Praise the Lard BBQ, Buford GA

There were a couple of barbecue joints in Atlanta’s northeastern suburbs that had been waiting for us to visit for such a long time. To be honest, once upon a time, we had thought that we’d be going up I-985 / US-23 a little more frequently than we do, heading north to visit Tallulah Gorge, and we’d stop into all these places along the way. But we eventually reasoned that the gorge is no place for a little one, particularly one as rambunctious as ours, and so we are not that way as frequently. We’ve stopped by most of the barbecue places (but not all!) in Gainesville and further north at least once, but closer in to Atlanta, we have left some gaps. So one Saturday last month, I asked whether Matt and his wife would like to meet for lunch at Praise the Lard. Continue reading “Praise the Lard BBQ, Buford GA” →

Creamy Tomato Tortellini with Sausage

This is Marie, contributing an article about an easy weekday dinner.

My husband and I have a different opinion about how to handle weekday dinners. When I was single, I was perfectly happy to make the same thing over and over, eat leftovers, and every once in a while make something wildly creative. He would prefer that I provide a little more daily variety, and offers recipes periodically to encourage and inspire. And occasionally, when I have been particularly monotonous, nag. Continue reading “Creamy Tomato Tortellini with Sausage” →

Stockyard Burgers and Bones, Marietta GA

For far too short a time, there was a place on the square in Marietta to get a really, really good burger. It was called The Starlight Cafe, and the area has been all the poorer for its absence. There are some very, very good restaurants in downtown Marietta, but Starlight’s excellent burger was probably the best in Cobb County, and deserved to be mentioned in the same lists as the best in all of the Atlanta area. Continue reading “Stockyard Burgers and Bones, Marietta GA” →

Hot Wok, Marietta GA

This is Marie, contributing an article about Hot Wok, a mostly take-out place in rural northwest Cobb County. Now, Grant has never been a take-out Chinese food sort of person, but I am. As a result, if it weren’t for me, the teenager would not get one of her favorite dishes, sweet and sour chicken, more than once a decade or so. Since Grant had absconded for the weekend to make one of his periodic great barbecue tours, the kids and I were on our own and we indulged in comfort food. The place has only a handful of tables, so it seemed best not to risk testing the toddler’s patience with a dine-in meal. Continue reading “Hot Wok, Marietta GA” →

BBQ Barn, North Augusta SC

It probably won’t surprise any of our regular readers when I say that the Augusta area has always proven to be a little challenging for us here at the old blog. As we don’t yet have any friends in this area, and as the city seems bound and determined to not show off any book shops or record stores that demand our attention, it’s always been a town that we pass through, while simultaneously a town that rolls up the sidewalks pretty early. In point of fact, the last time we were in Augusta, we found the restaurant that we intended to visit, Wright’s BBQ on Barton Chapel Road, closed two hours before the sign on the door said they were going to turn out the lights. Continue reading “BBQ Barn, North Augusta SC” →

Rosewood Dairy Bar, Columbia SC

“You know,” the old-timer said, “those pictures you’re taking, I was talking with my boss once, and he said there’s all sorts of people who take all sorts of pictures of old restaurants. Then they put ’em on the internet!”

“Yes,” I said, lowering my camera. “That would be me.” Continue reading “Rosewood Dairy Bar, Columbia SC” →