Ice Cream: The Best Bang for your Buck

Let me preface by saying I NEVER get food when I go into Target, Wal-Mart or any other stores with food places inside them.

However, on Friday, I was particularly craving some mint chocolate chip ice cream at Target, so I went and “scooped” out the situation. 

I was pleasantly surprised to see Edy’s Ice Cream containers in the freezer, so I asked the guy behind the counter what the smallest cup looked like.  He said, “We only have one cup size, but a small is two scoops and a large is three scoops.”

I told him I wanted a small and proceeded to the register.  When I looked back about 30 seconds later, no joke, he had scooped (I don’t even know how to describe it) a mound of ice cream that was about six inches tall and four wide- maybe the size of a softball and a baseball.  Either way, it was HUGE!

I walked back over there and said, “Um, can you take about half of that off?”  Guys, it was SO much ice cream.  He seemed a little startled but obliged to my request.

Guess what the grand total was at the cash register?  $1.38.  The ice cream in the cup was still more than I could eat.  I think three people could have split the original amount.

Moral of the story: if you want some good, cheap ice cream, head to Target (tar-JHAY).  I wouldn’t take your boo on a date there, but it definitely satisfies an ice cream fix.  Sheesh.

Right side of the TRAX

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!

Quick Trip to Black Forest Bakery

This is a short post, but at least I have one up (for all my friends who have been complaining…).

I quickly ran to the Black Forest Bakery for lunch after my doctors appointment today before going back to work. I had never been there before, but I had heard raving reviews about the donuts they make.

No, I didn’t get a donut for lunch, so don’t hold your breath.

I did, however, order a turkey and swiss sandwich on wheat with spicy mustard, lettuce and tomato. It came with regular Lay’s potato chips and a pickle, but I decided to skip the chips and order a brownie.

I mean, what kind of food blogger would I be if I didn’t get something baked from the bakery?

Black Forest Bakery is on Prince Avenue, past Athens Regional Medical Center and before the Navy School- right across the street from Aqua Linda. It’s in a tiny building, so you have to watch out for it.

Now, my turkey sandwich wasn’t gourmet by any means, but I really liked how the woman said, “OK, honey, let me go right back here and make it for you,” right after I ordered.

Sure enough, I had my “sammich” in less than five minutes.

While I was waiting, however, I did take detailed observations of what was in the bakery case.

• Oatmeal raisin cookies
• Chocolate chip cookies
• Apple strudel
• Oatmeal cream pies
• Gingerbread cookies
• Iced gingerbread cookies
• Wedding cookies
• Honkin’ big blueberry muffins
• Glazed donuts
• Chocolate covered donuts
• Donut holes

That’s all I can remember, but it’s all due to my photographic memory. Needless to say, there was QUITE an assortment.

My brownie was FANTASTIC. It was about as big as my hand, and it had chocolate icing on top. It almost tasted like a really moist, dense, thin chocolate cake. Maybe that’s the batter they use. Whatever it was, they should keep using it.

There were also a couple of cakes in the display case, and I noticed a book of cake designs on the counter. If you wanted to have a cake made for a birthday party or other occasion, I bet they could whip one up for you.

I’ve been wanting to write about Black Forest Bakery for a long time, and now I’ve done it. I’m definitely going to go back for breakfast so I can experience the wonderful donut goodness for myself.

Just for your enjoyment, here are the lyrics to a donut song my grandmother used to sing to me:

Well, I walked to the corner and I walked around the block
and I walked right in to the donut shop.
I picked a donut right out of the grease
and I handed the lady a 5 cent piece.
She looked at the nickel and she looked at me
and she said, “This nickel is no good to me.
There’s a hole in the nickel.  You can see right through.”
And I said, “There’s a hole in the donut, too!
Thanks for the donut, good bye.”

Hold on!

Just wanted to check in and say I’m not dead.

I’ve been in wonderful Morristown for my sister’s high school graduation, and I haven’t frequented an Athens dining location since I’ve been back.

There will soon be a post, so don’t go away!

Big City Bread’s New Web site

Thank goodness, Big City Bread has come out from under its sketchy little hole.

I feel like they’ve been hiding under a rock since they stopped their commercial bakery, but I think they’re back in business now!

I found their new Web site: www.bigcitybreadcafe.com today, and it’s great!  The menu, bakery options and catering options are all listed- a huge upgrade from their last Web site.

So props to you, Bread people!  I will remember to use this the next time I’m looking for a fantastic breakfast.

Peppino’s: I almost forgot!

In the midst of my posting madness this week, I almost forgot to write about my lunch on Saturday at Peppino’s with the Arch Society.

We had to work both graduation ceremonies on Saturday, and apparently it’s tradition to venture to Pepppino’s for lunch in between the two.

In case you don’t know about Peppino’s, here’s some info:

Location: Follow South Milledge all the way until it dead ends into Whitehall Road.  Peppino’s is directly on your left.

Phone Number: 706-613-1616

Best meal: Whenever you’re in the mood for Italian.

Open and Close: Not sure, but I’ll come back to it.

Group friendly: Yes.

T.W., our Arch advisor, went ahead and ordered a couple of pizzas for all of us to split.  I think the assortment included cheese, pepperoni, veggie, sausage and maybe one other.

I had 1 1/2 pieces of the veggie, and it was really good.  The pizza was mostly vegetables, onions, green peppers, and tomatoes, and there wasn’t that much cheese on top.  The plethora (yes, I said plethora) of vegetables made the crust a little soggy, but I was willing to make the sacrifice.

The pizzas came out in a timely manner, and, as far I I could tell, other people in the restaurant got their food pretty quickly, too.

I took a peek at the menu, and the prices were very reasonable.  Peppino’s has subs, pizza, calzones, pasta and salad, so there’s definitely something there for everyone.

You need to go to Peppino’s hungry because their pieces are HUGE!  I’m pretty sure we worked up an appetite after working the undergraduate ceremony, so it was well deserved.

All of us sat at two long tables they had set up for us, and it was perfect.  I also noticed they have a pasta and salad bar up front, so that might be a fun choice for next time.

Peppino’s definitely seems like a place where the locals go, and its location gets you out of the hustle-bustle that is downtown.  Try it!

Mama’s Boy made me sad.

I think Mama’s Boy was having an off day on Monday.

Whenever I hear about Mama’s Boy, comments are always accompanied by positive comments, rave reviews and dialogue along the lines of, “Ohmygosh you’ve never been there?! Well, we’re going to have to fix that.”

To celebrate Lizzie Azzolino’s first day at Jackson Spalding, our little crew decided to go to Mama’s Boy for lunch.

Before I document our saga, I’ll give a few details first:

Location: On Lexington Road; if you’re coming FROM downtown, it’s on your left about a mile after downtown.

Web site: www.eatatmamasboy.com

Price: Reasonable. Plan on paying $6-8 for lunch.

Best Meal: I don’t think I could give an unbiased opinion given our experience, so you tell me.

Open and Close: Very detailed, so check it here.

Group Friendly: I’d say you could have 10 people max.

I first want to say that everyone’s experience at every restaurant is different. Please do not think that every meal at Mama’s Boy will be this way, but I’m just going to say what happened.

There were eight of us in our group, and they sat us by the window. I love the inside of Mama’s Boy because of the colors. They’ve decorated in a robin’s egg blue and black wallpaper, and it feels very homey inside. We noticed the curtains are from IKEA, and that says something. Cool people shop at IKEA, and I think the owners of Mama’s Boy are just that.

People have asked me what kind of food they serve. I’d say it’s Southern with a little twist. It’s not the same type of Southern fusion that Five Star Day serves, but I don’t really know how to describe what “part” of Southern culture they grab from. The drinks are definitely served in mason jars. I love it.

I’ll let you know what some of us ordered.

• Fried Green Tomatoes for an appetizer for everyone: They weren’t too fried, and they had a nice crispy outside. I liked the blue cheese dressing that accompanied them, and it wasn’t too strong.
• Beth: Honeybaked Ham sandwich on sourdough with French fries. Honeybaked ham is definitely a Southern favorite, and I think she enjoyed it! Maybe she’ll comment on the post and give more details.
• Jessica: Mushroom Swiss burger with fries. I had a bite while I was waiting on my food, and it was good! She asked for it cooked medium, but it was DEFINITELY well done. I guess you can’t be too careful in restaurants, though.
• Brian: Pimento cheeseburger and fries. It definitely looked good!
• Bryan: Fried chicken sandwich. Their chicken is marinated in sweet tea! You KNOW it has to be good.
• Ashley: Poppyseed chicken salad sandwich (1/2) with deviled eggs and fries. One lunch special includes 1/2 a sandwich and two veggies. Ashley wanted me to specifically comment that she thought the deviled eggs needed more pickle.
• Lizzie: Mama’s Boy salad with grilled chicken. From across the table, the greens on her salad looked nice and fresh!
• Tamestrius: Honeybaked ham sandwich with fries. She thought the fries looked a little burnt, but we thought it might have been from the oil they use to fry them. They were very dark in color, so we were stumped! Overall, T. gives Mama’s boy 3.5 stars. Besides the wait, her food was good.
• Me: Black bean burger with steamed broccoli. I decided to go the vegetarian route and order their veggie burger. It was made with (what I think were) pinto beans, and it had a nice flavor. Everyone’s bun was huge, and sometimes it was too big for their sandwich (aka Bryan’s chicken patty). I thought my broccoli had a little wang to it, but maybe they marinated it in something.

I think we will all agree that our food was good, but we had to wait over 45 minutes for it. The owner, Cooper, was VERY apologetic, and she ended up giving us free biscuits (scone-shaped with poppyseed butter…yum!), a free appetizer (tomatoes) and two home made desserts to take with us.

So, we paid, loaded up in the car, and took our goodies back to the office. Cooper sent us with two tubs of vanilla ice cream, a huge box of blueberry cobbler and two molten chocolate cakes. Oh dear. They were unreasonably yummy.

We were more than a little disappointed when we left Mama’s Boy, but I’m definitely going to go back. I think they were just having an off day, and I am going to rely on the good experiences of my friends rather than my one time.

Have you been to Mama’s Boy?

Utage + baller lunch special= yummy!

I went to the best sushi place in Athens, Utage, with my Jackson Spalding mentor, Ashley, on Friday for lunch.

We thought it would be a relaxing, low-key Friday in downtown Athens, but we were definitely mistaken.  UGA graduation was this past Saturday, so it was packed- even in the sushi joint.

Ashley and I sat at the sushi bar, and we both decided to go with the super duper lunch special.  You can order two choices from their lunch menu, soup and a salad for $7.95- a total steal.

I ordered the daily nigiri and the shrimp cucumber roll.  Ashley got the shrimp cucumber roll and the shrimp tempura roll.

Our soup and salads came out first and very promptly.  I’ve had the same waitress there the past couple of times, and she is fabulous.  My soup had a lot more seaweed in it than usual, but I like it that way.  It was piping hot and definitely a nice little start to the meal.  The salad was fresh, and I love the cucumbers they put on it.

Because it was busy, it took a little while to get our food.  I kept having to remind myself that it takes a little longer to put together a sushi roll than slap some chicken salad on a sandwich.  Ashley and I had some nice convos, though, so it wasn’t too bad.

When it came, my nigiri (tuna and salmon) was very fresh and cold.  Unlike grocery store nigiri, my fish did not come with a pile of rice under it.  It was just plain fish.  I didn’t mind it because it had a fresh, non-fishy taste.  It might freak some people out, though.

My eight-piece shrimp and cucumber roll was perfect.  I managed to eat my entire meal with chopsticks- a huge feat for me.  I’m terrible with chopsticks.

Ashley and I cleaned our plates, so I think our meal was pretty good.  The staff at Utage is always friendly and willing to get you whatever you want.  Utage is a little hidden in between Molly O’Shea’s and Junkman’s, but it’s a wonderful little nook when you find it.

Your Pie: Um, go there TODAY.

There are many pizza places in town, but I am amazed at the genius behind the concept of Your Pie. In an increasingly competitive Athens food market, these guys found a niche that I think will take them to infinity and beyond.

Please let me tell you how amazing my little lunch was at Your Pie this past Thursday.

In case you haven’t heard of Athens’ new addition, Your Pie is a brand new Athens original franchise located in the Beechwood shopping center- over by the UPS Store and Larry’s Giant Subs.

Phone Number: 706-349-3179

Web site: www.whatsyourpie.com

Price: Plan on around $6 or $7 for a pizza and a Coke.

Best Meal: Whenever you like to eat pizza or a panini.

Open and close: Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-2 a.m.

Group friendly: I’d say to a limit. There isn’t a huge space to eat inside, but you could take up a couple of booths.

The characteristic that sets Your Pie apart from other pizza places is all their pizzas are personal sized. That means you get your own- however you want it!

People have asked me about the size of the pizza, and I’d say they are mostly oval shaped about a foot long and eight inches wide- enough to eat for lunch and dinner!

It has white and wheat crusts, six different types of sauces and cheese, and countless toppings. They even have gelato and a wide assortment of wine and beer.

Here’s the link to the online menu if you want to take a look.

Let’s talk about my pie. I decided to go with

• whole wheat crust
• sun dried tomato basil sauce
• low-fat mozzarella cheese
• green peppers, sweet onions, spinach, baby portabella mushrooms, vidalia onions, roma tomatoes, cilantro and oregano

Yes, it’s a bit of a veggie pizza, but it was absolutely fabulous. I was standing in line, and one of the pizza maker women said, “What kinda crust you want, hun?” It caught me off guard, but I recovered quickly and told her wheat. She proceeded to toss it up in the air and then send it on its way down the assembly line!

Every single pizza is baked in the baller brick oven. There’s a designated employee that only moves the pizzas around. It’s an important job! If you want a panini, they just put all the toppings on one side of the crust and then fold it over when it’s done cooking. Easy as pie!

Erin decided to build a pie with white crust, pepperoni, many of the same veggies I got and regular pizza sauce. She went up there and said, “I want what’s on the Italian,” but she didn’t know the Italian was a panini. So, the pizza man just put everything that’s on an Italian panini on her pizza. Easy switch.

Since it was our first time there, we decided to go all out and get gelato. I must admit. It’s not the same as buying gelato from a street vendor in Paris, but it was alright. I got mango sorbet and coconut gelato, and Erin got the pistachio gelato. Just save some money and go for the pizza.

The inside of the restaurant is really cool. It’s airy with a lot of stone and cold surfaces, but it’s cozy, too. Erin and I sat at the little bar, and we could look right into the brick oven. Very cool.

Everyone was in there. From business people to college kids to old people, I mean, who doesn’t like pizza? If you’re feeling like a light lunch, they also have salads. But come on. If you’re going to go to Your Pie, get a pie.

Overall, I’d give this restaurant an A. It was a little short-staffed, but the staff’s bubbly and helpful personalities made up for it. Please go and experience the goodness that is Your Pie- an Athens original!

Casa Mia in the Spring

I want to first write a little disclaimer apologizing for the lack in posts lately.  I’ve eaten at four restaurants this week, and I haven’t been diligent about getting them up on time.  I’m hoping these next few will make up for it, though!

On Monday, my first day on the job at Jackson Spalding, I went to Casa Mia with some friends in the office.  I hadn’t been to Casa Mia since my last post from the fall, so I was excited to go back- especially for lunch!

I always forget what amazing lunch deals Athens restaurants have.  All of us ordered from the set lunch menu: a choice of an appetizer, an entree and a dessert for $7.95.  It was a total steal.

I decided to go with the black bean soup, a veggie Cuban sandwich and chocolate cake to top it off.

The soup was served in a modern looking square bowl, and it was the perfect temperature.  I’d say the serving was about one cup, and they added a little grated cheese and some tortilla strips to top it off.  I’m picky about bean soups, but I really liked how they pureed the black beans to make it smoother and less stew-y.

The Cuban “sammich” was amazing.  I opted for the veggie, but others at the table went with either the steak or the chicken.  The veggies were nicely grilled and placed on some awesome Cuban bread with mayo, mustard and cheese.  I think it was Monterrey jack.  It was the perfect size, too.  I still had room for my chocolate cake!

OK, I’m picky about chocolate desserts.  With chocolate cake, it needs to be spongy and light for me to be able to finish it.  I can’t help but think of Bruce Bogtrotter from Matilda every time I eat chocolate cake, but the cake I had on Monday definitely wasn’t made by the Trunchbull.  The cake was light, and it had a thin layer of chocolate icing in the middle.  It almost seemed like it had been soaked in chocolate syrup, but I think it was because the cake was so light.  Everyone (except Elizabeth, who opted for the French press coffee) ordered chocolate cake at the table, and I don’t remember seeing any left on their plates.

In addition to my menu choices, people also ordered the Mediterranean salad and butterflied shrimp for an appetizer.  The menu had three or four appetizer and entree choices and three dessert choices.

Moral of the story: if you want a cheap, three-course lunch, go to Casa Mia.  It was so nice not to feel stuffed when I left.  I think we all enjoyed the walk back to the office, though.

There weren’t that many people in the restaurant when we arrived a little after noon.  The service was relatively efficient, but the conversation I enjoyed made up for waiting for my glass of tea.