Eat: Justus Drugstore

Last weekend, Matthew and I had one of the best food experiences of either of our lives at Justus Drugstore. This little hidden gem is in Smithville, a good 40 minute drive from the Plaza/Brookside area where we live, so we decided it was a great place to go prior to the birth of our baby since I could drive us home (sober). This was a good idea since Matthew indulged in quite a few cocktails while we were there. He's a sucker for a good Manhattan.

We made 8 p.m. dinner reservations, which we were a little worried about since that's been my bedtime the last few weeks, but I didn't have any problem staying awake during this meal.

We had the best seat in house - located right next to the open kitchen and got chatty with the owner and exec. chef, Jonathan Justus, a few times during dinner. Nice guy!

Now on to the important part - the dishes.

We started off with the farmers plate and the egg and cheese sandwich. Let me describe. The farmers plate was a selection of about 5-6 house-cured meats. Basically every imaginable part of a pig. It was divine, truly. The egg and cheese sandwich is nothing like you'd think. It was deconstructed and meant to just tear through and let everything run together. Again, every bite was to.die.for.

Farmers plate

egg and cheese sandwich. See what I mean? Nothing like you'd think.

We decided to skip the salads, even though I was eyeing the goat cheese fritter salad and moved on to the main course. They had everything from rabbit to short ribs to fried chicken. Normally, I'm aching for pork at a place like this but after the glorious meat selection we had just devoured and my pregnancy cravings for anything "comfort," I went with the special of the evening, boneless fried chicken with mashed potatoes. And oh heaven it was good. Matthew had the short ribs and shared only one bite. We both ate every last bit of our dinners and couldn't stop talking about how each bite was tasting better than the last. Seriously, we were turned on by this meal. :)

And in true Edit style, I dug into my entree before I could take a picture. Sorry readers!

But, I did manage to take a quick snapshot of my dessert, which I took home because I couldn't put another bite of a food in my mouth.

I ordered the carrot cake beignets. Yes, you heard me right. I devoured those babies the minute we walked into the house, then went straight to bed. And you betcha - I had a night filled of heartburn, but it was well worth it!

I highly recommend making the hike to Smithville for dinner at Justus Drugstore. It is pricey ($25-40 for an entrée) but a great place to go for a special occasion. We promise you won't be disappointed!


- Melina