This second location of Crazy Cat Bakers (the original is in Highland Village) is an outpost in the Fondren Corner building (2906 N. State St, Jackson).  It has no kitchen, and brings over baked goods and lunch items from the first location every morning.  The focus seems to be on baked goods, but I was determined to get lunch when I went the other day.  Though I liked my sandwich at the original location, I can’t say I was expecting a lot from a refrigerator of pre-wrapped sandwiches and microwavable …

Ellis Seafood (211 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave, Jackson) has two locations in Jackson; I finally drove by this one enough times and had to stop in (the other one is at 1041 Ellis Ave).  They offer many sizes and types of meals and combos, all of which seem like a good deal.  The meals come with two sides (the default is fries and salad but you can sub fried rice or hushpuppies), a drink, and, of course, white bread.  I got a three-piece catfish meal for $4.99, which was plenty …

The Rotisserie (6547 Old Canton Rd, Ridgeland) is definitely not the famous former Rotisserie restaurant of Jackson, where comeback dressing was allegedly invented.  Instead, this Rotisserie specializes in rotisserie-roasted chicken, and offers just a hint of a South American feel along with some southern American familiarity.

I was really hoping this would be a Peruvian chicken joint, because Peruvian rotisserie chicken is one of the most amazing foods ever made (and I’ve only ever had it in the U.S.).  My hopes were raised when I saw that the Rotisserie offers fried …

The Old Country Store (18801 Hwy 61, Lorman) is definitely not in Jackson—it’s about an hour and a half away in Lorman, Mississippi.  On a recent Saturday I took a mini-road trip there, via the Natchez Trace (which takes about two hours), because I had heard they have the best fried chicken in the state, and possibly the country.  That’s the kind of claim you have to check out when you live within 3 hours of it, I think.

The Old Country Store is probably the most charming fried chicken place …

I ended up at Mediterranean Fish & Grill (6550 Old Canton Rd, Ridgeland) when my first choice for lunch in Ridgeland fell through, but I’d been hearing good things about Med Fish (a nickname I just made up) for a while so I was happy to try it.

I wish I had gotten pictures of the inside. It is a large space, mostly a restaurant but also partly a grocery store. Around the edges of the dining area there are shelves of Mediterranean groceries, including dry goods and cheeses and drinks …

Rib Shack (932 J R Lynch St, Jackson) won me over with sides and also more than hit the spot when I had a serious bbq craving.

The ribs were pleasantly tender. They had some pink color, but the taste of smoke didn’t quite shine through the vinegariness of the sauce (which was also sweet, but not quite spicy enough for me).

On my plate, the sides really stood out. The beans were less sweet than at some other places, and some of the sweetness came from lightly caramelized onions–this added an …

Palette Cafe (201 E. Pascagoula St, Jackson) is the Viking-owned cafe inside the Mississippi Museum of Art. The menu seems thoughtful and has several interesting-sounding options; the cafe also offers a daily special which was Red Beans & Rice when we went. We ordered the two most intriguing menu items: The Plantation Sandwich and the White Palette Sandwich.

The menu described the Plantation Sandwich as “Southern cornbread split and layered with smoked turkey and asparagus, more cornbread and topped with hollandaise sauce and crumbled bacon.” It’s as good as it sounds. …