Mark’s Score 9.5
I wouldn’t claim to be a regular customer at any restaurant. There are just too many good restaurants to limit myself to one. However, SoBo’s, being a short walk from Salisbury University is my go-to restaurant. After teaching class on Tuesday nights, I will sometimes wander over to SoBo’s for a quick bite.
Sobo’s serves southern cuisine with a modern twist in what the owners call a casually sophisticated setting. SoBo’s is part of a chain of restaurants owned by two local brothers, John and Tommy Knorr, which is the origin of the restaurant name, two SOthern BOys. They follow a couple cuisine principles; their food is sourced locally and the menu changes with the seasons. Their goal is to serve fresh seasonal foods, returning to a more traditional approach to eating. The beers they serve are crafted by their sister restaurant, Evolution Brewing Company (just situated down the road a bit, in Salisbury).
What attracts me most to this restaurant is the innovative menu. I am always bound to find an interesting combination of food that captures my imagination and causes me to think, “I have to try that.” I tend to find their starter menu more interesting than their mains, but that is frequently true of many good restaurants. Consequently, I commonly order two starters and dessert rather than from the main menu. I am not a big dessert eater, but this is one of the few restaurants where I regularly order dessert. Actually, it might be the only restaurant where I regularly order dessert
I have a ritual that I follow at SoBo’s. They change their dessert offerings frequently, so they don’t list the desserts on their menu. The first thing I do when I sit down is ask about the desserts. If something sounds interesting, I’ll order two starters and dessert. If no desserts appeal, I’ll order a main course and a glass of wine. The bartender also has a game she plays with me, if I decide to forego the dessert, she will try to tempt me by showing me each dessert as it is ordered by other customers. I pride myself in my strength of will, but I have waivered on occasion, and she has convinced me to walk on the dark side more than once.
On my last visit I ordered two starters, the Arancini (panko battered herb and shitake mushroom risotto) and a tomato prosciutto salad with onions, basal, and balsamic vinegar, drizzled with olive oil. I followed that up with a slice of their Strawberry and Lemon Smith Island Cake, which was a mouth bomb of flavor. Just as a final note they have two dishes that stand out, their Brussel Sprouts, and they make the definitive Cream of Crab Soup by which I judge all others. If you have never been to SoBo’s before, start with those two dishes.
What else is there to do in Salisbury?
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