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

I decided to try ordering coffee from Hawaii for my latest batch. I ordered these medium roast beans from Royal Islander Coffee on Kona. Ordering coffee beans from Hawaii isn't cheap but it isn't that much more expensive than buying high-end beans locally. The beans came incredibly quickly, in just three days. Their flavor is very good and very nicely balanced. The medium roast is only mildly acidic, which allows for a different profile from the coffee. I think that I preferred the beans I brought back a few months ago from Maui. But these beans are very, very good and I will enjoy them to the last drop.

I flew through Charlottesville and wanted to grab a bite to eat before I boarded my return flight. Tip Top seemed to be my ticket. It seems to have been an old Howard Johnson's location (notice the roof adornment). The room was very large and sunny. The restaurant served an assortment of locals. My server was very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. This is my turkey burger, which hit the spot. The onion rings hadn't been on my agenda but they were the star of the plate: hot, crispy, nicely chewable onion.

Candystore.com reports here on what they refer to as "The Great Necco Wafer Panic." Necco recently announced that declining sales may force them to close but that their sales have increased as a result. For all you nerds out there, the Necco factory is located across the street from the MIT campus. On a good day, you can smell the sweet wafers as you walk down the street.

Historic Williamsburg offers several eating places, all period accurate, of course. Josiah Chowning is relatively upscale. THe staff was extremely nice. Just be prepared for a long wait---Williamsburg has lots of visitors. I started with a local, hand-crafted root beer. It had a nice rooty flavor and wasn't too sweet. I was hungry after standing in line for so long so I ordered a bowl of corn chowder to keep me going. It was wonderfully hearty, filled with both corn and potatoes. For my main course I ordered a shepherd's pie. You can see that the mashed potatoes on top were piped on with a decorative tip, a nice touch. Their texture was firm with just a bit of crunch on top, a wonderful, comforting complement to the stew underneath. The creamy cole slaw was very wet but enjoyable. I had to try their chocolate pecan pie. It wasn't quite as chocolaty as my version but it sure was good.

Williamsburg is the home of several breakfast spots. I'm glad I chose Colonial for my breakfast. Not only was their food good, they offered a perfect breakfast vibe: a bright, quiet space and welcoming, gracious service. I wanted to be sure to try their pancakes so I ordered banana pecan pancakes. They were thick and fluffy. The pecans and banana always make a great combination. My scrambled eggs were just right.

I started off my meeting at Williamsburg with breakfast at the Williamsburg Lodge, one of the several hotels at Colonial Williamsburg. The room keeps up with the colonial theme. The service was very welcoming and friendly. My veggie omelet was good. I must, however, take issue with the biscuits. They had a strong taste of something like beef tallow, a flavor I don't really expect in a biscuit. And perhaps most important, they were small, something you might expect tosee come out of a Suzy Homemaker oven. I raise this point because biscuits are an essential element of Southern culture and Williamsburg Lodge is part of a site devoted to historic recreation. I think it is reasonable to expect a killer biscuit here. Consider my disappointment to be officially registered.

I stopped by Coffee and Crepes for a few minutes to work on my laptop and grab some coffee. As the name implies, they offer crepes and waffles as well as coffee. They advertise a chef service for parties as well. The staff was very friendly. I didn't try the crepes but I did enjoy my iced coffee.