I feel that I must again express my disappointment that rural Alabama is so poorly covered by those of us who blog about food. I see that we have quite a nice audience, even if the transition to WordPress and our own domain means that our stats have taken the stumble that I heard would happen, and I’d like to think that many of our readers are adding restaurants that we have featured to their personal wishlists. Having said that, however, nothing would be better for either small communities or the independent restaurants there than blanket coverage from lots of bloggers, particularly when the restaurants that need championing are ones that serve up a product as good as the pulled pork at Big Marv’s. I applaud the restaurant for using social media to communicate with its fans, but I’m disheartened that Google searches don’t suggest that anybody else is using social media to talk about the restaurant. This needs to change. Continue reading “Big Marv’s BBQ, Scottsboro AL (CLOSED)”
Julie Darling Donuts, Chattanooga TN
Two weeks ago, we got on the road again for our third trip out of town in three weeks. This time, our destination was the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama, about which more in the next chapter, with secondary stops in Chattanooga that I will come back to next week. The most direct route to Scottsboro from Marietta is through Rome and across Lookout and Sand Mountains, but I decided to make this as much of an interstate trip as we could so that we might get there and back quicker. We even thought that we might be home before sundown. Heh. I heard a radio spot at a restaurant in the morning that said, “From Soddy-Daisy to Sand Mountain…” and darned if that wasn’t precisely the range that we covered on this trip. Continue reading “Julie Darling Donuts, Chattanooga TN”
R Rice Wok Grill Sushi, Sandy Springs GA
One should acknowledge compliments, even the backhanded ones. Even the good-natured teasing, really. So it was that, a couple of months ago, our little blog ended up on Tom Maicon’s radar. Now, I freely admit that I do not know the first thing about sushi. I have never objected to it, and I have often enjoyed it a great deal, but I just don’t know what makes it good, or what I have done wrong by admitting that I like Ru San’s, which, in the circles of sushi snobs, is acting like the hillbilly at the fancy table jittering and wobbling before impatiently bellowing “Would ye please pass th’ jelly?” after waiting too long for the Polaner All-Fruit. Well, I don’t know what the issue is, because I used to date this girl who watched more Japanese cartoons than every single one of you, combined, and she liked Ru San’s just fine. Because, as everybody knows, liking Japanese cartoons a lot instantly makes you an expert on every facet of that nation’s culture, and gives you leave to do things like end your questions by saying “ja ne,” of course. Continue reading “R Rice Wok Grill Sushi, Sandy Springs GA”
Five and Ten, Athens GA
Well, there’s no getting around this: Marie and I tend to eat inexpensively. We don’t set out to, but I figured out a long time ago that the meals that I genuinely enjoy the most can be had for under $9 or so. These would be the out-of-the-way barbecue joints and roadfood places that don’t have master chefs competing on, or judging, game shows on The Food Network. This is one place where Marie and I don’t completely agree, though we’re mostly in sync 99% of the time. A couple of weeks ago, she was remembering a very good meal that we enjoyed several months previously at The Sound Table in Atlanta, and suggested that we visit some place with that kind of experience. Since we’d spent the late morning enjoying barbecue miles and miles out of town, and the afternoon snacking at simple college favorites in downtown Athens, I had to agree that getting something a little different would be in order. Continue reading “Five and Ten, Athens GA”
Snacking in Downtown Athens
When Marie and I visited Athens a couple of weeks ago, we had more on our mind – honestly! – than just driving around eating. In fact, we really just enjoyed our barbecue lunch, and, several hours later, a nice supper, although we did have a few snacks between them, and enjoyed some driving and visiting. After going to Hot Thomas, we popped just up the road to the Elder Covered Bridge. Unlike Watson Mill, which is about twenty-five or so miles away, this bridge doesn’t have a park built around it, and neither of us were dressed to tackle the steep grade down to the creek below it, but we enjoyed looking at the flowers and taking photos, and getting out of the way of other people driving through it. Continue reading “Snacking in Downtown Athens”
Pig O’s Bar-B-Que, Crawford GA
Two Saturdays ago, Marie and I enjoyed a Date Day. The teenage girl was off one direction and the baby boy was with my mom, and so we drove up to the Athens area to enjoy some time without the company of younguns. Our first stop was Oglethorpe County, where we went to Shaking Rock Park, one of our favorite places, and enjoyed a nice walk in the woods. I always enjoy the sight of beautiful creatures sunning themselves on the rocks, like these fantastic lizards that I snapped: Continue reading “Pig O’s Bar-B-Que, Crawford GA”
Souper Jenny, Atlanta GA
My past is going down like dominoes. Two months ago, I found burritos at Bell Street that are almost as wonderful as the ones at the dearly missed Mean Bean, my all-time favorite restaurant. Two weeks ago, I stopped by Souper Jenny in Buckhead and had the best bowl of gazpacho that I have ever had, anywhere. This was even better than the Mean Bean’s gazpacho, against which all others are judged. Continue reading “Souper Jenny, Atlanta GA”
Marie, Let's Eat! 