12/20/08 - I travel around Georgia every week in my work. Usually I try to find locally-owned restaurants. This week in particular, I've run into four local eateries that are well worth telling you about. So I've decided I'll start sort of a diary of where I eat.

If you are in Georgia and run across a locally-owned restaurant of note, please email me to let me know about it. I'll be glad to add it to this list. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Last Tuesday, December 17, I was in NW Georgia in Cartersville. My friend Annette, from Rome, & I had been looking forward to lunch at the Church Street Tea Garden, but it was closed. Annette knew of the Appalachian Grill, 14 E Church St, "under the bridge" right off the square downtown, so we headed over there. We both had salads and practically licked our plates clean. The service was delightful.

For dinner Tuesday evening, Annette & I brought our friend Regina back to the other side of the square in Cartersville to enjoy a truly remarkable dining experience at D. Morgan's . OH MY GOODNESS! It was soooo good.

We studied the menu for a long time, trying to pick only one of the mouthwatering entrees. Finally Annette pointed out the sampler offering. The wait person told us that Chef Derek would prepare five courses, from a Duck Confit appetizer to dessert, for us.

Our wait person told us that we may want to have wine pairings with the sampler. All we'd have to do is sit back and eat and sip the wines. Oh, honey, let me tell you.... we never ate and drank so well as those five courses and the wine pairings!  There is not a better bargain anywhere in Georgia than the sampler and wine pairings.

What is your next special occasion? Plan to celebrate it at D. Morgan's, 28 West Main St, in Cartersville. I promise you'll be so happy you did. They are opened for dinner only.

Wednesday the 17th, I made my way to Hiawassee by lunchtime. I stopped into the Visitor's Center to pick up some brochures about the area; and next thing you know, I was walking into Michaelee's Chocolate Caffe at 142 N Main St. I'd had a big Tuesday! I didn't know if I was up to more fine food. But I did my best.

I had a fine pot of tea and the eggplant special. I was pretty stuffed, but the lady at the Visitor's Center had warned me the CHOCOLATE desserts were not to be missed. I had to get truffles to go. More just wouldn't fit in to my stomach. Bill Ronay loves truffles, so I presented them to him. His expert rating on a scale of 1 to 10 was 14! They were off the scale.

Anytime you are in Hiawassee looking for lunch or dinner, Michaelee's is my recommendation. The tea, the food and the chocolate are first rate. I'll be back to test other dishes. I can hardly wait.

12/20/08 - Bill Ronay & I went to Madison to mail our Christmas cards (I know, it is almost too late to do something like that) and stopped in at Crowe's Open Air Bar-B-Que, 1320 Eatonton Rd. Crowe's has been a favorite in Madison for generations. It isn't fancy; but it is fast, well-priced and mmm-mm good. I had a pork sandwich and slaw; Bill Ronay had a pork plate. Our syrofoam To-Go boxes didn't make it out of the dining area.

I'm not the biggest barbecue fan ever made, but Crowe's barbecue sauce was delish. It was vinegar based and light, adding a lot to the sandwich without overpowering the lean meat. Next time you're buzzing through Madison and want a quick tasty lunch, stop in. It'll take you back to the olden days when eating out was like eating with someone else's family. It's fun; and it's good!

12/23/08 - Decatur has changed a lot since the last time we went downtown the Atlanta suburb. It was time to see what everyone was talking about. We visited several lovely galleries - including by hand SOUTH, Decatur Market & Gallery, and Sheepish - and ate a late lunch at The Watershed, 406 W Ponce de Leon Ave.

We thought we'd been transported to what we think New York must be like, except with plenty of room. Everyone seemed sophisticated and dressed in high end black clothes. The decor was minimal , yet contemporary. The wait staff - except for the receptionist - was friendly and helpful in choosing our meal components. Bill Ronay had a Rob Roy; I had a Dixie Bell. Our starter was Shrimp Grits and a Pullman Plank. I had a pork sandwich with fig conserve; Bill had squash pancakes, ginger beets and cabbage. And dessert was the Very Good Chocolate Cake.

You can go to their website and read about Scott Peacock, the chef, and about how the restaurant was conceived a decade ago. The menu is solid; the food is well worth the cost. When you are in Decatur, it's a great choice for lunch or dinner.

12/29/08 - Years ago, we lived just inside I-285 (Atlanta's Perimeter highway) between Decatur & Tucker. Probably once or twice a week, we'd go to downtown Tucker to eat at Matthews Cafeteria at 2229 Main St. For a mighty long time, the Matthews family served exactly what visitors to the South expect to eat - country fried steak, green beans, fried green tomatoes, pickled beets, mashed potatoes, fried chicken, cornbread and always, always a cobbler. Matthews Cafeteria is probably what I miss most (don't get me started, but after living in the same rectangular brick house for 30 years, my Things-I-Miss-Most list wasn't all that long) about not living there any more.

So we happened to meet our web programmer at the Doraville MARTA Station; and I told Bill Ronay we need to see what's happening at Matthews Cafeteria. I am overjoyed to report it looks the same; has the same great hospitality; and most importantly, has the same OR BETTER tasting foods. Bill Ronay had beef tips on rice, green beans, fried green tomatoes and cobbler. I had mashed potatoes, pinto beans, fried green tomatoes and coconut cream pie. From the first bite to the last, we both were wallowing in it. There is no better Southern cuisine anywhere.

A vaccuum cleaner couldn't have cleaned my plate faster. Then I stuck my spoon into Bill Ronay's cobbler. I thought it was cherry, but it was strawberry. And, oh my goodness, I LOVE STRAWBERRY COBBLER! I raced right back to the serving line and got my own bowl of it. It was $1.39, but I'd have gladly paid any price. It was that good.

Matthews is opened for all three meals, Monday thru Friday. Expect the best! You will be very pleased. Oh, if you watch Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Channel, Guy Fieri has been to Matthews. You'll see a poster commemorating his visit in the main dining room.