A quick guide to southern food from the January trip. The main point was to rediscover the glories of Pierce's Pit Barbecue in Williamsburg, VA; we used to eat there a lot in the dark ages. It's North Carolina style, lots of lean, smoky meat, not a lot of sauce, and not too sweet. And the smell around the place was even better than the eating. Some guy said that you can't go home again. Probably recreating your first barbecue love is impossible, too. And Pierce's has morphed into an actual restaurant, rather than the shack that I remember.
The Varsity, in Atlanta. Started in 1928 as a Georgia Tech hangout, it now bills itself as the world's largest drive-in. If you like grease, go there. The barbecue was just OK, but you should go for the scene.
Lek's Railroad Thai in Montgomery, Alabama. The food was good--it's rare to have a bad meal in a Thai restaurant, wherever it is. Of course, being a food snob, I was surprised. And, the bonus is that it's in the old railroad station, and you can watch the freight trains glide through, with exotic locations and long-defunct railroads a reminder of the days when trains mattered.
Capital Inn, in Montgomery, Alabama. Go for the breakfast with grits, biscuits, and bacon.
Sinclair's in Montgomery, Alabama, is supposed to be a place for generation x and y. Our family group, itself populated with generation Y types, ate without incident. I can't remember what we had to eat, except we drank lots of iced tea and coca-cola and the server had a lovely honey-sweet accent. When in Rome...
The Downtowner Restaurant, Selma, Alabama. If you want biscuits for breakfast, go early. When they're gone, they're gone.
St. James Hotel in Selma, Alabama. Go there. Please. It's a lovely gem that is in danger of going under. The main dining room appears to be closed, but the bar, a lovely wood paneled room, was open for the first time in several months the night we were there. We had all kinds of good appetizers, including onion rings, hummus, ceasar salads, and other stuff. The server was nice and attentive, even though the place was buzzing.
The Battlefield Inn, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. It calls itself the best kept secret in Vicksburg. There may be a reason. Vicksburg establishments fight for the tourist dollar, and the Battlefield Inn was no exception. They provide two free drinks for overnight guests, two parrots in cages by the door who will talk occasionally, and an undistinguished dinner and breakfast at a reasonable price. Many of the guests on a Friday night appeared to be locals celebrating the end of the work week.
Ground Zero Blues Club, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Like the Varsity, the Ground Zero is a place you go to experience, not to eat. The barbecue was so-so, the beer selection pedestrian. But they have a brownie that is quite amazing. The club, owned by actor Morgan Freeman and a local attorney, is dedicated to recreating the atmosphere of a juke joint for the upscale crowd. Interestingly, the band was white, as were almost all the customers. Only the bouncers and cooks were African-American. The night we went, a large crowd celebrating someone's 40th birthday was in attendance. 'Nuff said.
Sonic. Locations throughout the South. The onion rings at the Varsity are better, and that's saying quite a bit.
Lek's Railroad Thai in Montgomery, Alabama. The food was good--it's rare to have a bad meal in a Thai restaurant, wherever it is. Of course, being a food snob, I was surprised. And, the bonus is that it's in the old railroad station, and you can watch the freight trains glide through, with exotic locations and long-defunct railroads a reminder of the days when trains mattered.
Capital Inn, in Montgomery, Alabama. Go for the breakfast with grits, biscuits, and bacon.
Sinclair's in Montgomery, Alabama, is supposed to be a place for generation x and y. Our family group, itself populated with generation Y types, ate without incident. I can't remember what we had to eat, except we drank lots of iced tea and coca-cola and the server had a lovely honey-sweet accent. When in Rome...
The Downtowner Restaurant, Selma, Alabama. If you want biscuits for breakfast, go early. When they're gone, they're gone.
St. James Hotel in Selma, Alabama. Go there. Please. It's a lovely gem that is in danger of going under. The main dining room appears to be closed, but the bar, a lovely wood paneled room, was open for the first time in several months the night we were there. We had all kinds of good appetizers, including onion rings, hummus, ceasar salads, and other stuff. The server was nice and attentive, even though the place was buzzing.
The Battlefield Inn, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. It calls itself the best kept secret in Vicksburg. There may be a reason. Vicksburg establishments fight for the tourist dollar, and the Battlefield Inn was no exception. They provide two free drinks for overnight guests, two parrots in cages by the door who will talk occasionally, and an undistinguished dinner and breakfast at a reasonable price. Many of the guests on a Friday night appeared to be locals celebrating the end of the work week.
Ground Zero Blues Club, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Like the Varsity, the Ground Zero is a place you go to experience, not to eat. The barbecue was so-so, the beer selection pedestrian. But they have a brownie that is quite amazing. The club, owned by actor Morgan Freeman and a local attorney, is dedicated to recreating the atmosphere of a juke joint for the upscale crowd. Interestingly, the band was white, as were almost all the customers. Only the bouncers and cooks were African-American. The night we went, a large crowd celebrating someone's 40th birthday was in attendance. 'Nuff said.
Sonic. Locations throughout the South. The onion rings at the Varsity are better, and that's saying quite a bit.
