Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Redefined Dining

A Get-Feditorial

By ELLIE WHITE-STEVENS
ewhite@thecitizennews.com

Local restaurants occasionally change their flavor and surprise us with their menu offerings.

The best Chinese food I’ve had recently wasn’t at a Chinese restaurant. It was at Papaya Thai, next to the Kedron Kroger. My Mongolian Beef was quite tasty.

Proprietor Tina Chen previously owned a Chinese restaurant, hence the find. Unless I’m there with my two-year-old, the serene environment and reasonable prices make this one worth the stop. You might try the Thai food, too.

Gumba’s, the little Italian place just up Ga. Highway 74 from Papaya Thai, is reinventing itself as Manzo’s Kitchen. Owners John and Martha Manzo have discovered that Fayette County appreciates a more upscale dining experience. My party of 6 adults, the aforementioned two-year-old and my newborn, thoroughly enjoyed our meals. Around the table, all pronounced chicken piccata, chicken marsala, cabbage rolls and chicken parmigiana to be fabulous.

For the two-year-old, we find that the children’s pasta portion is ample enough for his daddy or me to finish that and order a small something else on the menu and have plenty. It saves us a little money.

The Manzos also serve the best canoli I’ve ever had. What’s not to like about a rich ricotta cream and chocolate in a pastry? The only comparison was a limited-time issue of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream called Holy Canoli. While I don’t recommend incorporating Gumba’s/Manzo’s Kitchen cannolli into any worship practice (canoli communion, anyone?), I could eat it as habitually as I attend church.

Speaking of upscale Italian, nothing beats the cool periwinkle walls and homemade pastas at Mama Lucia’s, just up Ga. Highway 54/34 in East Coweta. This is my backyard, friends, and you should have such a delicious backyard! There isn’t much on Mama’s menu that I haven’t tried, and it’s all good. They are always trying out new items and specials; Chef Leonard Guillaume keeps the creative sauces flowing.

My new favorite takeout restaurant is my old favorite sit-down restaurant. The Famous Fish Co. is now offering a to-go menu at reduced prices. That’s good news for the cost-conscious. Not a fish fan, my choice is the peri-peri prawn and chicken. For the unacquainted, that’s large shrimp (is that possible?) and chicken in a tart spicy sauce. The Fish Co. used to put that in a pastry cup and serve with rice AND fries. Now they serve it on pasta. With a little peri-peri nostalgia, I ordered it the old way last time, sans pastry cup. Next time I’ll try the pasta.

While I don’t like fish much, I’ve heard rave reviews about the Village Seafood Market, for those who like to do their own sauteing. Find it on Hwy. 74 and Robinson Road in Peachtree City.

Here’s to good eating, whether you have seafood, Italian or Chinese at your local Thai restaurant.