The Noble South in downtown Mobile takes ingredients from the farm and brings them to the table in an explosion of flavors, and it has gained historic notoriety in one of the most prestigious …
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The Noble South in downtown Mobile takes ingredients from the farm and brings them to the table in an explosion of flavors, and it has gained historic notoriety in one of the most prestigious restaurant guides in the world.
The restaurant is one of the few selections in Alabama and many along the Gulf Coast that were recognized by Michelin in its first regional guide to the American South, a list of restaurants located in the Southeast that the prestigious arbiter of fine dining recommends, having been scouted by a team of anonymous inspectors and given their seal of approval. The Noble South is among 50 selections dubbed "Bib Gourmand," which indicates good food at a moderate price.
Chris Rainosek, owner of The Noble South, is from Mobile and has worked in restaurants since coming out of college, having attended the Culinary School of the Rockies in Boulder, Colorado. Rainosek said the most rewarding thing about running The Noble South is watching how it has grown since it was first established in 2014.
"Having to watch it kind of change and grow over the years has been the most fulfilling thing for me," Rainosek said. "My wife did the interiors and helped out with a lot of the graphic design aspect of things with the menus and all that, so seeing all those things kind of come to light and having my family here with being involved and then watching all the staff and everything grow along with us has really been fulfilling for me."
Rainosek said it's a recognition of the work that he and the staff, both out front and in the kitchen, along with the farmers they work with to serve a high standard product.
"It's really great, and I think it really speaks to a lot of exciting things happening in restaurants here, and hopefully it can get a little bit of national recognition," Rainosek said. "People start to look from the outside and see that there's some good chefs here, there's a lot of nice restaurants and that we can be part of that. That kind of brings a little more attention to kind of the scene as a whole, and certainly we would be a part of that, and hopefully we can be leaders in that."
Rainosek said they were seeking to make upscale, approachable food, adding they wanted to seek out things such as unique techniques and ingredients and bring them to Mobile in a casual atmosphere so they could be available to everybody. The menu rotates for the seasons, and it all starts with the produce. They talk with farmers and purveyors on what they have available and pair food together, a philosophy for Rainosek even before The Noble South opened its doors.
"If I just had the whole world available to me, I would never be able to sing on something, so being available, what's the freshest, what's around, what's local, that kind of helped my brain work in a way where we could use that as a jumping off point to create the dishes from that," Rainosek said.
They try not to repeat themselves too much, but their take on shrimp and grits, a classic Gulf Coast dish, has been a mainstay on the menu since day one, though they have done different versions over the years, along with serving dishes ranging from seafood to classic Southern delights.
The Noble South has room for walk-ins and accepts reservations for lunch, brunch and dinner throughout the week. Visit www.thenoblesouthrestaurant.com for more information.
Other notable restaurants listed in Michelin's Guide to the American South
Alabama:
Mississippi Coast:
