Dining the Way the South Intended
South City Kitchen
Midtown Atlanta, Georgia
In a city as large as Atlanta, Georgia choosing a place to dine is like being on a weight-loss plan and trying to fill your plate with only your favorite dishes on Thanksgiving. That was the situation last Saturday as we drove around the A-T-L in search of the perfect brunch spot. It was South City Kitchen that won me over–the lively patio full of happy customers drew me in and as soon as I laid eyes on the menu, I knew we’d made the right choice.
We were greeted politely, then led through the cool, sophisticated dining room out onto the more relaxed patio. We took a seat in the wicker chairs and soon after, our well-dressed waiter delivered a bread basket and poured us up a cold glass of purified water. It’s the little details that really take a dining experience up a notch, like watching your server pour water into a clean drinking glass while sitting outside in the June humidity. 
Filled with warm, soft biscuits and golden corn muffins, the basket also sported softened butter and cold apple butter for spreading. One bite of that biscuit and it was circa 1991 and I was in my Grandma’s kitchen without a care in the world.
On the menu, you’ll find many southern classics like Buttermilk Fried Chicken, BBQ Pork Sandwiches, She-Crab Soup and Grits & Grillades. Unpredictable side options like corn and tomato, kale salad and fingerlings are a nice surprise. The prices ranged anywhere from $5.95 for their House Made Granola to $19 for the Shrimp & Red Mule Grits- stone ground from Athens, Georgia.
The atmosphere is settling like a slower pace from a previous time. As a customer, you get the feeling you’re a respected guest. The restaurant’s most popular menu item is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. Shrimp & Red Mule Grits takes second place.
I decided on the Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Waffle with pure maple syrup for $17. I must admit, I’ve always been curious of the combination. Crazy as it seems, it works. The crunchy fried chicken with the buttery waffle…now I know why it’s a Snoop Dogg favorite. Right on Snoop Doggy Dog!
We finished the meal with a sweet and fruity Watermelon Sorbet, available by one scoop or two, with coffee.
Finding parking was the only challenge to eating here, but after the chicken & waffle dish, it sure didn’t hurt me to walk a few blocks. Open since 1993, South City Kitchen lives up to its motto…dining the way the South intended.
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A Saturday-Morning Tradition
Back in the Day Bakery
Savannah, Georgia
At the intersection of West 40th and Bull Streets under one lone palm tree in the Starland District of Savannah, Georgia sits Back in the Day Bakery, so fondly known as The Best Little Bakery in the South. I had wanted to visit for weeks, ever since I’d seen Cheryl Day, co-owner, cooking with Paula Deen on Food Network. It was everything I’d hoped it would be and more.
I was in love from the moment I entered. Love at first sight. It was like sensory overload. The smell of fresh bread. The cottage, rustic, modern style. The retro appliances. The vintage dishes. The coastal color palette. The inviting seating area above immediately caught my eye–I couldn’t get over the live baby’s breath anchored in tin pails and the over-sized chairs. This was a place I could come daily, I thought.
Rosemary Ciabatta bread and Pugliese loaves (a crusty italian bread), along with Sunny Lemon Bars and Bourbon Bread Pudding fill the window as you approach the cashier to place your order.
Then I saw it. Cinnamon Sticky Buns. It just so happened that I had visited Back in the Day bakery on a special day–Saturday morning, the only time of the week Griff Day, co-owner, bakes these unbelievably freakin’ good send-you-to-church delicacies. Made with local honey from the Savannah Bee Company, the buns have a sweet-spicy filling, a caramel glaze and a tangy, oh-my-sweet-heavenly-Lord, cream cheese frosting. The taste was enough to make this Southern Baptist begin speaking in tongues.
I enjoyed my Cinnamon Sticky Bun with a cup of the Bakery’s best-selling organic breakfast tea for $1.75.
The floor and counter tops are cement…just another little detail that adds to the nostalgia.
Simple syrup, a combination of equal parts water and sugar, is available to sweeten your tea or coffee. I like using simple syrup because it allows you to be in control of your sugar intake…of pristine importance when you’re downing Cinnamon Sticky Buns. 😉 You’ll also find utensils for the taking in classic Mason Jars.
Back in the Day Bakery doesn’t just sell baked goods, lunch is also served daily from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Above, the Rosemary Chicken sandwich is made with chicken, red onion, celery, black currants and herb spiced mayo.
Who wouldn’t want to sit underneath this?
The Days have really succeeded in creating a true experience. The food draws you in and the atmosphere makes you want to stay.
The Bakery opened in 2002. Their best seller? An Old-Fashioned Vanilla Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream. The cupcakes above were fresh from the oven.
Even the staff members are colorful. Decked out in aprons with handkerchiefs on their heads, they offer friendly service with a smile.
My trip wouldn’t have been complete without purchasing The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook. Buy it from the Bakery and you’ll get an autographed copy! If the recipes contained in this book taste anything like the Saturday-morning tradition Cinnamon Sticky Buns, it’ll be the best $24.95 I’ve ever spent.
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Simply Satisfied with Mallery Street Cafe
Mallery Street Cafe
St. Simons Island, Georgia
A rainy morning on the last day of vacation led us to Mallery Street Cafe, a quaint place that boasts familiar, great tasting food in a causal setting. While the rain fell outside, we enjoyed a cozy table inside and awaited breakfast.
The menu is short and sweet with recognizable breakfast food like french toast, fruit, eggs, pancakes, grits and toast. You won’t break the bank here, because the items are a la carte. What is it about a coffee mug on a saucer surrounded by cream and a little spoon for stirring that elicits such a good feeling? A welcomed sight indeed in the early morning.
It was nice having the option to specify how many pancakes you wanted. So often at restaurants, a set number proves too many and are left uneaten. Two hit the spot.
Anytime there’s a packed house, that’s always a good sign. Just give me friendly service and tasty food in a coastal environment and I’m good to go. Located just across the street from the popular St. Simons Island Village, the cafe is a short walk from the Pier.
Open for breakfast and lunch, the cafe serves homemade soups, desserts and features daily specials. Make this place a stop on your next visit to the Golden Isles–you’ll leave simply satisfied.
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Summertime Watermelon Cake
Watermelon is an iconic symbol of summertime. When I learned it could be incorporated into a cake, I was super excited to get in the kitchen and bake it. Pretty in pink and sweet as can be, this cake is bursting with watermelon flavor, light and airy, and comes together quickly. Continue reading “Summertime Watermelon Cake”
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A Smashing Good Cocktail
Recently while visiting Dutchmans Designs, a quaint little shop on the Georgia coast, I picked up Porch Parties by Denise Gee, a fabulous book containing cocktail recipes and easy ideas for outdoor entertaining. Right away, I wanted to try this Blackberry Smash. Made with my favorite fruit and refreshing ingredients like mint leaves and lemon juice, it’s definitely a keeper.
You’ll need a cocktail shaker. Muddle 16 fresh blackberries and 10 fresh mint leaves. If you don’t have a fancy muddle tool, just use a wooden spoon. Add rye whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup and 1/2 cup of ginger ale. Then drop some ice cubes in and stir, don’t shake.
Pour into a tall cocktail glass and top off with ginger ale to taste. Garnish with blackberries and fresh mint. It’s cold and fruity, the perfect complement to summer.
Here’s the recipe:
10 Fresh Mint Leaves
16 Fresh Blackberries
1/2 Cup Rye Whiskey
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Simple Syrup
1/2 Cup Ginger Ale, plus more for topping off
Skewers of blackberries for garnish (optional)
Let me know if you try it!
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Best Breakfast Buffet in Town
Sandcastle Cafe & Grill
St. Simons Island, Georgia
It was a sunny Saturday morning and 81 degrees when I strolled over to Sandcastle Cafe & Grill for breakfast in the St. Simons Island Village. By 9 a.m., many islanders and tourists had beat me there, already seated reading The Brunswick News, sipping on piping hot cups of coffee. I made my way through the crowd and happily opted for indoor seating in the A.C.
The cafe opened in 1989 and has since fed many a hungry tourist and locals alike. With exposed brick throughout and an eclectic mix of decorations, the atmosphere is casual and the food comforting.
For just $8.50, you’ll get the “Glorious Breakfast Buffet” including just about any breakfast food you can conjure up. You’ll also receive unlimited pancakes, french toast and waffles. Or, feel free to order from the menu, where you can test your ticker with their signature Eggs Aorta–biscuits topped with gravy, scrambled eggs, sausage and cheddar cheese. Saving room for lunch? Try the lighter fare–the Fruit Plate with fresh seasonal fruit and homemade muffins. Check out the menu.
I got the breakfast buffet so I could pick and choose a few of my favorites–hash browns, fresh fruit, grits and sausage. The coffee mug was just the right size.
Guests help themselves to the wide array of buffet options. Sandcastle Cafe & Grill is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I don’t know of any other place on the island where you’ll get more for your money.
The fresh, cold fruit and orange juice are a welcomed relief from the summer sun.
Black and white images fill the long brick wall. Framed by the owner herself some 20 years ago, the pictures depict St. Simons Island in the 1950’s and local families whose descendants still eat at Sandcastle Cafe & Grill today.
Located at the end of the strip mall in the St. Simons Island Village, the cafe faces the recently renovated Neptune Park and is just steps away from my favorite island feature…the pier.
After breakfast, or any meal for that matter, we always take a walk on the pier to see what the fishermen are catching, watch the shrimp boats or see if we can spot some dolphins swimming out in the ocean.
These are only some of the beautiful sights you might see on a visit to St. Simons. Pleasantly full from breakfast and feeling the sunshine on your skin, what a peaceful view.
Have you been to Sandcastle Cafe & Grill?
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New Restaurant A Hit for the Golden Isles
Island Chop House and Seafood Grill
St. Simons Island, Georgia
UPDATE 3/27/13 – Island Chop House and Seafood Grill Has Closed
It takes a lot of persuasion for my family to branch out and try a new restaurant, especially in the Golden Isles. We have our favorites, and you know how it is when you’re hungry–you want to go somewhere that’s guaranteed to be good, somewhere you know. On the Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend, we decided to take a chance on Island Chop House and Seafood Grill, a new St. Simons Island dining establishment that just opened this spring. The food was exceptional, the decor tasteful and I appreciated the fresh take on their inventive side dishes.
Call me a snob, but I typically prefer to dine in stand-alone restaurants. Located on Frederica road smack dab next to the Cleaners, there it was. Though I hadn’t expected the restaurant to be in a strip mall, it stood out among the other stores with an inviting exterior. Mom and dad waited in the car while I went in to scope out the scene. I came back with a thumbs-up, having been impressed with the clean, sophisticated decor, friendly host and desirable menu.
Upon greeting us, the hostess informed us that there’d be a 30 minute wait. It was 7:15 p.m. and we were hungry, so we weren’t thrilled about the news. Then 10 minutes later, she led us to our table. There we sat and waited until a cheery fellow appeared from the kitchen with three tall glasses of cold water garnished with lemon wedges–a welcomed sight after a long day in the summer heat. Our waiter was as nice as could be and immediately apologized explaining that he was waiting on clean glasses, as the restaurant had been so busy that night. There was a party of 20 at the table to our left and I could see he was right. He told us about the specials for the evening, asked if we had any questions and took our drink and appetizer order.
We began with a classic southern menu item: Fried Green Tomatoes. They were lightly fried Georgia green tomatoes layered with goat cheese combined with balsamic-tossed arugula. The presentation was reminiscent of an ice cream sundae. Stacked high, garnished with strawberries and drizzled with what reminded me of chocolate syrup, the tomatoes were crispy and the balsamic dressing provided a sweet tartness with the creamy goat cheese.
As I looked the menu over, I narrowed my decision down between the Smoked Gouda Shrimp & Grits and the Wild Coastal Shrimp. I chose the shrimp & grits for $18.95 with the mixed veggie medley: zucchini, carrots, onions and yellow squash. The dinner entrees come with 2 sides, so I also got a caesar salad. The grits were cheesy and hot, seasoned just right. The sausage was spicy and plump and the shrimp had a Cajun kick. Island Chop House and Seafood Grill offers the usual sides in addition to some pretty cool interpretations of basic carbs and vegetables with the volume turned up. Examples? Grilled Asparagus, Horseradish Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Mushrooms or Blue Crab Mac-N-Cheese. Mom got the Blue Crab Mac-N-Cheese and man alive, it was Some Kinda Good y’all. It’s fried and spicy!
Maybe to maximize space, the restaurant seating is mostly tables. There is one booth in the rear of the restaurant reserved for larger parties.
The restaurant is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. – Until, with Happy Hour from 3 – 6 p.m. daily. I predict it’ll soon be a local favorite and yet another place my family visits to experience fine food on the beautiful St. Simons Island.
Have you been yet? What’d you think?
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Homemade Summer Fruit Jam and Bread
I’ve officially arrived in the kitchen. I made jam. JAM, I tell you! Successfully, and on my first try at that. If I do say so myself, I was pretty impressed. Making jam has always seemed like an arduous process that I never wanted to conquer, but with a little time and determination, the Summer Fruit Jam recipe from my cookbook, Homemade gave my Mother’s Day gift baskets just the right touch. Take away? Never let over complicated directions or words like sterilize intimidate you in the kitchen or squelch your efforts. Continue reading “Homemade Summer Fruit Jam and Bread”
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Sweet Vidalia Onions On the Grill
I never thought I’d enjoy eating a stand alone onion. That was before I met the Vidalia Onion wrapped in bacon and grilled.
Vidalia Georgia, The Sweet Onion City located in the Southeastern part of the state, hosts the annual Vidalia Onion Festival each year. This spring, I met a few friends there and picked up a five-pound bag of the famous onions.
The following weekend while watching Trisha’s Southern Kitchen on Food Network, I discovered Uncle Wilson’s Grilled Onions featuring, you guessed it: Sweet Vidalia Onions. I knew then just how I’d use mine.
Peel the onions, then cut a small hole in the tops of them large enough to hold about a tablespoon of butter. Then cut small slits in the onion along the top in a complete circle.
Place your onion in a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover it. Add a tablespoon of butter to the tops of the onion and season with salt & pepper. I also drizzled mine with a little olive oil.
This is the best part! Bacon absolutely makes everything better. Am I right? I took a cue from Trisha’s Uncle Wilson here and added two slices of bacon to each onion. Secure the bacon with toothpicks.
The onions are ready for the grill! Close your tin foil up around the onion leaving a small hole at the top for venting. I was low on foil, but I made do. Watch my video below to see how they turned out!
The pictures below tell you how long to let them cook and how to serve them up.
I grilled the onions with the lid closed over medium heat for one hour.
When the onions have cooked, the butter melts and the bacon gets crispy. The onions get that charred look and the flavor is out of this world! When I tasted the grilled onion, the first thing out of my mouth was, “It’s like eating dessert!” The flavor doesn’t taste like an onion at all—it’s very sweet and mild, and the bacon really compliments it nicely.
Serve the grilled onions in the aluminum foil. It’s like getting your own little package and unwrapping a present right on your plate (plus, the foil helps keep the heat in). Be sure to eat the onions while they’re hot.
Have you ever eaten a Vidalia Onion? If so, what did you think and how was it prepared?
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Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser
Georgia native Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a freelance writer, entertainer and food enthusiast who writes and speaks about her love of good food and the Coastal South. A Season 2 Contestant on ABC’s “The Taste,” she is the Statesboro Herald food columnist and host of SKG-TV on YouTube. She appears regularly as Celebrity Chef at the Statesboro Main Street Farmers’ Market and has written as a guest blogger for Visit Savannah, Savannah Taste Experience and The Local Palate. A public relations graduate of Georgia Southern University, Rebekah also attended Savannah Technical College’s Culinary Institute of Savannah. To learn more, connect with Some Kinda Good on social media, or visit RebekahFaulk.wix.com/RebekahFaulk.
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