The Old Capitol Inn

Every Tuesday and Thursday I hightail it to the YMCA for a lunch time yoga class. Often times I rush there, skip savasana (unwinding at the end) and hurry back to eat at my desk. Yoga makes me feel strong and balanced, so it’s entirely worth the effort.

Recently our beloved instructor has taken a brief sabbatical from teaching, and the yogi regulars wanted to take her out for lunch. For a couple reasons, I was unsure as to how this lunch date would turn out.

There are a handful of people who routinely practice in the same class, but I have never socialized with them outside of the gym. We are a mix of ages, mostly women and a couple men, who exchange pleasantries between downward facing dog and warrior one. Besides that, the Old Capitol Inn was selected as the destination, a restaurant I’ve heard next to nothing about.

Uncertainties aside, the date was set and on Monday I found myself heading down State street.

The Old Capitol Inn sells itself as a “boutique hotel” in downtown Jackson. It’s a lovely building lavishly furnished for weddings, receptions and events. They also serve lunch in the Sunroom and courtyard Monday through Friday, and the menu changes weekly. The eight of us were seated in a peaceful, green courtyard outfitted with a fountain. We felt like we should have brought our yoga mats.

After being seated we were presented with baskets of soft pita bread and a cheesy artichoke dip. I ordered a mango iced tea which was refreshing and had just the right amount of sweetness. The specials of the week included a Thai beef salad, a shrimp salad croissant sandwich, fish tacos, shrimp and grits, crab cakes, and a shepherd’s pie (to name a few).

Before the main dish I had a salad with some sort of Italian vinaigrette and grated Parmesan cheese. I could have eaten three more. The dressing is reminiscent of what you can find on The Hill in St. Louis, very addicting!

For my entree I chose the crab cakes which was a good move. They were golden brown, lightly packed, and had a good amount of crab meat (not overly stuffed with breadcrumbs). The crab cakes were placed upon a buttery, Bearnaise-style sauce, served alongside some sauteed vegetables and real mashed potatoes.

Perfectly formed mashed potato spheres remind me of grade school cafeteria lunch. The only thing I ever want scooped is ice cream.

Overlooking that slight oddity I highly enjoyed every part of lunch at the Old Capitol Inn, the food and my fellow yogis. I only regret not having more room for dessert, which would have easily been burned off the next day at yoga.

The Old Capitol Inn
226 North State Street
Jackson, MS 39201
www.oldcapitolinn.com