49 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(11/17/17 2:49am)
In the last Bear Bites, I covered a new taqueria downtown that featured impressive authentic street-style tacos. When I read on this restaurant’s website that their recipes had been authenticated by master chefs in the U.S. and Mexico, I had to take a quick five-minute drive up Riverside to try it.
Sabor Latino serves sabor Mexican, also known as Tex-Mex. The cuisine was created as a result of a fusion of American and Mexican traditions that exploded in border states like Texas and California before spreading to the rest of the U.S.
The dishes of Sabor do not vary too much from a traditional American-Mexican restaurant, and while their recipes may have been authenticated, they were on par with any above average Mexican place.
[gallery ids="22865,22864,22863"]
The Good
The Environment
Although the sombrero light fixtures might turn more serious eaters off, those who are just looking to enjoy a night out will enjoy the casual and fun atmosphere.
“It was a fun environment. I liked the bright colors and the music. There were plenty of TVs so you do not have to be social,” said photographer Peter Garcia.
The music playing was a stream of Spanish songs from a quinceañera, complete with the audio of a family commenting on the event as the songs went on. We thought that was hilarious.
The Spice
I hesitantly ordered a dish called Camerones a la Diabla, wondering whether or not the dish would actually be spicy. I was pleasantly surprised by shrimp cooked in an incredibly spicy and flavorful sauce.
The Questionable
The Food
The group consensus was that the food was only a bit above average as far as Tex-Mex goes.
“Normally, I don’t like beef tacos, but the beef I had in my taco was incredibly juicy. The flavor popped. Beef tacos are normally dry and bland, but this one had flavor,” said Cluster photographer Ethan Thompson.
While the food was flavorful and filling, it simply does not take anything to the next level.
“If the authenticity claim was true, I would expect the food to be better. It seemed about as good as the mass produced. I liked La Bella better,” said sophomore Fabian Kopp, who ate with me on the last Bear Bites.
The Bad
Overall Experience
While there was nothing bad to report, our overall experience was underwhelming.
There is a big difference between average Mexican food and excellent Mexican food. Sabor is somewhere just above average, and so while it might be a nice change of pace, it is not a must-try.
Rating:
Will 3.5/5
Peter 3.5/5
(11/02/17 5:09pm)
Walking down MLK Jr Boulevard, one could easily miss this unassuming restaurant if not for the fake cactus beside the door. From the outside, La Bella Morelia does not appear to be an entrance into the world of authentic mexican cuisine.
However, when I walked into La Bella I could see its true character. I immediately noticed the vibrant and lively atmosphere; the restaurant was almost full of people who were working, talking and eating tacos.
The Good
The Tacos
On a huge blackboard above the counter is the list of all the different tacos that La Bella makes, and they have a huge variety including tacos with beef tongue to some with spicy cactus.
Freshman Emily Bartlett tried one of the lengua tacos with cow tongue in it.
“The tongue is really, really good. It’s nice and tender,” Bartlett said.
The tacos had the perfect balance of meat and toppings. Each taco felt unique because of the different ingredients, and it was easy to try a variety.
“They were well balanced, there was plenty of meat. My favorite was the marinated pork [al pastor] tacos. I especially liked the green salsa with a squeeze of lime; the flavor of citrus and spice was wonderful,” said Fabian Kopp, a sophomore International Affairs major who ate with us.
The Option for Authenticity
The great thing about the tacos at La Bella, is that you have the option of having very authentic tacos or tacos more along the lines of Tex-Mex.
Tacos come on either normal flour tortillas or the more authentic corn tortillas. Every taco can be served like a Mexican street taco with just the meat and cilantro, or for fifty cent more served deluxe, topped with lettuce, pico de gallo, cheese and sour cream.
The Price
At two dollars a taco, the price for quality is excellent.
[gallery size="large" ids="22654,22653,22655"]
The Questionable
The Service
I found that the service was a little slow for just tacos, but we did go at a busy time of day. Also, you have to pay the bill up at the counter, which is not a bad thing, it is just something that I wish I had known ahead of time.
The Spice
La Bella does not go easy on the spice. Our waitress brought bottles of salsa roja and salsa verde to our table and both definitely had a bite! Although I love spice, not everyone does.
Sophomore Journalism Major Ethan Thompson put some of the green sauce on his tacos without knowing how spicy it was. He was not pleased, and immediately needed to drink water. While I like the option to go spicy, it would be nice to be warned.
The Bad
Nothing was bad!
La Bella Morelia is a fantastic choice for those looking to go for an authentic cultural experience and for those who just like tacos.
The food is simple, unpretentious and filling. While I cannot say that they have any food that is mind-blowing, the food was great quality for the price. Overall, La Bella is a fun experience that I highly recommend.
Rating:
Will 4/5
Fabian 4/5
[related title="Related Stories" stories="22497,21521,21324" align="center" background="on" border="none" shadow="on"]
(10/15/17 6:44pm)
Just when I begin to think that I have heard of every restaurant in Macon, I am surprised to find that there still are plenty of places that simply fly under my radar. Brasserie Circa was one of those.
Owned by the same restaurant group which owns Macon staples such as Bearfoot Tavern and the Tic Toc Room, Brasserie Circa is a restaurant that flaunts a menu which ranges from sushi to steak to pasta.
Located on Forsyth Road, Circa is a chic, upscale lunch and dinner spot with a surprisingly casual environment.
The Good
The Steak
I ordered the specialty Espresso Rubbed Porterhouse, and it was everything I could have ever wanted. The steak came in a sauce that had the slightly bitter and smoky tinge of espresso, which complimented the sauce’s sweetness.
Ben Meyers and James Smith, two sophomore friends who ate with me, both ordered the 14 oz. Ribeye steak. They both praised their steaks for being cooked well, tender and flavorful.
The Fish
“The trout was buttery and topped with toasted almonds, which worked really well,” said Peter Garcia, the photographer that evening.
Troy Ater, another sophomore who ate with us, ordered the seared tuna. Although he thought it was just barely overcooked, he enjoyed the fresh mango pieces, which brought the perfect amount of sweetness.
The Sides
I only mention this because too often great steaks are served with sub-average sides. Circa certainly gets high marks for their delicious mac and cheese and the excellent mashed potatoes.
The Bread
The server brought out freshly baked homemade bread to start the meal, which everyone at the table agreed was one of the best parts of the dining experience.
The Menu
This restaurant is great for groups that cannot decide what they want just because they have so much variety. Not only that, but the prices of different dishes vary.
“You can spend a lot or not that much. I would come back anytime I needed a casual, affordable and nice place.” Smith said.
The Atmosphere
The one thing I always hate about upscale places is the quiet and stuck-up atmosphere. It could not be more different at Circa. There was a buzz of conversation throughout the restaurant making it feel comfortable and exciting.
The Questionable
The Price
While the price is certainly worth the quality of food, it should be noted that most everything on the menu is in the 15 to 20 dollar range, with a few exceptions.
The Dessert
For dessert, our table split a white chocolate tuxedo cake. The cake looked beautiful and tasted just as good. However, it was nothing special compared to the food.
The Bad
The Gratuity
The menu says that they only charge gratuity for groups of seven or more, but our table of six still got charged gratuity. Not the end of the world, but it did make paying the bill even less enjoyable than it would have been
Rating:
Will 4.5/5
Peter 4.75/5
(04/21/17 3:25am)
The Mercer Singers will perform their final concert of the year on April 22 at 7:30 p.m. This concert has been a special yearly tradition started by the Townsend School of Music’s Stanley Roberts when he became the director of the Mercer Singers 22 years ago.
“It’s the last concert for students. For some in Mercer Singers who are music majors, it’s the ending of a major chapter of their career,” Roberts said. “For those who are not necessarily music majors, but have been very committed to the group, it’s the ending of a very significant time in their lives.”
The concert will be a mixture of songs which the group has never performed before and some pieces which they have sung throughout the year. Roberts said that they will be performing a few pieces that hold special meaning to the students, which they enjoy singing the most.
Not only will the concert signify the end of a season of performing, but for those graduating, it will be the last time for them to take the stage with the Mercer Singers. There are only three seniors this year — Mary Lathem, Andrew Hearn and Hannah Loeffler.
“We say goodbye to the seniors that are graduating, and at the end of the concert, I acknowledge all those [who have performed] their last concert. The audience claps, the students clap, and there are lots of tears,” Roberts said.
According to Roberts, this group of seniors is going in a variety of paths. Some are going into high school or middle school choral directing, and some are looking at going to graduate school.
One of the seniors, Andrew Hearn, has been a part of Mercer Singers for five years. “You spend a lot of hours with that person. You rehearse 4 hours a week, throw in several concerts, and some tours and some bus time, you get to know students extremely well,” said Roberts about Hearn and the other seniors.
Looking back at this year as a whole, Roberts said that this has been a “tremendous” year. He compared choir to athletics, and looking ahead he said that he has a young men’s section that is developing in the same way that football defensive coordinator may have an all freshman and sophomore defensive line.
“This group, as far as musicality, is probably the strongest group I’ve ever had,” Roberts said.
Earlier this year, Mercer Singers had the opportunity to sing at Carnegie Hall. “Not every student gets to have a Carnegie Hall experience, but for this group, that is what they are going to look back on as a significant event in their life,” Roberts said.
Roberts says that as much as he enjoys developing students musically, he enjoys building personal connections even more.
“I love to follow the students in their careers, whether it is music or non-music. I enjoy keeping up with them, and them keeping up with me,” Roberts said. “I love it when they come back and say that they’ve gotten engaged. I love it when they come back and say they are having a baby, or having a third baby. Those relationships are special things.”
The final concert is free to the public, and all Mercer faculty and students are encouraged to attend. It will be held in Fickling Hall.
“It’s a great way to come and have an enjoyable time of listening to music, and maybe have a little bit of nostalgia at the same time,” Roberts said.
(04/12/17 7:04pm)
Although I always enjoy farm-to-table restaurants, European bistros and molecular gastronomy venues, I still love classic unpretentious food like wings and burgers. As it turns out, there is a new restaurant in Macon whose name practically says unpretentious.
Located in the shopping center between Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Kroger off of North Avenue, the Wing N Burger Factory has some of the best deals on wings and burgers in Macon.
The Good
The Price
Almost all of the meals on the menu are under $10. The 20-piece wing plate with fries is only $12.99, which is about half of what one might pay if they went to Wild Wings Cafe or Buffalo Wild Wings. A classic cheeseburger is under $5, which is, to me, as cheap as it gets.
The Wings
The wings are the best thing on the menu. They have a decent variety of flavors, but each one I tried had plenty of flavor. My only complaint was that they were a bit on the small side.
The Burgers
The burgers are somewhere between McDonald's and Five Guys. It is a nice option if one wants a cheap and quick burger without spending a lot of money.
The To-Go-Atmosphere
Every order comes in styrofoam boxes packaged to-go, so it is very easy to either sit down or take your meal back to your residence hall or the park.
“The place was interesting. It had more of a pick-up style to it. You could sit down and watch sports if you wanted,” said Matthew Boldon, a friend who ate with me. “It was very laid back, which you can appreciate if you just want some cheap wings to-go.”
The Questionable
The Fries
The regular fries are served unsalted, and they are not particularly good. However, you can spruce them up with the seasoning salt they offer or dip them in some extra ranch or blue cheese sauce.
The Bad
The Healthiness
Wing N Burger factory is not for the faint of stomach. If fast food normally upsets your stomach, you probably will not have much more luck here. I never get an upset stomach, but even I felt like I had a rock in my stomach the evening after I ate.
I would say that almost all of my money goes to food, partially because I eat out a lot, but also partially because good food is often always expensive. Even so, good food does not have to be expensive.
In the case of Wing N Burger Factory, the food is definitely not expensive, but is it good? I say that it is great for what you pay.
“Boring but functional,” said James Smith, a freshman student in ROTC who ate with me. Smith tried their fried chicken sandwich and an order of lemon pepper wings.
For me, though, its sole purpose is to satisfy an infrequent desire of large quantities of cheap, “functional” food, and that purpose may be more or less redeemable depending on who you are.
Rating:
Will 3/5
Peter 4/5
(03/28/17 10:31pm)
“What the heck is a Thai Isaan Restaurant?” I asked myself this when I first took a good look at the menu of Sang’s. I had first seen this restaurant when I went across the road to the La D Da Bistro.
The only part of the sign that I read was Isaan. I misread it as Indian, so my friends and I came into the restaurant expecting Indian food. Little did we know that this new Thai place had opened up right across from that other new Thai place, La D Da, only weeks apart.
Let me correct myself in saying that Sang’s is a completely new Thai place, because Sang’s had a previous location on Pio Nono, which closed almost 20 years ago.
I will also correct myself in calling Sang’s a Thai restaurant, because supposedly the Isan region of Thailand, from which the restaurant gets its name, has its own unique cuisine.
This Thai restaurant, regardless of it being Isaan, was in fact, an average to below average experience that certainly pales in comparison to its competitor La D Da.
The Good
The Grilled Chicken
We started off our trip into “traditional” Thai cuisine that night with a grilled chicken appetizer. The chicken was tender and grilled excellently. Plus, it came with a sweet chili sauce that was delicious.
The Mongolian Beef
“Why is an ‘authentic’ Thai place serving something called Mongolian Beef?” I asked myself when I read this item on the menu. Side note: I asked a lot about this restaurant throughout the night.
Regardless, Ali Sadeq, a pre-pharm international student from Kuwait, decided to order that when he came with us. Sadeq had never tried Thai food (he was on the trip for Indian), so he wanted to try this simple approachable dish.
He was rewarded with a good, simple meal.
“I really like the beef with the rice, and the mushrooms were perfect,” Sadeq said.
The Thai Dessert Drinks
Probably tied with the chicken for the best part of the night, we tried both the Thai tea and Thai coffee at the end of our meal. They were sweet and refreshing ways to finish the meal.
The Questionable
The Glass Noodles
Glass Noodles, called Woo Sen, are these delightful, thin noodles that are made from starch and water. Peter Garcia, my favorite food photographer, ordered the glass noodles with seafood that night.
He thought the noodles were excellent, but the seafood and veggies were both not up to par. He said the onions were undercooked, and the squid in his dish was rubbery and not at the same temperature as the shrimp.
The Bad
The Menu
One of the photos on the menu still had the watermark from whatever stock image site it was taken from. Classy. Also, some of the items said that they came with sides, though we were never asked what sides we wanted and were simply given rice and veggies. Confusing.
The Steak
This one is personal. I decided to be brave and go against my better judgement, and I ordered something called the Cry Tiger Steak, which was advertised as the best steak in Macon. What I received was not quite that.
The Good: the steak was deliciously seasoned and marinated. The Questionable: though overall cooked well, it did have some burnt spots. The Bad: “Why did I spend $30 on a $10 steak?”
I had a lot to say about this place, but to sum it up, it is mediocre. The food lacked specific identity.
Peter liked it more than I, because he was thoroughly impressed by the noodles, but I left feeling like I just wasted my money. I would much rather have the Thai food of La D Da, or the real best steak in Macon at The Tic Toc Room.
Rating
Will 2.5/5
Peter 4/5
(03/19/17 10:10pm)
A new ice cream place has opened in Macon, but this business is not your traditional ice cream parlor serving the treat by the scoop. Located right next to Starbucks on Tom Hill Sr Blvd, Ice Queen serves ice cream that comes in rolls.
There is a sign in Ice Queen that concisely sums up the six steps to their rolled ice cream making process. The sign reads:
Base Topping
Cream Flavor
Mix
Spread to Freeze
Roll
Toppings.
Customers can order from a menu of pre-designed flavor combinations such as the Ice Queen itself, consisting of thai milk and pineapple, or they can create their own. Either way, the base toppings are put in a bowl, in which a creamy liquid is poured.
These ingredients are mixed up and then poured over an anti-griddle, which thickens the mixture as it is spread out.
Finally, once the mixture has reached an ice creamy texture, it is rolled up with metal spatulas, placed back in a bowl, and covered with toppings which vary from pretzels to toasted marshmallows.
“I lived in Atlanta and was looking for a business to invest in. This ice cream place gave me an opportunity to live in America but still stay in touch with my roots, since the ice cream concept is from Thailand,” said Peggy Dong, manager of Ice Queen.
The reason that this location was opened in Macon was because there was nothing quite like it already.
“I saw an opportunity and took it!” Dong said.
Since opening day, Ice Queen has been kept very busy, and it has grown in popularity as more people have heard about it. Dong describes the initial success as “overwhelming.”
Dong said that the unique nature of the product is what she feels brings people in. The success of the cool treats isn’t only due to their appearance, however.
“Our customers are definitely attracted by the way it looks, but they keep coming back because it tastes even better than it looks,” Dong said.
Ice Queen has another unique product besides their ice cream. They serve frozen cheese balls, which are exactly what they sound like. These marble-sized bits a cheese are frozen with liquid nitrogen, so when somebody eats one, smoke comes out of their mouth and nose.
(02/27/17 4:59pm)
Downtown Macon is home to some classic local favorites that serve burgers and other American food, so do they really need another burger place? This is the question I asked myself as I entered the Ocmulgee Brewpub located on 2nd Street right next to Bearfoot Tavern, which is an already established place to get a great burger.
When I walked into the Brewpub, I immediately knew that it was unlike any place I had been to in Macon. It’s the only place in Macon that makes its own beer. Before I even got a whiff of the food, I smelt the yeasty and hoppy aromas of fresh beer fermenting. That smell got me hungry . . . and slightly upset that I’m not 21.
The Good
The Atmosphere
The chic industrial look of the Brewpub complimented the visible fermentation vessels and the wooden tables and benches. It looked friendly, clean and fun. I could stay there and hang out all day.
The Service
Ocmulgee Brewpub is a craft brewery above being a restaurant, so they do service a bit different. Customers walk up to the counter in the back of the restaurant and place their order, then they take a beeper and sit down wherever they like, waiting for the food to be brought to them.
This system is different, but not bad. I personally enjoy minimal interaction between myself and a server, so I liked the order-once-and-be-done mentality.
The Drinks
This is not a review of the alcoholic beverages. My friends and I were all under 21, so we settled for sodas. The sodas, however, were not your regular brand name sodas. The Brewpub has a fountain full of fair trade-certified organically-sweetened craft sodas made by the Maine Root brand.
The sodas were a notch above regular colas, and having craft sodas is some condolence for not being able to have the craft beer.
The Fries and Sauce
The portions of fries were ridiculously generous. On top of that, they serve their fries with one sauce from their collection of tasty homemade sauces. I got the truffle fries with a truffle aioli, and I could not stop eating them: highly recommended.
The Questionable
The Burgers
Well, the burgers definitely were not bad, but they were not the best I have had either. They are definitely good burgers, but they fail in comparison to better burger places such as the Rookery, Bearfoot, or even some better franchises like Five Guys.
One thing they do have that could distinguish themselves is their variety of burgers. They have burgers made from beef, bison, lobster, turkey and vegetables. I tried the turkey burger, and though it was good for a turkey burger, it was not that satisfying.
The Bad
The Diversity
Their menu is essentially non-existent outside of burgers and fries.
Ocmulgee Brewpub is the kind of place that does one thing and does it really well. For them, that one thing is probably the beer, because the burgers are fairly average. Still, for the price, for the craft sodas and for the spectacular fries, they are pretty good in my book.
Rating
Will 3.5/5
Peter 4/5
(02/23/17 3:48am)
Though January has come and passed, it’s not too late to start that new year's resolution of eating healthier. There is one Macon business that has a healthy and natural way to do just that.
Olive in a Bottle, located off of Bass Road, is Macon’s own specialty olive oil and vinegar store. They sell a selection of olive oils that are sourced from all over the world: Australia, Italy, Spain, Africa and more.
Along with pure olive oil, they sell a variety of infused oils. These olive oils are infused with natural ingredients such as basil, or more exotic flavors like Asian spices.
The vinegars too come in a variety of flavors. Most vinegars are a fruit flavor, but again, there are more exotic infused ingredients like coffee or ginger.
“Both the oil and vinegar are the highest quality you can find in the area. You can’t go to the grocery store and buy anything like this,” said Brandi Judd, Sales Associate for the Macon location.
The oils can serve many health purposes. “I use it as a condiment on sandwiches in place of mayo because it is so much better for you,” Judd said.
Other uses for the oils and vinegars are popping topping, marinades, salad dressing, and countless more.
Olive oil is the only cooking oil that is made without using chemicals.
“I know what I’m getting. I know in these products, what you see on the label is what you get,” Judd said.
For those who don’t know where to start in terms of what oils and vinegars they buy, all they have to know is what flavors they like.
“The way to narrow the choices down is to ask them what their favorite fruit is. Once I know what your favorite fruit is, we can go find a vinegar, and then we can pair it with an olive oil that it goes well with,” Judd said.
All oils and vinegars can be sampled free of charge. However, for those who don’t enjoy olive oil or vinegar, Olive in a Bottle also sells salad dressings, jams, pastas, homemade soaps, spices, organic coffee, local honey and other organic artisanal products.
(02/21/17 4:46am)
In the competitive restaurant scene of downtown Macon, there are already a few Asian restaurants that contend to distinguish themselves from just some rice and chicken place. Self-proclaimed as “the next best trend to hit downtown Macon,” LaDDa Bistro on Cherry Street breaks outside the normal barriers of Asian food, offering a huge menu full of both Thai dishes and Southern specialties.
The Good
The Atmosphere
Modern, simple and elegant. These words describe the simple and comfortable dining area, decorated wood paneling and beautiful lamps.
The Pad Thai
Anyone who knows Thai food knows about pad thai. For those who don’t, pad thai is a dish made with noodles, bean sprouts, fried egg, green onions, cilantro, lime, crushed peanuts and a peanut sauce. Peter Garcia, the photographer for the evening, tried the pad thai. He claimed that it had a great balance, and his only complaint is that his shrimp was not de-tailed.
The Duck
Good duck is something else I look for in a good Thai place. I ordered the crispy duck, and true to its name, it was cooked to a perfect crisp. The orange sauce, while not particularly striking, paired excellently with the duck which exuded the unique flavor of that particular poultry.
The Little Things
Often times what makes a restaurant great are simple little additions to the menu that put them above their peers. In the case of LaDDa, I enjoyed the Thai coffee, which was incredibly strong and sweet at the same time.
With the meal, they brought out their homemade sweet and sour sauce, as well as red pepper flakes and chili paste to add a nice kick to whatever you wanted.
Also, they offer a mini cake for just one dollar. The mini cake is like an Asian tiramisu with strawberry syrup, and it ended the meal on just the right sweet note.
The Questionable
The Curry
Curry is another essential for any Thai place. Those searching for an extra spicy curry may be let down by the overall sweet curry of LaDDa.
“I personally enjoy spicier curry, more like one that will burn your throat,” said Mo Qureshi, a freshman friend of mine who ordered the curry.
The Service
The group that went with me to try LaDDa was divided as to whether the service was good or bad. I personally thought it was very slow, especially considering the place was not crowded while we were there, but our waitress did make sure our drinks were filled. However, she was too soft spoken for people at the end of the table to hear.
The Bad
Beef and Broccoli
I know what you are thinking: how can one mess up beef and broccoli? Well, this beef and broccoli was simply unremarkable. “Not much flavor,” said Matthew Boldan, another freshman friend of mine who ate with us.
“The whole experience was la-di-da. It was nonchalant, casual, blasé,” said Caroline Kittrell, a freshman pre-med student who also ate with us. This statement accurately sums up what was a far above average food experience, yet there was no one thing in particular that was a homerun.
All said and done, LaDDa is really a great experience if one is willing to go out of their comfort zone just a bit to try new things like a Thai coffee or pad thai or anything else that is outside the norm. I can not say it is the next best thing downtown, but it is well worth a try, and I would certainly go back.
Rating:
Will 4/5
Peter 4/5
(02/11/17 1:52am)
The Middle Georgia Art Association, a non-profit organization located on Vineville Avenue, will be hosting their largest gallery of the year with their Winter Arts Festival. The grand opening for the exhibit will be held Friday, Feb. 17 from 6-8 p.m.
The exhibit will stay open until March 10, and the deadline for entering art to be included in the exhibit is Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 5:00 p.m. Anyone, professional or amateur, is eligible to enter for a $40 entry fee.
All work that is entered into the exhibit will be judged as a part of a competition. The categories for competition are painting/2D, photography and 3D. First place for each category will win $150, second will win $125 and third will win $75.
In addition, every piece of art will be put on sale, and all the artist will be paid for any art sold after a small commission. Artwork will be on sale during the entire duration of the exhibit.
This particular Winter Arts Festival will be the event’s 50th anniversary. For the anniversary, they plan to ask the winning artists to give a special talk on their art.
“The Winter Arts Festival is our one big juried show that offers bigger prize money and recognition throughout the state,” said Martha Tisdale, a local artist who will be participating in the competition.
Tisdale is a full time painter, who retired from managing Macon Signs. She has been a member of MGAA since the ’70s, and she has been a part of the Macon art scene since.
“The Winter Arts Festival attracts quality work outside our local area,” Tisdale said. The Winter Arts Festival will be taking artwork from across Georgia, including the Atlanta and Columbus areas.
The MGAA hosts regular galleries and competitions for local Macon artists to show and sell their work. “To me, and to most of our artists, it gives people the opportunity to put their work on display,” said Mae Thurston, Executive Director of the MGAA.
“We would love to have Mercer students involved,” Thurston said. She welcomes students to enter into the gallery or to simply come view the art.
Outside of such competitions, MGAA offers workshops and classes for their members. Membership normally costs $35 a year, but for college students it only costs $20. Being a member means less entry fees for competitions, as well as a member’s only meeting and a newsletter.
(02/09/17 9:16pm)
MU Miracle hosted its first ever Koncert for Kids event in the 5/4 Music Space in downtown Macon on Friday, Feb. 3. The 5/4 Music Space is normally a venue for local artists to practice and record, but that Friday it held a concert of Mercer artists performing to raise money for local kids.
MU Miracle is a non-profit Mercer organization that donates the money that they fundraise to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. They directly donate the money to the local hospital that is a part of the Children's Miracle Network.
At the Koncert for Kids event, four Mercer artists performed, and audience members were asked to donate to charity by putting pocket money into the bucket of their favorite artist. They could also donate directly online through DonorDrive.[related title="Related Stories" stories="19955,20309" align="right" background="on" border="none" shadow="off"]
Lauren Tuttle, Micah Moore, Em Marosek and Three 17 were the acts for the evening. Each of these Mercer artists performed covers of popular music as well as some of their own original pieces.
The artist that won the most donations will have the opportunity to perform at Bearthon, which is MU Miracle’s largest fundraising event. At Bearthon, dancers will be also be dancing to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network.
After the physical cash was counted and combined with the donations that were raised online, the band Three 17 came out on top, and they are planning on being a part of Bearthon.
“We wanted to do something that is both Mercer and Macon related. We have an abundance of talented bands at Mercer,” said Sarah Waldrop, who organized the event.
MU Miracle was able to save money thanks to the talented Mercer artists who were ready to do what they could “for the kids,” or FTK as is MU Miracle’s slogan.
“We did not want to put all of our money into hiring a band to perform,” Waldrop said. This first Koncert for Kids was able to happen because of the generosity of the people at 5/4 as well as financial help from Quadworks.
MU Miracle hopes to continue this tradition yearly with the continued kindness of both the Mercer and Macon community.
(02/03/17 3:06am)
While all students at Mercer University have the option to work out in the gym in the University Center, there are plenty of other independent gyms in Macon. CrossFit AOA located on 5th Street in downtown Macon offers students coached group classes and a special student discount.
The student price is just $70 monthly and can by paid month-by-month, so students don’t have to pay for summer membership they won’t use, or they can take time off anytime their studies get too hard.
Crossfit is an alternative to working out individually in the UC gym. At CrossFit AOA, they encourage not only getting in shape, but also being a part of a community.
CrossFit AOA was created by Amber Chatham, who renovated a space that used to be an old warehouse. Now the area contains sets of dumbbells, barbells, rowing machines and other workout equipment.
One of the unique things about crossfit is that, as opposed to individuals working out alone, members come together at certain times of the day to do group exercises lead by a coach.
Coaches tell you exactly what to do, and they can personalize programs to fit individual needs.
Daniel Minter is one such coach who is also a 5th year senior at Mercer University studying biomedical engineering. He came to CrossFit AOA two and a half years ago when the place first opened to help Amber start the business up.
Minter says that though he has to balance his studies and working out, being able to work out is a great way for him to take a break and not get too caught up in studies.
Minter said that his roommate, Brent Lunsford, first encouraged him to work out.
“When we’re young, we trade health for wealth. When we’re old, we trade wealth for health,” Minter said, quoting his roommate.
In Minter’s words, CrossFit training is the middle between a marathon runner and a heavy lifter. He says that the focus is own being the best all-around athlete.
Karly Nix is a freshman environmental education student at Mercer. She heard about CrossFit AOA from a girl in her sorority and joined early this past fall. She enjoys the close community she has formed here, and she says she always feels welcomed.
“Not a lot of people think about girls lifting. It’s empowering,” Nix said. “They make you feel like you’re more than just some girl.”
(01/26/17 1:00pm)
Krystal has been in Macon for almost 65 years, and while they are most well-known for their burgers, they are introducing a new line of soft-serve ice cream and handspun milkshakes that they are testing out in Macon.
Krystal was already serving milkshakes, but this new line of products will be handmade upon order.
Their new products, both soft-serve and milkshakes, will come in four flavors: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and oreo.
As part of their launch, Krystal hosted a tasting event where members of the Macon community were able to try the new products and give feedback.
At the event, I was able to try all of their new products, and I give them two thumbs up.
The vanilla soft-serve ice cream is smooth and not too sweet, which is great, because this is the base of all the other products.
The other flavors are just toppings added to the vanilla base. For chocolate, they drizzle chocolate syrup; for strawberry, they add strawberry syrup with real strawberry chunks; and for oreo, they add crushed oreos. The milkshakes are the same, except handspun in a milkshake machine.
By using the same great vanilla base, Krystal achieves delicious consistency across their products. They all have a fresh, homemade taste to them, and they set a high bar for fast food ice cream. My personal favorite was the Oreo milkshake.
Normally a small soft-serve sundae would cost $1.49, but for the launch of the event, all soft-serve cones and cups will be for only 59 cents until January 29th, and only $1 from January 30th to February 19th.
The pricing for the soft-serve after the promotion runs out will be $1 for a small vanilla soft-serve, $1.49 for any small sundae, $2.99 for any regular shake, and $3.49 for any large shake
Nicole Echelard, self-proclaimed ice cream lover, is a field marketing manager for Krystal who was at the tasting event.
“We had shakes before, and now it’s about handspun, handmade, with better variety,” said Echelard.
She said that Krystal is constantly trying to improve their menu based on the feedback that they receive from their customers, and from volunteers at their test kitchen in Atlanta.
“What can we do to have something else to offer?” is the question Echelard said that Krystal operates upon. “Sweet and savory” is the answer for 2017 according to her.
“You see this in our competitors — people want sweet items,” said Joe Artime, Director of Brand for Krystal.
“We want to offer the best soft serve. The new soft serve is a lot better product than what we’ve previously had,” Artime said.
He said that to him, the Krystal brand has strong ties to its southern roots. He said that generations of people have been coming to Krystal, and the restaurant is a part of a Southern tradition.
According to Artime, the launching of better ice cream products stays true to Southern roots, and it makes sense to serve something cold in the South where it is so hot.
He also said that while Krystal has been a lunchtime and dinner favorite, they were missing a product for “snacktime.”
On college students, “Students have been loving Krystal for years, we want to give them more variety, more options, something for everyone,” Artime said.
On top of the new line of soft-serve, he says that people can expect to see new blenders brought into the restaurants that will be able to make frozen coffee, lemonade and tea.
Bobby Atkinson, general manager of Krystal on Riverside in Macon, helped host the event, and he was excited to better the menu to better serve the community. To him, Krystal means fresh, hot, and friendly.
Atkinson believes that Krystal appeals to college students because they can get a lot of food for a great price.
“We’re a big supporter of Mercer,” he said. Atkinson hopes to continue to create ties between Mercer and Krystal, including potential Krystal eating contests after football games.
About the new line of products, “Sweet sells itself,” Atkinson said.
Krystal, though a large franchise, is still a down-to-earth establishment, always trying to improve. Their new line of sweet products is sure to please anyone who is looking for a home-style treat, or any college student who just finished their 2 a.m. Krystal burgers.
(12/14/16 8:45pm)
Near the shores of Lake Tobesofkee sits a restaurant made through the combined effort of two Macon staples: Jim Shaw’s Seafood Restaurant and Scatterfield BBQ. I guess the name just made sense — Fish N’ Pig. The eatery is just a 15-minute trip down Mercer University Drive, plus a couple of turns.
The Good
The Location
The lakeside restaurant has an array of seating options. Guests can sit inside the cozy dining area decorated with eclectic fishing knick-knacks, or they can sit outside at picnic tables with a nice view of the water.
Though the weather now is not conducive to sitting outside, in the spring, this spot would be great for a nice outdoor lunch or dinner.
The Seafood
I ordered crawfish and fried oysters. They were cooked well and minimally seasoned. Caroline Kittrell, a freshman pre-med student who went with us, ordered grilled grouper, which she said was good but not outstanding.
As far as seafood goes, it’s worth mentioning that the hushpuppies were excellent: crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside.
The Sides
Across the board, the sides were good. There was a good variety of sides, with some uncommon items like the Brunswick stew or sweet potato souffle. I also ordered a fried alligator appetizer — a delicious change-up from the usual meats.
[gallery ids="20785,20786,20787,20788,20789,20790,20791,20784"]
The Questionable
The BBQ pulled pork, a.k.a. The Meat Pile
Fish N’ Pig is supposed to be equal parts fish and pig; however, their BBQ was not superb. The pulled pork was served in what can only be described as a meat pile. The BBQ sauce was heavily vinegar-based, and it had a slightly strange pickle taste.
Freshmen Vickram Lokasundaram and Matthew Boldan both ordered the BBQ, and were not satisfied.
“I did not finish it, I did not want to,” Lokasundaram said.
“Just not a good experience. I also did not finish,” Boldan said.
The Service
Our server was a new employee. She told us this, but it was also very apparent by the lack of drink refills and lack of knowledge about the menu. She was not able to answer my questions about how the crayfish was prepared.
The Bad
The Price
The prices would be reasonable if the food was great, but given the overall average experience, the price seemed too high.
Unfortunately for the efforts of the Fish N’ Pig, it seems that trying to combine two different types of food in one menu resulted in an overall lack of quality in both. What is redeemable, though, is a great atmosphere and social experience. Though I cannot say I would go back for the food, I might would go back for a nice little picnic — once it gets warmer again.
Rating
Will 3/5
Peter 3/5
(12/04/16 12:53am)
In a time when the movie industry is saturated with big-budget science fiction films, it can be difficult for a film to distinguish itself as truly outstanding within the genre. “Arrival,” a new film from Paramount Pictures, competes against films such as “Interstellar,” “Gravity” or “The Martian” in terms of sci-fi excellence.
However, “Arrival” stands apart due to the exceptionally positive philosophical views of protagonist Louise Banks, played by Amy Adams.
Louise is a linguistics professor recruited by Forrest Whitaker's character, Col. G.T. Weber, to work for a special government project. She teams up with physics professor Ian Donnelly, played by Jeremy Renner, to communicate with extraterrestrials who have recently arrived on Earth.
The aliens arrived in twelve locations in different countries in giant egg-like ships which hover above the ground. The ships have a latch that opens every twelve hours, and each country's government sends agents inside to attempt communications.
Whereas Americans Louise and Ian combine brain power to try to understand the language of the tentacled creatures named “heptapods,” other countries take a more violent approach to the unwelcomed guests.
Diplomatic pressure eventually causes a standstill in the countries’ combined attempt to solve the riddle of the heptapod language. Earth is on the verge of declaring war against the alien creatures, and it seems like Louise and Ian are the only people who want to preserve the inter-planetary peace.
The movie centers around Louise’s struggle to understand the new language, which is unlike any linguistic challenge she has faced before. The approach which she takes is methodical and thought-provoking. Any appreciator of the beauty of language would be impressed with this aspect of the movie alone.
Discovering the secrets of this new language has a side effect, though. Louise finds that as she immerses herself in the alien language, she begins to think as they do. For the heptapods, time is not linear. They are able to perceive points of time as happening all at once.
As Louise gains some of this ability, she is taken into her tragic past, and she struggles to reconcile her past feelings with her current occupation. With this same ability, she is also able to gain information critical to convincing other countries to combine knowledge gains by each of the twelve ships, to finally discover the real reason they have come to Earth.
Unlike other action-based sci-fi movies, “Arrival” captivates without using a series of high-intensity action scenes with advanced technological weapons. Instead, it presents a story that speaks to the mind and to the soul.
The breathtaking scenery and CGI combine with a beautiful soundtrack for an extremely aesthetically pleasing production. I was thoroughly impressed with the scientific authenticity that film offered, and on top of that, the emotional storyline was gripping.
This movie offers a different outlook on what a modern sci-fi movie can be. Well worth the watch, “Arrival” is a fantastic film with a unique story, backed up by incredible cinematography.
(12/01/16 11:02pm)
Students who have been at Mercer in previous years may remember sushi being sold in the UC before the new POD, Panda Express and Chick-fil-A. Now, thanks to the comments of the students from online surveys, Aramark is training some of their employees to hand roll sushi to start serving in the spring semester of 2017.
Chris Lockerman, the general manager of Mercer dining, has almost 7 years of experience working for Aramark. He said that he and Chef Jeff Smith have been wanting to incorporate fresh sushi for some time now.
During lunchtime in the Fresh Food Company on December 6th and 7th, employees will be trained, and students will have a chance to come watch sushi be made and possibly even sample the items.
The frequency and times in which sushi will be served is still to be determined. Lockerman said it takes time to implement any new menu changes because Aramark must make sure that the food they serve meets the nationally regulated nutrition information on their website.
Lockerman said the sushi served is not intended to be one hundred percent authentic.
“Akin to when we do taco bars, it's not a street taco you get in Tijuana,” Lockerman said. “It's an American interpretation.”
He said that they aim to give students new experiences and tastes.
Self-described sushi lover Jenna Bruck, freshman, discovered that sushi would be coming to Mercer in an email sent out by the Student Government Association
“I’m going to be really excited until further notice. I can decide if I’m unhappy once I taste it, but for now I’m optimistic,” Bruck said.[pullquote speaker="Jenna Bruck" photo="" align="right" background="on" border="none" shadow="off"]I’m going to be really excited until further notice. I can decide if I’m unhappy once I taste it, but for now I’m optimistic.[/pullquote]
Bruck is an Asian-American student who grew up in a neighborhood with a large Asian-American population. Though the sushi served at most restaurants, and likely the sushi served at Mercer, is not necessarily true to the roots of the cuisine, she feels that it is still good to expose people to foreign food.
“I think it’s good because it exposes people to something they might not normally try. You can’t always get authentic food. It’s good to try new things despite how Americanized things may be,” Bruck said.
Though she doesn’t feel that the dining options are perfect, she approves of the efforts of SGA and Mercer dining. “I’m glad that they want to give us choices.”
Olivia Buckner, SGA junior class president and chair of the Contract Services Committee which works with Aramark, said that her committee met with Lockerman and other employees to promote the sushi idea along with other changes.
Some recent changes to enact after Fall break are changes to what students can get for a meal swipe at Chick-fil-A. Students will now be able to substitute fruit for fries and get a spicy chicken sandwich meal or chicken biscuit meal as a swipe. Hot breakfast in the Caf is now extended to 10:15 a.m., and new fruits are being added to the salad bar.
SGA is still working to add healthier options to the vending machines and add more vegan options in the food locations.
“Mercer Dining is always looking to improve, and our committee is open to any suggestions,” Buckner said.
Anyone who has suggestion for Mercer dining should talk to their SGA representative about making the change.
“Everything stems from student requests,” Lockerman said.
(11/17/16 12:00pm)
Normally, I don’t feel the need to travel outside the circle of great food selections in the city of Macon, but when I heard about a newly-opened European style cafe serving up farm to table soups, salads and sandwiches, I had to drive a little extra to see what this place was all about.
Visiting Bluetick Mercantile Co. takes a 25 minute drive from Mercer’s campus — a drive that will take you years into Mercer’s past.
Forsyth, Georgia, just outside Bibb County, is the site of the old Tift College, which was a Georgia Baptist women’s institution before joining with Mercer to create early childhood programs. Forsyth is also home to quaint little restaurant.
Bluetick is located on Forsyth Square on an old-fashioned town street that seems like it hasn’t changed since 1960, except for the modern southern-style decorations outside the restaurant. Patrons are greeted before they even step in the door by Blue, a scarecrow with the head of a Bluetick hound. Once inside, they are taken into a part bakery, part coffee shop, part restaurant.
The Good
The Atmosphere
The interior designers for Bluetick deserve a cookie — one baked by the bakers at Bluetick, no less. They had mason jar lighting, spices and bread for sale, and the room was filled with the heavenly aroma of fresh baked bread.
“It felt organic,” said freshman Josh Dupaty, elegantly summing up the atmosphere.
“The atmosphere was adorable. It had a southern, comfort, organic feel. Everything felt real,” said Taylor Cole, another friend who went with me. She also enjoyed ordering at the counter and having the food brought to us. She said it made the experience more relaxed and casual.
The Coffee
I had their coffee of the month called “Witch Sister Is Hazel.” It was a hazel-flavored mocha topped with whipped cream, crumbled sugar cookies and chocolate drizzle. The coffee flavor was still tastable among the mass amount of sugar. It was a dessert unto itself.
The Dessert
Among our group, we tasted 5 desserts. These were classic desserts, taken to the next level.
The chocolate fudge brownie was chewy and had the slight twist of a boozy bourbon flavor.
The key lime pie was creamy and tart, and the crust was an exceptional graham cracker crust with coconut shavings.
Cole said the sweet potato cheesecake was incredibly satisfying.
“It had the creaminess of a cheesecake, but the sweetness of a sweet potato. It wasn’t too sweet. It wasn’t loaded down with sugar. It tasted naturally sweet,” Cole said.
The chocolate caramel cake featured soft chocolate cake and delicious caramel icing.
I personally ordered the pumpkin pie (I was in the fall mood), and it was easily the best pumpkin pie I have ever had. Every bite hit me with cinnamon and nutmeg.
The Salads
The salads were balanced and had little additions that went a long way, such as fresh mozzarella, smoked bacon, or homemade croutons.
“The croutons were banging,” Dupaty said.
The Freshness
Everything on the menu was made from scratch and locally sourced. Freshness could be tasted in everything we ordered.
“They stayed true to their theme of fresh and organic,” said Lizzie Ctibor, another friend who came to eat with us.
[gallery ids="20608,20614,20613,20612,20611,20610,20609,20615"]
The Questionable
The Smoked Eggplant
Bluetick takes fresh eggplant and smokes in a Big Green Egg smoker. They then put it on their salads and in an eggplant and mozzarella panini.
“I did not necessarily like the eggplant. It was very smoky, a little overpowering. It tasted like campfire,” Cole said.
The Portions
I thought the portions were a bit light for the price. Cole agreed that they were a bit small, but Dupaty said it was plenty and that he couldn’t finish his.
The Price
The price is a bit expensive, but reasonable for the quality.
“I’m used to a low budget lifestyle, but I get the price because it’s organic,” Ctibor said.
The Bad
The Hours
They are only open weekdays from 6AM to 6PM, so it’s not a possible weekend lunch excursion or evening study spot.
Bluetick is a great place to grab a snack; however, as a restaurant, its meals are lacking in quantity. While the prices are not too bad, ordering enough to fill me would be expensive unless I wanted to fill up on sweets. Still, I would go back to Bluetick. It’s a great shop to just sit down and take in the beauty of its atmosphere.
Rating
Will: 3/5
Taylor: 4/5
(11/10/16 10:00pm)
This year's homecoming festivities featured decades-themed events, lots of fun, and fierce competition as teams representing different campus organizations competed over the course of the week.
The teams were divided by size into two groups. The small teams were Delta Sigma Pi, SGA, RUF, Delta Sigma Theta, and the combination of Caribbean Student Association, African Student Association, and Organization of Black Students.
The big teams were Chi Omega; Alpha Kappa Alpha and Kappa Alpha; Wesley; Phi Mu, Pi Kappa Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi; RHA; and Alpha Gamma Delta, Zeta Phi Beta and Lambda Chi Alpha.
Homecoming week, which followed the theme “Beareling Through Time”, started off in the ’90s Sunday night with a special showing of “Halloweentown” in Willingham and a pumpkin carving competition in the historic quad just outside. Each team carved one pumpkin to be judged based on creativity, originality and overall appearance.
Students stabbed into pumpkins while others held up phones to provide light for their teammates. Guts were flying.
“You’re in the splash zone,” said senior class president Millie Smith, as she continued to carve her pumpkin.
The pumpking carving was “lovely . . . a great way to start homecoming,” she said.
The “Halloweentown” movie had some technical difficulties that led to a slightly early end, but everyone who went was still able to grab some fresh popcorn.
After the pumpkin carving, SGA took the lead for the small groups, and CO, KA and AKA for the big groups.
During the day on Monday, banners were put up and judged in the lobby of the CSC. The banners featured spoofs of classic movies and plenty of bear puns. Delta Sigma Pi won for the small groups, and CO, KA, and AKA for the big groups.
Monday night was the night of the costume party and contest. Creatures both scary and whimsical roamed the halls of Penfield. There were princesses, rock stars, and midway through the party a couple of mummies burst through the doors and ran straight for the candy table.
Even students who were not competing were able to dress up and had some fun.
“I like costumes and I like history. World War II history is cool, and this costume is easy,” said Rosie the Riveter, the costumed Emily Robertson.
For this contest, winners would be determined for the big and small groups, as well as for an individual category. The winners for the individual, small and big contests were Austin Connor, Delta Sigma Theta and Wesley, respectively.
“I’m a freakin’ ninja,” was all that Connor had to say. He had donned black ninja garb and Nike slides.
Roommates Rebecca Hall and Rebecca Fulton were dressed as Wayne and Garth from Wayne’s World. The two said they had always watched Wayne’s World together and it felt great to win for their team.
After Monday’s competitions, Delta Sigma Pi pulled into the lead for the small groups, and CO, KA and AKA retained their position as first for the big groups.
Tuesday night was a break from the competition for a Pokemon stuffing event on the third floor of the CSC. The third floor was packed as students tried to get a chance to be one of the first to stuff either a pikachu, bulbasaur, charmander, squirtle or pokeball.
Wednesday was a time to test the knowledge of each competing group. During trivia night, teams competed in a charades style heads-up trivia.
Sorority chants and yells of support were heard as teammates imitated driving cars, doing karate, and various other actions. It was unclear whether some motions were in an attempt to demonstrate the clue, or just out of pure frustration.
Delta Sigma Pi won for the small groups, and PM, PKP and KAP for the big groups.
“We’ve been practicing [trivia] throughout the week,” said Thomas Bridgewater, one of the competitors for Delta Sigma Pi. “It’s great to represent the fraternity,” Bridgewater said.
After trivia night, Delta Sigma Pi was still in the lead for the small groups and Wesley pulled in the lead for the big groups.
Mercer village was blocked off from traffic Thursday night so that students could literally dance in the streets. Tyler Burnham, president of Mercer’s ballroom dancing club, led ’60s-style swing lessons to songs like “Love Potion No. 9,” “Let’s Twist Again” and “Come On, Let’s Go.”
“Triple step, triple step, rock step,” Burnham counted to the beat as students learned to either lead or follow. He said that he was very pleased with the turnout and talent of the participants that night.
SGA senator Pornchai Chantha was still dancing even after the music ended.
“That was awesome. I liked how they blocked off the village,” Chantha said.
Friday night was the big lip sync competition before the pep rally. Teams performed a variety of songs from every decade, from ’20s flappers songs to ’90s boy bands.
Backsteet Boys’ “I Want it That Way” was performed three times.
During a performance by CO, KA and AKA, the stage literally shook.
In between performances, audience members were invited to compete in mini lip sync competitions for prizes like movie tickets and T-shirts.
As soon as the competition ended the pep rally started. The band played, the football captains spoke, and the homecoming court was introduced. A fireworks display took place at the very end of the day’s festivities.
Game day Saturday was not without its own competition, aside from the game itself — a 50” flatscreen TV was up for grabs in a rock, paper, scissors tournament, the final round of which was held on the football field.
During halftime, the winners of homecoming were finally announced.
For the small groups, third place went to SGA; second to CSA, ASA and OBS; and first went to Delta Sigma Pi. For the big groups, third went to AGD, ZPB and LCA; second went to CO, KA and AKA; and first went to PM, PKP and KAP.
The homecoming king and queen were also announced. Jave Bjorkman was crowned king and Shadasia Wilcox was crowned queen.
Regardless of the homecoming winners, Mercer Bears came together for fun and festivities in a trip through time. They came together too in the game against ETSU for a win 21-13.
Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of Tyler Burnham, Mercer's ballroom dancing club president.
(11/08/16 1:16am)
Tropical Flava might sound like some curbside snowcone stand, but don’t let the name fool you; Tropical Flava is an authentic Jamaican restaurant serving an array of Caribbean food as good as it gets. Located on the corner of Ingleside and Corbin Avenues, it is an experience well worth the seven minute drive from Mercer University.
The Good
The Freshly Squeezed Juices
I went with a group of freshmen, and our wonderful experience started out with juice, of all things. The waiter informed us that we could sample all their fresh juices, and he brought a tray full of little plastic shot glasses with multiple colored drinks.
None of us expected to pay almost 6 dollars for a glass of juice.
“I was hesitant at first about the price of the juice, but once I tried a sample, I thought I just had to have this. It was worth the price,” said Mo Qureshi, a friend who accompanied us to dinner.
The pineapple juice had notes of mango and ginger, sweet and fruity, but balanced. The fruit punch had a mix of different fruit flavors. The cucumber juice was slightly unusual, but it was citrusy and refreshing. All the juices came in generous portions.
The Oxtail
Oxtail might sound a little too far out for some, but it is actually the most tender part of the cow and a must-try at any Jamaican place.
“It, quite literally, fell off the bone,” said Adam Penland. On top of the tenderness, it was cooked in a hearty brown sauce.
“The sauce was amazing,” said Vikram Lokasundaram, with emphasis.
The Jerk Chicken[pullquote speaker="Mo Qureshi" photo="" align="right" background="on" border="none" shadow="off"] When I took a bite of the jerk chicken, I was like, ‘This is pretty good.’ But when I dipped it in the jerk sauce, it changed my life.[/pullquote]
Perhaps the most iconic Jamaican dish, jerk chicken is an exotic yet approachable choice. What makes this dish so dang good is the spicy jerk sauce poured all over the chicken.
“When I took a bite of the jerk chicken, I was like, ‘This is pretty good.’ But when I dipped it in the jerk sauce, it changed my life,” Qureshi said.
The Sides
Each entree comes with a side of either white rice or rice and beans, stir fry veggies, or two pieces of fried plantains, all of which are good. Scooping up the rice with some of the spare sauce at the bottom of the plate creates an incredible bite.
The Presentation
Each plate is served with huge portions to satisfy and careful decorating to impress. The plates have nice placement of meat and sides, but there is an added colored onion in the shape of a flower just to make each plate feel unique and special.
The Desserts
After eating so much food, it simply does not make sense to want dessert. Here is something else that does not make sense: how good the desserts are.
I ordered a Pina Colada Cake that was four layers of light and fluffy cake with vanilla icing, coconut shavings and pineapple compote.
After some of my friends tried my cake, they wanted something sweet of their own. Penland decided to order a sweet potato cheesecake, which was a spectacular dessert.
“The taste of sweet potato was not too overwhelming, and it was perfectly — it’s just so perfect, I don’t know what to add,” Penland said.
My friends were so impressed with those desserts, that James Smith had to order another. He and Lokasundaram split a triple chocolate cake with strawberry drizzle.
“The chocolate cake was a team effort and a team success. A heartstopper for sure — I had to take a few breaks, but in the end we won,” said Smith, sighing.
The Service
The servers paid just the right amount of attention without seeming intrusive. When they spoke, they were funny, down-to-earth and hospitable. We all enjoyed cutting up with both our waiter and the owner.
[gallery ids="20455,20460,20459,20458,20457,20456"]
The Questionable
The Price
The meals are not too expensive; the non-seafood items are between 10 and 15 dollars. However, it is hard to escape from ordering a juice or a dessert or both.
Though they are expensive, the meals are certainly big enough to split, especially if you get a combination plate. They also offer a lunch menu, which has meals for under 10 dollars.
The Bad
The Gratuity Charge
After spending so much money, I was displeased to discover that there is a gratuity charge for groups over only four people. Most other restaurants add this charge starting at parties over six. My only complaint is that this really disincentivizes me from going here with a larger group.
My trip to Tropical Flava stands out as one the best food experiences I have had in recent memory. It was more than just going out to eat; it was an authentic, enjoyable dining experience.
“It had a really homey feel. Authentic I would say. I’ve had lots of Caribbean dishes, and it stayed true to those flavors,” said the photographer of the evening, Peter Garcia.
If you’re looking to try something different, Tropical Flava is an exotic destination not too far from Mercer University.
Rating
Will 4.5/5
Peter 4.5/5
[related title="Related Stories" stories="20064,20408,20217" align="center" background="off" border="none" shadow="off"]