I sure am glad that we got together with Bella Vivere and with Spatialdrift for lunch one Saturday last month. Not just because we all enjoy each other’s company and I think we get good blogging ideas from each other, and not because the place that was suggested, Victory Sandwich Bar, turned out to be really tasty and a great little lunch, but because, at last, I know the best place to park in Decatur. Emily told me about a secret weekend parking spot that is so darn wonderful that, should she ever want to head up to Athens for a Saturday, I’m going to let her and Adam in on my secret parking spot up there as well.
It doesn’t work on game day, mind. Just sayin’. Go Dawgs!
Anyway, Victory Sandwich Bar is in an easy-to-miss spot on Church Street, and it’s the second location for this business that started in Inman Park in early 2011. Ian Jones and Caleb Wheelus are the owners, and they were immediately given the thumbs-up by a city hungry for clever, innovative, and low-priced sandwiches. They’re small enough that most guests will either want two, or one along with a side, but at only $4 apiece with chips, it’s a great way to sample lots of flavors and enjoy the creativity in the kitchen. For those of us who really have no particular interest in cocktails, even the lauded Jack and Coke slushie. this was a really good way to make a name for themselves: take a step up from basic bar food into something unique and very fun. This gives neighborhood drinkers something more interesting to munch on, and brings food lovers from all over town to see what the fuss is about.
Then of course, you’ve got people like me who insist on ordering two sandwiches and an additional side, but I was intrigued by their popular little offering of ramen noodles, with ham and veggies, and charmed by the menu’s notion that it was “served cold – like revenge.” All of the things that we ordered were tasty and cleverly designed, and I love the fun interior design of the Decatur store, which incorporates Godzilla movie posters and Ultraman action figures into a clean and open garage-type space. Along one wall, there were flybills for a recent community event, a whole hog roast that was probably too darn fun for words.
With the Inman Park store temporarily closed pending a move a couple of blocks away to Bernina Avenue, Decatur’s the only place right now to sample such treats as the vegetarian Weed Eater, with mozzarella, arugula, hummus, and avocado, or the Castro, which B.V. really enjoyed, with slow-roasted pork, ham, fontina cheese, mustard, and pickles. Marie was particularly taken with the Beast on Yeast, a pot roast and horseradish sandwich, sort of a small, inexpensive pub equivalent of a beef on weck. But as much as we enjoyed our visit and our food, it was the unexpected stop for dessert that really pleased her.
After we made our way back to a good place to split up and head for our respective cars, Marie and I were returning to suburbia and were stymied by that aggravating business where you can’t make a left turn from Church onto Ponce. So we swung the long way around and Marie spotted Pastries a Go Go. We stopped in for her to get a slice of cheesecake – I was already craving a large banana shaved ice over vanilla from the Orleagian Snowballs trailer – and she enjoyed it to a point. After a few bites, she said that it was truly a terrific cheesecake, but that she’d been spoiled by that blackberry balsamic that she’d bought a couple of weeks previously, and decided to take this home so that she could drizzle a little vinegar over it.
Other blog posts about Victory Sandwich Bar (the original Inman Park location):
Eat. Drink. Repeat. (Feb. 28 2011)
Foodie Buddha (Nov. 7 2011)
My Little Foodies (June 26 2012)
If you’re only reading these chapters, then you are missing part of the story! We have a fantastic Facebook page, where you’ll be able to follow along with much more than just links to chapters here, but additional information about our favorite places, including PR announcements, links when our friends-in-blogging visit them, and other follow-up news about the places we’ve been when we can find it. Give us a like and tell your friends to come see us!
Marie, Let's Eat! 