Sunday, March 11, 2001
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Sunday, March 11, 2001 |
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Good eats, good company go hand in hand By MARY JANE HOLT
What prompts this week's line of thought was a visit last Friday night to Mac's Steak and Barbeque restaurant in Warm Springs. I frequently pick up an order of barbeque and Brunswick stew when I am over that way and bring it home to eat with fresh light bread (that's plain old white loaf bread from the grocery, but fresh is the key and Sunbeam Old Fashioned is our family favorite). This time we didn't go to Mac's for the barbeque. We went for a steak and it was good, too. On a scale of one to 10 I'd give the steaks an eight. But it was/is the ambience at Mac's that sets the place apart. Laid back. Easy. When we walked in for this most recent dining experience, it was to the sound of a Jim Reeves tape playing in the background. Frequently, there's live music in the spring, summer and early fall. Other special dining spots for Friday night? The Barn over on the Barnsville Highway just north of Thomaston offers a country seafood bar that Daniel and I like. Yep, there's a difference in a big city seafood buffet and one done country style. We like both, but country wins out most of the time. Of course, if laid back country doesn't thrill you, it's hard to beat the Friday night seafood buffet at Callaway Gardens Inn for excellent food and service presented in a somewhat elegant Southern setting. For Sunday dinner, I have two favorite spots. The Concord Cafe (in Concord) is awesome. The vittles there are almost comparable to those spread before us many years ago at my mother-in-law's table when all the kids would come home. Three or four meats. Several casseroles. Eight or 10 vegetables. Salad bar. Two or three breads. Tea and coffee and at least eight desserts to choose from. All this for ten bucks! The restaurant looks like something left over from way back when, and the food will take you way back when! My other Sunday choice is the Bullock House in Warm Springs. It's a bit like having Thanksgiving dinner any Sunday you choose, and the fried green tomatoes cannot be beat. I especially like to walk out the door and browse around the plant nursery next door. No nicer setting exists than Warm Springs for "walking it off" before crawling back in the car to head home. When I'm in Peachtree City, I like to have lunch at The Italian Oven. I love their bread and salad and several menu items have become favorites. In Newnan, Gus's is always a good choice. In Fayetteville, The Village Cafe remains my pick. In Jonesboro, it's Butch's. In Stockbridge, the only place I eat is the Eagle's Landing Pharmacy soda fountain. I'm sure there are other great places, I just like old fashioned soda fountains! What really prompted this line of thought was a recent week-long stay in Savannah where dining choices can be mind boggling. Three places to which I will assuredly go again if the opportunity presents itself are The Toucan Cafe, River House (on River Street), and The Delivery Room (two locations). Oh, and Savannah's Candy Kitchen on River Street offers multi-flavored pralines that defy description, and they let you taste before buying! My all time favorite place to eat is in my own home. Almost anything. Anywhere. On the back or front porch, at the dining table or kitchen bar, sitting on the sofa or floor or hearth in the living room, any available spot in my office. I love to have fresh bread baking and filling the whole house with the aroma. I like chicken any way it can be prepared. I especially like to cook chicken and dumplings, and turnip greens. Of course, anything fresh from the garden is always appreciated! My second favorite place to eat is on the tail gate of Daniel's truck. Sardines in mustard sauce and saltines always hit the spot. He likes those little fish steaks in hot sauce. We both prefer iced tea and take it with us wherever we go. Years ago Daniel gave me a red canvas bag on which was written "a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thou beside me in the wilderness ..." I suppose good company goes a long way to making any food, or the setting in which it is consumed, memorable and worth sharing with others.
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