Page 39 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2019

runs a scratch kitchen, meaning everything (right down to the pepper used in various dishes) is made in-house, a chore Rametta calls a “labor of love.” The chef also keeps track of what is and isn’t popular, and he uses the dining trends when creating new, seasonal menus.
The appetizers run the gamut from the favored crab cakes to grilled artichokes, ravioli quattro formaggio (four-cheese ravioli), steamed mussels and even escargot — snails for the uninitiated. We enjoyed the val-au-vent d’escargot, large escargot and mushrooms served in a flaky, puff pastry with a cognac-cream sauce. Rametta’s escargot was both beautiful and delicious.
We also tried in the ahi poke tower, a delicate dish of stacked sushi grade yellowfin tuna on top of crispy wontons with ponzu sauce and spicy mayo. The tuna was so fresh and the flavors really popped.
Four oyster choices are offered, and we indulged in the
tasty oysters Bienville — plump oysters topped with chopped shrimp and mushrooms in a white wine sauce baked with Parmigiana and bread crumbs. Other oyster selections are raw with a house-made cocktail sauce, Rockefeller and the chef’s weekly steamed oysters with trio of sauces, a delightful way to share and sample.
Salmon, jumbo scallops, speckled trout and redfish are just a few of the seafood dishes at Scarlet’s. We opted for a Scarlet specialty: the flounder stuffed with the signature crab cakes, served with Boursin mashed potatoes and a buerre blanc sauce. Each bite of fish and crab was delicious, making this a delightful entree.
TOP: OYSTERS Bienville. ABOVE: 24 oz. Prime Tomahawk rib eye.
The restaurant serves USDA 1855 certified premium prime Black Angus beef, including filet mignon, roasted prime rib and Wagyu skirt steak, all of which can be topped with crab, lobster and other tastes from the sea. It was the 24-ounce prime tomahawk rib eye, though, that caught our attention. Such named because the
bone in the steak resembles a single-handed axe, this steak was cooked to perfection in such a way each cut brought out the juicy flavor of the meat.
Sides include creamed spinach, mac and cheese with crispy pork belly, broccolini and potatoes.
Scarlet’s has a number of desserts, including table-side specialties for two. The brulee of pineapple cheesecake, rich and creamy, was a perfect ending to a lovely meal, but all are guaranteed to ensure a sweet ending to a wonderful, savory meal.
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October 2019 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 39