Being a Thomasville native, I often find myself going to the same restaurants, ordering the same coffee drinks and doing the same activities over and over again. I want to get out of my small town rut, so this summer, I’m challenging myself to go try new things at the same places I’ve been going to for nearly twenty years.

Whether it’s a seasonal coffee, a new exercise class or a staff favorite I’ve never tried off the menu, I’ll be reviewing it. This is the fifth entry of “Trying Thomasville.”

Once a week, I’ll be trying different foods, beverages and activities in town. If you have any suggestions or know about any hidden gems, let me know!

Liam’s

Liam’s is an American restaurant with European influences located on E. Jackson Street in Downtown Thomasville. Despite the fact that it has been around for over a decade, I had only eaten there once prior to Saturday evening.

The outside of the white-brick historic building is decorated with an intricate, bizarre-yet-beautiful mural of a mechanical bumble bee, and is adorned with an arch of pastel roses.

Liam’s inside decor is cozy, with a lounge side featuring bar seating and comfortable, cushioned booths. It’s considered their cheese shoppe side, as well. The atmosphere is dark and inviting, suited best for romantic dates or getting a glass of wine with friends.

There is a dining side in the original part of the restaurant, with wood-paneled and exposed brick walls. The room is considerably more lit and rustic, but it’s still a moody setting, which could be mistaken either for a Tuscan country-side restaurant, or a trendy local eatery in New York City.

String lights brighten up the mood, making the room perfect for family and more casual dining.

They serve a variety of charcuterie and cheese boards, as well as gourmet sides, meats and desserts. There’s an extensive cocktail and wine menu, as well. To my understanding, the menu tends to change from season-to-season.

When I went, it appeared there was something for everyone, including tomato pies, steak, summer salads, chocolate-rich desserts and more.

Three Cheese Cheeseboard

I came to Liam’s for a specific reason: their cheese board. My editor, Jill Holloway, told me about her cheese board experience there, and as a cheese connoisseur who takes her charcuterie very seriously, I knew I had to try it.

I asked the waiter for three cheeses on my board. He told me while I could specify what kind of cheese I want or dislike, they usually bring out a random selection. I was intrigued by their element of surprise and let the chef pick for me.

There are also boards with one, six and 10 cheeses, as well. They are paired with Salt Marsh Honey and a random nut.

My board came with two soft cheeses and one truffle-crusted hard white cheese. They were paired with my favorite artisan crackers and Marcona almonds, drenched in white honey.

The first cheese was the Italian Sottocenere cow’s milk cheese, which had truffle throughout and on the rind. It was just amazing. Think truffle parmesan fries, but in block form. It was rich and firm, with the cheese itself still shining through. The truffle flavor was so unique compared to your usual white cow’s milk cheese.

It was an immediate first place on the board. The nuttiness and sweet flavor of the almonds was delightful with this cheese, as well. If you like truffle-anything, you have to request this cheese.

The waitress identified the second cheese as the French Fermier Jouvence Brie, which had notes of egg and mushroom.

It was pungent and flavorful, with strong notes of the mushroom, which gave it a smooth earthiness. The slight hint of egg was unlike anything I’d had before, and though it might sound a bit obscure, was enjoyable.

It spread like butter on the cracker and melted in the mouth, but I’m not a huge mushroom eater. While I wouldn’t ask for this cheese on my next board, I’m definitely not mad about it, as I love Brie, and thought it was a good contrast from the sweetness of the honey.

The final cheese was a soft Portuguese sheep’s milk cheese, infused with chives. It spread beautifully over the sea salt cracker and was delicious. The chive flavor was bright and complimented the mild sweetness of the cheese.

I could eat it on its own, as it was salty, herby and creamy. It was a great pairing with the other unique flavors on the board.

Overall, if I got this board again, I’d likely ask for the truffle cheese and the chive sheep’s milk. The cheeses do change every so often, so keep that in mind, but it seems like the truffle is a staple at the cheese shoppe.

There was a Taste of Thomasville tour trying the large cheese board while we ate, and they received two boards filled with various hard cheese wedges and dollops of goat cheese. My only regret is that I didn’t request the goat cheese, as it’s my favorite type, and it looked so creamy and delicious on the passing wood boards.

However, between two people, three cheeses were enough, if not perfect. It was great as my main course, but would be a tasty appetizer for the table, as well. It was light, but nutritious and satisfying.

Overall, I give the Liam’s cheeseboard experience a 10/10.

I love cheese, plain and simple. I loved the almonds and honey, and I loved the fact that I was pushed out of my dairy comfort zone with these surprise flavors and cheese types. While I would request specific cheeses next time, that’s an error on my part, and Liam’s did an amazing job curating a unique and flavorful palette.

I’ll be back for that truffle cheese…