Marie’s mother was coming to visit. One of her friends on Saint Simons Island was coming to Atlanta to address the Rotarians or the Rosicrucians or the Romulans or somebody at an airport hotel, and she caught a ride. I volunteered to go pick her up, since, downtown, I’m closer to the airport than Marie is. Plus, there was a restaurant in Hapeville that I had been wanting to try. Continue reading “Hours and Hours in Hapeville”
Table & Main, Roswell GA
Well, here’s serendipity. A few Sundays back, our old friend David came by and we drove over to Roswell. We met up with Leslie, from The Food and Me, to try a popular restaurant in Roswell’s incredibly cute downtown stretch. I really love the way that Roswell has managed to maintain and support a thriving downtown scene full of busy independent restaurants just one curve and a parking lot away from the main, traffic-clogged stretch through town. Unfortunately for us, the restaurant that we wanted to try was so busy – they don’t take reservations – that we were looking at an hour’s wait. We decided to stretch our legs and get some exercise while waiting, since the restaurant does at least take your number in order to send a text when a table is ready. Continue reading “Table & Main, Roswell GA”
Tasty China, Marietta GA
Over the course of 2013, I did a better job of sampling more authentic cuisine from China than the stuff I’d grown up eating, most of which I could take or leave. I had some interesting meals, some okay and some terrific, but none blew my mind quite like Gu’s Bistro in Doraville. In early February, we were going to meet our friends Vincent and Helen for supper, which we usually do at a new-to-us place, but we ended up choosing Gu’s again. I asked Andy and Jo from Burgers, Barbecue and Everything Else to join us – here’s the story – and we had a great meal. Andy was indecisive. He enjoyed Gu’s, but wasn’t sure whether it was better than the celebrated Tasty China. I figured it was long, long past time that I checked this place out to see how we’d rank it. Continue reading “Tasty China, Marietta GA”
Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs, Doraville GA
I’ve known for ages that there’s a second Baldinos in the Atlanta area, but I think I’ve got a pretty good reason for never stopping in before now. It’s my favorite place to get a big sandwich, and I eat at the one about five miles south of our house fairly often, as these things go, and didn’t really think it worth the mileage to ever drive all the way over to Buford Highway for something that we can get at home. Continue reading “Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs, Doraville GA”
Community Pie, Chattanooga TN (take two)
While we enjoyed Community Pie, it had not been on our radar for an immediate return visit. Late last year, they reached out to us and let us know about an interesting change to their menu and insisted that we pay them a visit on their dime. I said that another trip to Chattanooga wasn’t on the immediate agenda, but they wouldn’t take no for an answer and sent us a gift certificate anyway. Continue reading “Community Pie, Chattanooga TN (take two)”
Tremont Tavern, Chattanooga TN
Department of long stories department: I really enjoy and respect blogs that are started with a specific goal and timeline in mind, so that they can tell their story and bring it to a close. One of these is Chattaburger. Over the spring and summer of last year, three guys picked seventeen of the best-known burger joints in and around the Scenic City, visited and wrote up each, and brought their blog to a satisfying, planned finale. That is a million times better than what often happens to blogs. Most of us hobbyists reach a sad conclusion where there’s a six-month gap in posting, and then the final entry is one that says “Sorry I’ve been away, life has been soooooo busy, but I’ve got a lot more to say and will be back with more soon!” That was in 2012. Continue reading “Tremont Tavern, Chattanooga TN”
Mad Donna’s, Nashville TN (CLOSED)
In the early 2000s, our friend Tory drove this wonderful clunker of a car that filled the air with toxic fumes and which she called Answers. I was in Nashville to visit her and she took me to supper at the celebrated Radio Cafe. This seems to have been in late 2003; the Cafe was closed for a couple of years but reopened around that time. I remember having a wonderful evening and seeing some live music. I also remember, when she started Answers’ engine at the end of the evening, the emissions-failing schlepcar instantly killed the bush that we’d parked next to. She took the regular ribbing over Answers being such a threat to our environment with good humor. Answers has since gone to that big junkyard in the sky. Antarctica thanks her. Continue reading “Mad Donna’s, Nashville TN (CLOSED)”
Marie, Let's Eat! 