Travels in the South

Daddy is doing Travels in the South today – take it away pops!

Sometimes you get the craving for some really good barbeque.  And for obvious reasons, we don’t tell Bacon what really good barbeque can be.  So the other day, I took the wife to a local place that has the best ribs.  As you can see in the picture above, you get a lot of food for just a little over $12.00 – and it’s good and solid food.  You can get the ribs in different flavors too – regular barbeque, bourbon or you can add more pork to it in the form of little pieces of bacon on top of your ribs.  I showed some respect for the pig and didn’t get bacon added to it.  I just couldn’t do that – LOL.

 

Travels in the South

Oh my friends – mom/dad found the *best* local seafood restaurant.  It is called Fishers of Men and they are located at 1500 Mt Zion Road, Suite 20, Morrow.  They are open everyday except Sunday.

Mom/dad went there one Saturday night to check it out and they have since been back repeatedly.  Why?  Let me tell you why mom/dad like it so much.

The food is authentic.  As you’ve read on my blog, mom/dad like to travel and they like to eat.  They’ve eaten everywhere.  And this place can hold their own with some of the other restaurants they’ve been to all over the world.

The atmosphere is home. You go in, order and pay for your food.  Then you  find a comfy spot and wait smelling all of that deliciousness being created in the kitchen for your order.  There’s no rush to herd you out of the restaurant like some places do.  Everything is cooked fresh to order so it comes out sizzling hot.

And let me tell you one more thing.  You may go in as a stranger but you will leave as family.

When mom/dad went the first time, they ordered two of the whiting and shrimp dinners.  That’s four pieces of whiting and thirteen shrimp with fries.  They didn’t have any clue how much food they would get.  Look at all of that food!  And yes, dad said they snorted it all down – can you believe that?

There is a LOT of pictures below that mom/dad wanted to share with you – no they didn’t order everything at once – snorts with piggy laughter.  As I’ve said, they have been there many times in the past couple of weeks.

As they like to tell one of the owners Arlene, they are working their way through the menu.  Today, I wanted to share with you some of their fabulous food.  And, if you are in the area we highly suggest you try this place.

You will not regret it!  In fact, as mom/dad try more of their food, you might see them here again on Travels in the South.

.

Now try not to get too hungry looking at these gorgeous pictures!

In no particular order, the following pictures are:  scallops (sweet, succulent and flaky on the inside like they should be); crab sticks (we had to ask what these were too!  crab meat breaded and fried); oysters and catfish; whiting and shrimp; whiting and the best seafood salad and clams.  And let me add by saying there french fries are crispy and there onion rings are out of this world!!  Mom/dad have also tried their wonderful cole slaw and grits.  Yes grits are good for you!

 

#fishersofmen #seafood #oysters #crabsticks #whiting #scallops #shrimp #clams

 

Travels in the South

Hello sweet friends and welcome to another great edition of Travels in the South.  This past weekend, my mom/dad had to go to Alabama for a quick trip.  While they were gone, they stopped at a restaurant called Top O’ The River in Gadsden, Alabama.  Now this restaurant has special meaning to mom/dad.  You see it was over 20 years ago that dad and his family ate here.  They then told mom about it and mom and  her family ate here.  But mom/dad together have never been here.  So going to this restaurant was kind of like a coming home if you will.

When mom/dad arrived at the restaurant, there was not a single available parking space in the entire lot.  It was barely 5:00pm and there were 100’s of cars.  Mom says this is a sure sign of good food to come.  Finally mom spotted a parking space, they parked and entered the restaurant.  That’s when they saw lots of people waiting in line.  Mom/dad knew they were going to be in for a long wait so they put their name in and started looking at the menu.  You can see the menu here.  Amazingly, mom/dad might have waited less than 15 minutes and their number was called.  Mom/dad were ecstatic to say the least.  There were lots of big parties here that night so thank goodness it was just mom/dad.

Mom/dad got a fantastic seat at a booth next to the windows which was what – overlooking the top o’ the river.  Cute huh?  And what a view they had that you can see from this picture.  Beautiful and serene, lots of green trees and there were some ducks swimming around in the water.  Can you imagine what these trees are going to look like when Fall finally decides to get here?

The sweet little waitress came to the table and mom asked her what was good to get.  She said that there platters were awesome and way more food than one can eat… although the platters say for one.  So mom/dad said why not and went with the platter to share.  Boy, were they surprised when the waitress came back with some starters in the form of cole slaw and cornbread.

If you have never had southern cornbread, you are in for a treat.  Cornbread is one of mom’s specialties and dad says she makes the best. In fact here in the south, a good cornbread  will get you a good man… so says mom/dad – snorts.  But mom said this cornbread was fantastic!  Cornbread is made with cornmeal, milk, eggs, some people add a little sugar although mom doesn’t, and this cornbread had corn and jalapeno peppers.  This cornbread was served with a delicious creamy cole slaw and sliced onions on the side.  Mom/dad said they could just eat these starters and be just fine.  That’s country folks my friends – simple food for a fantastic experience.

But mom/dad ate all they could and before they knew it, it was time for the main course.  Remember the platter was suppose to be for ONE person? Well here is that platter in it’s glory.  There is boneless catfish fillets, popcorn shrimp, fried shrimp, chicken fingers, hush puppies and french fries.  Doesn’t that platter look simply amazing!  And the size of it compared to dad’s hand.  Remember, the platter was for one person.  There is no way!  Mom/dad were so glad they decided to share the meal.

They ate to their hearts desire both of them afterwards being so full and happy.  That’s what this experience was all about.  Enjoying each other, sharing a wonderful experience and just enjoying the time and scenery.  For a while, time stopped and mom/dad sat for a while and just relaxed for a bit away from everything.  And of course, you all know my daddy.  He’s never met anyone that he can’t talk to.  Today was no exception.

On the way out of the restaurant, he met the restaurant mascot, Mr. Catfish at the exit door.  They had a moment to discuss politics, the secret recipe for those wonderful catfish fillets and dad got directions home… that is after they visited the back deck of the restaurant for one last final view.

And that final view is what I leave you with today my friends.  A reflection of a great meal with some wonderful memories made.  And I have to ask you.  When was the last time that you had a dinner with family that you just sat in comfort with each other, laughed and just let everything stop for a moment.  Enjoy my friends.

 

Travels in the South

Today, we are going to step back and reminisce over a great meal with some great friends, Bill and Jean from Canadian Cats.  If you remember, they visited us here at the Hotel Thompson earlier this year in February.  Well I came across some pictures that were taken that mom/dad forgot to share.  After you see this pictures, you will understand why mom/dad didn’t share them with me.  In fact, I’m going to let mom take it from here so I don’t have to discuss this.  I’m sure you will understand.  Take it away mommy!

“Thanks Bacon.  For obvious reasons friends, you will understand why Bacon didn’t want to be any part of today’s Travels in the South.  I do have to say that owning a shall we call P.I.G. it does make it difficult to partake in some foods here at the Hotel Thompson.  For those obvious reasons, when the need kicks in to eat pork we go out.  And yes, we have had conversations with Bacon that he is definitely not that kind of pig – thank goodness.

When Bill and Jean visited, there is a really good barbeque restaurant near us that the hub unit likes to visit from time to time.  I mean come on, you know sometimes you get the *need* for delicious food.  We took Jean and Bill to this restaurant.

The first course was an appetizer of “Redneck Egg Rolls”.  Okay we are in the south and it was appropriate, right?  They take egg roll sheets, fill them with smoked pulled pork, homemade cole slaw and jack cheese.  Then they deep fry them until they are golden brown.  They serve them with a smokey ranch dipping sauce.  Can you say yum?  These are good, crispy and really you will want more.  The hub unit just can’t get enough.

Then no one could really decide what to get so we ordered the feast for four.  It came with the works – slice pork, ribs, chicken and brisket.  Then don’t forget all of the sides – french fries, cole slaw, baked beans and garlic toast.  No way was the plate emptied by the time everything was done.  But I will tell you this – we walked away with full bellies and not just from the food.

We laughed.  We talked.  We spoke of the past.  We spoke of the future.  Sometimes there was even silence.  Not bad silence.  The kind of silence you get with great friends when everyone is happy and feeling so loved.

Just because you are out of sight from the ones you love, it doesn’t mean you are out of our thoughts.  We look forward to the next time sweet friends ❤ “

 

Travels in the South

Hello friends.  I hope that you have been enjoying our Travels in the South edition.  Today, we continue our adventures with Fozziemom and Fozziedad who visited all the way from Australia. Today, I want to focus on a restaurant that everyone went to on their way back home from Tybee Island.  Also this is a restaurant that Jean and Bill visited while they were visiting as well.

It’s a place that my mom has been going to since she she was small child.  She actually introduced my dad to it and it’s a great feel at home kind of place.

This restaurant is called Buckner’s Family Restaurant and has wonderful vegetables (for our vegetarians) and the best fried chicken you will ever wrap your lips around – just sayin’ so says mom – snorts.  Which brings me to the chicken in the picture – his name is Elmer and he’s a pretty cool dude.  His tall – really tall and his sign says do not touch… Personally I think too many people in the past have wanted to get up close and personal to him to have their pictures taken if you know what I mean.

.
Now you see the cool thing about this place is all of the tables are round.  Okay I can see you going okay and what’s a big deal about that.  Well you see in the middle of the round table, they have the biggest movable section – a giant lazy Susan if you will.  The workers will come to your table with all of these bowls containing wonderful delights – creamed corn, green beans, beats, cole slaw , lima beans, rolls, chicken, barbeque pork, peach cobbler – just to name a few.  And as you eat and things run out, you just ask for refills and the servers gladly fill everything back up.  So you have a buffet without having to get up and down all of the time.  You sit and the staff bring YOU the food.  Cool huh?

Now you have to remember that everyone stopped here on the way home from Tybee Island.  They were tired, exhausted if you will, and at the point of just being silly.  The moms didn’t even have make up on.  So, I’m tell you that in preparation for this final picture.  A picture to show you (A) how tired they looked and (B) how silly they were being trying to get a picture with Elmer.  So here you go my friends – the moms in their bare necessities.