About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 2011)
MORE OF A GOOD THING Success Story: The restaurant business is rife with failure. That's why it's so pleasing when folks who are nice, who cook wonderful food and who deserve good things seem to be suc ceeding, as is the case with the people behind Sr. Sol which recently opened its second location at 2455 West Broad St., in a much larger space than its original, which occupies part of a gas stat’on building on Tallassee Road. The food has never been a problem. Ever since the res taurant opened, its execution of its sizable menu, which includes options that appeal to the unadventurous, the serious eater and the vegetarian, has been great top to bot tom. Its crew of adorable waitresses dressed in embroidered peasant blouses is ever attentive, happy to try to explain what buche is (either pig stomach or pig esophagus, depend ing on who's explaining it, but don't let that scare you off). Its addition of margaritas a couple of years ago was a smart idea, and the new location offers them as well, in sizes up to 60 ounces. The question, with the new digs, was whether the magic of the restaurant resided to some extent in its less-than-glamorous atmosphere, and I can assure you that it does not. The food at the Broad Street building is just as good as over on Tallassee, possibly even a mite better. The service is as cheerful and committed as ever, and the large crew is kept hopping by the even larger crowds. The burrito I had, while listed as the standard "bur- rito especial" on the menu, was positively magical, all the ingredients, including the usual toppers, wrapped tightly inside and the thing itself briefly browned on the griddle. I sincerely doubt the beans are vegetarian, as they taste wonderfully of pork fat. The tortas, always my favorite thing to get at the first Sr. Sol, are equally tasty here, stuffed full of excellent al pastor, jalap- ... Stuffed full Of enos v<? 9 eta bles and more. - which meld into a sandwich excellent al pastor... that holds its own with any other in town. The tacos, too, are mostly delicious, although the tongue, which has been great before, was a little blah, and the fish tacos aren't fried, which means you should ignore them. Instead, get the barbacoa, the al pastor and the buche. The corn tortillas' proportion of onions and herbs is just right. In short, Sr. Sol's habit of doing everything right seems to be paying off. I sincerely hope the universe continues to reward it. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner every day, has a full bar and takes credit cards. Localism, Revisited: Team Biscuit* and Burgers (745 Damelsville Rd.) may be attempting to franchise already, but the cute little red-and-black restaurant is indeed locally owned, which is a point in its favor. Unfortunately, its offer ings, as delineated in its name, can be disappointing, but if you'd rather give your dollar to an Athenian than to a corpora tion, it does have a speedy drive-through. The burgers are precooked and assembled to order cafe teria-style, which may remind you of your formative years. Considering that handicap, they're not terrible, but they're also not impressive. The bacon is pretty good, better than that at many a fast-food restaurant. The french fries are bland and limp. Sweet potato ones are marginally better. The biscuits are on the same page. Sure, they're large, but the contents aren't great, and everything seems pre-made. The country ham is too salty, even for me, and the bologna is sliced too thin. The Georgia football theme is strongly carried out, with every item on the menu given the name of a position or other football term. They re surpassingly friendly, the prices are decent, the employees seem well treated, and, basically, it all works pretty well except for the food... sigh. Fortunately, that part is theoretically correctable. Team Biscuits and Burgers is open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday. It has no liquor license but does take credit cards, even at the drive-through, and offers cups of ice cream, cookies, cobbler and fruit salad to round out your meal. What Up?: AUen's Bar & Grill on Hawthorne Avenue has closed, as has Toshiro Japanese Express on >fferson Road. rK e f< iV'tro bar space is now The Mingover, Hillary toodf'Sfiagpole com 0 D ATHENS FARMERS MARKET loc'ii and sustainable Saturday, December 17 Local Artists' Wares including pottery, handmade bags, jewelry, artisan glass, . Verdae skin therapy products, photography & more! SPECIAL HOLIDAY KIDS' ACTIVITIES Celebrate the end of season with a bowl from our traditional pot of Farmers Market Soup! Last Market of the Season! a u s t r a I i a genuine • authentic • original downtown athens $40* $o 14 masada1eather.com Leather & Outdoor Talk About It If you have a friend you think may be in an abusive relationship, talk with her or him about it. Don't ignore the problem; it will not go away. You can make a difference by starting a conversation with your friend or coworker. You don't have to be an expert to talk about abuse, you just need to be a friend. Listen to and believe what your friend is telling you. Our hotline advocates are here to help if you have questions about how to start the conversation. 706-543-3331 Hotline, 24 hours/dav O Linea de crisis, las 24 horas del dia BODY PIERCING Provided by Virtu* & Vice. Inc. Athens’ Own Randy Smyre A Bethra Szumski Association Professional Piercers Board Member 0SD3GSRKI (706) 108-9588 28S W. Washington St. Athens. CA 30601 jmHmmmrn|mmwMMHMmmmmiBmMmatfMBemHmiMBIfliOai&. TEN PINS TAVERN bowling food - Spirits TENPINSTAVERN.COM 706-546-8090 2451 Jefferson Road DECEMBER 14. 2011 FLAGPOLE COM 9
