In my final edition of Paul’s Palate, I will give you my advice on the best places to eat in the Jackson metro area. These places will take more of a hit on your wallet, but trust me the price are justified by the quality of food you will enjoy. My top places to eat are Char, Shapley’s, and Amerigo’s.

Whether you are looking for a solid burger and fries or are wanting a tasty filet, there is definitely something for everyone at Char. One of my favorite items on the Char menu is the seafood gumbo. You can order it in a cup as a great appetizer or make a meal out of it as it comes in a larger bowl size.

The lunch specials at Char are hard to beat as for a little over ten dollars you can get an entree such as fried catfish, chicken, or country fried steak along with two homestyle sides.

This next restaurant needs no introduction. Shapley’s in Ridgeland is the standard by which all steaks in the Jackson metro area are measured by, and honestly there is not much competition. Every aspect of a steak dinner at Shapley’s is on point. Here is my perfect meal at Shapley’s, and I have never deviated from it do its perfection.

To start out you receive a side salad with peppercorn dressing. To accompany your salad, the waiters bring out rolls with honey butter. As tempting as it is to fill up on the rolls, you must save yourself for the main course. Then the steak cooked to your liking along with the second side is served as the main entree. I always get the steak cut fries to go with my steak.

Finally, you have to order the lemon icebox pie for dessert. It is one of the best desserts in Jackson, and a meal at Shapley’s is not complete without it.

The final place on my list and probably my favorite place to eat in Jackson is Amerigo. Amerigo is an Italian restaurant with locations in Dogwood and Ridgeland. They serve pizza, pasta, and salads along with other Italian staples.

I always get the same dish at Amerigo, and it is my favorite meal. It is called the chicken margarite and it comes with either red sauce, scallion cream, or garlic butter sauce on angel hair pasta. I always get the scallion cream sauce. It is comparable to chicken alfredo, but it is of the highest quality of chicken alfredo.

For dessert, Amerigo offers tiramisu, pecan butter crunch cake, and chocolate fudge brownie with ice cream on top. I always get the tiramisu. In normal situations the desserts are best if split between two or more people.

If you would like to know how it feels to eat the brownie alone, ask Matthew Myers what it is like and think twice before attempting it.

I hope you all have enjoyed reading Paul’s Palate this year as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Never be afraid to try new foods as there is nothing more sophisticated than a diverse palate.