I had high hopes for this location because I absolutely love Radici, and everyone has been…read morerecommending Roots to me. Unfortunately, it just didn't live up to the expectations I had.
I do want to start with the positives. Our waiter was fantastic. He was very attentive, explained the menu thoroughly, and provided excellent service. The food also came out incredibly fast and piping hot, which is becoming rare these days.
We started with the cornbread, and it was easily a 10/10. It was worth every bit of the $12.
We ordered the fried chicken, greens, shrimp fried rice, biscuits, and hot water cornbread.
The fried chicken was crispy and tender, but it lacked seasoning. I'd give it a 7/10. They served it with a house hot sauce, but surprisingly it had no heat and almost no flavor. I even asked the person I was dining with if they tasted anything because it was like pouring sauce on the chicken without changing the flavor at all.
The greens were just okay on their own, but once we added the vinegar they became amazing. That made me wonder why the vinegar isn't incorporated into the greens from the start.
The hot water cornbread had virtually no flavor. The shrimp fried rice was cooked really well, but it had an unexpected Caribbean-style seasoning that threw me off. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I was expecting, and it made it hard to fully enjoy.
The biscuits were probably the biggest disappointment. They were dry and hard.
One thing I also noticed is that, for a family style restaurant where you're encouraged to order several dishes to share, the tables feel too small. Once all the food arrived, there wasn't much room left, and even packing up our leftovers was awkward because of the lack of space.
One standout that deserves recognition was the iced tea. It had what tasted like a subtle hint of mint and was incredibly refreshing. Easy 10/10.
From the cuts of chicken we received, it appears they break down and fry whole chickens, which is perfectly fine. However, at $56 for a fried chicken that lacked seasoning, I found the price hard to justify. Maybe the cooking method or oil contributes to the cost, but I expected much more flavor for that price.
Overall, I'd rate my experience a 7.5/10. Would I come back? Yes. I'd be willing to give Roots another chance and try something different from the menu. But when I hear Southern food, I expect bold seasoning and comforting flavors, and that's the one area where this meal really fell short.
