LIFE&STYLE | girl about town
JFPmenus.com
by Julie Skipper
Red Flags in Downtown Bars
“I
would rather him be delusional than married.” Such was the conclusion of my friend while discussing a fellow with whom she’d been talking as we analyzed the situation over dinner and drinks at Wasabi Sushi and Bar (100 E. Capitol St., Suite 105, wasabims.
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AMERICAN/SOUTHERN CUISINE
his exact whereabouts or what exactly he does. Let’s call this Red Flag Number Two. So, as he couldn’t provide an email address, their communication relegated itself to text messages. He told her he would be returning soon and has remained in touch so they could catch up.
Primos Cafe (2323 Lakeland 601-936-3398/ 515 Lake Harbour 601-898-3400) A Jackson institution for breakfast, blue-plates, catfish, burgers, prime rib, oysters, po-boys & wraps. Famous bakery! Two Sisters Kitchen (707 N. Congress St. 601-353-1180) Lunch. Mon-Fri, Sun. Koinonia (136 Adams St. 601-960-3008) Coffeehouse plus lunch & more! Broad Street Bakery (4465 Interstate 55 N. 601-362-2900)Hot breakfast, coffee drinks, fresh breads & pastries, gourmet deli sandwiches.
PIZZA Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St. 601-368-1919) Pizzas of all kinds plus pasta, eggplant Parmesan, fried ravioli & ice cream for the kids! Mellow Mushroom (275 Dogwood Blvd, Flowood, 601-992-7499) More than just great pizza and beer. Open Monday - Friday 11-10 and Saturday 11-11.
ITALIAN
TRIP BURNS
BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Jackson, 601-982-8111) Award-winning wine list, Jackson’s see-and-be-seen casual/upscale dining. Cerami’s (5417 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-919-28298) Southern-style Italian cuisine features their signature Shrimp Cerami.
STEAK, SEAFOOD & FINE DINING The Islander Seafood and Oyster House (1220 E Northside Drive, Suite 100, 601-366-5441) Oyster bar, seafood, gumbo, po’boys, crawfish and plenty of Gulf Coast delights in a laid-back Buffet-style atmosphere. Que Sera Sera (2801 N State Street 601-981-2520) Authentic cajun cuisine, excellent seafood and award winning gumbo; come enjoy it all this summer on the patio. The Penguin (1100 John R Lynch Street, 769.251.5222) Fine dining at its best. Rocky’s (1046 Warrington Road, Vicksburg 601-634-0100) Enjoy choice steaks, fresh seafood, great salads, hearty sandwiches. Sal and Phil’s Seafood (6600 Old Canton Rd, Ridgeland (601) 957-1188) Great Seafood, Poboys, Lunch Specials, Boiled Seafood, Full Bar, Happy Hour Specials Shea’s on Lake Harbour (810 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, MS 39157 (601) 427-5837) Seafood, Steaks and Southern Cuisine! Great Brunch, Full Bar Outdoor and Seating
MEDITERRANEAN/GREEK
Meeting out-of-towners in local bars can sometimes lead to intrigue.
Aladdin Mediterranean Grill (730 Lakeland Drive 601-366-6033) Delicious authentic dishes including lamb dishes, hummus, falafel, kababs, shwarma. Vasilios Greek Cusine (828 Hwy 51, Madison 601-853-0028) Authentic greek cuisine since 1994, specializing in gyros, greek salads, baklava cheesecake & fresh daily seafood.
BARBEQUE
Maybe it’s just that after the years of singledom and dating adventures under our belts, and we’re getting cynical, but this started to sound a bit suspect to both of us. Or maybe we just have overactive imaginations. Either way, there were questions: Could he be married and hiding a wife and family? Or perhaps he’s just a player with a lady in every city he visits? Why can’t he tell you where he’s going or what he does? And yet, amid our skepticism, a ray of hope: She confessed that he walked her home but did not attempt so much as to put a move on her. Perhaps he did just want company and to have a friend in town next time. Maybe she should give him the benefit of the doubt. But with all the secrecy … could that really be the truth? Maybe the truth is that he actually has a boring career and wanted to seem more exciting, a mysterious out-of-towner. And so, our conclusion: delusions of being more important than you are is something we can work with; being married is not. You take a chance; you stay in touch. Most recently, she received a text in which he stated he’d be going to an undisclosed location for an undisclosed amount of time, during which she would be unable to reach him. So, either the delusion continues, or he really is in the CIA or something. Next time he’s in town, I’m definitely inviting myself for drinks to investigate further. In this world of Adventures in Dating, you have to have your friends’ backs, and this is a Mission: Possible that I choose to accept. I’ll start working on my best “Men In Black”-inspired outfit for the occasion.
COFFEE HOUSES Cups Espresso Café (Multiple Locations, www.cupsespressocafe.com) Jackson’s local group of coffeehouses offer a wide variety of espresso drinks. Wi-fi.
BARS, PUBS & BURGERS Capitol Grill (5050 I-55 North, Deville Plaza 601-899-8845) Best Happy Hour and Sports Bar in Town. Kitchen Open Late pub food and live entertainment. Cherokee Inn (960 Briarfield Rd. 601-362-6388) Jackson’s “Best Hole in the Wall,” has a great jukebox, great bar and a great burger. Fenian’s Pub (901 E. Fortification St. 601-948-0055)Classic Irish pub featuring a menu of traditional food, pub sandwiches & Irish beers on tap. Hal and Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St. 601-948-0888) Pub favorites meet Gulf Coast and Cajun specialties like red beans and rice, the Oyster Platter or daily specials. Martin’s Restaurant and Lounge (214 South State Street 601-354-9712) Lunch specials, pub appetizers or order from the full menu of po-boys and entrees. Full bar, beer selection. Mc B’s (815 Lake Harbour Dr. Ridgeland (601) 956-8362) Blue plates, amazing burgers, live music, cold beer, reservoir area Mississippi Legends (5352 Lakeland Dr. Flowood (601) 919-1165) American, Burgers, Pub Food, Happy Hour, Kid Friendly, Late Night, Sports Bar, Outdoor Dining Ole Tavern on George Street (416 George St. 601-960-2700) Pub food with a southern flair: beer-battered onion rings, chicken & sausage gumbo, salads, sandwiches. Time Out (6270 Old Canton Road, 601-978-1839) Your neighborhood fun spot! Terrific lunch special and amazing Happy Hour! Underground 119 (119 South President St. 601-352-2322) Pan-seared crabcakes, shrimp and grits, filet mignon, vegetarian sliders. Live music. Opens 4 p.m., Wed-Sat Wing Stop (952 North State Street, 601-969-6400) Saucing and tossing in a choice of nine flavors, Wing Stop wings are made with care and served up piping hot. The Wing Station (5038 Parkway Dr. 888-769-WING (9464) Ext. 1) Bone-in, Boneless, Fries, Fried Turkeys, and more. Just Wing It!
ASIAN AND INDIAN Crazy Ninja (2560 Lakeland Dr., Flowood 601-420-4058) Rock-n-roll sushi and cook-in-front-of-you hibachi. Lunch specials, bento boxes, fabulous cocktails. Fusion Japanese and Thai Cuisine (1002 Treetop Blvd, Flowood 601-664-7588) Specializing in fresh Japanese and Thai cuisine, an extensive menu features everything from curries to fresh sushi Nagoya Japanese Sushi Bar & Hibachi Grill (6351 I-55 North, Ste. 131, Jackson 601-977-8881) Fresh sushi, delicious noodles, sizzling hibachi & refreshing cocktails from one of jackson’s most well-known japanese restaurants.
LATIN/MEXICAN Cafe Ole’ (2752 N State St, Jackson, 769-524-3627 ) Authentic Latin cuisine at its best. Jackson’s restaurateur Alex Silvera combines the flavors of his homeland with flavors from around the world.
VEGETARIAN High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road in Rainbow Plaza 601-366-1513) Fresh, gourmet, tasty and healthy defines the lunch options at Jackson’s own strict vegetarian (and very-vegan-friendly) restaurant adjacent to Rainbow Whole Foods.
jacksonfreepress.com
com, 601-948-8808). Then we laughed that these, it seems, are the choices sometimes left to single ladies: crazy or married. When one lives downtown, as both she and I do, one often encounters visitors to our fair city while out and about at our neighborhood haunts. While eating at the bar at a downtown restaurant or enjoying a beverage at the King Edward Hotel Bar (102 N. Mill St.) on a weeknight, it’s not at all unusual to strike up a conversation with someone who is quite obviously here from out of town. Most of the time, this provides an opportunity for interesting or amusing conversation, and a chance to share with a visitor the things we love about our city. It can be a lot of fun to be an unofficial city ambassador. In my seven years as a downtowner, I’ve spent countless hours talking with people in just that situation, and when I head home for the evening (alone—for the record—it’s always perfectly innocent), I love knowing that I saved someone from having to eat dinner alone at a bar in a strange place and hopefully gave them a good impression of Jackson. However, sometimes it’s evident that a gentleman wants to get to know you better. My friend met the aforementioned potentially delusional man while he was supposedly in town for work. But Red Flag Number One: He wouldn’t give her a business card. “What is he, a spy or something?” I wondered. As it turns out, he told her that he works for a department of the U.S. government doing something that prevents him from being able to disclose
Hickory Pit Barbeque (1491 Canton Mart Rd. 601-956-7079) The “Best Butts in Town” features BBQ chicken, beef and pork along with burgers and po’boys.
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