To Live and (Fine) Dine in Mississippi

I live in Mississippi.  A State, which can boast of great writers, down-home cooking, and that “southern hospitality” thing of which you always hear is actually a REAL thing in these parts.  It’s not always easy for this foodie, though, to find restaurants with fine cuisine and, most importantly, a decent wine selection to accompany that cuisine. I’m sure I may be only one of three southerners who just can’t get excited about eating barbeque – stone me now!  It’s akin to trying to scratch a spot on your back and your itch being just out of reach.

Being the aspiring oenophile I am, I have a monthly subscription to the “Wine Enthusiast” magazine, and every year it ranks the “100 Best Wine Restaurants” in the United States.  Imagine my excitement when reviewing the list for 2019, and I saw a restaurant from Mississippi has FINALLY made the list!  I made a note of it (since I live 3 hours from Jackson, Mississippi) and vowed the next time I found myself in Jackson, I would eat at Caet Seafood Oysterette.  As luck would have it, 2 months ago, some friends and I met up in Jackson for a weekend, and I told them this just had to be one of the places we tried.  I got no complaints, so off we went on our dining adventure.

Caet offers both indoor and outdoor dining options, as well as seats at its Oyster Bar.  The inside of the restaurant was a little noisy for my liking, but it definitely had the vibe of a trendy wine bar, which just happens to offer up delicious fare from Chef Derek Emerson (no stranger to other successful eateries in Jackson).

Their wine list did not let me down.  Besides providing an extensive selection, it takes the impressive further of step of offering actual drinkable wines by the glass (sadly, that is rare), half bottles, and full bottles.  Some of my companions prevailed upon me to select a bottle for us to share, which, admittedly, can sometimes cause no small amount of anxiety on my part.  Nobody wants to be the rube that picked out a bottle of wine for the table that tastes like cough syrup.  Fortunately, the 2006 Rioja I selected drew rave reviews from the table.  

Favorites at our table included the melt in your mouth Wood-Oven Baked Crab Fondue with warm crostini, the Jumbo Sea Scallops with sweet corn risotto and tomato parm broth and, my personal favorite, the Breadless Jumbo Lump Crab Cake soaking in tarragon lemon butter (beyond decadent).

This experience pleased my palate on all levels, and I’m heartened to see our great State is expanding its culinary options, and these establishments surviving during the days of our COVID pandemic makes it all the more reason to raise our glasses and say “Cheers.” I give it 5 out of 5 pours.