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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
