Stewed Okra and Banana Splits

originally published June 18, 2008

Be Bold: One of the small advantages of buffet-style service is that brave impulses can be carried out more easily. If you see something that looks intriguing, you don’t have to bother with asking anyone to dish it out for you; instead, if you grab the spoon, it can be on your plate quicker than the thought. This worked out nicely at Downhome Waterwheel Café (824 Hull Rd., just past Athens Tech on Hwy 72, next to Subway), where the stewed okra looked intimidating - a gooey, green container that resembled something you’d find in a haunted house or on an old Nickelodeon game show - but turned out to be the best item available that day, with just the right amount of salt and flavor. It’s rare even to see stewed okra, as opposed to its more cosmetically gifted cousin fried okra, on a steam table or a menu, as most folks are far too turned off by its looks or its goopiness, but please, people, be bold.

Other than the okra, the rest of the stuff was passable, with thickly crusted fried chicken that had been sitting out a little too long and thus suffered from sogginess; collards, Southern-style green beans and brown beans could have used a bit more salt; mac and cheese and cabbage were simple and fine; cornbread that was a bit sugary and tea that was even more so. It’s possible that some of the other meats would have rewarded boldness as well, but mystery at the buffet can sometimes be a deterrent. Like its predecessor in the space, Waterwheel Ice Cream, the new café offers frozen treats, including banana splits. It also serves breakfast six days a week and has, believe it or not, an operating drive-through. Downhome Waterwheel Café is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner six days a week, and lunch and early dinner on Sundays; it takes credit cards and can be located from the exterior by the bright red waterwheel that still graces its front.

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Be Fast: Before hearing that Athens was getting its very own Little Caesar’s franchise (1063 Baxter St., in the same strip as Just Pho and More), I hadn’t thought about the “pizza pizza” joint in literally 10 years, but the fond memories it evoked of evenings spent at the Atlanta Arts Festival in Piedmont Park weren’t just colored by nostalgia. It turns out that the really big advantage of Little Caesar’s is that you can get a large cheese or pepperoni for a mere $5 at any time they’re open, without even bothering to plan ahead. Sure, your choice is limited, and if you’re ordering for a crowd you might need to phone them up in advance, but if you’re starving and have a place to consume said pie (space inside for customers is extremely limited and standing only), I’m not sure you could do better. The crust is nicely browned and pocked on the bottom, the sauce not too sweet, the cheese about as gluey as any other chain establishment’s and a range of dipping sauces (including buffalo, which tastes rather more like pepperoncini) awaits to your right. Little Caesar’s is open for lunch and dinner every day and takes credit cards.

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What Up? If you were hoping to go and graze at the Athens Farmers' Market (held at Bishop Park on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon), please know that it doesn’t have the permits to serve prepared food and drink, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be happy with what you purchase without cooking any of it. Luna Bakery, for example, has a booth at which you can obtain its wonderful hand-shaped sourdough loaf, the same stuff that ends up on the tables at Five and Ten, as well as many another bread they produce, scones, slightly soggy cream cheese brownies and big, nice cookies, in flavors like cherry and white chocolate chip. No one seems to be bringing butter yet, which would go just as well with the beautiful radishes, including the “watermelon” variety, pure white on the outside and bright pink on the inside. The market is working on setting up cooking demonstrations with local luminaries, which should allow onlookers to figure what to do with all the pretty stuff they’ve just purchased. In other news, Thai of Athens has closed, as its owners are in the process of moving out of town.

Hillary Brown