A couple of weeks ago, I indulged and treated myself to two lunches out at places new to me. One has recently opened and one has been around for a few years. I picked Chicken and the Egg, a new restaurant in a huge space in a strip mall on Whitlock, based on several glowing reports. Amy on Food has been there twice and has been quite complimentary. It’s a farm-to-table place where the owners and chefs are striving for sustainability and a sensible approach to fresh eating. Continue reading “Chicken and the Egg and Canvas, Marietta GA”
Month: December 2011
Fincher’s Barbeque, Macon GA
I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of a restaurant that divides opinion quite the way that Fincher’s does. It would be churlish to deny that it has its very vocal detractors, and even among loyalty-splitting food like barbecue, people either love it to their core or hate it like something on fire. Surprisingly, chief among the nay-sayers is the wonderful 3rd Degree Berns, of whom I have frequently spoken. When he wrote up his visit in 2009, 3DB pulled no punches, giving the venerable original location in Macon one of his extremely rare one star out of ten ratings. (The only other restaurant to rank so lowly with him is Atlanta’s long-past-its-prime Old Hickory House, where polite nostalgia for locals is the main thing on the menu.) 3DB is by no means the only one to turn both barrels on Fincher’s, yet the small chain – presently at four restaurants: three in Macon and one in Warner Robins – does command a following, and is one of those legendary spaces that campaigning politicians are required to visit. Continue reading “Fincher’s Barbeque, Macon GA”
The Barbeque Pit, Moultrie GA
Sometimes, dear readers, tenuous little coincidences that nobody else either notices or cares about take on a supernatural charm with me. These meaningless little patterns of life tantalize and amuse me more than they do anybody else, and sometimes they inform the resulting writing in this blog. Be aware that I know very well that these chances don’t mean anything at all, that they don’t reflect a larger pattern, and don’t imply anything beyond simple smiles and a chuckle. But what good is life, without sharing smiles and chuckles? Continue reading “The Barbeque Pit, Moultrie GA”
Henderson’s, Thomasville GA
I had two very good reasons, I thought, for picking Henderson’s as a place to visit in Thomasville, but neither of them were enough to sway our friend Victoria about the plan. She grew up in Thomasville and assured us that there were many better restaurants*. She said that we were certain to enjoy a much-loved pool room that serves awesome chili dogs, and I must agree that does sound like fun. Continue reading “Henderson’s, Thomasville GA”
King’s Grill, Valdosta GA
In retrospect, it’s almost funny that I told Chris that we might see a little bit more of north Florida on this last trip down to visit him. We left after sunset. We didn’t see anything. Well, as Marie and the children slept, I did see a really funny series of signs along I-10. Heading west, there’s a sign that reads “Lake City: Next 3 Exits.” Then there’s an exit for US-90, and then you enter the Osceola National Forest and spend about twenty miles driving through the darkness. Then you exit the forest and a sign reads “Lake City: Next 2 Exits.” Continue reading “King’s Grill, Valdosta GA”
Brewer’s Pizza, Orange Park FL
Readers with quite long memories might recall that Brewer’s Pizza was the place that our friend Chris wanted us to eat when we were in Jacksonville one year ago, but we ran afoul of their hours and wouldn’t have time during our brief visit. Brewer’s is actually located about an arm’s length outside the Jacksonville / Duval city and county limits, in suburban Clay on the southwest side of the metro area. Clay County has stricter policies about the times that a restaurant may serve alcohol on Sundays, and, consequently, Brewer’s doesn’t bother opening up until 2 pm, missing out on the possible revenue of the early NFL games. Now that I’ve been here, and seen the reasonably-sized crowd watching football and spending money, I remain baffled as to why they chose to open in Clay. Continue reading “Brewer’s Pizza, Orange Park FL”
Angie’s Subs, Jacksonville Beach FL
When the opportunity came to revisit Jacksonville and spend a little time with our friend Chris, I didn’t have to look very hard to find a place to get a little lunch first. Angie’s Subs seems to be incredibly popular and is ranked fairly high – it is the # 3 restaurant in Urbanspoon Jacksonville at the time of writing – and since we’re only realistically able to pop down to northeast Florida maybe once a year at this time, I’d like to take these rare opportunities to say that I’ve been to one of the area’s most loved places. Continue reading “Angie’s Subs, Jacksonville Beach FL”
Marie, Let's Eat! 