First stop, George and Louie's in Thomasville, GA. My dad and stepmother live in Thomasville, and I used to eat at this locally-owned and operated joint all the time when I visited as a child. Though known for their fresh seafood, locals around town flock to George and Louie's for their amazing burgers. On a recent trip, I tried the fried green tomatoes with my burger, and they were perfection! Fresh tomatoes with just enough crispy batter, served with a side of ranch. They don't make them like this in any restaurant in Atlanta.
On another trip, we visited my brother and sister-in-law in Moultrie, GA. With all of the wonderful food Atlanta has to offer, I never thought I'd be raving about the culinary masterpieces of a restaurant in Moultrie, but my meal at Tarragon Grill was one of my best ever. Maybe it was because of the company I was with (my whole family was together for birthdays) or maybe it was because of the reasonable prices (I must remind myself, just because a glass of pinot grigio only costs $4 doesn't mean I have to drink twelve of them...). Or maybe it was because they serve the most decadent sandwich I've ever tasted. The Monte Cristo-- a hot ham and cheese sandwich, battered in funnel cake batter (weird-sounding, but delicious) and deep fried, served with a side of ranch. I should mention, I didn't order it myself (my brother said I had to try the lasagna, plus I was too worried about looking like a fat-ass, so I peer-pressured the B.F. into ordering it). The Monte Cristo is everything that's wrong and unhealthy with American food, and that makes it so right. It's cheesy and gooey on the inside, and doughy, sweet, and lightly fried on the outside. It's even dusted with powdered sugar, just like a funnel cake. And the portion size is simply ridiculous. Behold, the Monte Cristo:
And my lasagna:
And no southern meal would be complete without some fried-green tomatoes on the side:
On our most recent trip, we had some of the best BBQ I've ever had at Smok'n Pig in Valdosta. In true southern fashion, the portions were massive. I had the pulled pork plate with green beans and mac and cheese. And this mac and cheese was the real deal-- the B.F. pointed out that you could tell it was homemade because you could taste the roux (apparently he made mac and cheese in home ec). See below:
Know of any great south-Georgia restos? Let me know and I'll check them out next time I'm visiting!
~Blair Branch
