As many of you know, I’m scheduled to graduate from UGA in May. So, my May 9, I will have said goodbye to Dawg Food and all that is college. I am on a search, however, to find a fitting successor, so let me know if you have any recommendations.

I realized I only have seven weeks left at UGA, so I decided to make a Bucket List for the places I’d like to review (that I haven’t been to yet) or places I just need to go back to before I leave Athens. I don’t want to get too sentimental, so let’s just get to the point.

“The Great Dawg Food Bucket List”

• Athens Regional Medical Center Cafeteria: Sounds weird, I know. However, I’ve heard from many reliable sources that the cafeteria at ARMC is amazing, especially the apple cobbler. I’m a sucker for cafeterias. We used to go to Luby’s cafeteria every Sunday after church when I was little, and I love a place where you can get Jell-O, mashed potatoes, macaroni, fried chicken, a roll, and chocolate pie in one swoop. I hope ARMC Cafeteria lives up to my high expectations.
• Weaver D’s: I still can’t believe I haven’t been there. Before I even came to UGA, my neighbor told me that I needed to eat at Weaver D’s. In the past four years, I haven’t made a trip there. It’s a must.
• Big Easy Cafe: A rather new establishment, the Big Easy Cafe in Watkinsville is home to Louisiana and Cajun food. I’m actually eating a low country boil from there this weekend, so I’ll let you know how it is.
• Any UGA Dining Hall: Like I said, I love cafeterias. I think it’s only appropriate for me to eat in at least one of the UGA dining commons before I graduate. They filled my little freshman head with so many memories of froyo, egg white omlettes, lasagna, salads, turkey sandwiches, and the ever-so-addicting chocolate cookies that I can’t help but go back one last time.
• Black Forest Bakery: The old location of Black Forest on Prince closed about a year ago, but it has been reopened on the East Side by Johnny’s Pizza. I read an article in the Athens Banner Herald about it a couple of weeks ago and decided I needed to check it out. Maybe I’ll order some donuts for a class or something. We’ll see.
• Places I’ve been but want to go back to: I really want to revisit all of them, but here’s a shorter list…La Dolce Vita, The Sultan, Farm 255, The Five and Ten, Porterhouse Grill, Mirko Pasta, Dondero’s Kitchen, Clocked, The Basil Press, The Globe.
• (you insert here): Where would you like me to go? Is there a restaurant I haven’t talked about that I need to review? Let me know!

So, before I kick the Dawg Food bucket, I hope I’ll be able to visit all or most of these places. Have a great weekend, everyone!

I am constantly amazed by the wide variety of restaurants that exist within Athens.

Since I heard about The Sultan last semester, I have been dying to try it. The Sultan is a local Lebanese restaurant that is located out on Atlanta Highway, right beside Best Buy. It’s almost to Bogart on your right.

My first experience with Lebanese/Middle Eastern food was when I studied abroad in Paris two summers ago. If these next few sentences come off seeming stupid, please forgive me.

In case you didn’t know, Lebanon is located on basically the other side of the world in a climate that is extremely different than ours. In fact, most of the crops they grow in the Middle East cannot be grown in America and vice-versa. What I found most fascinating about the Lebanese restaurant was what their food was made of- the crops in their backyard.

Does this make sense to you? It was sooo different than anything I had ever had, but, when you think about it, the eggplant, lamb, beef, chickpeas, nuts, rice, and vegetables are just what grow. It’s a simple concept, but it made me so excited to try everything.

I hadn’t had Lebanese food since Paris, and last Tuesday I got to have it again. Fist pump!!

I went to The Sultan on a whim, and decided I’d go in for a to-go plate. I was by myself, so I was a little apprehensive about going into a new restaurant alone. However, I walked in the door, and I was greeted by the owner and a nice family who looked like regulars. They were just hanging out and cutting up. I knew right then it was going to be a good experience.

After looking at the menu, I decided to go with the ground beef skewers with a side of hummus. The ground beef was mixed with onions and spices, and they came with a vegetable skewer. They were on top of some yummy basmati rice and came with a side salad.

I paid my $12 and went to the car. Oh my gosh…my car smelled so good. I was so excited about my Lebanese meal that I seriously had to stop myself from running in my house.

Once I got settled and ready, I decided the plate was too big to eat in one sitting. So, I took one beef skewer, the vegetable skewer, half the rice, the salad, and the hummus on a plate. The inaguration balls were on, so I plopped in front of the TV to watch all the festivities.

The ground beef skewer was fabulous. It wasn’t tough, but you could definitely taste the Middle Eastern spices and onions mixed in. It wasn’t a super strong flavor, and it was very tasty. The vegetables tasted grilled, and they definitely were a nice complement to the beef.

I loved the rice. I don’t know what they boil it in, but it tasted like there was a little chicken broth or something. I could be totally wrong, but I’m just trying to describe it to you.

The hummus was AMAZING. There’s nothing like good, authentic hummus, and it was so beautifully displayed even if it was in a styrofoam dessert tray. He topped it with paprika and olive oil. I made that stuff last for three more days. The pita he sent with it was awesome, too. It had been toasted a little and was hot.

All I have to say is TRY IT. If you’ve never had the traditional dishes like falafel, tabouli, or baba ghanoush, that’s where you need to start. I’m sure the people at The Sultan will explain everything to you. For all you picky eaters, it’s not WEIRD. It’s just different. Step out of the box, and go to The Sultan!

Last Wednesday, most of the Executive Board from PRSSA went to Casa Mia to celebrate two birthdays, our friends Leslie and Kelli.

We originally went because of an e-newsletter I received from Casa Mia about a “15 for 15″ deal where you could taste 15 wines for $15. Seeing that as a good enough incentive, we headed over in the cold to check it out.

We ended up just ordering tapas like usual, but it was fun seeing everyone tasting the wines “over yonder” by the bar. There were some finger foods up there, but we decided (1) because it was a school night and (2) we were ligitimately hungry for more than just wine, we should eat something of substance.

Here’s something for ya: It took all of us about 20 minutes to find a parking spot. What was it about that Wednesday night that made it IMPOSSIBLE to park? In all of our years at UGA, we’ve always been able to find a spot. A couple of us snuck into some lots illegally (oops), and some of us parked out in the sketchy areas. Either way, we all made it, but I decided to share that rare experience.

Since it was a birthday party of sorts, we decided to start off with drinks. Kaitlyn got one of Casa Mia’s famous margaritas; Aaron and Kelli got Sangria, and the rest of us went with the vino. They all tasted great especially with the plantains that were brought at the beginning.

Alright, let me see if I can remember what everyone ordered:

Lauren and Kelli split a quesadilla and some fried calamari. Both were on special that night, and they seemed to be a hit! One complaint was the quesadilla was about as big as your hand, aka small. The pieces were probably about three bites worth, and we all agreed that wasn’t big enough to be on special. If you’re paying for something that’s on special, it needs to be a little bigger. But that’s just our opinion.

If you’ve ever eaten calamari, you probably know the wide array of textures and tastes that can come from it. However, the calamari they ordered that night was fantastic. It wasn’t rubbery, and the breading on it was very unique. It was almost Southern style we thought. Like fried chicken, you could peel off the breading if you want, so it was very light. Some calamari has the breading just glued to it, and I think that contributes to the rubberiness.

Kaitlyn ordered the Cuban sandwich with a side of mashers. She was starving, and there defintely wasn’t anything left on her plate. Kaitlyn will tell you she’s a proud member of the clean plate club (as are a lot of us), and her Cuban looked fabulous. It was a great size, and, if you weren’t that hungry, you could probably save one half of it for the next day. I also had a little fork full of her mashed potatoes, and they were yummy, too. They weren’t buttery, Southern mashers; they were flavorful and light.

I got the Latin sushi roll which was fabulous. It was a plantain stuffed with either chicken, steak, fish, or veggies (I chose chicken), and it’s drizzled with an avocado sauce. I had gotten this once before when my dad was in town, and I couldn’t help but get it again. I hope you can see from the picture how fun it is. They even serve it on a sushi plate. When you bite into the pieces, you can taste the plantain, and it has a very soft texture. It’s not very banana-y, even though you might think so. The chicken and the citrus flavors mixed in are a perfect complement to the plantain, and it all tastes better once you dunk it in some of the homemade guacamole.

I also ordered a side of Yucca. I can’t come to Casa Mia without having it, and it totally made my day. I’ve described Yucca in some of my earlier posts, but it’s like a thick, healthier, better French fry. They also bring it with some kind of pink sauce (no doubt mayonnaise based, dangit), but a little bit of that stuff goes a long way.

Leslie ordered a side of fritatas. I can’t exactly tell you what those are, so she’ll have to comment on them and tell you how they were.

Jenny ordered grilled shrimp with a side of veggies. They came on a skewer, and they looked pretty good! I could tell they had definitely been put on the grill, and they smelled great! Her side of veggies were all eaten. If you’re hesitant about ordering fresh veggies from here, don’t fret. They’re well cooked and very flavorful.

Aaron ordered the black beans with a side of veggies and…I think there was something else. He’ll have to comment on how it was. Aaron is our only vegan, and I think he was pretty satisfied with his meal. He didn’t get much on his plate, so next time he’ll have to order something extra. I do think he loved his side of veggies, though. Everyone raves about the sides of veggies.

Anna ordered…(coming soon…I’ve texted her, and I’ll fill it in later)

It can’t be a birthday party without some cake. I snuck away to the waitress while people were taking bathroom breaks to set up the surprise. They brought both girls a piece of chocolate cake (they know better than to give a girl a birthday cake that’s not chocolate.), and it was delish. Leslie and Kelli both shared, and that made everyone happy.

I think we were there for about 2 1/2 hours. What do we have to lose? We’re all seniors and heck, what’s one less hour of studying, right? Of course we all know this is completely false because all of us are super-insano Type A personalities, so I’m sure all of us were thinking in the back of our minds “Crap, I have a lot to do when I get home.”

Oh well. If it wasn’t for nights like these, I think we’d all go crazy.

So, here’s to good food, tapas, friends, and chocolate cake.

This past Friday, I ventured to Harry Bissett’s with about 26 of my closest friends.

Yes, it was a large crowd, but I think our experience at Bissett’s was one of the best I’ve had.

Our reservations were for 8 p.m., but we didn’t get seated until around 8:30.  It didn’t really matter because all 8 million of us hung out in the front by the bar and chatted until it was time to follow the hostess into the dining area.

We had two tables: one that sat about 20 people and the other that sat around 12.  OK, so I guess there were around 30 of us, but that’s a minor detail.

All of us were dressed up for a formal that night, and we wanted to eat at fun, easy-going Harry Bissett’s before boogie-ing the night away at The Classic Center to the band Super T.

My date, Tommy, and I sat at the smaller table which actually worked out really well.  I liked being able to talk to everyone at the table without having to scream or pass a note.  Our waitress, Jennifer, was AWESOME.  She was in for a good time, and she treated us just like adults.  Sometimes I get annoyed when waiters and waitresses treat me like I’m a 13-year-old on an ice cream date, but I can understand the horror stories from bad clients.

Either way, Jennifer was awesome.  She came and got our drink orders and came back a little later to get our food order.  I had the blackened fresh catch, mahi-mahi, with green beans and collards.  Tommy ordered the trout with a side salad and…shoot…I can’t remember what his other side was.

I’m a nosy person, so I saw some other plates on our table: shrimp scampi, fried oysters, another pasta, the surf and turf, creole egg rolls, and cedar plank salmon.  Needless to say, it all looked REALLY good.

I also ordered a bottle of chardonnay to go with our fish, and it was very good.  We all had one of those “just over 21″ discussions about wine and how we really don’t know what we’re doing most of the time when we order.  I think it would be cool to go to some sort of wine tasting/school here with some friends so we can all learn together.

I guess we got out of there around 10:15 or so.  Our meal didn’t take too long to come out, and everything I had was good.  Warning!  The collards are spicy, so watch out!

This past weekend, my Dad came in for UGA’s homecoming, so we decided to sample a good assortment of Athens delights.

Friday night, we were scheduled to have reservations at The National at 7:30 p.m. at a table outside.  It was raining, but we walked to the restaurant anyway to eat dinner.  When we got there, the hostess said, “well, it’s raining. Do you still want to eat outside?”

Of course we said no.  Then, she said they wouldn’t be able to fit us in until 9:30.  We asked where all the other people were who had reservations outside, and she said they called and cancelled because it was raining.

There are two sides to this argument.  One one side, the restaurant’s side, they thought it was my job to notice it was raining and call to cancel our dinner.  On my side, I thought it was their job to call ME and say, “Ms. Strate, it is raining outside, and your table is out there. We won’t be able to fit you in the inside dining room until 9:30. Would you like to wait longer, or would you like to cancel your reservation?”

I think The National should have called me and asked.  Good thing we were able to go to Casa Mia and get a table right away.

What do you think they should have done?

[polldaddy poll=1029588]

I always said if I had a boyfriend, I’d make him take me to Madison.

Well, I got tired of waiting, so my sister went with me instead.

Madison, Ga. is one of those charming little towns that many Athens dwellers forget about. Just a short 30-minute down 441 South, Madison remains tucked away from the hustle and bustle of lives controlled by high gas prices and ozone alerts.

I had heard about a certain restaurant called The Icehouse, and I had been wanting to try it for a while. Since my sister came to visit me this weekend from Tennessee, I thought we would take a little road trip even farther South.

If you get off 441 and turn right where the really big sign for Madison is, it will take you right into its downtown. The Icehouse is on Washington Street, the second red light you’ll come to. Head North on Washington about a half mile, and it’s on your right.

Claire and I walked in (they don’t take reservations), and we only had to wait about 15 minutes for a table. In terms of the demographic, Claire and I were definitely the youngest party there. Most of the eaters were groups of adults or families with older children.

Some people may think that’s bad, but we got special attention. The inside looks like a warehouse, and the bar area is lower than the dining area. It looks really neat because it’s in the center of the restaurant, so Claire and I got to spy on other people while we were eating- one of our favorite nosy past times.

Our waitress, Rachel, was really nice, and she came to us soon after we were seated. I ended up ordering the salmon smoked in apple bacon with green beans and asparagus, and Claire got the penne pasta with shrimp and portabella mushrooms.

In the summer, there’s nothing better than a cold beer. I ordered an Amstel Light, and it came with the coldest glass. I won’t ga-ga over it, but the beer definitely hit the spot.

When Rachel brought our salads, they came in one big plastic bowl with tongs. How fun is that? It seemed like a family-style restaurant, but only half-way. I had the balsamic vinigarette, and Claire had their house dressing: Caesar and Ranch mix.

Rachel also brought out some yummy hot bread, and poured olive oil into a saucer with herbs.

Our food came out fairly quick, too. My salmon was perfectly portioned. I’d say it was about 6 ounces, and it had a small piece of bacon wrapped around it. I didn’t realize it was piping hot, so I had to roll it around in my mouth and blow out at the same time. You know you’ve done it, too.

Claire loved her pasta. She said the shrimp were a little tough, but it didn’t stop her from eating about half of the bowl. The sauce on the pasta was light and not too flavorful. It was just right. Claire didn’t want her portabello mushrooms, so I ate them for her.

We were too full for dessert, but we had a lot of fun at The Icehouse. Our trek back didn’t seem as long as it did going down. We even filmed a little tour of Madison’s downtown for you!

Click here to view the embedded video.

So (guys), if you want to take your girl for a fun date that isn’t in downtown Athens, go to Madison. It’s fun, quaint, and the houses in the area are b-e-a-utiful! Madison is famous for its houses.

I hope you enjoyed this little tour outside of Athens. Try it some day!

P.S. Here are some good links that will tell you about Madison

Chamber of Commerce

Wikipedia entry

America’s No. 1 small town

Directions from Athens

Tah dah!

I think I went to a new restaurant that only the few know. Nestled back on Pulaski Street, Trax Cafe is the new inhabitant of the front of the Leathers Building. I had heard a couple of people say they went there, and I suggested we venture there as an office on Friday.

Here is some basic info:

Location: 675 Pulaski St., Suite 100

Open and Close: Monday-Saturday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday

Phone:

Best Meal: I’d have to say lunch because that’s when I ate. Didn’t get a chance to see the breakfast menu.

Reservations: They might freak out if you try.

Price: For lunch, expect to pay around $10 if you get a sandwich and a drink. Not sure about breakfast

Around 11:45, the Athens JS crew and two friends from our Atlanta office (yay for Mark and Charlotte Marie!) ventured out into the heat to journey to Trax Cafe. I was really excited about going. Sandwiches are always a favorite of mine at lunch, and I had heard they were pretty good.

After our long drive of three minutes ended, we hopped out of the car and into the building. Trax is on the front right of the Leathers Building, and it is really cool inside. Vaulted ceilings, concrete floors, retro furniture, lots of metal and stainless steel greeted us as we went in. I was unreasonably frightened by the petrified-looking stone animals in the art gallery across the hall. Freaky.

When we told the waitress there were eight of us, we got the typical Athens response. “Oh no. It’s a big party. I guess that means we’re going to have to move the tables around. Ummm, OK.”

If you’ve eaten in Athens, you know what I’m talking about. I’m not saying that kind of response is bad, but it’s definitely something you come to expect here.

Moving on to the food…

I ordered a panini with tomato, red onion, pesto and avocado. I can’t remember the actual name of the sandwich, so I hope the description helps anyway. It came with sour cream and onion Zapp’s chips (which I love!), and it was the perfect size. I’m often weary of ordering paninis because they can be so huge. This wasn’t made on Italian foccacia bread (like most of them are), but it was nice and Americano with good ole’ wheat bread. I think it was a great combination of flavors- especially the pesto.

Other people ordered the Sicilian Turkey wrap (you’ll have to comment and describe it for us), and they also ordered sides of fruit. It came in a retro red coffee mug, and Beth said it tasted like it was tossed in some kind of yogurt sauce. Sounds good to me!

Brian ordered a side salad with his sandwich, and he got the house dressing with is: balsamic vinegarette with orange juice and basil. I’m definitely going to order that the next time I come.

As for the crowd, there wasn’t one. We were the only table downstairs besides a couple sitting by the window. I think there were a couple of people upstairs.

Here’s a fun fact: on Saturdays, Trax Cafe hosts Patio Parties. The patio on the outside of the building is apparently filled with a weekly band and listeners. BYOB, too! Sounds like a plan to me.

I’m definitely going to go back to Trax Cafe. The review in the Athens Banner-Herald says Trax has French press coffee, and you don’t find that anywhere. Anyone want to go for breakfast one day?

In conclusion, Trax Cafe would be appropriate for the following: a lunch date (to show yo’ woman you know other places to go besides DePalma’s), a business lunch, breakfast or maybe even an afternoon coffee break. There you go. Now eat, and report back.

Update: Our friends at Plexus Web Design recently made a blog post about the history of the leathers building.  Check it out!

I think for this post, I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Last Sunday, Mom, Dad, Addie (my grandmother) and I asked Dr. Jones and her husband, Mr. Dr. Jones, to eat dinner with us at The Basil Press.  My parents had heard how absolutely wonderful they are, and I have always raved about their involvement in Grady and in PRSSA.

So, we went.  One thing I will say about The Basil Press is their staff is EXTREMELY well-trained.  Our waitress knew exactly where to stand, how to take orders and had a very pleasant demeanor.  I think it is hard to find a wait staff that is trained as well as them nowadays.

This is the tomato soup I ordered as an appetizer.  It think it was actually called the Tomato Basil Soup.  If you don’t like tomatoes, don’t get this.  There were wonderful chunks of tomato in the soup.  It wasn’t creamy; I honestly think the broth was mostly tomato puree.  You can see the cracked black pepper she put on it for me.  It was a great start to the meal!

For an entree, I ordered the blackened salmon.  I was really happy with the way this picture turned out because I think it portrays the deliciousness really well.  Since it was blackened, it was a little spicy but not overly so.  The fish was accompanied by some yummy whipped new potatoes and some vegetables.

This is the scallop marinara pasta Dad ordered.  Look at the size of the scallops!  I had a taste, and it was unbelievable.  The noodles weren’t too saucy, and you could definitely taste the olive oil they used.  It’s a hefty plate, but it sure was good!  Not too garlicy, either…

Next was Addie’s free range chicken.  I’m pretty sure it had a creamy mushroom sauce on top of it.  They gave her two hefty-sized chicken breasts, so she definitely couldn’t finish it all.  You won’t get jipped on portions at The Basil Press!

Finally, Mom ordered the crab cakes.  I’m pretty sure she is a crab cake coniosseur, much like chicken salad.  The cakes were meaty, not too bready, and the sauce on top was great! I can’t remember what spices were in it, but it went really well with the corn on the side, too.  Again, she got two cakes and couldn’t eat them all.  Moral of the story: when you go to The Basil Press, you get enough for two meals!

I didn’t get a chance to take a picture of the Jones’ dishes, but Dr. Jones ordered the apple and walnut salad.  She says that’s what she always gets.  Mr. Dr. Jones ordered the French onion soup and a side salad.  His soup looked fantastic.  It was cooked in one of those little crocks that look very European.

Overall, our experience at The Basil Press was fantastic.  Look at the presentation of the food!  The only other place in Athens that does something like that is the Five and Ten.  The staff is well-trained, and, best of all, it is not that expensive!  Like I said before, you may not be able to finish your meal, so you can take it home with you for lunch the next day.

I know they have a Prix Fixe night every Tuesday, so walk by and look at the menu.  It is on the corner of Lumpkin Street and Washington Street.  The Basil Press hosts large parties from college semi-formals to adult birthday gigs.  Try them out for yourself!

P.S. Sorry about the pictures.  I will keep fiddling with them to see if I can space out everything.

After months of waiting and many comments saying, “I don’t really like Five Star Day. Clocked is my favorite!!” Dr. Sweetser and I finally made it to Clocked.

If you want either a good sandwich or some rockin’ tater tots, Clocked is the place to go.

Here’s some basic info:

Location: 259 Washington St., right beside the 40 Watt

Phone Number: (706) 548-9175

No Web site and no reservations.

Price: Pretty cheap and reasonable- maybe $7 for lunch.

Best Meal: Lunch. It’s more fun to chat around then.

Open and Close:

Group friendly: It’s kind of small, so I wouldn’t suggest going with a big group.

Let’s get “strate” to the food. After all, that’s what Dr. Sweetser and I had been waiting on for forever!

I decided to order the Friendship Grilled Cheese- two pieces of sourdough bread with cheddar, onions, bell peppers and mushrooms grilled in the middle to perfection. Dr. Sweetser decided she’d order the Allison Turkey Sandwich and their oh-so-famous tater tots. I think it had turkey, cheese, a fried egg and something else squeezed in between two pieces of sourdough. Hopefully she’ll make a comment on this post, and she can give you more detail.

It was such a pretty day to walk to (and from!) lunch. While we were patiently waiting on our sandwiches amidst retro rooster napkin holders and other 60s-esque furniture, we talked about Dawg Food, her summer plans, her classes for next semester, my family and other fun things girls talk about.

When our sandwiches came, they were steamin’ hot, and the cheese was perfectly melted. The top of my mouth took a second to get used to the hard crust on the sourdough, but it gave in eventually.

At the end of our meal, after the check, our waitress brought us some Dubble Bubble Bubble Gum. I’ll let you watch the video so you can see what happened next.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I absolutely LOVE technology!

This post isn’t about food, but I wanted to keep you informed on the Dawg Food current events.

Just today, I bought my own URL: www.dawg-food.com.

“Why?” you ask. Because it’s easier to remember, and that’s about it. All the blogspot and wordpress stuff was getting on my nerves, and I think it confused people.

SO, this is where your part comes in. If you tell people about Dawg Food, which I hope you are, just tell them to go to www.dawg-food.com (w-w-w-dot-dog-dash-food-dot-com).

Don’t you think that’s easier? Try it yourself. Type in www.dawg-food.com, and it’ll redirect you back here!

YEAH!