Atlanta etc.: Marilyn Wolf's Food Blog and Restaurant Blog

I finally made it to George the Chili King and I'm really glad I did. It sits at the edge of the Merle Hay neighborhood, low-key but ever present. It is an honest-to-goodness drive-in, complete with "turn on lights for car service" sign. Because I was in a bit of a rush, I went in to order my food and brought it back to the car. I just needed a small snack so I ordered a cup of chili. This is classic thin chili, the type made to go with hot dogs and burgers. It has the perfect cumin flavor that this type of chili calls for. And when they pulled out a bag and carefully loaded it with oyster crackers, I knew they cared about their chili. This is great food made by nice people. My next visit will be to eat a coney dog loaded with that wonderful chili.

Fish Shack is located on the main drag out of Athens. It is a little tiny place decorated with funky, eccentric items and paintings. Inside, the establishment is clearly run with care and pride. I originally stopped in for a drink, but since I had spotted them on previous trips, I wanted to try some food as well. One of the proprietors explained that their fish plates (either catfish or whitefish) would take 10 to 15 minutes to prepare. I was unfortunately in a rush, but what I ordered wasn't settling. Here are my lemonade and cake. The cake was superb---dense and full of flavor. It may have been a pound cake; it certainly leaned in that direction. The high quality of the cake confirms what I saw---these people care about their food. I will return on another trip to try their fish.

Sugar 'n Spice is a fixture in central Spartanburg. The sign alone makes a visit worthwhile. The line out the door testifies to the community's affection for this place, which has been here since 1961. The souvlaki on the menu testifies to the owners' Greek roots. But most of the menu is burgers and dogs. This is a hamburger all in (I think that's the term), including onion rings, fries, cole slaw, and pickle slices. The onion rings hit my plate just seconds after they were pulled from the fryer. The food here is comfort food, not gourmet, but everything was good. The hit of the palte was the cole slaw. I am not normally a creamy cole slaw person, but this version was just milky enough without being sloppy. The finely chopped greens gave it a great texture. And here is an inside view of the burger.

I finally visited the Starlight Six Drive-In, Atlanta's last drive-in theater. The occasion was Turner Classic Movies' Summer Under the Stars series, in which they show classic movies at drive-ins. Last week's movie was "Bonnie and Clyde." I first saw this movie when it came out, but I didn't fully appreciate until now how well done it is. Don't worry, I'll talk about food. This was overall the best time I've had at a movie in quite some time. Drive-ins are always more of an occasion. Many people brought lawn chairs and barbeques, so the drive-in was bathed in the scent of grilled meat. The concession stand was classic drive-in: popcorn, corn dogs, etc. I got the $2 popcorn-and-soda special. I had forgotten how the smell of the food fills your car---it's a much more sensory experience than a sit-in theater. Sometimes the simple pleasures are the best.