BY STACEY WALLACE
OPINION —
If you are like most people, you have a number of restaurants where you regularly dine. Since Mike and I moved to Auburn in November 2015, we have enjoyed a variety of great restaurants.
One restaurant in Opelika, The Grille at Botanic, has definitely become one of my favorite restaurants throughout Lee County. The Grille at Botanic, located at 1702 Frederick Road, started serving lunch awhile back, and I was very eager to dine there.
After all, dinner at The Grill at Botanic and the Sunday brunch there are both amazing, so I knew that the lunch would be outstanding as well. I was 100 percent correct.
Not long ago, I met my friends Judy, Nancy and Kim for lunch at The Botanic; we were celebrating Kim’s birthday a few days early. We were seated in what I call “the plant room,” where luscious green plants grow right out of one of the room’s walls; it really is beautiful.
George, our server, was fabulous, being sweet, patient and helpful. My friends and I shared the house-made pimento cheese, which had Wickle’s Pickles, bacon jam and house-made tortilla chips. It was slap your Grandma two times good.
For her entrée, Kim, the birthday girl, ordered the beef tips, which came with Marsh Hen Mills Carolina gold rice, green beans and gravy.
Nancy selected the house butter lettuce, which consisted of grape tomatoes, Benton’s bacon, candied pecans, pickled red onion, cucumbers, Asher Blue cheese dressing and balsamic glaze.
Judy chose the smash burger with a Caesar side salad. I also ordered the smash burger but added French fries as my side. Botanic’s smash burger is served with bacon jam, American cheese, Wickle’s Pickles and comeback sauce on a Hawaiian roll.
Everyone raved over their selections. Kim said her beef tips were so tender. Nancy really enjoyed her fresh salad, and Judy and I loved our delectable, juicy burgers.
For dessert, Kim ordered the chocolate cake, which included rich, milk chocolate, fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Kim called it “decadently delicious.”
Judy selected the white chocolate cheesecake, which came with a blueberry compote, preserved lemon and mint, and she called it “heavenly.”
Although Nancy and I didn’t order dessert, our sweet friends let us taste their delectable choices. Nancy tasted both; after all, she’d only eaten a salad. Believe it or not, I only tasted Judy’s cheesecake, and it was indeed heavenly. I was so proud of myself for not ordering a dessert. I only hope that Lynn Hudson, my diabetic specialist, is reading this. When my A1C finally drops down to an acceptable number, I would like to order either one of these desserts or the banana pudding cheesecake.
Besides our delicious house-made pimento cheese, The Grille offers other wonderful appetizers at lunch: red beet hummus, Conecuh corn dip and fried Brussels sprouts.
Diners may also choose salads or the soup of the day, and they may enjoy plates such as the peanut chicken lettuce wrap, tortellini alla parmagiana, grilled chicken and roasted salmon.
Sandwiches include the fried chicken sandwich, roasted veggie sandwich, grown-up grilled cheese and the Botanic open-faced French dip. In addition, diners may enjoy gourmet coffees with their lunch.
Trust me, run and do not walk to The Grille at Botanic for lunch soon. The wonderful food, beautiful surroundings and superior service (remember, I love alliteration) will make this restaurant one of your favorites, too.
The Grille at Botanic serves lunch Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lunch at The Grille at Botanic makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher.
Remember, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy!
Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the Grade,” will appear every other week in The Observer. Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020@gmail.com.
