Southern Charm and Good Food at Over Yonder, Y’all
Over Yonder Fried Frog Legs with a cornmeal batter are fried and served with a sweet hot sauce
Over Yonder was recommended by the manager of another North Carolina eatery. When that happens, it usually means good food.
Located in Valle Crucis, N.C., the Civil War-era house started as a two-room farmhouse and was expanded to nearly 5,000 square feet in 1895. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The late 1800s home is on the National Register of Historic Places.
There are several dining rooms inside, but if weather permits, grab a table on the front porch or in the front yard
Chef Andy Long hails from Baton Rouge and has embraced Appalachian food and cookery since moving to North Carolina in 2005.
Craft cocktails named with a southern drawl, like High Falutin Old Fashion and Snake Oil Salesman, made with house-made beet-infused vodka, are the introduction to country charm here. The 12-item wine list is a standard cross-section of reds, whites, and sparkles; the 5-item draft beer list is adequate.
Over Yonder Shrimp and Grits is the star of the show. The New Orleans inspired sauce is the secret.
Over Yonder chicken fried chicken with golden mashed potatoes is a southern classic
For starters, five medium-sized cornmeal-fried Dipped Frog legs are served in a small cast iron pan. They are hot and crispy and swim in a corn syrup and hot sauce puddle. The sweet and crispy outside and tender meat have a little heat finish.
Yonder’s shrimp and grits dish is the star of the menu. Large firm shrimp are served in a bowl with an onion-garlic gravy on a bed of country grits, with fried okra and slices of house-made bread. The gravy is a masterwork with a New Orleans soul, and the bread is perfect for sopping up the leftovers.
Chicken fried chicken is a classic dish of lightly breaded and fried breasts smothered in mildly peppered sawmill gravy and served with yellow mashed potatoes. The chicken is tender, but the gravy could use a little more pizazz. Add some New Orleans magic here, and it’s gonna be good!
Southern charm also accompanies the dessert menu with items like Peach Cobbler and Chocolate Chess Pie, both with vanilla ice cream. The pie has a warm, gooey chocolate center, a toasty top, and a nicely done thin crust. Our server informs us that urban legend has it that the “chess pie” name comes from long ago when someone asked what they were eating and were told, “It’s just pie.”
The peach cobbler is a large serving of warm, sweetened, juicy peaches topped with biscuit-like dough and dripping with vanilla ice cream. I want the dough to be crispier, but the overall flavor is classic cobbler.
Peach Cobbler with vanilla ice cream from Over Yonder
Legend has it that Chocolate Chess pie gets its name from long ago when someone asked what they were eating and "It's just pie" was misunderstood
A kid’s menu is available, and there is adequate parking. Prices are moderate, and service is energetic, attentive, and neighborly. Over Yonder is open every day for dinner except Wednesdays. If weather permits, eat on the front porch or lawn to fully enjoy the beautiful surroundings here.
https://www.overyondernc.com/