In downtown Sevierville, The Appalachian is known for its Appalachian cooking. The restaurant builds its menu around regional ingredients, and a wood-fired hearth is the centerpoint of the kitchen. The menu changes regularly, but the throughline stays consistent -- Appalachian ingredients, a lot of creativity and plenty of comfort. You’ll see mains like rainbow trout, dry-aged steaks, pork chops, often paired with seasonal vegetables. Plus, there are starters like fried chicken skins, pimento cheese and cornbread. Inside, the space is full of wood, stone and low lighting. And plenty of bourbon options. I enjoyed a "Prickle Me Pink," which included prickly pear. That intrigued me, since that's a flavor I've typically seen out west. It was lightly sweet and brightly colored. For my entree, I went with shrimp & grits, with andouille sausage, lunchbox pepper, shallot and fermented peppers. The grits were very good and the perfect consistency. The shrimp gave a clean, slightly sweet flavor. The sausage brought some smokiness. The cornbread was risp-edged and golden on the outside, soft and slightly crumbly inside. More savory than sweet. Have you been?

Grade: A