AUTHOR: ARTSY CHOW ROAMER

Dining and Music

THE OLD MULEHOUSE IN JASPER, GA

After what felt like years of waiting to see what would be going into the historic brick building on the corner of Main Street, we finally got to make a reservation for patio dining on a pretty Saturday evening. The Old Mulehouse in downtown Jasper is offering up an eclectic menu with some popular items. This post will give you an idea of what to expect if you haven’t had a chance to visit yet!

The owner of the building brought in historic bricks to match the original and put the pretty architectural facade back in shape after years of looking somewhat neglected. Beautiful details were added along with a large patio deck facing the noisy traffic on the side road (more about that later).

NICE ATMOSPHERE

The interior some how managed to feel cozy and casual even with the soaring high ceilings. The design of the bar is modern, fresh and New Yorkish maybe because of the old loft vibe. We arrived early for a 5:00 reservation and the place was already filling up both inside and out.

There was a nice buzz of conversation and the bar patrons were watching the running of the Kentucky Derby keeping the bartender hopping for drinks in pretty copper cups. Moscow Mules and Mint Juleps are just meant to be served this way.

Our server took us out to our requested patio seating and the music for the evening, Men In Blues Duo, was already setting up for their 6-9 run. It was a beautiful day and our server was young, speedy and helpful. We looked over beer, wine and cocktail menus that were fairly extensive.

DRINKS ALL AROUND

My British friend that was visiting us is a Rose fan so she was studying the menu hoping for a California selection. Only Georgia ones were on offer but she ordered one and declared it to be OK at best (hmmmm). I love offering and buying local-perhaps another vineyard for pink wines might be in order?

My husband and I ordered martinis-a signature one for him and a regular for me. I thought it was more then a little sweet when our waiter brought me Blue Cheese on the side when he didn’t have Blue Cheese Olives as requested.

We also ordered wine with our meal and tried the house Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay as well as a California red that was on offer. All were very good and could be ordered by the glass or bottle for a good price.

APPETIZERS

We decided to begin with a couple of shared appetizers. We picked The signature Woodbridge Inn Cheese Spread (which I am assuming is an item they purchase from the hotel down the street). They served it with flatbread grain crackers with a little olive, pepper and veg on the side.

The flavor of the cheese was good but the texture and consistency left something to be desired. There was too much of it for the amount of cracker served and we had to ask for more. I’m not sure the sides were right for the flavor of cheese being served.

At a previous visit we had the Feta Cheese spread which was light, luscious and served with nicely grilled pita bread and sides that were much better. I would make the suggestion they find a way to better the cheddar choice. We tried the Falafel Bites next and a funny problem ensued as we all tried to use a fork to cut and dip.

The bites were not moist enough so they broke into numerous pieces; often creating a mess on the plate and in the dipping sauce. Not good when several are eating out of the same plate. The flavor was good with a big hit of spice but the dryness just took away from it all.

We could have tried the giant pretzel with homemade pimento cheese sauce which I have heard is pretty gosh darn good with a craft beer. We also could have opted for the two kinds of house made hummus served with some of that previously mentioned delicious warm pita bread.

ENTREE CHOICES APPEALING

I was in the mood for seafood and spotted Pecan Crusted Trout and decided that was what I wanted to try. My friend opted for Fish and Chips to see how they might stack up against an old British favorite. My husband decided to try the Lamb Gyro.

My entree arrived and looked perfectly breaded and crispy fried. I ordered smashed potatoes and ginger carrots which made for a colorful plate. The plate was finished with a nice wedge of lemon which I appreciated along with a strange twist of blood orange which I didn’t understand at all.

The fish was fresh and flavorful with just the right amount of mouth crunch. The potatoes were salted correctly but could have used a little butter on top. The carrots were ginger tasty but very over done in that Southern sort of way that doesn’t work well on all vegetables.

My friend said her fish and chips were excellent with the fish tasting very fresh and no oily flavor from the fry. The potatoes were crispy wedges as opposed to fries but she liked the idea very much. The sauce was good but the dish cried out for Malt Vinegar which she asked for and got.

My husband said his Gryo was quite good. The meat was succulent with the expected spices and was grilled to perfection with crispy edges. More of that warm pita bread was slathered in sauce with extra on the side. He got Greek Potato Wedges with it and felt the only missing element was fresh tomatoes and onion.

MUSIC AND OTHER NOISE

As they brought out our entrees the music began. There was a guitar player who looked a lot like James Carville in his younger days and he was very very good. He was accompanied by an electric guitar player who did most of the singing.

They did a nice selection of pop, blues and old favorites that were fun and not too over the top for enjoying while eating. They were playing with speakers but I don’t think they really needed them.

Having said that a word about the traffic noise on the patio. It is LOUD. Between the motorcycles, the trucks, the sirens and the cars it can be very annoying. I’m sure it isn’t fun for musicians either. I told one of the waitresses that they really should talk to management about noise mitigation. There are fabric panels and large tree/shrubs that could be used and they really need them.

DESSERTS AND AFTER DINNER DRINKS

My husband decided we needed to try something for dessert and ordered a baklava. He ordered a Cognac to go with it. The dish came out looking pretty with a fresh spritz of cream and a bit of mint. Chef needs to work on the garnishes on his plates. That fresh element with herbs and color adds so much to plates that can be a little too beige, brown and white.

The Cognac surprisingly came out in a short squat glass with a large cube of ice in it. Maybe I missed the memo but I am thinking I want my drink to be warmer rather than colder. This means a snifter to allow your hand to warm it as you swirl it. The best we could do was toss the ice and wrap our hands around it.

The baklava was moist, nutty and sweet just like you want it to be. It was a nice finish to the dinner and we sat awhile with our drinks as the guys completed their first music set and came back for a second.

CONCLUSION

While there are some criticisms here of the dishes we tried there was also some very good eating with an eclectic list of options from which to choose. This was the second time we have visited the restaurant with the first just being for wine and an appetizer which we were happy to have outside coming out of a pandemic.

We enjoyed our dinner with music and would recommend the place for lunch and a craft beer as well as a nice evening out. The folks in the area are happy to have them in our restaurant line up. It has been great to have a spot with a large outside option and they are also one of the few to be open on Mondays. Check them out when you get a chance!

If you enjoyed what you read, you might also like other posts under Edible Fare and Explore the World. There are reviews on a lot of restaurants and other things to do in and around North Georgia. Look for more posts about exploring in my backyard further South coming out soon. Until next time…

Cheers!

ArtsyChowRoamer

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