SEAGROVE BEACH – Local restaurants seem to be on a roll lately when it comes to offering good, reasonably priced food. Gravel Road is one of the more recent entries into that category.

Gravel Road, which was originally in the Uptown Grayton shopping center, has moved to Seagrove Beach (in the former location of Yanni’s). The food is still inspired by Southern classics.

Dishes such as chicken pot pie, country fried steak, and meatloaf are prepared with upscale, but still comforting, twists. For example, the meatloaf and a burger are made with Kobe beef.

The menu is simple. There are three salads (one features duck and another fried calamari), a list of entrees, and a list of sides. The most expensive item on the menu is the ribeye steak with demi glace and fried onions ($16). However, most of the dishes are between $8 and $10, making Gravel Road a remarkable value.

Servings were substantial. Our chicken pot pie featured a bowl filled with chunks of nicely seasoned white meat chicken and vegetables in a creamy sauce. It was topped with a trio of puff pastry rounds that were the size of a biscuit.

Our serving of catfish was also generous. The fish was beautifully fried so that the outside was crisp and the inside was moist. Other entrée options include pork (the night we visited it was medallions) with apple cider butter, crab cakes, chicken or shrimp alfredo, and chicken and dumplings.

The most difficult part of the meal was choosing a side item. There are 24 choices (18 of which are vegetarian), and all sounded good. Not being able to decide on one each, we tried several of the sides. The portions are large enough to share.

Standouts included fried green tomatoes, fried calamari, fried okra, lentils, gouda and oyster mushroom risotto, mascarpone wild rice, Swiss chard, wakame and cucumber slaw, and sweet potatoes.

The fried green tomatoes, served with a butter sauce, were perfectly tender inside and crisp outside. Sweet potatoes were cubes and were still slightly firm. They were tossed with butter and plenty of pepper. It would be very easy to make an entire meal out of two or three sides.

Gravel Road serves wine and beer. There are some nice wines by the bottle, and seven wines by the glass available. Interestingly, at $10 my glass of pinot noir was more expensive than my entrée.

There is a better-than-usual children’s menu. It features typical children’s fare such as chicken fingers and pizza, but also offers hanger steak, chicken and dumplings, fish of the day, and pasta with red sauce, white sauce or butter (chicken, fish or shrimp can be added).

Desserts are made in house, and included a flourless chocolate cake, and a black-and-white cheesecake. Best of the desserts was a pear and blueberry pie served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It had a lovely crisp crust and tender fruit.

The night we visited the restaurant was doing a brisk business. Service was efficient and friendly. Our server was able to answer questions we had about the menu, and food was delivered and plates cleared at the appropriate times. Making the atmosphere even more inviting was live music by the Steenos.

Gravel Road also serves breakfast. Choices include beignets, biscuits and gravy, breakfast panini and pizzas, waffles and country fried steak.

Omelets are design-your-own affairs with a choice from 20 fillings. Cheeses include gouda, Cheddar and mascarpone. Among the vegetable options are roasted red peppers, onions, carrot and jalapeno. And proteins feature tasso, pancetta, scallops, chicken, bacon, sausage and fish.

It is good to see Gravel Road return. It is even better to see that the food is comforting and good, and the prices make it affordable. Add to that a friendly staff and good music, and you have the makings of a great neighborhood restaurant.

QuickBites

Restaurant: Gravel Road

Location: 4935 East Highway 30A, Seagrove Beach

Telephone: 534-0960

Hours: Breakfast, Monday through Saturday 7 am to 11 am; Lunch and Dinner, Monday through Saturday, 11 am to 10 pm; Sunday Brunch, 10 am to 2 pm

Handicap accessibility: good

Children’s menu: yes

Reservations: not accepted

Price range: Breakfast, $4 - $12

Entrees, $8 - $16

Salads, $8 - $12

Sides, $4

Children’s Menu, $5 - $11

Payment: cash only