hint of garlic for another friend. All portions are ample. I ordered the herb chicken, two tender pieces atop slightly coarse, creamy mashed potatoes and fresh sautéed spinach in a brown sauce. I highly recommend this and the restaurant for a splurge lunch. They brought a Limon cello – a cloud-like concoction topped with fresh mango ice cream and fresh raspberries, very light.

My editor and his wife went in two weeks ago for dinner and reported having an amazing meal. They started with royal red shrimp in a butter sauce that was fantastic. He had a white bean soup that was very good and his wife had the aforementioned tomato salad that was delicious. His lamb chops were perfectly prepared and his wife selected a chicken dish she enjoyed very much.

They both also said the glass ceiling in the Trellis Room reminded them of the original “Poseidon Adventure” when the ship turns upside down and the woman falls through the ceiling. But they reported nothing at all tragic about their meal. The price wasn’t any more than Ruth’s or NoJa and the food, service and atmosphere were phenomenal. They did say the menu isn’t the world’s most adventurous, but that may change as the clientele grows.

Nothing makes you hungry like…MUR-DER!

Another annual event I hear is a fun group outing has begun, the Bragg Mitchell’s “Murder at the Bragg,” a mystery dinner series. For $40 you get a tour of the mansion, a meal catered by Naman’s that includes a white wine bar and a three-hour mystery to be solved. Years ago I attended one of these at a friend’s house and had a blast. The schedule for June is this Friday at 7 p.m., June 10 at 5:30 p.m.; Friday, June 22 at 7 p.m. and June 24 at 5:30. There are two different mysteries, each presented twice during the month. Call 251-471-6364 for more information and to make a reservation, or check out their website at www.braggmitchellmansion.com

Ivy Benefit

An evening of food, music June 15 at 6:30 p.m. will take place to benefit Michael Ivy, who trained may of this area’s culinary talent. Ivy has suffered from Hepatitis for several years and a silent auction will help raise money for a possible liver transplant. The benefit takes place at the Blue Gill Restaurant on the Causeway. For more information call the Bluegill at 625-1998.

New corks on the block

Two wine bars spots opened in town. The first, Taste, is a shop located in the Ashland Village center just down from Naman’s on Old Shell Road. I understand that not only is the owner knowledgeable, but is making friends with his excellent, affordable education and recommendations on wines that are new, yet not priced out for those who do not consider themselves connoisseurs. Taste also sells wine by the bottle to drink in the shop, and he encourages people to pick up some cheese, bread and whatever at Naman’s, even supplying plates so you can have a relaxing drink.

The Wine Loft is in the Legacy Village Shopping Center off Dauphin Street behind the Atlanta Bread Company. The very uptown décor is attracting all ages for over 70 wines by the glass and 250 by the bottle – some friends of mine went and drank several bottles of wonderful champagne and reported the prices are reasonable. While I have not been, according to their Web site the menu looks awesome. Of interest are such items as Lamb Lollypops with mint pine nut sauce ($15) – and I ran into some women who said these are delectable; Baked brie with lavender honey and balsamic drizzle ($10); Proscuitto and blue cheese wrapped figs ($8); Escargot and field mushrooms in puff pastry with herbsaint cream sauce ($9) and New Orleans BBQ shrimp en croute ($10). And for dessert there is chocolate fondue ($15) that would go well with the selection of dessert wines. The food items alone stand out as unique in Mobile.

A bit much

Someone threw a piece of concrete into the drive-thru window of the StarbucksCoffee at Catherine Street in the wee hours of Tues., May 29, disabling the service for the majority of the day. The store’s staff said it wasn’t the first vandalism to occur there, that someone injected silicon into the doorlocks around the time the coffee house first opened.

When asked about a motive, they responded they believe it’s anti-corporate sentiment.

Now, there may be a host of these java joints cropping up around town, and some citizens might be worried about local entrepreneurs, but there’s no independent coffee houses currently in Midtown. That Starbucks isn’t putting anyone out of business.

Though we suspect it was budding anarchists out of school for the summer with nowhere to direct their ill-gained rage, here’s an idea for future vandals: take that energy and open your own coffee house. If you really want choices, then give us another one! Otherwise, calm down and start ordering decaf; sounds like you need it.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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