The Wanderings Of Ort.

Dearfolk,
This is all the time I have tonight, so instead of imbellishing my locations, I'll just list them off for now and leave all y'all salivating for more.
Here are the restaurants I've discovered (and a few I've retried [but not refried]) since I last reported in here. These are in the order I feel like listing them: Athens, Georgia first, then metro Atlanta afterward.
Allen's Bar & Grill - 810 Hawthorne Ave., Athens.
Kingpins Bowl & Brew - 2451 Jefferson Rd., Athens.
Brett's Casual American Restaurant - 3190 Atlanta Hwy., Athens.
Clocked! - 259 W. Washington St., Athens.
Lucky Wings - 1120 Baxter St., Athens.
La Taqueria El Sol De Zacatecas - 175-B Tallassee Rd., Athens.
Blind Pig Tavern - 485 Baldwin St., Athens.
Gwinnett Diner - 257 Scenic Hwy., Lawrenceville.
Judy's Diner - 5385 Lawrenceville Hwy., Lilburn.
Spiced Right BBQ - 5364 Lawrenceville Hwy., Lilburn.
Galaxy Diner - 3320 Henderson Mill Rd., Chamblee.
New Century Buffet - 1418 Scott Blvd., Decatur.
Twain's Billiards & Tap - 211 E. Trinity Pl., Decatur.
Dusty's BBQ - 1815 Briarcliff Rd., N/E, Atlanta.
Landmark Jr. Diner - 2277 Cheshire Bridge Rd., N/E, Atlanta.
Daddy D'z BBQ - 261 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., S/E, Atlanta.
Buckden's El Valu Foods - 4949 Buford Hwy., Chamblee.
Full information and reviews -- even if only "of sorts" will follow. Stay tuned.
Hastily Submitted, Ort. Carlton, Ye Travelling Trencherman of Athens, Georgia.

Cannot wait for the next installment(s) and reports.

Missed seeing you around.....so don't be a stranger.

If ever I am in Georgia, I will try to partake in one of your offered establishments.

I am gonna GOETTA it!!

Blind Pig Tavern...now that has me intrigued!

Pardon my relative newness in these forums, but exactly what good does this do me? A list of restaurant names and addresses but no description? No disrespect intended, but I, honestly, am confused. Someone fill me in, please.

It merely keeps those of us who have been following Ort's food odysseys updated on where he's been. Now we know that we can expect reports on these places in the future.

I LOVE Ort's posts! If anyone has a question, just email Ort.

quote:

Originally posted by Wintem01
Pardon my relative newness in these forums, but exactly what good does this do me? A list of restaurant names and addresses but no description? No disrespect intended, but I, honestly, am confused. Someone fill me in, please.

Wintem,
Be patient. The library closes and I don't have time to imbellish. I will, as soon as I have time and locate what I wrote in my notebook about each place in turn.
One report is forthcoming as I peck.
Slowly But Surely, Ort. Carlton in Athens.
P. S. If you think you're confused, you should see me most of the time.

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

Dearfolk,
Kingpins Bowl & Brew - 2451 Jefferson Rd., Athens, GA.

You might not expect a bowling alley (and a seven-lane one at that!) to have much exciting by the way of food. In this case, you'd be wrong-o! Owner Ed Connolly is originally from Buffalo. He migrated to Athens because of the music scene. After some time in bands, he scraped together the money to build this place.
When Kingpins first opened, the menu was Cajun. It didn't really go over, so Ed and his ladyfriend and faithful sidekick Molly changed the menu a bit; the result is magnificent! The real treat is a faithful reproduction of Buffalo's famous sandwich, the Beef On Weck. A local bakery makes the Kimmelweck rolls from a recipe Ed scrounged online. The side of au jus and the homemade horseradish sauce make it one superb bit of eating! This is my favorite thing on the menu, although the Irv Weinstein, the Abe Vigoda, and the Lou Mannotti are all excellent. The fare is mainly sandwiches, but everything is good and the sides... including homemade potato chips, cheese curds, and a few other locally-odd items (plus some normal stuff)... are fine fare.
Kingpins also features a full bar seven days a week and serves both Iron City Beer and Genesee Cream Ale (Ed says he's the single biggest bar account for this Rochester-made beverage in the state of Georgia!). It's a shame that he can't jump into a time machine and bring me back a six-pack of Fink's, Iroquois, or Simon Pure for my beer can collection (I only collect cans I have personally emptied!), but at least if I feel like it, I can have an Iron City with my food or a Genesee Cream Ale with my Beef On Weck. (Hey, Ed -- next ya gotta put together a version of the Garbage Plate! And how about some Texas hots, too???)
I'll tell you more about the rest of the menu in a subsequent post. Instead of relying on notes, I'll just bring in a to-go menu one night and tell you a bit more about what's to be had and my opinions thereon... I've tried virtually everything but the fish sandwich, and I just might opt for that tomorrow.
Okay, one down; twelve more eateries to go... one at a time.
Slowly But Surely, Ort. Carlton in Chilliphonic Athens, Georgia.

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

Dearfolk,
Allen's Bar & Grill - 810 Hawthorne Ave., Athens.
I've only been to the "new" Allen's once, and need to go again to make a full report... one visit just isn't enough. So I'll tell you what I have in my notes from my one trip there and make a re-report shortly.
A bit of background is needed. Allen's Hamburgers was an Athens institution beginning in 1954 when it was founded by Allen Saine. It was located at 1260 (I think it was) Prince Avenue, adjacent to the U. S. Naval Supply Corps School, and convenient to students and townspeople alike in that location.
Several changes of management occurred over the years and many employees came and went, but Allen's remained the same... good cold beer, good hamburgers and hot dogs, and their special German potato salad, which was made by an octagenarian Black lady named Fannie from her old family recipe.
Over the years, Allen's became noted for music as well. The Normaltown Flyers played every Wednesday night for years, filling the place to the rafters with happy customers and music and song.
Danny Self, a mighty fine man whom I went to high school with, was owner of the place in recent years. Danny died awhile back, far too young, of a heart ailment (I think it was). Without him, the place just wasn't the same, and although the business soldiered on, the last straw came when the building was sold and rent raised considerably.
Several locals who were Allen's regulars decided then and there that Allen's wasn't going to die.
The resurrected Allen's has a front identical to the original one. Hamburgers, hot dogs, and steak sandwiches are on the new menu, along with something the original place never had: salads. I opted for a steak sandwich and asked what my choice of cheese could be. "Cheese or no cheese," I was told.
My bar neighbor, a regular, insisted on sharing his order of homemade potato chips with me, and they were mighty good... thick and crrrrrisp. After two cups of coffee (I was just getting up at 5:30 P. M. after having worked all night boxing books for resale: what I do for money), those chips and that sandwich and the German potato salad really hit the spot. So did my draft of the local favorite beer, Terrapin Rye Pale Ale... something the old Alen's would never have stocked (they had Bud, Bud Light, Miller Lite, Schlitz, and Pabst, as I remember... no imports and no micros).
The only thing the new place is missing is the holes in the floor, one of which was open to a closet in Foxz's Bar downstairs! People used to drop all sundry stuff through the floor there; it is by the grace of God that nothing ever ignited and burned the place down! While the new establishment lacks funk, it still has a charm all its own... that part has transferred nicely.
Allen's is close to my house (as is Kingpins Bowl & Brew), so I'll get back by there in the next few days to sample something else and will let y'all know here.
Unhungrily, Ort. Carlton in Ever-Amazing Athens, Georgia.

Dearfolk,
In unpacking books from my overloaded van, Van Ella Fitzgerald, I ran across my notes for the last several months... in fact, clear back to the last roadtrip I managed to take -- in August 2006 -- when I most successfully motored to Sylva, North Carolina to drink beer, eat, and hit thrift stores.
As soon as I exhaust all the notes I need from my previous clipboard pad (I still do my writing in longhand on yellow paper in a clipboard), I will bring one pad after the other until I have all my Roadfood finds that are therein notated here. Of course this may take until December 32, but I am sure even if I am slow, and I'll get there... remember, the tortoise beat the hare, and fair and square at that.
Padding Right Along, Ort. Carlton in The Padded Cell That Is Athens, Georgia.
P. S. I found quite a few nice books to sell and am managing to process them now, a year later, one box at a time, as I refind them. There's still at least one more box of them (if not more) hidden in there someplace.
P. P. S. Although I bought a relatively new van (Dodge), I still have my 1992 Cadillac named Blanch, and she stil runs perfectly, although she will only eat premium gasoline. Oh, well... some dates are just more expensive than others (sigh).

Ah, once again, I have jumped the gun. I should have known better. Of my very few virtues, it seems patience is not one of them.

Wintem,
First of all, Welcome to Roadfood. As you see in posts all over these forums, you are not alone in posting without all the facts available!! I think you handled the learning situation in this case very well.

Ort is our resident 'Wandering Minstrel'. He uses the public library computer for his connection to cyber-reality, so his appearances are linked to the availablity of the computers, the Library hours, and his busy schedule. ORT knows more about the brewing of beers than just about anyone here on this site (Maybe Poverty Pete is tied for the title?). He also has the mind of a master when it comes to recorded music in almost any format.

We read ORT's Posts like we used to read POGO and Doonesbury...looking for hidden messages and clues to where the next topic will emerge. He is a "Poster Emeritus" and the ruler of all within sight in Athens Georgia. My guess is that he has a wee bit of "OTIS" (the character in the Andy Griffth Show) hidden in his personality also.

I know I've been out of the loop but Ort - whatever happened to you and the girl you were sweet on - did you meet up again. I feel like I have a book with some pages ripped out of it!

Dearfolk,
I'll be back to post some more tomorrow. Tonight the library is on limited hours, and the security guys really want to get out of here to eat their leftovers.
I'll tell y'all about my Huddle House Turkey Omelette tomorrow; the library is clo

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.
I'll tell y'all about my Huddle House Turkey Omelette tomorrow....

Dearfolk,
Since I have no nearby family and wasn't in the mood to intrude on anyone else's (whether I was more than welcome to do so or not) on Thanksgiving Day, I decided to work within my scanty-for-the-moment budget and yet do something creative, so I cranked up Van Ella Fitzgerald and scooted over to my nearby Kroger at the corner of Alps Road and Baxter Street, where I bought a pack of generic Kroger Sliced Turkey Breast for cheap (it was on sale, too, so it was even cheaper than customary!).
I left outta there and squiggled down Baxter Street to Fuller Street, around the unique corner where Fuller Street intersects Fuller Street, up Minor Street (was that the inspiration for Fats Waller's "Minor Drag"??? I thought so as a kid, and articulated such to my more-than-puzzled father!) past Benning Street (some old maps show it as "Bennoin Street!), by Hill Chapel Street, across West Broad Street, West Hancock Avenue, and Glenhaven Avenue all in one fell swoop, up The Plaza to Hill Street (no Blues here!), jogged over down Franklin Street to catch Cobb Street, crossed North Milledge Avenue, turned right on Prince Avenue, and - voila! - putted into the parking lot of The Huddle House. (I'll tell y'all about one street I didn't wander by -- Wanassed Street -- another time. Suffice to say that it is the only Wanassed Street in the world. And, by the way, "Wanassed" is not a past tense!)
Hey, I don't remember if it was Geoff or Lonnie who made me my food, but Amy rang it up as a Plain Cheese Omelette, in spite of the fact that it was anything but plain. It must have has a third of a pound of turkey in it, and although the only cheese availabilities were American (the pre-sliced stuff my mother always called "Chewing Gum Cheese") and Shredded Cheddar, the combination of turkey and Cheddar wasn't half bad.
After adequately munching down, I walked out to my van and pulled out several boxes of books and set to and processed them for sale this coming Tuesday afternoon. I have seven boxes finished (if I counted correctly), and all of them came from out of the carport instead of from the piles remaining in the house.
So I had a Thankful Thanksgiving, and even managed to give an assist here and there when The Huddle House got really busy. My doing book work there sitting in a booth is often extra security for them, or so both the police and the management tell me. I guess that's a virtue of being known in a town....
Hopefully I'll have an on-the-road adventure to report to y'all before long. As I said back there a ways, I refound the notes I need to detail everything; it's just a matter of time before I get to it.
More news when it's news.
Reporting All The News That's Fit To Eat, Ort. Carlton, Ye Travelling Trencherman of Athens, Georgia.

quote:

Originally posted by Wintem01
Ah, once again, I have jumped the gun. I should have known better. Of my very few virtues, it seems patience is not one of them.

Wintem,
No apology is needed... it was obvious (to me, anyway) that you are new to my ramblings.
Someone once said that if there ever was a Hurricane Ort. that it would blow and blow and blow and wouldn't EVER leave. I s'pose that's true, but somebody's gotta try for the crown of Livermush King, and as long as my doctor says I'm not killing myself, I'm going for it. Since there isn't much livermush in these parts except in a few supermarkets, I have to report on what IS available that piques my interest, like the all-you-can-eat Chicken Mull on Thursdays at The Gateway Cafe at 401 North Avenue and the all-you-can-eat Barbecued Goat on Tuesdays at Plantation Buffet at 1119 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd. or the Fried Dill Pickles at The Blind Pig (the address is above somewhere).
In fact, you're reminding me that I have at least one more place to add to that aforementioned list. New post, folks.
Unmushingly, Ort. Carlton in Athens, Georgia, which is WAY south of MUSHigan.
P. S. Michigan may have Head Cheese, but I double-dog-dare ya to find Livermush there. No can do!

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen


Mr. Mayor,
Caps used only to differentiate... I'm not shouting at you.

Ort is our resident 'Wandering Minstrel'.
THANK YOU, SIR... THAT IS INDEEED AN HONOR. I WILL TRY TO LIVE UP TO IT.

He uses the public library computer for his connection to cyber-reality....
REALITY IS A CRUTCH, AND I PREFER TO WALK UNAIDED!

ORT knows more about the brewing of beers than just about anyone here on this site (Maybe Poverty Pete is tied for the title?).
RARELY ARE YOU WRONG, BUT IN THIS CASE POVERTY PETE IS THE MASTER. I KNOW A WEE BIT ABOUT BREWING, HAVING HOMEBREWED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS (AND CANNOT WAIT FOR THE PROPER PLACE TO DO SO AGAIN!), BUT THE MAJORITY OF MY BEER KNOWLEDGE IS GLEANED ONE TASTE AT A TIME.

He also has the mind of a master when it comes to recorded music in almost any format.
THANK YOU IMMEASURABLY.

We read ORT's Posts like we used to read POGO and Doonesbury...looking for hidden messages and clues to where the next topic will emerge. He is a "Poster Emeritus" and the ruler of all within sight in Athens Georgia.
PLEASE STOP!! MY HEAD IS STARTING TO SWELL (AS MY WAISTLINE STARTS TO SHRINK)!! BESIDES, I'M HARDLY AN EMERITUS ANYTHING!! -- I AIN'T RETARDED; I'M STILL WORKING (HEH-HEH, HEH-HEH).

My guess is that he has a wee bit of "OTIS" (the character in the Andy Griffth Show) hidden in his personality also.
ONLY A TRIFLE. I'VE NEVER BEEN D. U. I. AND IT ISN'T JUST LUCK -- I KNOW WHEN I HAVE TO STOP AND EAT, AND EAT I DO!

Mr. Mayor, thank you for the accolades. I wanted to put whipped cream on them and eat them, but... y'see... I'm trying to lose some weight, so I left them be... accolades tend to be fattening, or so I hear. Your words have made me feel very much appreciated.
Momentarily Unhungrily, Ort. Carlton in 30601-land.

Ort.,
All that Al said is of course deserved... I have lurked your posts for a long lonnnnng time.
Wonderful reading. Fabulous. Remarkable.

But, I'm super curious tonite about one little thing... is the Athens, GA public library seriously open at this hour....??? "Posted - 11/26/2007 : 01:40:53"
Wowee!

All the best, keep 'em coming...
ccf

As always, Ort, a pleasure to read your posts.You should write a book, my friend!

quote:

Originally posted by cecif
I'm super curious tonite about one little thing... is the Athens, GA public library seriously open at this hour....??? "Posted - 11/26/2007 : 01:40:53" Wowee!

Cecif,
Y'know, I could tell a little white lie and say that I'm so well-known in Athens that I have a key to nearly everything, but that would be untrue, so I won't say it. No, The University Of Georgia Library is open until 2:00 A. M. Sunday through Thursday, and closes at 9:00 P. M. Fridays and 7:00 P. M. Saturdays. The long hours are only when school is in session (natch), but it keeps me off the streets and out of truoble (yes, that's spelled incorrectly -- there's a difference between "trouble" and "truoble", mind you!).
Somehow I managed to accomplish everything I set out to do today and still made it over here with time galore to visit here and post my ramblings.
There -- now you can sleep better knowing that the library security guys haven't locked me in unbeknownst. That DID happen to me years ago (I didn't panic and went ahead and finished my term paper research under the lone remaining lit lightbulb before calling to get out!), but that's another story.
Securely Ensconsed, Ort. Carlton at my favorite computer in the U. Ga. Library in Athens, Georgia.
P. S. Thank you very much for your nice words. I will attempt to keep my ramblings appearing as often as possible. Somehow tonight I feel glib but not witty....

quote:

Originally posted by annpeeples
You should write a book, my friend!

Ann,
Funny thing... I've been working on a fictional work for some time now and am nearly ready to begin writing on it.
Judy Long of Hill Street Press here in Athens has mentioned to me the possibility of issuing a book of my old Flagpole columns. As soon as I can create a proper space, I'll begin writing for Flagpole Magazine here again, and will of course let y'all know.
Plus, I've got another idea for a book, but it would require grant money to pull it off. I want to do a roadtrip book while distributing my late Mother's ashes to wherever she used to live and where her relatives are buried. The working title is (and I hope this doesn't get grabbed by someone else) "Getting Rid Of Betty." That's just macabre enough that she would laugh herself silly over it.
Thank you for your encouragement.
Notwritingly Tonightingly, Ort. Carlton in 30601-land.

Dearfolk,
Haven't wandered anywhere yet. Don't give up on me.
Checking Inwardly (I'm Contemplating My Navel As My Stomach Chants Oooooom From Hunger), Ort. Carlton in Rumblefied Athens, Georgia.

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

quote:

Wintem,
Be patient. The library closes and I don't have time to imbellish. I will, as soon as I have time and locate what I wrote in my notebook about each place in turn.
One report is forthcoming as I peck.
Slowly But Surely, Ort. Carlton in Athens.
P. S. If you think you're confused, you should see me most of the time.

As one of the gatekeepers of the library Ort uses to post, I can confirm that we are indeed on limited hours and after Friday at 5pm we will be closed until after New Year's for our Christmas break.

Ort--I will be looking forward to our Christmas tradition of hustling you out the door Friday--Merry Christmas!

quote:

Originally posted by tfrielin

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

quote:

As one of the gatekeepers of the library Ort uses to post, I can confirm that we are indeed on limited hours and after Friday at 5pm we will be closed until after New Year's for our Christmas break.

Ort--I will be looking forward to our Christmas tradition of hustling you out the door Friday--Merry Christmas!

TF,
Gee, I'm sorry we missed each other... I went to Atlanta for a week instead of hanging out at my usual haunt through finals week! (Copious reports will follow when time permits.) After New Year's, you will see me on Wednesday, January 3 -- no, you won't -- Matt is doing a Cask Ale at Copper Creek that night, and I (pre-hic) plan to partake amply. Insttead, you WILL see me on Thursday, January 4, same seat, same nonsense, unaled.
Here's hoping you have a good Holiday season.
Merrily Typing Away And Squinting (no visually-impaired computer here: the standard ones are slower for me to use), Ort. Carlton at Athens Regional Library in Clouldymisty Athens, Georgia.

Dearfolk,
Whatever Holiday you celebrate, I hope it is a Merry and a Happy one for you.
I will be right here in ever-amazing Athens, Georgia, probably sorting books and/or records at The Huddle House on Prince Avenue into the wee hours and rubbing employees' backs in the interim.
My trip to Atlanta for a week netted me enough Roadfood-worthy news to fill three or four standard newspaper columns, so rest assured that an abbreviated version will appear here after Thursday, January 4.
Also, before I neglect to mention it, I returned to Mama's Boy yesterday for the first time since August's 105-degree heat wave. Only Mitchell of the three partners was there, but I gave him adequate huggage to be passed along to both Cooper and Alicia and to his ladyfriend as well. My ten-year-friend Michael (he's a KILLER homebrewer!) is now working there, and he was floored to see me. The Roadfood reportable here is the new menu addition of Spaghetti & Meatballs. One serving is $9.95 with salad and bread; all-you-can-eat is $11.95. Of course, I opted for the latter, enjoying a second plate with great non-belt-loosening glee. It is probably the best restaurant spaghetti in Athens, if not mighty close to it. Not that I've I made a career of spaghetti-slurping (I leave that to disc jockey Dick Biondi, who does it supersonically!); it's just hard to imagine a better version without thoughts of resurrecting my late mother.
Piles and gobs more remains to be written, but I'll ho-ho off into the distance with this, red jacket warmly ensconced on my white-bearded back, and to all a good night. On, Donner and Blitzen!
SantaOrt.ingly, Ort. Carlton in Merry 30601-land.

My goodness,you give me pause with your writings.My father(the old curmudgeon professor) would have loved your language.I told a youngster the other day that I was no one to be trifled with, and they had no idea what I was saying.Keep it coming, my dear Mr.Carlton.And Happy Holidays to you, as well.Ann

Dearfolk,
Hey, I KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that I signed in tonight for a reason! -- The U. Ga. Library is only open until 7:00 P. M. tonight, but tomorrow it will stay open until 9:00 P. M. Beginning Monday it will remain open until 2:00 A. M., so I'll have some additional time to post my latest discoveries... and there are several Roadfood-worthy ones to mention.
The temperature is back to normal outside (52 degrees as I peck these words), so I am returning to whatever passes for normal-for-me. Since I've been clear across town from my house, housesitting for my friend Jim From Kansas City (he's due back tonight or tomorrow), I haven't seen whether or not my plumbing made it through the frigid snap... but it went down to 22 degrees last year and 24 the year before, and everything was okay; the coldest it fell to here this time was 19, but it didn't stay there long: it rebounded to and lingered in the 20's for several hours each night. I'll frankly be surprised if anything at my place is amiss... that's the virtue of a well-insulated brick house.
Tomorrow I'll return here and post some ramblings, even if they aren't from far afar. Oh, my minions, stay tuned.
Unhungrily Longwindedly, Ort. Carlton in Less-Than-Chilly Athens, Georgia.
P. S. The new-to-me BBQ place I'm going to mention has SEVEN sauces!

Dearfolk,
Somehow tonight I end up short on time as usual, but I just wanted y'all to know that my unheated house was 42 degrees inside when I returned home (it warmed up considerably today -- the temps went into the 60's -- not all that unusual for January here) and the pipes didn't seem to mind the cold a bit... I think they do their own dripping (which I catch and recycle) just enough to be safe.
Beginning tomorrow, the U. Ga. Library will stay open until its usual in-session hours of 2:00 A. M., so there will be adequate time for me to report in.
Thank y'all for bearing (brrrring?) with me.
Considerably Warmer Inside, Ort. Carlton in Today-Was-Sunny Athens, Georgia.
P. S. I'm heading for the Blind Pig eatery/drinkery directly to have a pint of good ale and something adequate to eat. Their homemade chili is worth a visit to Athens in and of itself. Fortunately, Van Ella doesn't need gas at the moment, and neither do I (tee-hee). Wish her an outside parking space; all I need is a place to stand and swig.
P. P. S. Anyone who names a Dodge van after Ella Fitzgerald ought to have his or her head examined. LOL.