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UP AND DOWN LUMPKIN
They're Back!: At some point, Calientitos became
Cali N Tito's. The pronunciation hasn't changed,
and neither has the product, but if you're plan
ning on spelling it out, be advised. Bruno Rubio's
new place, in the former K-Bob on Lumpkin
Street (1427 S. Lumpkin St., 706-227-9979), is
finally open, after the usual sorts of delays res
taurants run into, and though the space is much
smaller than that of either of his previous eater
ies, it has the same cockeyed charm. You can eat
inside or out. surrounded by crazy colors and in
novative/ improvisational decoration. On the pa
tio in front, a wooden boat has been transformed
into a fountain/ kiddie table.
Inside, flip-flops hang on the walls and pack
aged food items cover the shelves. A word of
warning: if you're standing by the door, beware
of falling cornmeal bags. You'll recognize much
on the menu. What is now "Ricky Saltado" is
the traditional Peruvian mix of grilled steak or
chicken mixed with onions, tomatoes, cilantro,
french fries and rice. For SI.75 more, you can get
it topped with maduros (fried sweet plantains,
big, starchy chunks of sweetness) and two fried
eggs, which bind the whole thing together when
the yolks are broken to run throughout. The fish
taco is made with fried catfish and, while S3
might seem a little steep, it requires two hands
and a considerable amount of manipulation to
consume, stuffed as it is with lettuce, tomato,
red onion, red cabbage, cilantro and sauce. The
fish is, in fact, a bit difficult to locate. The taco's
tasty enough, but it's a bit too crunchy with veg
etable matter, and the version Taqueria del Sol
(in Atlanta and Decatur) serves is still the gold
standard.
The empanadas, on the other hand, are eas
ily one of the best food: in Athens. Skip chicken
and go for beef, mixed with onions and spices
and encased in the most beautiful pastry shell
around, browned just right and inspiring much in
the waj of worship. Here’s how t 1 describe them:
the minute you finish one, you feel the need to
be eating another immediately, even if you're
completely full. I literally dreamed of these em
panadas while there was nowhere to get them. I
thought I might, in retrospect, have overvalued
their status in my heart. But they remain abso
lutely transporting, even without the green sauce
they used to come with. There is much else on
the menu, including a selection of fruit smooth
ies in refreshing combinations (papaya-lime was
on special recently), but even if there weren't.
there should be celebration that one can eat this
food again. Cali N Tito's is open daily for lunch
and dinner and charges S2.50 per person if you
want to BYOB.
Intimidation? Nah: Athens' official grad student
bar. The Globe (199 N. Lumpkin St.. 706-353-
4721), has been serving food for a while, but its
recent renovation of the upstairs room proved
a good excuse for another visit. Painted blue
and outfitted in style for World Cup watching
action with leather couches and a really fancy
plasma-screen TV in an old-fashioned frame, it's
got its own bar, which is intermittently manned.
If there's a soccer game going on and you're not
there to watch it, being an ignorant American,
you may head back down the stairs an'! tiy to
flag someone's attention. The food is uniformly
well done in my experience. The fish 'n' chips is
nicely battered (those who work the fryer are un
fairly unappreciated in many a kitchen, but I sa
lute you). The Reuben manages not to fall apart
despite being made with thin slices of marble
rye, perhaps because of the cookstaffs compre
hension of the fact that flavor doesn't have to
equal copiousness in terms of piling ingredients
on a sandwich. And the Twin Pines Diner Burger
(one for S2.75, two for $4.75; approximately
the size of a McDonald's single hamburger),
made with American cheese, mustard, pickle and
freshly diced rather than pre-chopped and jarred
onions, comes wrapped in tinfoil on a buttered
bun. You really do want two. Brave what you
think you might be scared of. but set aside a bit
more time than the usual quick lunch downtown.
What Up?: The Yellow Kitchen Cafe (near
Oglethorpe House on the UGA campus) now has
a website for retailing its truffles at www.classic-
citychocolates.com. A franchise of Larry's Giant
Subs has opened in the Home Depot shopping
center on Epps Bridge Parkway. OK Coffee, in the [
little shack next to Wuxtry on College Avenue,
is offering fruit smoothies for its decaffeinated
customers. Vine Street Cafe is open on, you
guessed it. Vine Street, just off of Peter Street,
which itself is off of Oak Street, serving Southern j
cooking Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays
through Saturdays. And Farm 255 downtown is
renovating its patio, adding, among other things,
an outdoor bar for the lazy, yours truly included.
Hillary Brown
Daily Special
by Donna L. Bar stow
Now
Carrying
Bottles
1/2 Gallon
GROWLER
Best Service, Prices & Selection
1655 S. Lumpkin St. • 706-543-6989
www.fivepointsbottleshop.com
lEljj dB
T°nj Lama, Justin,
Nocona, Dan Po*b, Din|o Laredo,
Lucchcac, Gcor|ia Boob.
Charlie I Horae, Sbcbaon, Re*i*bol,
(i)ran|!er. Panhandle Slim, Roper
Boob* €bc • (in Commerce)
30465 US HWY 441 S • Commerce, GA
706-335-2668 • www.boots-etc.com
Open 7 Days Weekly
We .Kf: within > fm!-minimum
nTTifli of y\thens
Thai *
Chinese
Cuisine
www.thaiofathens.com
2033 West froad St • Athens. OA • 706-3M WA
HEALTH FOOD
Sucgdi, Sui'vo, Imitation ( hit ken
SPECIAL OFFER
(5/16-8/15)3 MONTHS
FOR OUR
11 th ANNIVERSARY
Where you
, get off
at your cari
Guided ^
Night Kayaking Trips
Kayaki
Call For Reservation*
Kayaking Cabins
Restaurant Tent Camping
706-245-4163 -
Fwww.thesandbarbroadriver.com
S15 MON-FRI • S20 SAT & SUN (and Holidays)
ONLY A 30 MINUTE DRIVE FROM ATHENS: TURN RIGHT
ON 72 PAST ATHENS TECH GO 9 MILES. THEN LEFT ON
172. WE RE 12 MILES DOWN 172 ON THE RIGHT
ZAobeRMAGe
TOBACCO & GIFTS
HOOKAH
TOBACCO
27 DIFFERENT FLAVORS
?50g JARS • 50g BOXES
1086 Baxter St 706.549.6360
open Mon-Sat lOam-1 lpm • Snn 12pm-6pm
706-546-8787 • 289 College Are
P«4tr P.rkiat Dwk
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JUNE 28,2006 • FLAGPOLE.COM S