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Among a spate of recent restaurant openings, LOW Country Kitchen came on the Steamboat Springs dining scene on May 13. Staking its claim on Southern-style cooking, LOW is also the sibling restaurant to nearby Bistro c.v., both of which are owned by husband-and-wife team Brian and Katy Vaughn.
Brian, who is chef/owner and studied at the CIA in Napa Valley and Johnson & Wales in Miami, and owner/proprietor Katy, both grew up in the South and wanted to do a concept with food from their childhoods. While there are some family recipes involved, "it's more what we remember having as kids growing up in that area," says Brian. And though they intentionally opened during "mud season" to allow time for adjustments and hiccups, the eatery has so far been busier than anticipated, with a line out the door last weekend.
With executive chef Ryan Hoth overseeing the kitchen, popular dishes so far have included the fried chicken, shrimp and grits and the open-faced fried green tomato BLT. Another high point is the skillet okra with Vidalia onions, served with a poached egg, Benton's country ham, hollandaise and a biscuit. Aiding business along is general manager Monica Lee, who is also in charge of the whiskey-and-bourbon-centric beverage program.
Don't miss cocktails like the Charleston, a twist on classic punch served in the late 1800s/early 1900s. LOW's version features Gosling's rum, Earl Grey-infused Buffalo Trace, peach brandy, peach syrup, basil, huckleberries and lemon. There's also a raspberry smash and traditional mint julep.
The design concept features a mix of high-end and gritty imagery, with most pictures being photographs that Brian's father took while growing up. They got two photographs from the Douglas Kenyon Collection, attributed to the 1890s and 1930s Mississippi and Alabama region. Katy also used wallpaper of library books found on Houzz to create an accent wall.
LOW Country Kitchen is located at 435 Lincoln Ave. and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. There are plans to open seven nights a week by mid-summer, and to also offer lunch daily in the future.
· LOW Country Kitchen [Facebook]
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