Newspaper Page Text
I LIKE TO MOVE IT
New Digs, Part One: Five years after open
ing, Jot 'Em Down BBQ has moved from its
original postage-stamp-sized vintage digs on
Whitehall Road to the building at 480 Macon
Hwy. that served as the home of Parson's
for many years before becoming a revolving
door of tenants. The restaurant brought much
of the memorabilia that decorated its walls
along, and the old photographs and vintage
signs now hang atop the recently installed
bamboo paneling. Some of the snacks and
displays for such migrated as well, although
the feel is more cue joint and less old-timey
store. The large increase in tabletops has led
to a shift to table service, although to-go
orders are still placed at a counter when you
come in, but the relaxed attitude the staff has
always had was more forgivable when one's
interaction with them was minimized.
On the bright side, Jot 'Em Down is open
every day now, for lunch and dinner (breakfast
seems to have fallen by the wayside), and
if they've run out of cabbage casserole, fre
quently a problem at the old location, they'll
make a new pan. That casserole is an oddly
delicious creation, topped with breadcrumbs
and cheese but lacking the uniform texture
most others in its genre possess—it's crunchy
and messy and not all that strongly flavored,
but it's also addictive, and you could zip it
up with one of the six sauces that reside
in squeeze bottles on the table: mustard,
vinegar, hot, extra hot, extra extra hot and
mild. The cue could use a little more atten
tion. Regular visitors have probably noticed it
becoming progressively more finely chopped,
which means it dries out and just seems less
porky in general. Still, be advised that you
should stay on the path of BBQ. The broiled
trout, which comes topped with two pickles
and a slice of white bread, just like the BBQ,
is almost unbearably lemony and arrives
plated with, no lie, two wedges of lemon,
fairly clearly indicating that no one in the
kitchen has tasted it. The slaw, however, is
wonderful, full of red cabbage and salt and
minimal on the mayo, and the restaurant still
serves Earl Campbell's smoked sausage on
occasion, as well as a smoked quail plate on
Saturdays. Catering remains an option, and
credit cards are accepted.
New Digs, Part Two: Black Forest Bakery
was in its Prince Avenue location much lon
ger than Jot 'Em Down was in its original
building, although ownership shifted to the
Fletcher family in September, but that space is
being renovated by Ike and Jane, the new cafe
and retail bakery from the folks behind Luna
Bakery. So, the Fletchers moved over to the
Ansonborough development on the Eastside at
1040 Gaines School Rd., right next to Johnny's
Pizza. The new space is much smaller in terms
of eating area and perhaps slightly less ador
able, but the kitchen still seems sizable, and
the array of baked goodies not reduced.
As before, the bakery also offers a selec
tion of sandwiches, both "build your own" and
predetermined, and they've taken a big leap
forward in terms of both quality and tastiness
since the last time I had one. The Reuben
contains just the right amount of corned
beef and is both nicely flattened on the grill
and not soggy, a common problem with this
king of sandwiches, which people feel far too
strong an impulse to tamper with. Rye, corned
beef, sauerkraut, swiss, Thousand Island dress
ing and mustard. That's all you need, as long
as you're careful with your proportions. The
tuna salad is a little thickly applied to its
bread and unfortunately dry, but the sandwich
also contains a few thick slices of raw onion,
a really good touch that more sandwicheries
should incorporate. The Gobbler, a combina
tion of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mayo
and salt and pepper on whole-grain bread, can
be recommended, too. Black Forest also sells
gelato, Blue Bell Ice Cream and tons of cute
doughnuts, cookies, cakes, etc., all of which
can be ordered ahead. The bakery is open
Monday-Saturday and takes credit cards.
What Up? Ryan's on the Eastside is closed, as
is the Broad Street Mexicali Grille. Redeye,
a coffee and gelato place, is open in the
Bottleworks on Prince.
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Green Acres Shopping Center • 1935 Barnett Shoals Rd.
DECEMBER 17,2008 • FLAGPOLE.COM 11