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maf

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Everything posted by maf

  1. Raji, thanks for the advice on both counts. Since the cards you buy say Metro on them, I assumed that was an accepted term. Glad to now know otherwise. I agree with the advice that it's important to know what to order once you get there, and with help from this site I think we did an overall decent job on that, Eisenberg's being an exception.
  2. On our recent visit, my wife and I took our two daughters, 15 and 10, to Jean Georges. I had read about this being the best deal in NY, even at $28 pp for lunch. The kids had been advised that this would be the only meal calling for a little spiffing up, but I promised great food was the reward for less comfortable shoes. Secretly, I had some concern as to how D2 would do with the unfamiliar ingredients and presentations, but I had reviewed the menu and was prepared to offer her some suggestions that I thought would work. This had been billed (by me) as the best food we would eat in New York, and I had been looking forward to it. We each started with the trio of amuse-bouche: a house-made mozzarella, warm broccoli soup with a citrus foam, and a roasted beet slice with shaved white chocolate. Three of us enjoyed the concentrated broccoli flavor of the soup, but D2, who likes broccoli, found it too intense. I am apparently in the minority by not finding mozzarella, good or otherwise, particularly compelling on a stand alone basis, but theirs neither offended nor excited. The kids ate all the chocolate that was not overly beet-stained. I tried the beet and thought maybe they had the right idea. D1 ordered tuna ribbons and halibut with mushrooms and lemongrass consomme. She devoured the first without sharing, declaring it the best tuna ever. I was able to request a taste of her halibut before it was gone- perfectly cooked fish in a light, clear broth poured over tableside (didn’t think the sauce was fish-based, but I could be wrong). D2 accepted some guidance and ordered the shrimp wrapped in bacon and leg of chicken. The shrimp were a hit, all the more so because the papaya mustard was to the side and didn’t touch them. The sauce accompanied the avocado slices well. It may have done the same for the shrimp, but I didn’t get any. The chicken leg was removed from the bone, pounded to a uniform thickness, and given a parmesan crust. The dark meat retained is juiciness for such a thin piece, with a crispy exterior. The white asparagus, which D2 had never eaten, were well accompanied by the lemon butter sauce. She declared them OK- pretty high rating for a mysterious white vegetable. Spouse ordered sweet pea soup and red snapper. The bright green color of the soup hinted at its flavor, not as concentrated as the broccoli soup from the amuse. This is something I will have to take a shot at making. The snapper was coated with nut and seed “crumbs,“ again perfectly cooked. I opted for the char based on the Asian flavors promised by the ginger-sesame sabayon. I loved the color and texture of the fish, and while I would not have minded a more intensely flavored sauce, it was quite good. This was followed by the short rib, lean but succulent, off the bone and fork tender, served over a smear of sweet pea puree with some baby carrots. While I found no fault with this dish, I would conclude from our limited samplings that fish is the specialite de la maison. Although I’m not big on desert, several on the menu sounded good. Fortunately, we had read about the extensive sweets that come with the lunch service, which the waiter did not mention when he inquired about a desert order. Given the extensive nature of the “free” offerings, I did not regret passing on additional dessert, although I would have liked to try the rhubarb with sumac, as I‘m always looking for new uses for this spice. As most people here probably know, each table receives marshmallows, chocolates, and macaroons. The marshmallows are made on premises and wheeled around on a cart for the only tableside marshmallow service I’ve seen. The cart holds a large, apothecary-type jar with layered discs of the three marshmallow flavors: strawberry, apricot and vanilla. On top of the jarred discs, there are precut strips of each flavor, and it appears the discs are not ever eaten but serve as a cushion for transporting the strips to the table. Each strip is removed from the jar and ceremoniously cut by the marshmallier with scissors and served on a plate so that each diner is afforded one cube of each flavor. This is accompanied by a separate marble board containing quite a few pieces of good quality chocolate (I’m not sure how many, they were disappearing so fast, but the lemon verbena one I snagged was quite good), and another plate with a dozen small macaroons in three colors/flavors. It was a great deal of sweets that met with particular approval from the kids. The food was quite good and expertly prepared, although not what I’d call adventurous or assertive. The server to diner ratio was astonishingly high, and one never lacked for attention. There were, however, two service incidents, one of which I would deem serious. First, upon arrival of the first course, two of the plates were switched. This is of course no big deal, and it was easily remedied, but I found it surprising here. Again, though, no big deal. The second, however, must result from my misunderstanding, although I‘m having a hard time getting there. Prior to each course, silver service was added to complement the approaching dish, often including a sauce spoon. My wife received such a spoon prior to her second course. As her fish was served, our server tapped the spoon twice and said something to the effect of “I’d use this to eat that one.” I’m having a hard time interpreting this as anything other than ridicule. I’m the first to admit we’re not particularly sophisticated, but it’s not as if we showed up in beach attire and asked for some chili cheese fries. Even if our country underwear were showing, it would be incumbent upon our server to guide us through his world of white dinner jackets and calling cards rather than point out the misspelling of mother on our tattoos. I’ve tried to convince myself there is a more benign explanation for his comment, but I just can’t seem to come up with one. In the big scheme of things, this is nothing. Still, I can’t help but thinking that if I want derision, I can meet some friends for tennis and get it for free. Despite this misgiving, I’m glad for the experience my kids had. The comment, if they even heard it, meant nothing to them. They had a fancy meal at a fancy New York restaurant, liked the food, used the correct utensils (by my standards, anyway) and didn’t break anything. Total success.
  3. Wednesday Dropped our bags off at the hotel (too early to check in) and headed to the Metro for 7 day passes (great way to get around, although there are definitely characters to be seen on the subway). First destination Eisenberg’s, not under some misapprehension that the food would be a great, but to see one of the counter service places that appear in old movies but are disappearing because, well, the food isn’t great. Eisenberg’s is located in the shadow of the Flatiron Building, which I vainly attempted to explain was architecturally significant. Rejecting the concept of consciously learning while on vacation, the kids were nonetheless impressed with the fact that, viewed towards its point, the building looks more like a single wall than a three-dimensional structure. In the end, the whole steel skeleton thing was not as interesting as the piercings of passers by. The restaurant was somewhat hard to find because I didn’t have the actual address (a mistake I wouldn’t make again), only general instructions that it was “around the corner” from the Metro station near the Flatiron Building. Since Broadway runs diagonally across the otherwise grid-like streets and avenues, this was one of those intersections that presented way more than four corners. With the front (and signage) obscured by scaffolding, we were soon going the wrong way, but it’s hard to know when you’ve gone too far afield. We spotted a police officer writing a cab driver a ticket (and learned that the passenger apparently must exit the cab while the ticket is written, standing restlessly on the sidewalk and probably wondering if the meter is running). The officer didn’t at first recognize the place by name, but recalled there was “an old sandwich place” a block away. Hoping this was Eisenberg’s but perhaps prepared to settle for any “old sandwich place,” we were soon passing on a table in back in lieu of the old counter, marveling at how narrow the place was. My eggs with corned beef hash were unremarkable, and spouse’s BLT had plenty of bacon but the usual tasteless tomato. D2 enjoyed a generous plate of French toast, thick slices of white bread in a light egg wash tossed on something like a George Forman Grill. I had pretty low expectations for the food, and was therefore surprised by D1’s “Eisenburger,” a flavorful patty cooked on the griddle with a respectable crust, pleasingly light pink on the inside, served on a toasted bun. Service was cheerful and quick. The place was locked in the time warp I hoped for, with wooden and stainless steel shelving, a long, open cooking area behind the counter, framed photos of people I didn’t recognize and the usual cash register near the door. Went here for atmosphere and got it. I couldn’t help but notice that while we were there before 11 a.m., others seemed to be eating sandwiches, not breakfast food. I would normally imitate the local populace, but I was for some reason focused on breakfast. Disappointed only at being outordered by a teenager on our first meal, I soldiered on. Next on the agenda was wandering through the Upper West Side, to get a feel for where people live (at least those of some means) and see the location of a few scenes from You’ve Got Mail. Our loop ended at Gray’s Papaya for a couple delicious and inexpensive hot dogs. Has some difficulty passing H&H Bagels and Zabar’s without stopping in, but we had to avoid early food overload. Also wanted to cruise Fairway Grocery, but didn’t want to lug the booty around for the rest of the day. We had been warned not to request ketchup on a dog in New York, and we were able to order at Gray’s without incident. Both the papaya and coconut drinks were a hit. Unlike previous visits to the City, there were no complaints from the kids about the unfamiliar (to a Southener) snap to the dogs. Grownups enjoyed the “relish,” a thin, red, oniony concoction. Plain (we’d call then “nekid” down South) dogs were good for the kids. Patsy’s was supposed to be our lunch destination, but I had already miscalculated our culinary capacity. More interested in maintaining the dinner plan, I relented on the pizza, and we headed for the Bronx Zoo. I wondered if this would be the first of many skipped destinations on my painstakingly researched schedule. The plan between the zoo and a Yankee’s game, both chronologically and geographically, was Mike’s Deli at the Arthur Avenue Retail Market. I had intended to take a cab from the zoo, as the Metro does not move East-West up there. Unfortunately, cabs seemed rare in the Bronx, so we set out on foot with an address but no map (another lesson learned). Remarkably, after a fairly long walk, the instinct that “it must be this way,” and a call to the office for some help from Google maps, which I still maintain we did not need, we were there. About the walk. At no time did we feel unsafe, but we did pass through neighborhoods that we might have avoided given the choice. On the other hand, it was worthwhile for both us and the kids to see this side of town, especially in contrast to the rather swanky areas from earlier in the day. While I’m guessing it wasn’t a particularly threatening neighborhood, it was definitely different from home. I wouldn’t have felt good about it after dark. On this walk we encountered the first of several well-intentioned, but misinformed, locals. Apparently sensing our lack of confidence as to our route, or our inability to blend in, a woman at a bus stop asked where we were going and then gave directions that I was convinced were wrong. What does one do when confronted with unsolicited, incorrect advice (especially when the correct answer isn‘t known)? We turned the way she recommended (can you really say “thanks, but while I don’t know where I am, I think you’re wrong”), went to the next street, and worked our way back around the block to the original street. I'm guessing a New Yorker wouldn't have done this, but it was already obvious we weren't New Yorkers. Arrived at Mike’s ready to eat. A deli counter that is one of several businesses in the Arthur Avenue Retail Market (including a large produce area, various olives by the pound and two butchers with good looking and, to my surprise, reasonably priced meats), had I not read about this place I would not have guessed they serve ready to eat food. There was no posted menu, but one was available on request. While menus for many of the places we were to eat could be studied in advance on menu pages.com, Mike’s was not one of them. Their menu can be found, however, at www.arthuravenue.com/images/pdfs/Mike_Deli_ Menu.pdf. Ordered the small antipasto for all to share and a Fireman Special. Spouse went with a meatball sub ( a favorite of hers), while the daughters opted to share a chicken teriyaki & broccoli hero (sometimes you just have to go with it). The antipasto, nicely arranged on a wooden board, included thinly sliced prosciutto, three other salami/pepperoni type meats, four cheeses, including parmesean and fresh mozzarella, and roasted peppers, all in generous portions and all quite good. I was a little disappointed that the focaccia and olives mentioned on the menu were not to be found, especially after seeing the extensive collection of olives available by the pound, but it was nonetheless a large amount of tasty food. Were I to do it again, I would order the large antipasto, make sure there was some bread and olives included, and skip the sandwich. That’s not to say, however, that the sandwich was a disappointment. Nice portions of meat and cheese spilled over the edges of a well-made sub roll, with the oil clinging to the roasted peppers and sundried tomatoes keeping things appropriately moist. I feared the sandwich would seem like the antipasto repeated on bread, and to some degree this was the case, especially after I made it my mission to finish the antipasto after the rest of the family quit and moved to their sandwiches. I’m a pretty good eater, but I eventually surrendered and had half my sandwich wrapped to smuggle into the Yankees’ game. I sampled the meatball sub (tasty) and chicken (unexceptional, but it was obviously an off the wall choice, as predicted when one of the counter guys declared he didn’t know they served that). I still believe Philadelphia is the sandwich capital of the world, but these were really good. Only eats at the Yankees’ game were dippin’ dots in a Yankees helmet for the kids and frozen lemonade (great on a hot afternoon) for the adults. Dragged in tired but quite pleased with the first day’s eating accomplishments.
  4. Recently returned from a week in the City. Two adults and two daughters taking in the usual tourist sites, but with all eating planned through research on egullet. While we certainly lack the culinary sophistication of the regular posters on this board, I thought our experiences (and mistakes) might be useful to other families that consider eating a big part of the fun. I'm not much of a food critic, but we all enjoy eating, or at least three of us do. I'll start by posting our first day's efforts, and if the moderators find it rambling, insufficiently food-centric, or just boring, thay can tell me to stop.
  5. maf

    Aperol

    The Dewey D at PDT includes Aperol. While a nice drink, it didn't change my general thought that Aperol is pretty close to Campari + water.
  6. Can banh mi be found in the Atlanta area? Assuming the answer is yes, and that it involves Buford Highway, whrere can good banh mi be found in the Atlanta area?
  7. I'd add low country boil and roasted oysters to the list. It's the most ubiquitous communal food in the coastal area. Seminole peas, formerly grown on the coastal islands and until recently believed extinct, are also making a comeback. Hoppin John on New Years.
  8. I'll probably get some facts wrong, but it seems there's always someone who can jump in and set things straight. Shrimp season in Georgia just opened June 10. This is substantially later than usual, which was done to skip the white shrimp season in an effort to increase supply in the fall. Brown shrimp are still small, typically reaching good size in August. Combined with record diesel prices, and an upriver drought that at least some think affects the shrimp population, this is not a great time to be a shrimper. Numerous shrimp boats dock at Lazaretto Creek on Tybee. Several sell their catch out of decrepit step vans with "fresh local shrimp" spray painted in the side. I haven't seen them out yet this year, but the season just began Tuesday, and I'm substantially landward of Tybee. Some seem more honest about how fresh is fresh. I find it easier to identify superfresh fish than shrimp and don't have any hints other than smell (hey, if you don't like the smell of them, you shouldn't eat them). If you're just looking for shrimp, I wouldn't think it's worth driving into Savannah, as it will be the same shrimp. Russo's and Mathews are more about variety, maybe if you want some tuna with your shrimp. I've heard some locals say the IGA grocery on Tybee sells good seafood, but I can't vouch fot it by personal experience.
  9. Hope the renovations are after our July reservations. Ate at an IHOP once, the next day it was gone. Not closed, but gone- bulldozers came in, knocked it down, and hauled the scraps away. You can still see the old linoleum floor in the vacant lot where it used to be. Felt more unsettling than eating at an IHOP in the first place.
  10. Will be in town Saturday-Sunday July 5-6 and would consider it an honor to meet Donbert or Johnder. Assuming we can get in (we'll try the 3:00 res but still try for the bar, and come early, as we're quite unhip), are either there on Saturdays/Sundays?
  11. Enjoyed your posts and would now concede you have a better grip on the shrimp and grits scene here than I do. While I enjoy the different takes on the sauce/gravy, I'd trade it all for a good cheesesteak or a pork with greens. You would have to look long and hard to find a snappy hot dog in the South, but our soft ones buried in chili, cheese & slaw can be pretty good. My kids don't like the unfamiliar texture of the dogs up North- they call them "crunchy" hot dogs. Uga lives in Savannah and makes the 3.5 hour trip to Athens for football weekends. Even a dawg knows a good thing when he sees it.
  12. I haven't experienced much luck finding Georgia oysters in restaurants since the demise of Teeples; most seem to come from Bluffton, just across the border. DT Barton is right about shrimp season. It usually starts in mid-May, and this year it ran later that usual, to the end of January. While any local shrimp you find will therefore be previously frozen, the same is true for any non-local shrimp. The advantage of being a demigod is you still have to eat. The disadvantage of being a mere mortal is that I can't even type Holly's last name correctly. Sorry, Sir.
  13. I don't know if it fits your desires, but Love's Seafood on US 17 at the Bryan County line (on the Ogeechee River South of Savannah) is pretty good if you're interested in a catfish house. They have a lot of other stuff, but the only reason to go there would be to eat catfish.
  14. I don’t consider myself an oyster afficionado, confining most of my consumption to the cooked ones found at the ubiquitous oyster roasts that dominate large group eating during our colder months. While March includes the mandatory r, I note you’re pretty near the end of oyster season. Nonetheless, I hold raw oyster eaters in the same high regard as those who imbibe in that poisonous puffer fish sushi, so I don’t want to discourage you. At least two of the places mentioned in your original post have raw oysters: the Crab Shack and Fiddler’s. Since there isn’t much variation in the preparation, I’d imagine both would be similar. I might also recommend another place at Tybee, Dewey’s Dockside. This has the added bonus of an adjacent seafood market where you could get local shrimp; the shrimp boats dock near the restaurant. Caveat: I haven’t been there for a while, and I seem to remember something about a fire, but maybe that was somewhere else. When I called I got an answering machine, so if it burned down they’ve at least obtained a new phone. Not long ago there were places where your plywood table had a hole in the center with a trash can base, so you could eat your oysters, push the shells through the hole, and get more. Sadly, these places have disappeared. If you’re up for plain steamed shrimp, consider Desposito’s, about half way to Tybee. It’s a little hard to find and truly a shack, but I enjoy the 1940's look of the place. For a seafood market downtown, most everyone will send you to Russo’s. It’s very good and very fresh, but not inexpensive. Matthews Seafood in Garden City is also excellent. On the way to Tybee, you will likely see broken down step vans in roadside lots selling their local catch by the pound. If you by them heads on, remember that’s about a third of the weight. On the railroad topic, you might be interested in the Roundhouse Museum downtown. It’s only partially restored but pretty interesting. There’s also a railroad shop at the corner of Bull and Oglethorpe Streets that has a bunch of memorabilia and modeling stuff. The owners like to talk trains, and Savannah was at one time a railroad town. There’s still a lot of rail here, but the freight side isn’t as visible as the old passenger rails.
  15. I don’t want to trash any of these places, as all are (to the extent I know) pretty good, and you’ve obviously done some research. Nonetheless, I’ll add my opinions, fwiw. Don’t know if you chose this week for the Savannah Music Festival, but if not, you may want to pick up a schedule and see if there’s anything of interest. Belford's (I hear the shrimp, greens and grit cakes are good): I wouldn’t put this in my top few places, or even the top in its category. I would instead recommend Vic’s on the River, especially for a reasonably priced lunch. Good shrimp & grits and other "modern" southern fare. Try for a table by the windows, looking over the Savannah River. The massive cargo ships pass close enough that you could call out to the crew on deck as they quietly slide by. Locals pretend they’re not impressed by the ships, but they lie. Not as much atmosphere, but New South Cafe also offers Southern staples with a slightly modern twist ("Wild Georgia Shrimp inside Fried Grits /Polenta Cakes with Andouille Sausage & Braised Collard Greens"). Lunch at both places under $10. Sweet Potatoes: you’ve already been. If it helps my credibility, I would have told you to keep this on your list (easy to say now that I know you liked it). Toucan Café: same owners as Sweet Potatoes, but with a Caribbean slant. Good jerk chicken (although probably inauthentic, as ox tails seem more likely than a boneless breast in a Jamaican place). Slightly more expensive than Sweet Potatoes, but still pretty reasonable. Gerald's Diner: one of my favorite "meat & 3's." It’s fast because it’s steam table, and very reasonably priced. I don’t know if he’s currently open for dinner, as his hours have varied over time. Gerald is very much what we affectionately refer to as a Yankee. He’s fun to talk to if you get him going- ask him about the time he shot a guy. I think it's because he's a Yankee. Fiddler's Crab House: locals will tell you this is a tourist place. That doesn’t mean it’s bad- it’s just in the area that has been ceded to visitors, so it’s not cool for locals to go there. I haven’t been in years (having once been so cool that I could risk it), but I remember acceptable but unremarkable fried seafood. River House Seafood: same comment as above, but tending more towards grilled fish over angel-hair pasta with a sauce. Not bad, but certainly not inexpensive. Firefly Café: on the same square where you’re staying, so location earns it points. Friendly neighborhood place, despite the fact that their application for a wine license started a war with some of the neighbors who felt this would bring the wrong element into their proximity. Not memorable, but not bad, either. Mrs. Wilkes (if the line isn't too long): I love this place, but as you note the line can be long, too long, in fact, for it to be considered for lunch on a work day. Eating here reminds me of Sunday dinner at my grandmother’s, with three or four meats and a dozen vegetables (most boiled way past fork tender, but that’s what regular people do) passed around the table in bowls until you can’t eat any more. Great way to sample typical Southern fare like greens, okra & tomatoes, butter beans, snaps and black-eyed peas. Not cheap (I think $13 for lunch, including sweet tea and dessert), but still a good value. This was once the place for visitors, although it’s been largely overshadowed by Paula Deen’s Lady & Sons. No dinner. Madison Cafeteria: this place and the similar location on Bay Street noted by bettylouski above are located in the back of churches and put out solid southern food in a cafeteria setting. Not much on atmosphere, but cheap and good. No dinner. Crab Shack (Tybee): as Andrew noted, this place is more about atmosphere than the food. You can sit outside under the canopy of live oaks, with alligators lurking in the adjacent lagoons, and eat low country boil, a mix of steamed shrimp, potatoes, corn and sausage. It pretty common communal food around here, but not usually seen at restaurants. I’d skip this in favor of North Beach Grill if I were at Tybee, but others disagree. North Beach Grill (Tybee): fun place with a Jamaican vibe, including authentically slow service. What's your hurry, anyway? If you order two Red Stripes at a time, you’re less likely to run out before they get back to you. I’d stick to the sandwiches and other less expensive offerings, like the crab cake sandwich, as I personally feel that a $19 piece of fish should not be served on wax paper with a plastic basket and fork, but I’m snobby that way. Old School Diner (Townsend): I’ve never ventured down there, but it has gathered a following on large portions and the owner’s promotion of it as Ben Affleck’s local hangout. The dirt parking lot is apparently (partly) covered in carpet squares because the owner "doesn’t like dirt." A tour of this Sanford and Son complex is sometimes offered, including postings in the back room of the owner’s adult-rated poetry. I have been advised that the tour, if taken, should follow instead of precede the meal. Sunbury Crab Company (Sunbury): I must admit I’ve never heard of this one. Noticing this and the previous location indicates you’re willing to venture pretty far South of Savannah for a meal, I’d recommend the seafood at Sapelo Station in Eulonia/Townsend on US 17. There are a bunch of seafood shacks along the 17 coast, but Sapelo Station rates among the favorites of most the people I know. If you have time, it’s not much further South to St. Simon’s Island, well worth a day trip. Sounds like you’ve already found the Kroger, the only grocery chain downtown. More upscale can be found at the Fresh Market on Southside’s Abercorn Street. Good wine selection at Ganem’s downtown, better prices at Southside’s Beverage Warehouse. Parker’s Market on Drayton is within walking distance and has very good "gourmet" items, wine, cheese, prepared foods, breads, etc. If you’re going to Tybee, consider the highly regarded (but unfortunately strip-center located) Sundae Café. Also, one of my favorite dive bars is there, Doc’s. It’s a small place with Patsy Cline and The Mills Brothers on the juke box, a bumper pool table where the pole supporting the roof often interferes with your shot, and frequently some of the locals who mysteriously live at the beach without ever seeming to do anything. Be warned this place is not one of those gastropubs that has banned smoking- you’ll come out smelling like you wallowed in the ashtrays. I hate that part, but I still love the place. As for don’t miss, I’d recommend you try some local barbeque, which you’ll find different from North Carolina style. I like Sweet Leaf as mentioned by Andrew, but this is nouveau BBQ with sides of smoked zucchini and Granny Smith slaw. I also second Papa’s (barbeque on two buns and brunswick stew). Sandfly BBQ is new and very good. If you end up going as far South as Brunswick, post to that effect and I can recommend some really good barbeque down there. While I consider Holly More a demi-god of food advice and have eaten at many terrific places based on his recommendations, I’d have to say that the best part of Wall's BBQ is finding the place; the food is somewhat of a letdown.
  16. Just spoke to the extremely pleasant Delilah and got a Thursday reservation. Although my evaluation skills tend to run the descriptive gamut from yuck through OK all the way to real good, I'll try to offer something a little more detailed in July.
  17. I will keep calling. It will work, and it will be great. I will eat 14 great meals in 1 week that change my kids' (and my) view of food and I will score Yankees/Sox tickets. I can do it. Yes I can. And in the end, I will owe it all (OK, maybe not the tickets) to EG.
  18. We will be in NY in early July for a week and have decided, based entirely upon this thread, that we must eat here on the one Thursday night we'll be in town. Under the current formative plan, this will be the only time we dump the kids for dinner (except for a trip to PDT, but we're not calling that dinner yet). This is not because the girls won't eat, but because 1/3 of the seats available seems ever more likeky than 2/3 (by a factor of two, if my early education doesn't fail me). The kids are great, but I can see them back home. So, my problem is, I call the semi-secret TKC number above for (hopefully) a reservation, and I get a recording indicating they are taking reservations for March - May. Not being from The City, my initial reaction is that I must call back some two months from now, when they will be taking orderly reservations for July. After a few minutes of reflection, I recall stories that the cognoscenti are more prone to perseverance, so I call back and leave a haltingly assertive message indicating that while I am sufficiently educated to glean that July follows May, I am curious as to whether Thursday is an exception. I even drop (institutional) names by indicating I know from EG that Thursdays are unique. I wait all day by my cell phone, to no avail. I know what you'll say, maybe TKC is out of town, maybe its sister restaurant is sick and requires emergency care, maybe my timing is just off and next week it will all be OK (for someone else). Encouraging words aside, I'm not getting any better looking, and this may be my last shot before the combover and paunch become the first things you notice. So here, at last, is my question. How do I maximize the chance of eating here July 3? Do I call every day, hoping someone will answer the phone? Do I leave increasingly desperate messages culminiting in vague threats of self-imposed personal discomfort? Do I concede my outsider status, give up, and rent a movie in the wrong HD format (I understand our hotel has big TVs and delivery from the original Ray's)? There are many great places to eat up there, and I suppose we'll find sustenance elsewhere if TKC proves illusive, but this is as big to me as the Toys-R Us ferris wheel (its INSIDE the store, dad) is to my daughter. Any helpful advice is appreciated.
  19. Kenny B's is fun, small, not fancy, inexpensive ($7.50 for a Po Boy) and with more of a neighborhood feel than you usually get in Hilton Head. I have enjoyed both the shrimp and oyster versions, as well as the gumbo and fried catfish. The bread is not good enough to qualify this as a great sandwich, and the tomatoes are the usual pulp, but the slaw and remoulade are good and the oysters/shrimp are really the point, anyway. Don't go expecting a transforming experience, but the mains and sides are fresh, the Abita is cold, and the Georgia Bulldogs/New Orleans Saints decor captures both the winner and lovable loser motif. You can (and unless you do a lot of planning, will) do much worse on Hilton Head. They also do a very popular buffet Saturday and Sunday mornings.
  20. If you are still in Augusta I recommend you try Sconyers Barbeque.
  21. I have long intended to experience the tasting menu at One Midtown Kitchen, but I am almost never in Atlanta on Monday or Tuesday night. Now it appears I may have waited too long, as I have no plan to ever be in Miami. Is Chef Blais gone, or do I have a couple Mondays left to get up there?
  22. Sorry I didn't see your post in time to reply. If you pass through on the way back, please try again.
  23. Glad you found some good local eating. Judging from the places you went, I'd have to rate you more adventurous than most locals.
  24. You are correct on the Tubby's location; if the weather's nice it's a good view over the river. While they have grouper fingers, I seem to recall there are no chicken fingers. Spanky's is still the best bet there. On Moon River, I felt their food was less conventional when they first started, but I think the clientele has forced them to standardize it a little more. It's not at all bad, and still a good bet for a beer. If I have one complaint about them, however, they don't seem to be able to coordinate a table of more than four without getting the orders messed up. Perhaps that's a problem they've solved, but I always felt like they were surprised when someone actually wanted to eat. I don't think anyone mourns the loss of TGIFridays, except maybe its employees. It wasn't even good for a TGIFridays.
  25. If it must be a sports bar, Loco's is really the only one downtown. It's popular with the young-twenties crowd, but the food is pretty uninspired even by bar food standards. As also mentioned, Sorry Charlie's is also a possibility, qualifying perhaps as a sports bar as measured by the number of televisions, but without much of a sports theme. Between the two, I'd say the latter's food is marginally better, and they have a good happy hour. While I'll concur that Moon River brews a decent beer (although it sounds like your crowd might not be into "fancy beer," I'm not so enthusiastic about the food, although it is a step up from the two sports bars. I'd say the nearby Churchill's Pub (fish & chips, bangers & mash, burgers, sandwiches) is better. Another possibility, closer to the Marriott on River Street, is Spanky's (the usual bar food, good chicken and grouper fingers). Slightly farther down River Street is Tubby's Tank House, OK for seafood. Although I'm reluctant to mention a chain, your group might notice there's an Outback within walking distance. Still downtown, but a little too far to walk, is The Crystal Beer Parlor. Old place, lots af character, good burgers and crab stew. If you're going to ditch, you'll have to do it somewhere other than the TGIFridays. It's recently closed, and I'm not sure if there's even a restaurant in the Marriott now.
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