ShoeBooties Cafe

As we were driving to Bryson City for a weekend in the mountains, the other car in our caravan said to take a quick left and head for ShoeBooties.  Her aunt lives in town and recommended it.

Our group of 4 adults, 2 toddlers, and a baby were given two tables pushed together at the banquette in the mirrored room at the back.

Someone came immediately to take our drink orders, though she wasn't old enough to get the alcohol drinks, so the gentlemen ended up waiting for the server to come a few minutes later.

The menu has a lot of options of decent variety.  I'd read from other Yelp reviews about the pecan crusted chicken, and so decided to try the pecan crusted trout.  Every entree comes with vegetable of the day and a starch (potato) of your choosing.  I opted for the oven roasted potatoes instead of the mashed that were listed on the menu with my trout.  J got the baby back ribs with baked potato.  We got the plain hamburger and fries for the little guy.

They also do a fixed menu for 2: 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, and 1 dessert for a set price.  So we got to taste the spinach and artichoke dip ordered by our friends.  The dip was very rich, with plenty of creaminess mixed in with the spinach and artichoke.  It was served with what appeared to be fried spinach tortilla strips, which weren't quite sturdy enough for the dip.

Overall, the food was A-OK.  The focaccia and spiced olive oil appetizer was good, though the bread was greasy.  The salad had fresh enough ingredients and plenty of croutons. I very much liked the texture of the pecan crust on my trout, but the fish was a tad dry.  The potatoes were soft, without any of the crispy you expect from roasting.  The vegetables were heavy on the green peppers and oregano and limp.  
J enjoyed his baby back ribs, but still managed to give me a bite.  The sauce was sweet, spicy, and thick.  The meat wasn't as tender as I'd hoped.

The service was great.  The atmosphere was welcoming, since everyone seemed to know everyone.  I can see why this is a small-town favorite.

Very nice little place, food was good, atmosphere is nice and clean.  We start with the brochette which was very good, with a nice presentation.  I tried the black bean and ham soup, with a cheese burger(grilled) w/ swiss and bacon.  The burger was cooked perfect, the only thing I would have preferred would have been a fresher bun, maybe a kaiser roll or butter toasted chatabatta roll.  The iced tea was absolutely the best!

Try the bruchetta melt sandwich!