I left the ‘Emory Bubble’!

Since coming to Emory, I haven’t been off campus much and my experiences in Atlanta have unfortunately, been limited. However, this past weekend my sister and her friend came to visit. We spent Saturday exploring downtown and I realized after living here for eight months that I really enjoy the city (slightly overdue, I know). We spent quite some time walking around aimlessly, just getting the feel for the area and checking out anything we came across: The Olympic Park, a couple of restaurants, and this one circle with a statue (not sure what it’s called…) In the process, we found PittyPat’s porch, the oldest restaurant in downtown Atlanta. Hungry and tired, we walked in but we didn’t really expect what we found. The place took us back decades ago. There were rocking chairs, carpeted floors, brick walls and old wooden tables and chairs. The décor coupled with the aroma of fresh bread and homemade desserts reminded me of my Grandma’s house.  As soon as we walked in, we knew we wanted to eat there. We didn’t plan on staying there long but somehow, we did. Warm and cozy, the restaurant made us feel like we were in another little world, separate from the hustle and bustle of the city. 

 Downstairs! 

accessatlanta.com 

For our appetizers, we ordered the South Georgia Crawfish dip and Fried Green Tomatoes (the waitress recommended both). They were delicious. I don’t usually like seafood but the crawfish dip was so creamy and coupled with the crackers, was the perfect starter. The fried green tomatoes were the perfect blend of spice, crunch, and saucy-ness. The salad bar offered great variety, and the bread reminded me of the bakeries back home in Serbia. Later on, I ordered Aunt PittyPat’s fried chicken. The chicken was crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I expected it to be somewhat greasy but it wasn’t at all… nor was it dry. It was just right. What’s more, you could tell that all these foods were made from scratch. The meal was definitely the closest thing to a home cooked meal that I have eaten all semester. In fact, everything was so home-y; both the food and the restaurant gave a certain sense of warmth and comfort. I also got to know a little bit more about Southern culture in the US (also somewhat overdue…) 

 

The chicken!!!! 

The experience was great, and to think we stumbled upon such a historic place by simply wondering around. My only complaint would be the prices. The meal was quite expensive but my sister was in town and it was her birthday, so I would say it was worth it!