Delta

Not all Southern food is created equal.  While I may know just about all there is to know about Lowcountry cuisine, creole food is a whole different story.  Of course I enjoy it.  Of course I will eat all the cajun food in sight, if possible.  Of COURSE I want to boogie to Hank Williams' "Jambalya (On the Bayou)" while I'm eating it.  But liking creole food is not the same as being an expert.  Basically, even though I'm Southern, I can't tell you how authentic The Delta Grill is, but I can tell you I really liked it and am happy to have it in NYC.

I was there with a group of eight, three of whom were college linebackers, so we ordered a lot of food.  The portions were large, even for 6'4" former football players.  So if you like creole food, you'll certainly get your fill here.  We started with the alligator and pork sausage.  My only experience with gator is on the football field, where we CRUSH those jorts wearing Floridians every year.  Just kidding - I've eaten gator plenty.  There's a place at home that serves fried alligator tail and I love it.  Seeing alligator in sausage form, however, was new to me but still delicious...though I mostly tasted pork.  My favorite app of the night was the popcorn crawfish.  I was worried they would skimp on the meat here, but this was big hunks of crawfish that are fried and served with a remoulade sauce (though this was more like ranch dressing).  It was chewy without being rubbery and the batter was nicely seasoned.  I could have eaten the entire basket on my own and was a little disappointed I had to share.

As for the entrees...I tried a bite of Albert's muffaletta and thought it was a very good version, almost as good as the one I had in New Orleans (it's all about the olive spread).  If you consider ordering the large version, I suggest you do so with two buddies because it's massive.  I ordered the chicken fried steak and loved it.  It was as good as any I've had.  Since chicken fried steak is a Southern thing and not strictly cajun, I can say with confidence I know what I'm talking about here.  The steak was still tender (a lot of people can mess up on that part) and the peppery breading stayed put.  I'm used to a thicker gravy at home, but this wasn't too shabby.  The jalapeno cheddar mashed potatoes was a nice spicy side.

Now, can a Louisiana native pleast go to this place and tell me if it's authentic?  Or do I just love it and have zero idea what I'm talking about.  Please don't put my "foodie" identity into question.

Bobwhite Lunch and Supper Counter

The menu is small at Bobwhite Lunch and Supper Counter.  They're pretty much telling you "get the fried chicken, dummy!...but in case you're a vegetarian we got catfish, too."  So that's what Albert and I did.  We both ordered the fried chicken platter (only $11.50), which comes with three pieces of chicken, a biscuit, and some really good cole slaw (and I am picky picky about my cole slaw).  We also ordered sides (average $4) of mac and cheese and collards to split.  The mac was nice and creamy and the collards were good, though they could have used a teensy bit of vinegar (I still ate all of them).

The food is great and the prices are pretty cheap for such a large dinner.  But the best part was just a small little thing that most people probably won't notice; and if they do, they may find it strange.  Before our meals arrived, the waitress brought a bottle of hot sauce and a bottle of honey to the table.  Albert, bless his heart, is a Yankee and was very confused by the honey.  The hot sauce can go on the chicken, the collards, pretty much anywhere...but what to do with the honey?  It's great on biscuits, obviously, but that, my friends, is the condiment that will make your fried chicken better than it's ever been.  You get sticky and crispy all at once.  If you don't eat your fried chicken like this, you are missing out.  Just bringing honey to the table made Bobwhite one of the most authentic Southern spots in the city.

BBQ + Mac & Cheese

After a busy weekend running around at all the wedding festivities, I really just wanted to spend Sunday evening at home.  I could cook a real meal, watch True Blood, and go to sleep early.  Since Albert agreed to my request to stay in, I decided to make him something I knew he would enjoy for supper: BBQ.  For a yankee, that boy sure does love his BBQ.  I happen to love it as well (duh, I actually am Southern) so it really wasn't much of a compromise on my end.

When I want BBQ and I want it now I have one go-to tactic: throw it in the crockpot.  After four hours on high with a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce, pork tenderloin turns into beautiful pulled pork.  Make your own sauce if you are so inclined, but I keep it simple and just pour in a bottle of Johnny's.  Johnny Harris is an old Savannah restaurant that my family has been going to for generations.  My grandparents used to go there on dates.  No joke.  I could go on about their amazing food and my family's connection to the restaurant...but for now I'm just going to say how much I love their sauce.  At home you can buy it in all the grocery stores.  In NYC...no such luck.  So I have several bottles shipped to me at a time.  Just as some people make sure to always have a bottle of champagne chilling for impromptu celebrations, I was raised to always have a bottle of BBQ sauce in my fridge.  I'm not going to let something as silly as distance keep me from keeping my fridge stocked.  This is the internet age - I really have no excuse.

Mac and cheese is a tried and true BBQ side dish.  I make mine just like my Mom: elbow macaroni layered with shredded sharp cheddar (must be off the block - none of that bagged nonsense), and an egg/milk mixture around the edges.  Into the oven it goes at 350 for about 40 minutes.  I tried to mix things up by creating a crust with panko bread crumbs and melted butter.  It was good but unnecessary.  If my Mom has been told over and over (and over) again that she makes the best mac [ever] and she doesn't use bread crumbs then I don't need them either.

Lonestar Empire

Last week I went to my first ever SummerStage concert.  SummerStage is a concert series in Central Park that provides both free and not free music throughout the summer.  Concerts are always a good time but my mind was blown when I saw they had food and beer stalls.  Lo and behold!  Food and beer makes the music sound even better!  If anything, I thought it would be simple burgers and hot dogs, but they actually had about three fancy food vendors from the Brooklyn Flea set up.  We got all of our food from Lonestar Empire, who put their Texas-style smoked meats (brisket and pork) in both sandwich and taco form.  The tacos had great slaw; the sandwiches had perfect pickles - good toppings all around.  They don't have a brick and mortar store so make sure you head to Smorgasburg to taste their meat (that's what she said).  And if you haven't been to a SummerStage show, definitely put that on your bucket list.

 

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

Here in the North, shrimp is never the main meal.  I pretty much only ever see it as a shrimp cocktail appetizer or as the protein in a pasta dish.  But as a Lowcountry girl I'm used to shrimp being the main event.  When you can catch the main course for free off your dock, I'm not sure why you would rather go to the grocery store.  I'm making it my mission to show New Yorkers how great shrimp can be as the main course.  The best way to do that is by appealing to their trendy, healthy side.

I followed this recipe for cilantro lime shrimp and highly recommend it.  I served it over rice with a couple slices of avocado and a fresh salad on the side.  For people who don't think of shrimp as the main course, this meal will probably change their mind.  Follow it up by reminding them how healthy it is and they'll probably request the recipe.  Finally, tell them how unbelievably quick and easy the whole thing was and they'll probably stop at the grocery store for the ingredients on the way home.

Hash Browns Casserole

It's rare that I make breakfast on the weekends.  I usually either use the weekend as an excuse to grab a bagel or breakfast sandwich from around the corner or to sleep in, lounge around, and make lunch my first meal.  But this Sunday I convinced Albert to come over for a proper weekend brunch.  The main dish was one my mother has perfected: hash browns casserole.

Hash browns casserole is not something you find often up North, but it's common on Southern breakfast spreads.  It's incredibly easy to put together and reheats well so it's also great for potlucks or a party where you want to get some of the cooking out of the way early (leaving more time for mimosas).  Start with frozen hash browns (2 lbs) and thaw until the little sticks of potato are broken apart and able to mix with the other ingredients.  To the hash browns add 10 oz shredded cheese, one (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup, one pint sour cream (reduced fat works fine), 1/2 c. melted butter or margarine, one small chopped onion, and salt and pepper.  Bake uncovered in a greased 3-qt. dish at 350 for an hour until the top gets a bit crusty.  If it suits you, add a couple dashes of hot sauce when you serve it.  Like all good casseroles it's creamy and cheesy - I can't think of a better way to start the day.

Sandfly BBQ

For his first visit to the South, the main mission was to introduce Albert to some of the best BBQ we have to offer.  It's probably his favorite cuisine and I was sure Savannah could do it better than NYC.  Many Southerners are single-minded when it comes to who makes the best bar-b-que in a given town.  My household is divided, with my Mom and brother steadfastly in support of SandFly BBQ so we decided to start there.   

It's time for me to come clean.  While I say I am from Savannah, GA, I am technically from unincorporated Chatham county; meaning, I'm not really within the borders of the Hostess City of the South.  If we're being honest, I am actually from Sandfly, GA...but that doesn't look nearly as good when you're addressing an envelope.

SandFly BBQ is in my little slice of Georgia heaven and it kinda makes the neighborhood.  While it could use a little bark (that's BBQ speak for the crust on the meat), the pulled pork is nice and juicy.  It's great BBQ, but the star of the show is their Brunswick stew.  Brunswick stew has a tomato base and is filled with butter beans, corn, and pork.  It is pretty unique to the Lowcountry, and I think it's what sets our bbq apart from other regions.  Everybody makes it differently, and I think SandFly's is some of the best I've ever had.

The Cardinal

I'd heard The Cardinal was churning out good Southern food but never made it down to 4th and B to see for myself.  Seeing a $24 BBQ plate on the dinner menu just seemed so anti-Southern I couldn't bring myself to go.  That kind of Southern food is supposed to be down and dirty and cheap.  It just didn't seem right...but that didn't stop me from wondering how the food tasted.  I found a compromise between principle and curiosity this weekend when I discovered they had a great brunch deal.

At brunch, the entrees are $13-$16 and for only $5 more you get unlimited mimosas.  That price point was much easier to swallow and I was impressed enough with the food and atmosphere that I'm now considering a return for supper, even if it is a little more expensive.  I recommend you start with brunch though because (do I need to say it again?) $5 unlimited mimosas.

I ordered the fried chicken and biscuits with sausage gravy.  It was way more food than I could handle.  The gravy could have used a little salt, but the chicken and biscuits were great.  Seriously amazing biscuits.  I also tried some of Albert's pork chops and eggs which also came with sausage gravy as well as a strip of bacon that was practically a meal in itself and a side of cheese grits.  In the South the cheese is mixed into the grits so I was a little disappointed that an order of cheese grits meant grits with a layer of cheese on top.  Then I tried it and tasted how great the grits were and didn't even care.  I've never said this about grits, but they didn't even need the cheese.  The grits were that creamy and delicious on their own that I'm assuming there's some cheese in there that they're not telling us about.  Albert was not as impressed with his first grits experience but then again, Yankees are silly.  He'll learn.

Notes:

1. It's cash only so come prepared or use the ATM they have in the restaurant. 
2. They have sweet tea and cheerwine on the menu.  Southerners know what I'm talkin about.  (Though charging $4.25 for it...no Southerner knows what that's about.)

Bonna Bella

One of my favorite restaurants at home (we're talkin top 3 here) is Bonna Bella.  As a family not only from a Lowcountry/river town but whose home is actually on said river, we don't like to stray from the water and dining is no exception.  You can get to Bonna Bella by car or boat (more often than not, we go with boat) and though inside seating exists, I've never seen anyone using it.  Why would you when you can basically sit on a dock while you eat your food.  There's cornhole for while you wait for your food and a general laid back fun atmosphere.  I've never seen anyone in a bad mood at Bonna Bella.  One of my favorite dishes is she crab stew and they make some of the best around.  I had mine with a half pound of boiled shrimp and a beer.  Perfection.

Jacob's Pickles

When the sign outside a restaurant reads "Beer.  Biscuits.  Pickles." I need no further description to know it's a place I need to try.  Jacob's Pickles on the Upper West Side has all my Southern favorites like fried green tomatoes and collard greens, much of the menu infused with briny goodness, including the drinks.  I don't stray too far from my simple Jack and Diet too often, so the fact that I mulled over my beverage decision for a while is an indication that they have a pretty good bar menu.  I almost skipped the alcohol altogether when I saw their list of homemade lemonade, sweet tea, and root bear on tap.  But then I remembered it was a Saturday night and decided not to be lame. I went with the Kentucky Porch Sipper, bourbon with muddled lemon/lime/orange and house apple bitters.  It was sweet but not overwhelmingly so.  It made me long for my porch at home that overlooks the marsh.

For the food it's no surprise we started with an assortment of pickles, my favorite of which was the spicy green beans.  There were several smaller items I wanted to try so we went the sharing route and ordered one entree and several sides/apps.  Chicken and waffles is probably the most popular Southern dish to emulate right now so I was happy to see a new riff off it: pancakes.  That's right, we had chicken and pancakes.  The pancakes were sweet and the chicken was spicy (with Chick-fil-A style breading - gah) and the bacon sprinkled all over the plate was nice and salty.  Yum.  It didn't even need any sort of syrup or honey.  For the smaller plates we ordered fried green tomatoes that had grits in the breading, a great touch but the tomatoes should have been cut a little thicker to compete.  The collards were mixed with their pickled carrots to add the vinegar flavor I'm used to adding myself at the table.  Finally, the side of mac and cheese was massive and easily could have been an entree itself.  It was made with sharp white cheddar and was super creamy and delicious.

Southern food is not usually thought of as romantic but with the low lighting, this place is a great date night spot.  One of my favorite moments of the evening was trying to figure out if the couple next to us was on their first or second date.  Good for them.  If someone brought me there on a first date, I'm pretty sure there would be a date #2.

Pimento Cheese Pie

Last week was Masters Week - a holiday for us Georgia folks.  My Daddy was there over the weekend and although he is an avid golf fan, I know one of his favorite parts of the Masters is the pimento cheese sandwiches.  The Masters may be an exclusive sporting event, but once inside (if you're lucky enough), none of the food or drink costs more than $3.  To honor the great food tradition of the Masters, I decided to make some of my [self appointed] famous pimento cheese.

Since I've blogged about pimento cheese sandwiches before, I needed to do something a little different to merit a post.  Tomato pie is a Southern thing and I recently read that people have been making it topped with pimento cheese, also a Southern thing.  I suppose that makes this pie doubly Southern.  Southern squared, perhaps.

I drew water out of thick, firm beefsteak tomato slices by sprinkling with water and letting them sit out for about 10 minutes.  Once they were ready, I got to layering.  I covered the bottom of pre-baked pie shell with slices of prosciutto.  I put the tomatoes in next, cutting some in half in order to make sure every bite got a piece of 'mater.  Finally, I put my own pimento cheese on top.  Sorry, but you ain't getting that recipe; it's top secret.  I baked the whole thing at 350 for about 15 minutes, just long enough for the prosciutto to crisp a bit and for the cheese to melt but not so long that the tomatoes got soggy.

True, the green jacket is the Masters' most coveted souvenir, but a good pimento cheese dish is a not so distant second.  This is a great new way to use pimento cheese and a nice dish to bring to brunch.

The Redhead

I'm sure The Redhead was to beginning to feel more like the red headed stepchild for all the time it had been sitting on my list of restaurants to try.  I knew there was a Southern influence, but had I known there were Lowcountry items on the menu, I would have made sure to get there much sooner.  Although I went in after hearing good things, the food was actually better than I expected, always a welcome surprise.

We started with the house smoked sausage with brussels sprouts over potato puree with red eye gravy.  The sausage was filled with smoky spices and the brussels sprouts had a nice crisp on the edges that gave them a standout presence among the creamy potatoes and gravy.  At the waiter's suggestion, we also ordered the crispy cauliflower with green goddess sauce.  I assumed the cauliflower would be roasted, but it was actually deep fried and I shouldn't have to tell you that deep frying something is never ever a bad thing.  For my entree I actually got two smaller dishes, the small order of shrimp and grits and the side of collards.  I was a little nervous that the collards were prepared with corned beef instead of ham hock, but it turns out beef can provide just as much flavor as pork - who knew?!  In fact, I think using corned beef added the vinegar flavor during the cooking process, while I usually add vinegar at the table so basically they killed two birds with one stone.  The grits were super creamy - just how I like em.  (I basically like a little grits with my bowl of cream and cheese - who doesn't?!)  They also threw some andouille sausage chunks on the plate for good measure, and I thank them for it.  Although I didn't order it for myself, the one dish I kept hearing about was the fried chicken so I had to at least try a bit.  The skin was nice and brown - almost to the point that I thought the chicken could be dry inside, but it was nice and juicy.  There was certainly some cayenne in the spice mix, but I think I detected some sugar because there was a teeny bit of sweet in there.  I was too full for a whole dessert and I'm glad I passed because when the waiter brought the check he also brought out a homemade cookie for everyone at the table.  I stuck my oatmeal raisin in my purse and just like the restaurant itself, it was very happy happy discovery later on.  

Biscuit Baking

I recently had my Mom go over to my Grandma's and have Mildred tell her some of our family recipes.  Mildred is an amazing cook but at 88 years old, someone else needs to learn how to make these recipes or we risk losing them forever.  Unfortunately, most of Mildred's cooking is done from memory.  She has tweaked them over the years so the written recipes are never what she actually ends up cooking.  Even if they were, the "formal" recipes contain a lot of measurements like "some butter" or "flour".  How much flour?  What's "some"?  Basically, my Mom managed to get me a bunch of recipe skeletons and now it's my job to flesh them out.

Mildred's biscuits are perfect, so I was most nervous to take on that recipe, but since they are, as I say, perfect, it was most important for me to figure this one out first.  Since I had the day off work, I made it my MLK Day project.  Because I'm working so hard to preserve the recipe, I'm going to keep it to myself.  Most Southern families have their passed-down biscuit recipe - get your own.

I am proud to say that I'm on the right track, especially when I top them with butter and honey, just like we do at all our family dinners.  When the oven timer went off they seemed undercooked so I left them in and then I think I overshot it.  They kind of crumbled apart when I tried to eat them so I think I need to work on the buttermilk/shortening proportions a bit.  But the flavor was there so I know I'm close.  I won't rest til I can give my family the same amazing biscuits they've enjoyed for generations.

Oyster Roast 2012

I added "2012" to this blog post's title because after the success of this year's event, it's sure to become an annual thing.  Oyster roasts are commonplace in The Lowcountry for good reason - they're freakin awesome.  Basically, you create a pit outside and roast the oysters on a grate above an open flame (we roasted 5 bushels - each weighs about 60 lbs).  Once they're cooked, you pour them out on the table and get to shucking.  The best part (other than the oysters themselves) is that everybody has great conversation while they're hunched over the picnic table, sleeves rolled up, batting away gnats with their elbows.  It's a fabulous southern tradition and one that I'm happy my brother introduced to our Thanksgiving weekend tradition.

Before I left for Savannah, Mark asked me if I would make any apps since he knows that's my specialty.  Just as I did for Thanksgiving, I made one fallback (bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers) and one new recipe. The newbie this time was Brussels sprout prosciutto sandwiches.  It was way easier than I expected.  You'd expect something this easy to be ugly, but it looks nice and pretty - like a bowl full of shiny emeralds.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture so you can't see how good they looked, but check out this recipe to see where I got my inspiration.  I tweaked the original recipe a bit: I halved the sprouts, put them on a foil lined cookie sheet, and drizzled with oil and whatever spice blend I have lying around (big fan of Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning).  Once they were nice and browned, I tore prosciutto into manageable bits, sandwiched between two halves, and skewered with a toothpick.  The original recipe calls for cooked prosciutto, but I think prosciutto is best as is.  Next to the jalapeno poppers, this app was basically a healthy salad.  I'm sure I'll make them again soon and won't forget to whip out the camera.  Allison also made a bangin app, but I'm not going to describe it now because I already have plans to steal it and make it for book club next month (giving her credit, of course) so you'll just have to wait on that one.

Photo courtesy of Greg Greenberg

 

Watershed

I had planned a trip to Georgia for the Ole Miss game and some hanging out with my Atlanta friends, but I was worried that I wouldn't make it out due to Hurricane Sandy.  I was worried about getting to the airport so I left about four hours before my flight.  Because the city was rapidly running out of gas, there were no cars on the road and almost no one in the airport.  When I got to the gate, I saw that there was an earlier flight leaving at 6 PM and asked if I could get on it (with just four minutes to spare before they finished boarding).  The gate attendant switched my ticket free of charge and I walked on the plane to find it nearly empty, affording me an entire row to myself.  I'm not going to say I deserved it, but after a week without electricity, water, or heat (and no complaining from me), it was time for some good karma.

The best part about getting on a flight two hours early was that it meant I made it in time for dinner.  Because my parents didn't expect me to leave so early they were still on the road so I had a window of opportunity to meet up with Patricia for dinner.  She was already at the restaurant with her fiancé and another couple, so I hopped in a cab and met them at Watershed.

Watershed was previously located in Decatur but just moved to the Brookwood Hills neighborhood.  One of the owners is an Indigo Girl and the restaurant has snagged a James Beard award.  Those two details might lead you to believe that it's a pricier place, and it is.  However, they nailed it with the food so I didn't mind the price tag.  And no, my palate was not stunted because I had been subsisting on Pirates Booty and halloween candy during the hurricane - I was still able to recognize good food.

My lamb shank ragu over hand cut paperdelle with crispy brussels sprout leaves was perfect.  There was a hint of spice in the sauce, but it was a deep, smoky spice felt in dish's under-notes (if top-note is a wine term, I'm guessing under-note can be a food term).  This is the kind of dish that makes you feel whole again.  I also enjoyed a couple bites of the "very good chocolate cake in a jar."  It was rich without being dense.    

Side Note: I grabbed some matches on my way out and loved that they included their fried chicken recipe.  Great touch.

Smoke and Barrel

When three Southerners reunite, we can't help but to indulge our Southern stomachs, even if we've creeped up North.  After a day of heavy drinking, Sliz and Puckett took me to their favorite DC bbq and bourbon, Smoke and Barrel in Adams Morgan to cap off the evening.  Points right off the bat for the name.  I love a witty epithet.

I don't know much about bourbon except that I like it.  I typically mix mine with diet coke, but I know enough to know how embarrassing it would be to order the good stuff prepared that way.  However, I don't know much about the real deal so I deferred to Puckett who ordered me a couple fingers (two? three?...who's counting) of Four Roses.  The waiter was kind enough to bring me a glass of ice on the side when I voiced my fears about not being man enough to drink it neat.  Puckett, on the other hand, allowed me just one cube and told me to grow a pair.  I enjoyed my fancy drink and left the restaurant feeling a little manlier.

When it came to the food, they smoke some good bbq but also serve it in some interesting ways.  While Puckett went with the sandwich and sides, I got a salad topped with bacon, blue cheese, and pulled pork, and Liz got bbq tacos.  From classic to creative, all plates were cleaned.  Even without the sauce, the bbq was moist and tasted like it just came out of the smoker.  Knowing there's good bbq and whiskey means DC is allowed to be on my "places I'd be willing to live" list.

Amy Ruth's and Harlem Tavern

Saturday was another one of me and Podz' "neighborhood days" where we pick a 'hood and just walk around, checking out all of its unique spots.  Today's spotlight is Harlem, a neighborhood I've scarcely visited in all my five years in New York but one I am now obsessed with.  Harlem is undergoing a second renaissance.  I was nowhere near being alive for Harlem Renaissance #1 so it's pretty cool to get to see round two.  This time, instead of Jazz and literature, the focus of the neighborhood's rebirth seems to be food related.

We started the day at Amy Ruth's, a famed soul food restaurant that I've been dying to try.  I had to find out if what I was hearing was true: the food is as good as any I'd find at home.  My prayers have been answered.  The fried chicken was just as good as any I could find in Savannah and the waiter had no problem bringing me honey.  (Based on the looks I get when I request it, I've learned they don't use honey as a fried chicken condiment up here.  Sad.  They don't know what they're missing.)  Though my chicken and waffles didn't come with a side, I had to order some collards and ooooh boy were they perfect, especially when I added a little hot sauce.  Podz walked into the restaurant saying she didn't like collard greens and left saying she must have just been eating the wrong ones.  Her side of choice was mac and cheese and I would offer it up as a throwdown competitor against Mildred's.  Mildred would win, of course, but Amy Ruth's is the most similar version I've found.  The best part of the meal: after five years of searching, I found a restaurant that serves sweet tea.  And I must say, it is just the right amount of sweet.  That alone is worth the subway ride to 116th St.  The food tasted like home and - what's this?! - the prices are as low as they are at home.  It's a little piece of the South in Manhattan.  My oh my what a wonderful find.

Time for a break to walk off our massive meals.  After lusting past the gorgeous apartments springing up all over the place, we stopped at the hub of stores like Marshall's and H&M to stock up on cheap, cute goods.  I walked away with a picture frame and a full outfit to wear that night for $34.  Bargains like that deserve a celebratory beer so we stopped at Harlem Tavern for drinks.

The new indoor/outdoor spot was packed with a mix of Columbia co-eds and families with young kids.  People from every race and age group gathered for the relaxing atmosphere.  Everybody loves a good beer garden.  Huge screens inside make it the ideal spot for game watching and the lily pads of red umbrella'd tables outside make it a perfect place to sip a $7 beer on a warm day.

3 on Thursday

Welcome to the Savannah edition of 3 on Thursday.  I was home for my annual week-long Summer visit that I planned around Bridge's wedding.  It was so nice to spend time with the fam and relax in the Lowcountry.  I can't think of a better way to ring in 27.

My hopes to sit around the pool with a daiquiri getting tan were dashed when it rained for six days straight.  I tried to lay out, but it was in vain.  But even in dreary weather, I have been in awe of my view from the day we moved into the house.

Bridget and Julien know how to throw a wedding, plain and simple.  The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is so beautiful, it made me wish I was Catholic so I could get married there.  To give you an idea of how much fun it was: the ceremony began at 2:00 PM, the cocktail hour started at 4:00 PM, and I didn't go to bed until 3:30 AM.  New South Players, aka NSP of fraternity band party legend, was the wedding band so it was quite the dance fest.  Bridge also knows the way to go down as a great party is with a mac and cheese bar.  Well done, Dr. and Mrs. Norton.

I spent a lot of my vacation trying to consume all my favorite foods from home.  This is a spectacular pulled pork sandwich from the Smoke Station.  I'm sorry, but the BBQ in NYC just can't compare.

3 on Thursday

Perhaps I should have given you warning that 3 on Thursday would be cancelled last week due to Thanksgiving, but I figured you would all be too full of turkey to notice.  Now that we're back in action, here's the latest:

This may shock you, but I was a private school kid.  A prepster all the way.  What?  That wasn't shocking?  Oh well, my experience was about as stereotypical as it gets, and I loved every second of it.  Before leaving for Thanksgiving, the alumni committee organized a gathering for all us NYC Country Day kids.  It was in a sick apartment with amazing catered food and a great goody bag that included a koozie so I can properly represent my alma mater while boozing.  It was great to see how well my fellow Hornets have done with their lives and so nice to see such a robust group of people from home up here.  SCDS certainly had a large hand in making me who I am today (spending that many years at one institution will do that to you), and it's always good to reconnect with the people and places from such a formative time. 

So um the Delta terminal at LGA is snazzy now.  Last time I flew, they were beginning construction, but this time I was able to see the finished product.  It's so nice to fly and be able to get real food like Pat La Frieda burgers (above), especially when you no longer get meals on flights anymore.  There were also plenty of healthier options like a fresh salad bar and a sit down restaurant called Crust.  Beyond that, the aesthetic was much nicer than the white walls and grungy carpet of the past that used to make me super stir crazy while waiting for my flight.

A couple weeks ago the construction on the space next to my office began moving along and this week I finally learned who the new occupant will be: Pie Face.  As a fan of pie-in-the-face stooge jokes, the name alone makes me happy.  Once I looked into it and learned the restaurant is an Aussie chain that serves savory and sweet pies, I started drooling.  I see myself picking up a meat pie for dinner on the way home from work alllll the time.  Likely more often than is reasonable.  Now I have "God That's Good," the song about pies and murder from the musical Sweeney Todd stuck in my head.  Hopefully the grub from Pie Face comes free of vengeful crime.

Very Vic's

Traditionally, everyone parties it up on Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  My friends and I usually partake, but this year we all passed out on our respective couches at around 9:45 PM.  After acknowledging that we are now old and no longer the rabbel-rousers we once were, we decided on a do-over on Friday night.  No passing out allowed. 

Before hitting up the bars, EB and I decided to meet for martinis and apps at Vic's on the River, one of Savannah's nicer restaurants in the heart of downtown.  Vic's is a continental restaurant, but many of their dishes are Southern favorites that have been elevated to match the restaurant's gorgeous river view.  We decided to focus on these items and ordered four appetizers:

• Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Tomato Chutney: Since fried green tomatoes are usually paired with a spicy aioli, it was nice to have a sweet accompaniment
• Crawfish Beignets with Tobasco Syrup: the syrup was sweet, not spicy - good because the crawfish filling (which was ample, providing a great filling to pastry ratio) had a kick
• Pulled Pork Eggroll with BBQ Sauce, Hot Mustard, and Peach Chutney: this sounds a little weird but it was wonderful - who knew Southern and Chinese went so well together?!
• Colossal Shrimp Cocktail with Blueberry Vanilla BBQ Sauce: I had to get my fill of shrimp while I was home and these were huge shrimp that were cooked well (important not to overcook when a plain shrimp is the star of the show). 

All the food was wonderful (especially the beignets and eggroll), though I almost wish we hadn't chosen so many dishes with a sweet component/sauce to avoid overkill; however, the dishes were so different in essence, that I didn't really mind.  If you're reading this and thinking of going to Vic's, you would probably be going as a tourist.  If that's the case, you won't mind that it is a little pricier (not NYC fancy dinner pricy, but still...) because hey, it's vacation.  If you're reading this and happen to be a true Savannian, you know Vic's is not someplace you go every weekend, but I say you shouldn't restrict it to special occasions.  Do what we did and order a drink and several appetizers to get a great sampling of the menu.  I recommend sitting in the bar area so you can enjoy the piano player who happened to be wearing an absolutely fabulous feather ensemble.