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Monday, August 15, 2011

Tasty summer travels, part one

Summer and I have a love-hate relationship. I'm not talking about a person. I'm talking about the season.


What I hate about summer is the South Mississippi heat and humidity. Sometimes it's so stifling, I can barely breathe.

What I love about summer is not being on a schedule and the flexibility that comes with it. It frees me and my family to make small road trips and visit restaurants I've been wanting to try. This summer has been a busy one, and we have managed to do some good eating along the way.

Another Broken Egg
Anyone who knows me well can tell you that Another Broken Egg is one of my very favorite restaurants. The original is located in Mandeville, La. with franchise locations across the South, mostly in the Florida Panhandle. In fact, I ate at my first one while in Destin for a cheer competition. I was instantly hooked. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when I found out someone was opening one at the Renaissance at Colony Park shopping center in Ridgeland. Since its opening this spring, it has been a hit among diners from all over the state.

I've patronized the restaurant several times and was able to kick the summer off to a good start by meeting a friend there the day after school recessed.
Open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, ABE has an extensive menu with many mouthwatering dishes to choose from. I always have difficulty deciding.

Some of my favorites include the appetizer of Baked Brie with apples, pecans, and raisins in a Grand Marnier butter sauce served with toasted French bread rounds, Bananas Foster French Toast, and the Southern Crab Stack - a grit cake topped with a crab cake, smothered with a shrimp and Andouille saute. Other family favorites include Pancakes - which are as big as a frisbee, Cinnamon Roll French Toast, and Lobster et Fromage - a cream cheese laced omelette topped with brie cheese, garlic sauteed lobster, tomatoes and champagne cream sauce. And the list goes on and on. Their country potatoes and bacon are some of the best I've ever eaten. I'm told the bacon is smoked and then baked over corn cobs. It's thick, crisp and so flavorful. There's also a long list of sandwiches on the menu, but I love their breakfast so much I've never even ventured over to the lunch menu. Maybe I will on my next visit.
Baked Brie 
Southern Crab Stack
Bananas Foster French Toast
Pancake
Cinnamon Roll French Toast

Roca
I never have been thrilled with the restaurant scene in Vicksburg. There just aren't that many local places to dine there. And then I found Roca. It ranks high on my list of Mississippi restaurants. It's located off Indiana Avenue at the Vicksburg Country Club and is open to the public, not just club members. 

My first visit there was for dinner and I ordered their most popular dish, an appetizer of Benton's Prosciutto and Smoked Gouda Fritters. Resembling a hushpuppy, these fritters are anything but. Imagine Allan Benton's prosciutto and smoked Gouda cheese, formed into a ball, deep fried, and served with rosemary honey mustard dipping sauce. They're ooey gooey balls of cheesy love. Words can't describe their deliciousness. One must try them for themselves.

Dinner entrees include Pepperd Ahi Tuna, Grilled Atlantic Salmon, Hand-cut Steaks, and more. Their brick oven pizzas feature flavors such as Blacken Pepper Chicken Pesto, Seared Steak, and Crawfish. They serve an outstanding bread basket as well, one of the best I've ever eaten.
Grilled Atlantic Salmon
This summer, when I had a chance, I took my daughter there for lunch. They offer a Blue Plate Special daily as well as salads, sandwiches, and brick oven pizzas, and pastas. I had the Seared Sushi Grade Tuna Salad which consisted of mixed field greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, sesame seeds, crispy wontons, tossed in Ginger Soy Vinaigrette, and topped with slices of fresh tuna. Anne Morgan tried the Chicken Alfredo Pasta. Both dishes got two thumbs up.
Seared Sushi Grade Tuna Salad
I have an Eat Jackson discount card which got us a free Bread Pudding for dessert. It was tasty, but didn't supersede the dessert I had on my previous visit, the Pecan Lace Cookie Cup. Pecan lace cookies are shaped into serving cups and filled with vanilla pastry cream and fresh seasonal berries. This decadent dessert is divine in both appearance and taste.
Bread Pudding
Pecan Lace Cookie Cup
We went to so many places this summer that I'm making this a series of blogs so I won't take too much of your time. Check back soon for part two.

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