Repeal 33

My first words after the shrimp and grits at Repeal 33 were, “This was a fantastic dish.” The harissa butter and snap peas took it away from a traditional Lowcountry plate, but everything worked together so well that it made me think again about what we’re looking for in a great shrimp and grits.

The menu described it as “Harissa butter, tomatoes, snap peas, kale chips, white cheddar grits.” There were seven medium shrimp, and they were slightly overcooked. That’s always unfortunate with as much as I love shrimp. The seasoning on them was good, though, and the generous dry seasoning over the plate worked very well.

The white cheddar grits were really, really good. The texture was right, and the cheese was there in the right amount. They weren’t the best grits ever, but there was very little to complain about.

The harissa butter was very tasty and well seasoned, without any one flavor taking over. Despite the harissa, there wasn’t any heat to speak of. The flavor came across as almost Cajun to me, though without the thyme, oregano, or garlic notes that would have taken it there. Whatever label fit, the sauce worked with the shrimp and grits.

Then there were the snap peas. Not all non-traditional additions work, but dammit, were they delicious. The proportions across the plate worked, and the ingredients belonged together. There were no pork additions, and the dish didn’t need them. I realized later that the kale chips were missing. That was a bit of a bummer as I’d really like to have had what the chef intended, but alas.

At $22, this wasn’t a huge portion, but it wasn’t a huge price, either. For the quality of what arrived, the value was about right.

This is a dish I can highly recommend. If someone were going to have just one plate of shrimp and grits in Savannah and wanted a traditional example, this wouldn’t be my choice. The harissa and snap peas take it in another direction. But that doesn’t make it a lesser dish. It was still unmistakably shrimp and grits, and a fantastic plate of it.