One day in late 2003, our friend David phoned me about a promising restaurant near us. He had read in Creative Loafing – just like you can – that this place, then called Cafeteria la Oaxaqueña, was serving a unique treat called a tlayuda. A common street food in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, it is sometimes called a Mexican pizza, not entirely correctly, and served as the inspiration for the tostadas that you see on fast food menus today. Continue reading “Taquería la Oaxaqueña, Jonesboro GA”
Curried Lentils with Pineapple
(Today, Marie presents a great take on a classic hippie-era recipe, one that should be in regular rotation in everybody’s home!)
As some of our friends know, we are working (with moderate success) on Meatless Monday fare. I say “moderate” because we haven’t conquered lunch yet, but we will manage it in time – I have faith! Continue reading “Curried Lentils with Pineapple”
Andretti Indoor Karting, Marietta GA
Like many communters driving back and forth on I-75 in Cobb County, I wondered what would possibly move into the big building that had been, for so many years, a huge Burlington Coat Factory. We all watched as the structure was redesigned for Andretti Indoor Karting, including the addition of a gorgeous skylight. I didn’t think this sort of place was entirely my cup of tea, and didn’t anticipate visiting, but Brave, the public relations team that works with Andretti, invited Marie and me to come out with our kids, and we were proven wrong. The children had a completely wild and wonderful time, and even us boring old fuddy-duddies enjoyed a good meal and a thrill or two. Continue reading “Andretti Indoor Karting, Marietta GA”
D & B Hot Dogs and Ice Cream, Knoxville TN
The last stop on our day trip to Knoxville was one that we made by the skin of our teeth. We had an unplanned delay that sent us scurrying back to Powell to pick up our daughter’s charger cord – I swear, this kid would leave her head behind if it were not screwed on – and arrived at D & B Hot Dogs just a few minutes before they were set to close. This is a really neat little place in a small strip mall near the community of Solway, almost in Oak Ridge. It opened in 2014, and the owners, Daniel Price and Bruce Flomberg, are old friends who also own a lawn care business called Four Clover. This unusual little side venture came about as the two lamented the lack of a place around the Knoxville area to get a really good hot dog. Continue reading “D & B Hot Dogs and Ice Cream, Knoxville TN”
Archer’s BBQ, Knoxville TN
We didn’t want to visit Tennessee without having a little barbecue. So after our fun hike at Ijams, we drove back along Kingston Pike, which is the main, sprawling commercial artery of the area, running alongside I-75/I-40, from downtown west for about three miles. Archer’s BBQ is a small chain that has grown very quickly in the time that we’ve been blogging. Archer Bagley, who is from Memphis, opened the first store in 2010. Bagley graduated from UT and had lived in Colorado and Georgia before moving back to Knoxville to become his own boss. Continue reading “Archer’s BBQ, Knoxville TN”
Pizza Palace, Knoxville TN (take two)
It appears that Knoxville is not on a lot of food lovers’ radars, but this city boasts Marie’s all-time favorite breakfast, at The French Market Creperie, and her all-time favorite pizza, and so, since we visit very infrequently, I kind of want to make sure she gets one or the other on a visit. That way, she’ll indulge my need to drive everywhere and document everything with a brighter smile than usual. Continue reading “Pizza Palace, Knoxville TN (take two)”
Scottie’s, Powell TN
In much the same way that there’s a small confusion between the Whataburger chain that is based in Texas and the What-a-Burger chain that is based in North Carolina, there’s also a distinction between an old, defunct chain of fast food restaurants called Scotty’s, which had a girl in traditional Highland costume as a mascot, and Scottie’s, which was a much smaller chain of diners with perhaps a dozen locations in Kentucky and Tennessee. The chain came to our attention via the forums of roadfood.com, as so many places do, and our interest was piqued by a visit that writer RL Reeves paid to the long-since independent location in Powell last year. Our server told us that Scottie’s opened in 1962, and has been independent since the current owner’s family purchased it in 1978. Continue reading “Scottie’s, Powell TN”
Marie, Let's Eat! 