Cohen's Retreat

My father does NOT like to eat the same thing two times in a row.  He is decidedly anti leftovers.  So I was surprised when he wanted to take me to lunch at Cohen's Retreat my first day home when he had just had supper there two nights before.  If he is not only willing to go back but is actually the one suggesting it, it must be good.

The restaurant occupies a building I have passed nearly every day of my life but never noticed.  It's on a stretch of road with little more than a church or two and lots of droopy Spanish moss.  The building never jumped out at me because it had nothing to do with my life.  Until it was converted to a restaurant, it served as an old age home for men.  Even now, there is no actual signage for the restaurant, only the original "Cohen's Retreat" letters built into the facade and the property's gate (the gate still calls it a men's home).  Not just a restaurant, Cohen's retreat uses the back buildings as artists' cottages.  These artists are producing the beautiful artwork that covers the restaurants walls and is all for sale.  The main building has about 12 rooms.  Three of these are dining rooms.  One is large and more formal, another is more like and airy café, and the third has a private feel.  Then there are about eight small rooms displaying knick knacks like picture frames and pillows (though the items are much nicer than my description as "knick knacks" would imply).  Each room is organized by color scheme.  Naturally, I gravitated towards the green and blue rooms.  The final room is an event space and I can hardly think of a better place to throw a party.

With such a unique concept for the building I am just happy to be there, but it helps that the food is delicious as well.  I ordered shrimp tacos with corn and crema.  There's a little cilantro but not too much, which means my father (anti leftovers and also anti cilantro) would try a bite...if I had let him.  Sorry, all mine.