(December 2007)

By Warren Rojas

Food: 7.9 Ambiance: 7.5 Service: 8

No mere novelty stop, Claiborne’s uses low-country cuisine to coax big smiles from its many travel-weary customers.

The renovated train station remains intimately connected to its transit-related past. Watch carefully, and you’ll notice the historic railroad photos all around the main dining room tremble ever so slightly as the passenger and commercial freight lines buzz by on the adjoining railway.

Whether the passing trains bother staff, you’ll never know, since the nametag-sporting (a bit hokey, but informative) servers appear focused on little else than anticipating your every need. Management typically pops by at least once per meal to confirm that everything is progressing smoothly, a formality that is more often than not unnecessary, given the ready amount of genuine hospitality showered upon every table.

The menu weaves together Southern favorites from land, sea and air.

Chevre lovers can climb the fried green tomato tower straight to heaven, as the skyward-reaching vegetable rounds arrive affixed with bounteous scoops of potent goat cheese. A crunchy catfish plate brings two whopping cornmeal-crusted filets set afloat on piquant tasso gravy (creamy bliss) and accompanied by some seriously garlicky collard greens. One harvesty platter summons medallions of cider-spiked swine (tender and oh-so-sweet) flanked by garlic mashed potatoes and braised cabbage.

Cigar enthusiasts, take note: After-dinner stogies can now only be enjoyed outside, given that the entire restaurant went smoke-free this summer.

(August 2006)

By Warren Rojas

F 8.1   A 7.3   S 8.0

A Southern respite accessible by car or rail, Claiborne's comforts weary travelers with authentic low-country fare.

The bright red brick building rests beneath an active commuter and cargo railway line (don't mind the occasional rumbling). The interior resembles a fanciful old rail car, boasting a minuscule lounge at one end and a fairly accommodating central dining room.

Polite young servers in starched white shirts and dark aprons dispense hospitality and friendly advice with the utmost ease. Meanwhile, homeward-bound commuters get their dose of daily affirmation from grinning bartenders with charm to spare.

Quick bites include homemade crab dip cut with horseradish or a tasty chicken salad melt. Crawfish casserole gets buried under too much molten cheese but is salvaged by some jolly sweet potato hush puppies. Traditional shrimp and grits-available as both an appetizer or a full meal-brings jumbo shrimp, smoked sausage and mushrooms in soupy grits that are not quite perfect (I prefer a finer grind), but still better than most. Noteworthy closers include a decadent caramel-chocolate cake draped in fudge and crunchy pecans as well as key lime pie.