mama's boy southern table & refuge

there are southern restaurants that exist because the chef and owner have a real passion for southern cooking, and there are southern restaurants that exist because it's a lucrative concept. as for which one mama's boy is, i'm reserving my judgement for another day, but i have my hunches. either way, the burger is an undeniable success.

wonderful. right across the street from aquarium. an absolute delight, quality of the food and fantastic service!

becoming a fav. i am coming here more frequently, and enjoy the outdoor dining, though granted its not wonderful ambiance - just a few tables on the sidewalk. service remains odd. lots of staff, all eager to help, but many dont really seem to know what they are doing.

but the food makes it. i got the chicken and waffles, which i have never had before not just here but anywhere. honestly i dont get the combination. its really just chicken and starch. could have been potatoes, or the grits or anything else. the waffles were fine, but unnecessary, because....

the chicken rocked - really moist, nicely breaded, just a touch of spice. just excellent fried chicken - some of the best i ever had.


-----12 nov, 2013-----

get the burger. i know its odd. i have been here several times. really like the traditional southern food (shrimp and grits, fried green tomotoes, etc.). but i was sitting at the bar there the other day and saw the burger. awesome. it had a little kick, a buttery bun, onions... it was great.

i have been on weekends a few times and service has been overwhelmed, but i always find the staff nice and friendly.

here in the northeast we’ve found our little piece of the south in the form of mama’s boy southern table & refuge. if owners greer fredericks and amiel dorel were striving to put a little south in the mouth of the north, they’ve triumphed. since the opening of mama’s boy in may 2013, they’ve provided southern favorites in a warm and welcoming environment.

good burger - mediocre mac&cheese. really good burger and fries. don't get the mac & cheese:( - very little cheese and made with spiral pasta...at least add a serious dose of cheese and pepper, because it looked promising. service a bit on the slow side, especially if busy. i will go back though

chef scott ostrander new signature dish at mama’s boy is crisp pork shank, an osso bucca-like braised pork shank with a dramatic southern twist. traditionally, slowly simmered meat is tender, juicy, and deeply flavored. but its soft texture is monochromatic. for his shank, scott wanted contrapuntal textures. soft. and crunchy. drawing on a career spent cooking in the south; he immediately knew the crisp that would work: crackling. good old boy deep-fried pork rind. named for the sound it makes in the mouth. onomatopoeia in every bite.

mama’s boy is not what you would expect when you think “southern food” – there are no overly saucy ribs that require a post-meal bath via wet-naps. instead, you’ll be treated to an entirely new experience; an inspired menu featuring southern comfort food with a modern twist. classics like shrimp and grits are interpreted in a bright, fresh new way – southern white shrimp is plated with falls mill grits, house smoked tasso (a spicy, peppery pork), spring onion and creamy pimento gravy. get the idea? this is low-country food done with high-style.

nothing beats great comfort food. last week we got a dose of southern hospitality at mama's boy southern table & refuge in sono. upon stepping into the restaurant, we were greeted by owner greer fredericks. we grabbed a few cocktails at the bar and mingled with local food bloggers - anatoli from talk-a-vino , bonnie from home place , kait and jeff from forloveofcarrots.com , christina and jeff from cookingwithjeffandcristina.com , valerie from bonvivant , and jenn from that's so jenn . dirty south with my dirty south ( a concoction of homemade sweet tea, fire fly vodka, and lemon) in hand i scoped out the place. the restaurant felt warm and inviting with a rustic interior made with reclaimed wood from an old water tower from florence, sc. in the middle of the restaurant, you can check out what the cooks are prepping through the large cutout which also has gorgeous cakes presented on their pedestals. how tempting it was to reach out and taste some of the frosting. but i had some self co

the atmosphere is relaxed, service is friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. tables are roomy, and seating is comfortable. of special note are the dinner napkins, oversize cotton kitchen towels that sit nicely on the lap, and are soft and comfy to the touch. much better than an overly starched white dinner napkin!

you know how it is easy to understand that you just visited a great restaurant? if the next day you crave the food you had the day before, that is clearly the sign of greatness. while the group was torn between bouillabaisse and blt, we were all chatting next day how great it would be to experience that wonderful food again – this constitutes glowing endorsement in my book. all left to say here is thank you – thank you, chef scott ostrander, for the wonderful meal. we will be back…

we went on a really quiet tuesday and had great service and the food was delicious!! def try the pulled pork and the shrimp and grits. house cocktails are also great!