The journey started in Athens, Georgia, home of the B-52s and REM. I had no idea where to have breakfast so I just pulled up to the first restaurant that looked open. I happened upon the Bluebird Cafe.
None of the B-52s showed up for breakfast while I was there.When I entered, I realized that I was the only customer. Bad news. Near the door, I had a choice of two alternative weekly papers which are obligatory in any college town/liberal metropolis. The paper I picked up had an article about whether the governor was going to allow sales of liquor on Sundays. Yeah, this is the Bible Belt.
I look over the menu and see "soysauges". In a panic, I scan the entire menu for meat products. I find none. Since my waitress had already brought my coffee, I realized it was too late to leave. So I ordered the Spanish omelet.
It was delicious. The omelet had onions and tomatoes that were as fresh as could be, and no doubt locally grown and organic. The vegetables could have been cut into smaller pieces but that is a minor complaint. What I enjoyed even more were the home fries. They were a little undercooked (read: crunchy) but the spices in them were familiar and foreign. It tasted like a melange of your favorite items at an Indian lunch buffet. Tumeric, cumin, etc. It's all there.
As I sat and enjoyed my meal, the cafe filled up quickly. I guess it's not much of a secret to locals.
After a morning exploring Athens, I headed to the local Varsity franchise for a couple of dogs. This venerable institution is known for its slaw dogs (cole slaw on hot dogs) and its African-American cashiers yelling: What'll Ya Have. I learned about it from a PBS show about hot dogs and was instantly intrigued.
I was sorely disappointed by my experience. First, the cashiers were all clinically depressed. Once every five minutes, as if required by the employee handbook and prompted by an egg timer, one of the cashiers would soullessly mutter: What'll Ya Have. It really bummed me out. I didn't want to stay.But I did. I ordered a chili dog and a slaw dog. The chili and line of mustard on top of my chili dog were bland as can be. Had I eaten it blindfolded, I would have guessed that I was eating a hot dog with a warm blended cardboard slurry on top. The bun was cheap and processy. The dogs themselves were forgettable. The slaw dog was no better. The lettuce chunks were lifeless and all I could taste was watery mayo. The highlight was the small Coke I got, which was served in a small paper cup holding no more than 4 to 6 ounces. At least they got portion control right.
It is as bad as it looks.In Atlanta, I dined at Wahoo! Grill in Decatur. It is a seafood joint popular with the Audi-driving, latte-drinking, Obama-voting crowd. You know what I mean.
Seeing as I was in the South, I opted for the Charleston Shrimp & Grits. On a scale of 10, I'd give it a 7. The entree's base is a generous pile of white cheddar grits. I'm not an authority on grits, but it was pretty damn tasty- both in flavor and consistency. It was topped with sauteed shrimp that had been simmered in a spicy tomato cream sauce, or at least that's what the menu said. The shrimp was not particularly fresh but not bad either. The sauce was very mild, perhaps subtle, but definitely not spicy, tomato-ey, or particularly creamy.
So we've got an above average meal food wise. What made this restaurant shine was the atmosphere and ambiance. Once you walk past the shallow and cluttered entryway, you enter a modern yet comfortable setting that was obviously converted from a warehouse or machine shop (with exposed air ducts and beams overhead for proof). There is a warm feeling. It is crowded but not overly noisy. The staff was attentive and competent. All in all, I would recommend it.
CKY
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