The Old Country Store is probably the most charming fried chicken place in the state, and charm is delicious in its own way.  The place is more of a flea market than a store, and there certainly is more shelf space than there are items for sale, but it’s a fun place to wander around.

The chicken was amazing.  My excitement about eating it meant that I did not get very good pictures, unfortunately.

I’m generally not willing to declare anything to be the best without a side-by-side taste test, but this was absolutely in the top band of fried chicken I’ve had.  It was not greasy, the breading was crunchy and hearty, a little bit salty but not strongly seasoned, and the meat was impressively juicy.  It was a buffet, but fresh chicken was constantly coming out.  Definitely hover around for a fresh batch if you can.

Not all of the sides stood up to the heat lamps very well, though I liked the mac & cheese and the cornbread.  And the sides that weren’t under heat lamps were quite good—especially the potato salad and the slaw.  I have heard great things about the cobbler, but this was one of the few times in my life when I just could not force another bite in my body.

The Old Country Store’s chicken was worth the drive, and more than worth the $8 for the buffet.  I’m not sure of the hours, but they were open until 5 on Saturday when I went.  Call ahead to make sure: 601-437-3661.

]]> http://carpejackson.com/2010/03/10/old-country-store/feed/ http://carpejackson.com/2010/02/26/mediterranean-fish-grill/ http://carpejackson.com/2010/02/26/mediterranean-fish-grill/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:38:43 +0000 YAR http://carpejackson.com/?p=674 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 and, my very favorite, an olive bar.  I haven’t sampled from this particular olive bar, but as far as I’m concerned you can’t go too far wrong with an olive bar. More cases at the register sell containers of salads, tabouli, and hummus and several desserts, including baklava and an amazing looking tiramisu.

I got the Shish Kebob platter, which comes with an unnecessary amount of food for $9. The meat itself, though not very photogenic, was very good. I guess it could have been a bit tenderer, but it was far from tough, quite moist, and there was a touch of delicious char on it.

The meals come with three sides, and plenty of each. I liked the hummus, which was fresh and light, and not strongly flavored but definitely not bland; it was also thick and tasty enough that I ate most of it straight, with no vehicle (is that strange?). The dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) were my favorite side—I liked how refreshingly acidic they were. My least favorite was the lentil salad, which I thought was too intensely savory and the flavors not quite balanced. Not shown in the photo are the little container of thick, dill-y tzatziki (which went great with the meat and the grape leaves) and the four small pieces of pita (which were a bit thin and dry but had a good whole wheat taste).

Next time I plan to get some fish, of which the owner is very proud, and I would like to go for dinner. It is BYOB, and the dinner prices look very reasonable–if the amount of food is anything like the lunch portions, it seems like quite a good deal. You can find their hours and menus here.

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 aromatic level that was intriguing and got me to finish the serving and wish for more. The hushpuppies were my favorite part of my meal. They were straight from the fryer, with a dense crispy outer shell and a wonderful interior texture that my friend described as almost creamy. Like the beans, some onions imparted an extra depth, and the overall hushpuppy experience was less heavy and more subtle than I generally expect from deep fried corn meal.

My friends let me sample their meats, and I decided that despite the restaurant’s name, I had ordered the wrong thing. Maybe it was my particular batch of ribs, but both of the other dishes I tried were significantly smokier than the ribs and, for that reason, I liked them a lot more. The chopped pork’s smoke provided a better balance against the sauce, and the chicken (not shown) was both smoky and moist.

Next time I’ll be really going back for the sides, but I’m also excited to try the fried catfish (the catfish nuggets are tempting, both because I know the Rib Shack can really fry and because the nugget shape is always so appealing). And if I’m in the mood for some bbq, I’d happily go back to the chopped pork or even branch out to beef. Check out the full menu here. They’re open Tues-Thurs 11-8, and Fri-Sat 11-10.

Madison — Bakery/Donut/Coffee
Daylight Donuts (3214 South Liberty Street, Canton) [none]

Madison — Fast Food/Deli
TOWN & COUNTRY PLAC (4742 Hwy 22, FLORA) [601-879-3763]

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. The cornbread was thick, moist and sweet. The hollandaise was tangier than most, which was a good thing in this sandwich as it countered the sweet cornbread very well. The bacon was thick and cut into good-sized chunks. I wished at first that the asparagus was less cooked, but its mushiness probably ended up making the whole thing easier to cut and eat, and it still had a good asparagus flavor that went well with the other ingredients. For $8, it comes with either chips, a salad, or a small cup of one of the soups of the day. I went with the tomato bisque, which was unexciting.

The White Palette is “grilled chicken topped with our piquant white barbeque sauce, tangy slaw and a smidgen of Alabama goat cheese.” I’ve had white, Alabama-style barbeque sauce once and loved it, so I was excited to try my coworker’s White Palette. Unfortunately, I can’t really speak to the taste of this sauce because as far as I could tell, there was none on the sandwich. None that I could taste or see, at any rate—the sandwich was actually fairly dry. The other ingredients weren’t bad, though, so I can only hope that this was a one-time execution mistake. Maybe next time I’ll ask for extra sauce. If it’s as good as the hollandaise on the Plantation Sandwich, it could be quite delicious.

Since the cafe is in an art museum, here is an “artistic” (or, “accidentally blurry”) photo of the interior. It is a pleasantly light and open space.

The Cafe is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10am-2pm.

The restaurant doesn’t look like much on the outside (true of so many of the best places), but inside it is bright and open. You order from a cafeteria line and take your tray into the dining room, where a server brings you water, iced tea, or lemonade.

Counting on my friend to let me try his soul spaghetti, I decided I was more in the mood for red beans and rice. The sausage was delicious, and had a unique texture that was almost spongy—that may sound unpleasant, but I liked it a lot. The skin was snappy and the dish was nice and smoky, with a little bit of spice. Although the beans didn’t come in a sauce, they were far from dry. I also really enjoyed the sides: the greens were mellow and not greasy, and the macaroni had a pleasantly crispy top. Despite the cafeteria-style set-up, neither suffered from tasting like it had been sitting out for hours.

My friend got the spaghetti and I had a few bites. I loved the fat, soft pasta and the savoriness of the sauce, but I actually preferred the red beans and rice. Overall, the restaurant was near the top of my list of good soul food in Jackson (a long list, obviously). I think as long as you eat something at Collins Dream Kitchen before you die, you’re probably set.

CDK is open 11-6:30 weekdays, 11-5:30 Saturdays and 11-5 Sundays.

According to their Craigslist job posting, Zydeco is “an authentic cajun & creole restaurant which will also serve nouveau regional cuisine.”  They’ll have a full bar, live music, karaoke, lunch, dinner, and late-night food til 1 am. Could be interesting!

Zydeco is located at the former Garfield’s location.  Keep in mind that sometimes newly inspected places might show up on the report a few days before opening for business; I haven’t been by Zydeco to see if it’s open yet.

—

Hinds — Bar - Full Service
MARDI GRAS (824 SOUTH STATE STREET, JACKSON) [601-383-7774]
Sippi City (2649 Livingston Road, Jackson) [601-987-4353]

Hinds — Bar w/ Prepackaged Food
CLUB ZODIAC (2624 S. GALLATION RD., JACKSON) [228-493-4321]

Hinds — Fast Food/Deli
D & L SNACK BAR (1600 HILL STREET, JACKSON) [601-354-3006]
JAY’S FISH HOUSE AND MORE (3922 BULLARD STREET, JACKSON) [601-949-6909]
PANDA (322 HWY 80 SUITE 2, CLINTON) [601-924-8839]
Pizza Hut (2440 Bailey Ave. Suite D, Jackson) [none]

Madison — Bakery/Donut/Coffee
The Cookie Store (Northpark Mall, 1200 E. County Line, Suite 277, Ridgeland) [601-952-0062]

Madison — Fast Food/Deli
GOURMET A FAIR, NORTHPARK MALL (1200 E COUNTY LINE, STE 285, RIDGELAND) [601 906 8802]
MNP-16 & 43 One-Stop (1204 E. Peace St, Canton) [601-855-7600]

Madison — Restaurant - Full Service
BBQ FEVER (5046 PARKWAY DR,, JACKSON) [601-9957 1245]
NICK’S, INC DBA NICK’S (3000 OLD CANTON ROAD STE 105, JACKSON) [601-981-8017]
THE ROTISSERIE (6547 OLD CANTON ROAD, RIDGELAND) [991 9908]

Rankin — Bakery/Donut/Coffee
PILLOW DONUTS (1679 OLD FANNIN RD SUITE D, FLOWOOD) [601-992-6040]

Rankin — Fast Food/Deli
HISSHO SUSHI @ KROGER # 388 (1811 W. GOVERNMENT ST, BRANDON) [704-926-2200]

As you can see, neither my coworker nor I ordered the most photogenic lunches. We both got our meats smothered—mine was oxtails and his was a pork chop. The gravy was unlike any I have had before; it was very dark and almost musty. I didn’t mind it, but my friend thought it was much too thick (it wasn’t quite as congealed as it looks in the photos, but was too thick to soak into his rice). The oxtails were very tender and meaty. I liked the sides much better, though—mine were two of the best I’ve had in the area, and I appreciated that the options were more varied than at some other places. For example, the okra and tomato stew was spicy and tangy, with the okra cooked to a great consistency that still had some resistance to it but also plenty of that okra gumminess. The fried green tomatoes had a cornmeal breading that was substantial but not too thick, and not at all greasy.

I didn’t try my friend’s meal, but he said the pork chop was moist and well cooked, and the greens were some of his favorite in town. It was also an excellent deal at $5.95 for the chop and two sides.

Bully’s is open for lunch and until 6 (I think), every day but Sunday.

We only found the restaurant because Google Maps led us wrong in our search for another place in Crystal Springs. We drove by Louise’s, smelled the open pit, and suddenly became hungry.

Louise’s BBQ sauce is a clear, vinegar-based sauce unlike any sauce I’d had before. After becoming accustomed to the thick, rich, sweet-hot sauces common here, I thought I might have lost my taste for the thinner vinegar sauces that dominate North Carolina. This wasn’t quite like either, but I might even prefer it to both. The sauce was strongly acidic but also fairly sweet. It was much less spicy than many sauces in the area; what spice it had came not from chile peppers, but rather from a generous amount of black pepper.

We got a rib combo plate for $11.50, which was enough for the two of us. It included ribs, one other meat, and two sides. We decided on the sausage for our second meat. We both liked the sausage; it wasn’t particularly exciting, but it had been cooked in that wonderful sauce and had a decent snap to the skin. Next time, though, we will definitely try the pork steak instead, which we heard others order and which seems to be a specialty of theirs.

The ribs were the highlight of the meal, and possibly of my week. The plate came with four ribs, and Louise’s geniusly leaves the tips on instead of cutting them off and selling them separately, making each rib the equivalent of at least one and a third ribs at other places. Plus, the meat gets fattier and more succulent at the tip. The ribs had the requisite pink smoke ring under the crust and were tender yet toothy.

The sides were fine, but we pretty quickly abandoned them in favor of getting as much as we could off the ribs. At one point a bit of napkin was stuck to my boyfriend’s finger, and when he saw that the napkin was covered with sauce… well, let’s just say he went for it.

Louise’s is open 9am-9pm Tuesday through Saturday, and 9am-2pm Sunday and Monday. Check out the menu here. I’m sure I’ll never again make the drive to New Orleans without stopping there.

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