Chicken y Chicken

photo: Drew Coyle

Two round-ups recently of all of NYC's fab fried chicken spots. Time Out NY vs. NY Mag. Which is your fave??

The week that was...

Bummed that I missed the Big Apple BBQ while flying back to NY from Alabama last weekend. The air surrounding Madison Park was still dripping of smokey pulled pig and tangy sauce well past midnight as I passed by en route to my apartment building upon landing. Happily, GQ recounted the Billy Reid part of the experience on its blog:

This past Saturday, GQ's 2010 New Men's Designer of the Year and grandmaster of tailored Southern cool Billy Reid made a trip north of the Mason-Dixon to throw a down-home porch party at his eponymous label's NY outpost. In support of their participation in the annual Big Apple Bar-b-q Block Party, the Alabama-based designer brought in Birmingham favorite Jim N Nick's Bar-B-Q to roast a whole pig right outside the storefront steps. Deep-South pit meisters and downtown style hounds brushed elbows around neverending trays of ungodly delicious pork tacos and a keg of Jim N Nick's own house brew (suitably named Reverand Mudbone)—all the while trying not to get cole slaw on the shop's impeccable vintage-feel ties and oxfords. It was the perfect salve for a balmy evening—as relaxed and effortlessly charming as you'd expect from a southern gent like Mr. Reid.

— Graham Cumberbatch

YUM!

Thank you Time Out NY:

Pies ’n’ Thighs, the city’s most eagerly awaited Southern-fried grease trap, has kept Williamsburg in Pavlovian limbo since the start of 2008, when its first incarnation—a drunk-food closet at the back of a bar—was shut down to prep for a more spacious and permanent home. Last month, after endless delays, it finally debuted in a former bodega near the Williamsburg Bridge.

The new version, run by the three chefs behind the original—Carolyn Bane, Erika Geldzahler and Sarah Buck, who met working at Diner—is a full-fledged restaurant with prompt, personable waiters and beer and wine service. Still, the place retains the DIY, seat-of-the-pants spirit of the dive that it sprang from, with food specials scrawled on sheets of paper, chairs and tables that might have been salvaged from a public school, and overhead lights so bright, dining there feels like sitting in detention.

The food, not the venue, is clearly the draw. While the down-and-dirty Southern fare—honest, cheap and often delicious—is certainly in line with Brooklyn’s all-American moment, it’s an audacious departure from the borough’s judiciously sourced, seasonally orthodox, self-righteously ethical ethos.

Read more: http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/restaurants-bars/84797/pies-n-thighs-williamsburg-restaurant-review#ixzz0nsfst4ep

EAT: Shrimp n' Grits

All this cold weather has got me thinking of a big dish of warm & comforting shrimp n' grits! I hear they do a good job of it at the new-ish Joseph Leonard. But I also found this great recipe on the Anson Mills site:

Equipment Mise en Place
For this recipe you will need a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan; a fine, conical strainer; a small (1-quart) saucepan; a large nonstick skillet; a set of tongs; and a whisk.

Ingredients
1 pound medium-sized, shell-on shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, small dice
1 small stalk celery, small dice
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
4 cups spring or filtered water
1 teaspoon tomato paste
3 full sprigs fresh thyme
1 Turkish bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole, cracked black peppercorns
1 strip lemon peel
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon flour
2 ounces thick smoked bacon or real country ham, minced (3 tablespoons)
2 large shallots, minced (1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 scallion, white and green part, thinly sliced
1 recipe hot, freshly prepared Anson Mills Antebellum Coarse or Carolina Quick Grits

Directions
1. Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. Dry the shrimp between layers of paper towels and refrigerate until ready to use. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onion, celery, and garlic and sauté until the shells are crisp and the aromatics tender, 10 minutes. Add the water, tomato paste, thyme, bay, peppercorns, and lemon peel. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the stock is flavorful and reduced, about 1 hour. Strain the stock into a small saucepan (there should be about 1 1/2 cups), and keep hot.

2. While the stock is cooking, mash the butter and flour into a smooth paste in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Sauté the bacon or ham in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Move it to the periphery of the skillet and increase the heat to medium. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer and sear until pink. Sprinkle the shallots over the shrimp, toss, and cook until the shrimp is done, about one minute. Add salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Using tongs, transfer the shrimp to a warm plate. Add the hot stock to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the reserved butter and flour mixture. Cook until thickened, about 20 seconds. Return the shrimp to the pan and taste sauce for seasoning.

4. To serve, spoon the hot grits into shallow bowls. Top with shrimp and sauce. Sprinkle with chopped scallions.

To Soak Or To Dip? Buttermilk is the Question

I'm just getting around to reading Time Out's Best of NY issue from last week. On the fried chicken front, TONY picked Georgia's Eastside BBQ (where they soak the chicken in buttermilk), and Buttermilk Channel (where they dip it).

So, dear readers, being that I don't cook, I wonder and ask: what's the difference, and which is better?

In the meantime, here are those TONY picks:

Fried chicken at Georgia’s Eastside
BBQ Aggressively salted, buttermilk-soaked, crusty, crunchy, juicy and hot—that’s how we like our fried chicken, and that’s how Georgia’s chef Shawn Collins makes it every time. 192 Orchard St between E Houston and Stanton Sts (212-253-6280, georgiaseastsidebbq.com). $14.

Buttermilk fried chicken with cheddar waffles at Buttermilk Channel
Riffing on the Southern classic, a cheddar-laced waffle is topped with half a buttermilk-dipped, snappy-skinned bird, made even tastier with a drizzle of balsamic–maple syrup reduction. 524 Court St at Huntington St, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn (718-852-8490, buttermilkchannelnyc.com). $18.

EAT: Tipsy Parson

Tipsy Parson is another name for a trifle which, according to What's Cooking America, "comes from the old French term 'trufle,' and literally means something whimsical or of little consequence."

Tipsy Parson is also, according to Urban Daddy, a new southern restaurant opening tonight in Chelsea:

Here to help cast off the shackles of May-only julep consumption is Tipsy Parson, a new Southern-living room dedicated to year-round seasonal fruit juleps, comfort food and the art of the biscuit, opening Monday (10/26) in Chelsea.

If you've been craving a dollop of Southern gentility... you'll want to drop by the two-room Parson...The front bar room feels like the bright, homey kitchen of an old Southern mansion, filled with a church pew for a banquette, lots of colorful knickknacks and plenty of secrets—like the julep slushie machine hidden behind the bar.

The back room is a bit darker, better for a long evening repast, and decked with antiques, tufted leather chairs and a communal table made out of an old cotton press.

There's even a little garden out back if you want to bring a cigar and contemplate life above the Mason-Dixon Line.

Read more here.

EAT: Charles' Pan-Fried Chicken opens tonight! (10/15)

From New York Magazine: You can’t talk about fried chicken in this town without talking about Charles Gabriel, Harlem’s critically acclaimed frymaster who began his career twenty years ago selling chicken out of a truck. Until recently, Gabriel ran a three-shop operation on Frederick Douglass Boulevard called Charles’ Southern-Style Kitchen and moonlighted at Rack & Soul. But eight months ago, a car plowed through one of his storefronts, taking out the beloved steam-table buffet and dashing the dining dreams of soul-food aficionados everywhere. On October 15, he finally reopens his flagship, this time as Charles’ Pan-Fried Chicken, calling attention to the increasingly rare method he employs to fry his legs, wings, breasts, and thighs, turning them frequently in his custom-made manhole-size skillets. How does it feel to return to his old block? “Beautiful,” he says. 2841 Frederick Douglass

BOOK/EAT: The Cake Doctor Returns tonight (10/7)

UGA Alum and cookbook author Anne Byrn will be at the Books of Wonder store on 18 West 18th Street, New York City to talk about her new book - The Cake Mix Doctor Returns!
coming out this fall. Anne will be on Good Morning America that morning demonstrating recipes from the new book. Please contact Barbara Woods at barbarawoodsnyc@aol.com for more information and to RSVP. The store is next to the Cup Cake Cafe. Cake and beverages will be served

What: Cookbook Author Anne Byrn
When: Wednesday, October 7th from 6-8pm
Where: Books of Wonder
18 W. 18th st.
New York, NY 10011
(212) 989-3270

EAT: 3rd Ward Bluegrass BBQ 8/23 @ 4PM

August 23, 4 to 9 p, FREE Admission, Cheap Eats & Drinks

Join 3rd Ward for an afternoon of Bluegrass music and BBQ! Local Bluegrass bands will perform between 4 and 7 p and then at 8 p Bluegrass Musicians are invited to grab their banjos, mandolins and acoustic guitars for an open session of parking-lot pickin' in the yard.

Open to everyone, just throw on your country clothes and come out for this buckdancing, bluesy, Brooklyn BBQ. RSVP events@3rdward.com

3rd Ward is a member-based design center for creative professionals in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. They are committed to providing resources, opportunities and a dynamic-creative network to our members and the community at large. Its 20,000 sq. ft. space houses four gorgeous photo studios, a professional wood & metal shop, a fully loaded digital media lab, shared & private office space and a large interdisciplinary art education program. Throughout the year they also offer exciting events and opportunities for artists. (source)

EAT: Second Annual Arkansas Pig Roast (8/22)

Second Annual Arkansas Pig Roast 8/22 @ 1:00 PM EST

Overlook Bar
Air Conditioned Room Inside & Outside Patio
225 East 44th Street
Between 2nd & 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Bar: (212) 682-7266
Time: 1:00 to 5:00 PM

Cost, Food & Drink Specials:

$40.00 for all you can eat and drink draft beer of the day (either Bud Lite or Miller Lite).

$20.00 for all you can eat and drink sodas of the day (includes Ice Tea, Lemonade, Diet Coke and Regular Coke).

All you can eat includes a slow roasting pig, hot dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers (with all of the fixings), grilled corn, baked beans, potatoes salad, spicy okra, green salad, corn bread and rolls.

Entertainment:Live acoustic music provided by “singer/songwriters Jon D’ Angelo and Jeff Fiorello.

EAT: Tuesday Dinner with the Dawgs

The Georgia Bulldog NYC alum are getting together tonight at 7PM at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Harlem for their monthly “Tuesday Dinner with the Dawgs.” Stop by for dinner or a drink!

When: Tuesday, August 18th @ 7pm
Where:
Dinosaur BBQ
646 W 131st St
New York, NY 10027-7948
(212) 694-1777

For more information please contact mandymirvin@gmail.com

Register now to EAT MOR CHIKIN (8/29)

*** UGA / Chick-fil-A Picnic in Central Park ***

When: Saturday, August 29, 2009 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Where: Arthur Ross Pinetum* (map)

Registration is required and limited to UGA alumni and families.
This event will reach capacity quickly so register for this FREE event early!

*Enter the park at W 86th Street and Central Park West.
Bring blankets and frisbees!*

Put some south in your mouth!

BBQ Pitmaster Class - July 18 2009 @ 11am
at Historic Richmond Town
441 Clarke Ave
Staten Island, NY 10306
718 351 1611

WHO: Smokin' Joe's True-Blue Texas Barbecue's Pitmaster's University (PU) brings the true Pitmaster's skills back to the “Art of Barbecue”. This one-day (that's one-long Pitmaster's day!) course is taught by seasoned Memphis in May Certified and Kansas City Barbecue Society Trained Judges.

WHAT: They will teach the home cook, BBQ enthusiast, the restaurateur looking to add BBQ to their menu or just plain you - “Joe or Jane BBQ Lover”, a variety of Pitmaster skills.

* Cost: $80.00 (Staten Island Historical Society members $75.00) Light snack and beverage served during the day + Full BBQ Dinner
* Call to Register: (718) 351-1611 Ext. 236
Click this link for more information

EAT: Louisiana Crawfish and Shrimp Boil (6/11, 18 & 25)

THURSDAY evenings in June @ Duane Park restaurant
Louisiana Crawfish and Shrimp Boil,served with creole fries and roasted local corn.
Crawfish are flown in from Louisiana on Thursdays only and price will vary according to market price. Get your hands dirty while listening to the cool sounds of Jazz.

Of Duane Park, Eater says: As for food, the menu here follows the roots of chef Shawn Knight, who cooked for years in New Orleans with Emeril Lagasse, and features a number of Southern-influenced dishes.

EAT: The Brooklyn Star

A recent nod from Daily Candy:

EAT
The Brooklyn Star
What: Fried green tomatoes, Dr. Pepper ribs, fried chicken wings, dumplings, biscuits, and other divine artery-clogging delights.
Why: This from a man who used to make your Momofuku dreams come true.
When: Daily, 5:30-11 p.m.
Where: 33 Havemeyer St., b/t N. 7th & N. 8th Sts., Williamsburg (718-599-9899).

SCENE/EAT: LSU Crawfish Boil in NYC - May 30

(photo: Nola Cuisine - click it for a DIY crawfish boil recipe)

It's that time of year y'all! That's right Crawfish in NYC brought to you by the LSUNY Metro Alumni. 2000 pounds of crawfish, 16 kegs of assorted Abita beers, and jambalaya. "Be sure to tell your friends and come and join us!"

When: Saturday May 30th - 1-4pm

Where: Pier 66 Maritime - Lightship Frying Pan

------> 26th Street and the Hudson River

What: 2000lbs of Crawfish with the fixins

-----> Jambalaya and 16 Kegs of Abita!

-----> Wine, Soda, Water included

-----> Cash Bar Available

Price: $60 prepay - $80 at the door
-------> Visit lsunymetro.com for tickets

Subway: 23rd St. C, E

Bus: M23 to 12th Ave.

There is no vehicle access to or taxi drop off in Hudson River Park

Live Music:

Maya

J-4-Jennifer

EAT: Texas Tapas Times Two and some BBQ

Two new Texas themed restaurants have hit NYC. Marfa (pictured above) is, according to Thrillist, "the brainchild of an E.Vil townie who convinced the Lucky Cheng's crew to replace Waikikki Wally's with a scuffed-wall, cellar-esque barstraunt named for a West Texas artist colony...Texas grub includes fried catfish w/ cole slaw and beans, dry rub BBQ, mac & cheese, and their own Marfa Chili, so meaty, other chilis will jealously whine 'Marfa Marfa Marfa.'"

And in Brooklyn, Whiskey Sunday, of which the Village Voice wrote: "'A new barbecue spot in the land of rotis,' and that pretty much sums it up. Prospect-Lefferts Gardens is a paradise of West Indian and Caribbean food, and that's where prolific Brooklyn restaurateur Jim Mamary has recently opened a non-traditional but tasty barbecue spot. It was called Billy Sunday's, in a tongue-in-cheek ode to a famous prohibitionist, but apparently Billy was known for not only hating booze and being an evangelist, but also for being a rabid racist, soooo... that name was soon nixed in favor of Whiskey Sunday."

MARDI GRAS TAKES MANHATTAN!!

NOLA native and Loyola alum Ashley White Fryer gives us to lowdown to the showdown. She'll be dropping it like it's hot all over NYC tonight:

Mardi Gras is always the hardest time for a New Orleans expat to be away from home. As Fat Tuesday approaches, I can close my eyes and smell Popeye’s chicken mingling with the sound of police sirens and the scent of exhaust fumes as the parade inches closer. Yet, like every year since I moved to the Big Apple nearly eight years ago, I’ll be streaming the WWOZ Mardi Gras broadcast (www.wwoz.org) from my office in midtown. Sigh. Luckily, there are plenty of celebrations around the city this Tuesday to lift my spirits. Here’s a short list of those looking for an excuse to don their purple, green, and gold.

Below 14^th Street:

Mara’s Homemade (342 East 6^th Street, between 1^st and 2^nd Avenues)

Mara Levi and her husband David know Southern food. The authentic New Orleans cuisine and Arkansas barbeque at Mara’s Homemade never disappoint. On Mardi Gras day, Mara offers a special menu (see http://www.marashomemade.com/Mardi%20Gras%202009.htm) featuring some of her best dishes. Seating begins at 4 PM and continues until the last customer leaves.

Philip Marie (569 Hudson Street at West 11^th).

If you’re looking for a low-key Mardi Gras celebration in the form of a good meal, Philip Marie is offering a dinner for $29.95 (menu at http://www.philipmarie.com/documents/53.html). There are two seatings available (at 6 and 9 PM), and live zydeco by The Gotham Playboys.

The Delta Grill (700 9^th Avenue at 48^th Street)

A $20 admission price at The Delta Grill will get you a Hurricane and all-you-can-eat Cajun buffet. Dance to the live music of Citigrass, and get there early—doors are at 5 PM, food begins at 6, and the music starts at 7.

Acme Bar & Grill (9 Great Jones St. between Broadway and Lafayette)

Mardi Gras revelers get two parties in one at Acme Bar & Grill. On Fat Tuesday, a DJ will spin upstairs, while a zydeco band performs downstairs. Best of all, 16 ounce hurricanes go for $8.

Back Forty (190 Avenue B at 12^th Street)

This Mardi Gras, Back Forty is throwing a birthday celebration for Sixpoint Brewery (a Brooklyn-based microbrewery) in honor of their 5^th anniversary. $50 per person buys you heaping platters of their “Cajun favorites” paired with Sixpoint Brews. Communal dining will encourage the party; reservations are recommended.

Jimmy’s No. 43 (43 East 7^th Street between 2^nd and 3^rd Avenues)

Benefiting Food Services NYC, Jimmy’s No. 43’s Mardi Gras Party features $5 pints and bottles of Abita, as well as gumbo and jambalaya specials.

The Town Tavern (134 West 3^rd Street near MacDougal Street)

The Town Tavern will host their fifth annual “Kegs and Eggs Fat Tuesday Throwdown.” In true New Orleans style, the party on Fat Tuesday starts at 8 AM, with a $12 unlimited Louisiana breakfast buffet offering with Budweiser draught until 10:30 AM. If you’d prefer to start a bit later, not to worry—2-for-1 Hurricanes are available all day, as well as $2 pitchers from 7-9 PM, and $4 pitchers from 9-11 PM. At the stroke of midnight, the patron wearing the most beads will receive $500 cash plus a $500 Town Tavern gift certificate, although there is a high-heel prerequisite (men, start practicing the stuffing of your feet into those red pumps right away.) A $5 cover charge will benefit The American Red Cross.

Above 14^th Street:

The Bourbon Street Bar & Grille (346 West 46^th Street, between 8^th and 9^th Avenues)

The relatively new and opulent New Orleans restaurant (complete with wrought iron balconies) will feature music by the Sugartones New Orleans brass band, an “earn your beads” contest (hmm), and a sampling menu including a live crawfish boil, king cake, jambalaya, and seafood gumbo.

Bourbon Street (407 Amsterdam Avenue, between 79^th and 80^th Streets)

This Upper West Side hangout (not to be confused with the Bar & Grill above) frequented by former Big Easy residents (especially during Saints NFL games) throws a party starting at noon on Tuesday, featuring a live DJ, beads, and drink specials throughout the afternoon and evening.

Southern Hospitality (1460 2^nd Avenue between 76^th and 77^th Streets)

When it comes to Mardi Gras, Justin Timberlake’s BBQ joint does not disappoint. Aside from $6 Frozen Hurricanes and Frozen Cazadores Margaritas all week long, on Fat Tuesday, choose from Magic Hat Beer Specials, or upgrade to a $45 VIP Premium Open Bar from 8 PM-midnight. Mike Preen & The Hot Six will provide live music, and cash prizes will be awarded for “Best Mardi Gras Spirit.”

The Underscore below Bar East (1733 1^st Avenue at 90^th Street)

For the second year, The Underscore will host a fundraiser thrown by New Orleans natives to raise money for the New Orleans Habitat for Humanity. A $30 cover charge gets you some grub and unlimited well drinks from 7-10 PM. The party includes live music and raffles.

Social (795 8^th Avenue, between 48^th and 49^th Streets)

Upscale Midtown West pub Social is offering Happy Hour all day until 8 PM on Fat Tuesday, including $3.50 Bud, Bud Light, and Coors Light bottles, $4.50 well drinks, and $4.50 glasses of Merlot and Pinot Grigio.

TG Whitney’s (244 East 53^rd St. between 2^nd and 3^rd Avenues)

Starting at 8 PM, this post-frat boy hangout features $4 Hurricanes, $3 “Voodoo” shots and $3 New Orleans beers, plus free beads and giveaways throughout the night.

Latitude (783 8^th Avenue, between 47^th and 48^th Streets)

This Hell’s Kitchen hotspot will feature drink specials all day long, including $6 Hurricanes, $4 Shark Bite Shots, and $3.75 Bud and Coors Light.

The Mean Fiddler (266 West 47^th Street, between Broadway and 8^th Avenue)

Not only are there drink specials at the Mean Fiddler on Fat Tuesday ($3 Coors Light, $4 Corona, $4 shots of Southern Comfort, and $5 Hurricanes), but should you become the master of the dance floor after taking advantage of those specials, you may be fortunate enough to win one of the prizes offered for the best dancers. Free beads and giveaways throughout the night complete the party.

Rogue Bar (757 6^th Avenue between 25^th and 26^th Streets)

All day long, Rogue Bar is offering $3 Abitas and New Orleans food specials. At 7 PM, the bar will hold giveaways with prizes.

MJ Armstrong’s (329 First Avenue between 19^th and 20^th Streets)

It may not be exactly like watching Bacchus roll down the streets of New Orleans, but MJ Armstrong’s will hold “Fat Tuesday Rock ‘N’ Roll Trivia” as part of their Mardi Gras festivities. The winning team will receive a $50 bar tab, which would go far with their drink specials for the evening ($3 Hurricanes, $3 SoCo and Lime, $2 PBR and Bacardi specials).

EAT: “Craque” Is For Lovers

It goes by many names: White Trash, Puppy Chow, Muddy Buddies…but Montgomery, AL native, and current New Yorker, Freida Orange calls her version of this “very southern snack” Craque.


“For years now my sister Freida has been making a delicious treat for almost every special occasion,” says sister Maxine Orange. “... she takes it to parties, she gives it as gifts, la la la. So this year, she decided to package it up and sell it so you can give it to your friends and serve it at your parties! Her friends were calling it crack – I suppose because it is so addictive! To make it a little more catchy, (and because we are not crack-heads...) we've re-named it CRAQUE!”

So what is it?? Craque consists of bite-sized pieces of chocolate and peanut butter (Skippy, NOT the stuff that was recalled!) in crunchy shells covered in powdered sugar. It's delicious and, yes, addictive!!

Freida was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama where she still has a rather large and wonderful family. She has a degree in Journalism from The University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) in Athens. Freida moved to New York in 2000 and has had amazing experiences working in film and television since. She’s been making these delicious snacks for years and had been told numerous times she should package and sell them. She finally had time to do it during the 2008 holiday season and “Craque” has taken on a life of its own.

Freida peddles her “Craque” online on Etsy and at Bonsignour in NYC’s West Village. It’s the perfect fix for Valentine’s Day (which happens to be Freida’s b-day as well)!!

EAT + ART = Goolsby’s in Evans (Augusta), GA

"Come on girl and try some of this hoecake, you know hoes gotta eat too!"

Well, I never did think I’d get a chance to use that classic John Witherspoon line, but thanks to Goolsby’s in Evans/Augusta, GA I rang in ’09 eating a bonafide hoe cake!

photo from vegancrunk.blogspot.com

Legend has it that the cakes were called "hoe cakes" back in the day when field hands (and/or railroad workers) would cook the cornmeal-based cakes over an open fire in the mouth of a shovel or hoe.

Miss Betty, granddad’s lady friend and a native Kentucky-ian, says “We didn’t call them hoe cakes, we just called them fried corn bread!”

Certain Georgia restaurants maintain legendary, almost mythical, status in the mind of Big D – Doug’s Place in Emerson, Buckner’s towards South Georgia, and Goolsby’s, a meat-n-three in Evans/Augusta:

photo: Augusta Chronicle

It doesn’t look like much beyond a strip mall joint from the outside but, yeah:

Country fried pork loin; barbecue chicken; hickory-smoked barbecue pork loin; Southern-fried jumbo chicken tenders; green beans, black-eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, collard greens, coleslaw, mashed potatoes and gravy, cabbage, creamed corn, candied yams, and rice and gravy AND A HOECAKE!

The waitresses remember your face and if you take yellow, pink or blue packets in your unsweetened tea, and the allegorical slice-of-life tin roofing/acrylic paintings of Lincolnton, GA artist Leonard Jones line the walls.

Leonard Jones has lived in the same rural community his entire life. Born in 1955 and raised on a farm, Jones does occasional farmwork, logging work, and odd jobs to support himself. He lives simply, without a car and often without electricity or running water. He began painting seriously when he was 17, when he discovered a talent for making exact copies of photographs. Today Jones much prefers to paint simple, sweeping memory scenes. His materials of choice are housepaint and roofing tin. His choice of subject matter is often derived from his childhood, early life memories and experiences. His work is unique because of his choice of perspective - whereas most folk painters choose a head-on, two-dimensional approach, many of Leonard's works are seen from angles more akin to a cameraman. His works have begun to receive acclaim in recent years, appearing in gallery shows and at the House of Blues.

(Bio taken from his gallerists Ginger Young & Fin Leaf)