Liz Barrett and Tracy Morin are writers living in Oxford, Mississippi.
Known around town as the "Two Taste Buds", they write a restaurant review column in each issue of The Local Voice.

This column is dedicated to exploring the eating options available to vegetarians and meat lovers alike in Oxford and the surrounding area.

---

Liz the meat eater

208 is one of those places I desperately want to hate—but can’t. I want to hate it because the service is always unpredictable, there’s an air of pretentiousness that doesn’t seem to fit into the Oxford scene, and the atmosphere isn’t conducive to carrying on a conversation at a normal decibel level.

As for the reason I can’t hate 208, the chef’s consistently create phenomenal dishes that make it hard to resist a return trip. The crab cakes I had on my first visit prompted me to return for a second try, and I wasn’t disappointed when I ordered the scallop appetizer that was accompanied by a trio of tasty salsas. My main dish didn’t miss the mark either—the pecan and andouille crusted halibut paired with roasted potatoes and asparagus actually got me second guessing my love for beef!

Being the coconut lover that I am, I talked Tracy into sharing a slice of the coconut pie for dessert. The buttery crust, homemade meringue and caramel topping turned out to be a bit too sweet for my taste, but I’ll surely try one of their other treats on a future jaunt.

For me, the secret to a perfect experience at 208 is dining on a night when most others are eating at home. That way I still get to savor the delicious food, but I don’t have to deal with the maddening crowd.

Tracy the vegetarian

208, for better or worse, reminds me of a big-city bistro, the type of restaurant that is ubiquitous in Los Angeles or New York but is actually somewhat unique in Oxford—meaning you’ll find inventive dishes that experiment with flavor combinations (like the Tabasco, basil and honey butter served with bread at the start of the meal), but you’ll also find rushed (sometimes forgetful) service, a wait on weekends (even with reservations) and a noise level that will force you to shout over dinner.

I’d never been to 208, with its seafood-heavy menu and haughty crowd, but I soon realized that vegetarians have few options, so my decisions were easy. The grilled eggplant appetizer, stuffed with caramelized onions and chevre and topped with a tomato-based sauce, was large enough for four to share (naturally, I polished it off by myself) and well-prepared—much appreciated, because eggplant can so easily go wrong. The main dish, rigatoni with spinach, leeks, artichoke hearts and other veggies, offered up a surprisingly large serving and was nicely flavored, but virtually drowned in oil. For dessert, Liz’s coconut pie was too sweet, though the drizzle of buttery homemade caramel on top proved redemptive.

Overall, I enjoyed the food at 208, though I could do without the noisy crowds and harried service; I’ll probably return during the week or at an earlier hour to avoid these undesirables, but I will be back.

This column is dedicated to exploring the eating options available to vegetarians and meat lovers alike in Oxford and the surrounding area. If you have a favorite eating spot you’d like us to check out, send us an e-mail at twotastebuds@thelocalvoice.net.