To Eat or Not to Eat, Is That a Question?

 

Fellow (and way more ambitious) blogger Tom Strait recently wrote about Waycross Restaurants, particularly those beginning with the letter W.  Interesting concept, but dear Tom seems particularly enamored of fast food. 

In my never ending and rarely successful quest to improve the quality of my consumption while decreasing the quantity, I would like to share my impressions of eating out in our fair city.  They are significantly different from Tom’s.  First, I mostly eschew “fast food” (not that I really have the patience for slow food….).  The only exception is Chic-Fil-A because I really like their waffle fries and diet lemonade, and Firehouse Subs, which isn’t really in the same category.  They have really good sandwiches and Matt, the manager, is an all- around really good guy.

After considerable research and taking all things into consideration (price, ambience and really liking the people that own them), for me, the best places to eat in Waycross are the ones that were born and bred right here.  That includes Wong’s of course, and there should be at least a ticker tape parade on the day that Paul Tang’s establishment re-opens—as of today, the building is looking good! 

It just occurred to me that I’ve been in Waycross long enough to actually know a lot of the business owners in town, like them as well, and that adds a lot of flavor to the food I eat.  I am a big fan of Plant Café.  In addition to having a sandwich named for me, Steve, Marla and Leigh are friends I always enjoy seeing.  Their  “wine-thirty” on Thursday nights is a great place to meet with friends while Scott Wilson accompanies our conversation on his guitar.  K.Ds is another local and comfortable place to enjoy a good, fresh cooked meal.  Jeanette’s Sandwich Shop (and Jeanette’s cakes) is definitely a unique Waycross institution.  I was quite pleased that my daughter chose Jeanette to make her wedding cake and that Jeanette transported it all the way to Savannah. 

I also want to offer a special commendation to “Pancho Villa-The Mexican Trailer”.  It started small and grew by word of mouth until they were able to afford a big trailer.  In the spirit of community, the owner adopted the name that everyone had begun to use and placed it on his new sign.  The food is fresh, tasty and the staff very friendly (I hope the owner forgives me for not knowing his name—but he’s a really nice guy!).

I know everyone was excited when all the big chain restaurants opened here; apparently they still are because the newest one always has a line so I hardly ever go.  They’re safe; you know what it will look like and what the food will taste like.  But the staff turns over at a dizzying pace and you’re just another customer when you eat there.

I’ll probably try the new, exciting Wendy’s when it opens just to check it out—but upscale or not—it’s still fast food.