From the moment we were running late, to the moment we left, everything was just right. My husband…read morehad made reservations for us and his parents, but as life goes, we were running a few minutes behind, so we called and let them know, and the lady who answered was very kind and told us not to worry. (This was a 4:30 reservation when they were not as busy.) They seated us at a table that accommodated the four of us perfectly. I should add that my father-in-law was in a wheelchair, and the ladies were quick to adjust the table settings for us so that he would fit comfortably. Our waitress, Roxy, was just as helpful as a server. My father-in-law also has dementia, so ordering for him at restaurants can at times be very tricky. She was ever so patient and suggested some items that could work for him based on what my mother-in-law shared are things he usually will eat with ease.
But hospitality and service are only part of the reason you go to a restaurant, because let's face it, if the food were bad, who cares how nice everyone is.
In this department, they were also on point. Roxy explained the menu changes seasonally. We dined on July 3, peak summer. I should also add that I am 7 weeks pregnant, and so I need to be careful with what I am consuming. To drink, I had an orange glow - with cardamom, lemon, orange, and strawberry (and the only item I remembered to photograph - blame it on how delicious the food was or on my pregnancy brain). It was refreshing and sweet, without being too juice-like. My mother-in-law ordered a moscato and my husband had a blond ale. We all consumed our beverages in their entirety before the end of the meal. I'll add here that the young lady who went around refilling waters was extremely on point. If our glasses were halfway emptied, she came around and filled them (which with how much water I'm currently intaking, she came by quite a bit).
To start, we ordered their garlic yeast rolls. It comes with a garlic butter which you can add to the rolls, but let me tell you how it doesn't need the extra butter (though it is mighty delicious). I could live in those rolls. They were flaky and buttery, like a croissant, but in a yeast dinner roll. If it's on the menu when you go, please do yourself a favor and order. There are 4 to an order. My husband and I shared the 4th one, and I would have ordered another set of 4, but at that point I would have just been eating with my tastebuds and not my actual stomach. But they *are* that good!
My husband and I both ordered the filet. I can't eat anything cooked less than medium, though I'm typically a medium rare girl, and let me tell you - it was still juicy and delicious, a sign of a chef who knows how to cook a good steak. The black garlic butter was heavenly. The steak was a bit too seasoned for me (but pregnancy taste buds are something else). My husband ordered it medium well, and he loved it (and he's only recently come around to enjoying a nice piece of red meat). They came accompanied with a celeriac potato au gratin which was perfect - not overly cheesy, and the celeriac (first time eating this) was perfectly sliced. My husband also ordered the cheese grits and collard greens. The grits were a whipped-like texture, soft and creamy. The collards were not something I could stomach. Blame it on those pregnancy taste buds again. My mother-in-law also ordered collards and they both loved them. For me, the vinegar was just too much to handle. My mother-in-law opted for the ribeye, medium rare with the broccolini, and she said it was "scrumptious, delicioso, and magnificent (in a French accent)."
As delicious as it was, she and I could not finish our meals, so we asked for a to-go boxes. Roxy packaged them up for us, and labeled each box with what it contained and when it was packaged. Of course, when it came time for dessert, we were beyond full, but we ordered a prickly pear sorbet to share. And it was just what was needed to cleanse the pallet after such a flavorful meal. The coconut mousse was light and airy and paired well with the sorbet.
If you're in the mood for some good southern fusion in Pensacola, Iron is the place to try.
