Our friend, Beth, sent us a guide to Charleston sent to her by a resident. We used it to find lunch at Gaulart & Maliclet. 

Fast & French $ (Broad Street) – also known as Gaulart et Maliclet Café.  This is a GEM of a spot; tiny. The name says it all.  Great spot and so very European. Probably the most inexpensive option downtown with true flair. Located in the heart of the historic and art district.

Busy at lunch, but we lucked out and got a seat almost immediately upon walking in. They do a great take-out business and like Beth's friend says, it's tiny, so expect to wait.

​Recommended.

I just had to have a fish sandwich, and I could see what I wanted in my mind’s eye.  We were driving to Pensacola, Florida, fleeing the bitter cold, in January, 2024.  A quick google search for “best fish sandwich Pensacola” had The Fishing Hole as the first listing.


When we finally saw the restaurant, I was really close to asking Steven to just keep driving.  It’s in a strip mall and it has the words “fish sandwich” (among others) painted on the front window.  It is nowhere near the usual tourist haunts and I could not image who would be eating in such a place.  But, I’m used to disappointing Steven with my food choices, so I just stayed quiet and in we went.


Inside, it was cozy and well appointed, with nice, soft lighting even though outside there was blazing Florida sun.  It was fairly busy, with most tables occupied with, surprisingly, folks who looked like they were having business lunches. Busy as it was, the staff seemed genuinely glad to see us – we had two waitresses who were very attentive.   We both got Arnold Palmers, and I barely had to look at the menu before telling Mia that I wanted a grilled Mahi Mahi sandwich, hold the cheese, with a side of butter beans (I call them limas) and an extra side of hush puppies.   Steven had the same (with cheese) and a side of coleslaw.   We really could have gone for any sort of seafood , as the lunch menu was quite full (but, I was on a mission) and it all looked great.


The sandwich was divine.  The fish was cooked perfectly, the tartar sauce was tangy and delicious, and it was served with sliced red onion (hooray!), tomato and lettuce.  The fish fit the bun and I ate it with my hands, the way God intended.   I made Steven taste my limas to confirm that they were seasoned just right (he did) and the hush puppies were large and not too dense and in every aspect exactly as they should be. They never let us run out of Arnold Palmer.


I can’t wait to come back to Pensacola when it gets cold again to try whatever seafood I am craving that day at The Fishing Hole.
​

We'd not traveled to or through Oxford, Mississippi before we met friends near there (Water Valley) for what was to be a camping trip turned Airbnb weekend.

Snackbar, part of the City Kitchen Restaurant Group which includes City Grocery and Big Bad Breakfast, was recommended to us by our friend, Tim Hontzas, of Johnny's who had worked for Chef John Currence while he was living in Oxford.

After running a few errands in Oxford, we drove to Snackbar a bit early to have a drink at their bar.  The restaurant is located in a strip shopping center near downtown and is nondescript.

The bar was warm on a chilly evening and the staff preparing for the evening shift were all cordial and helpful. Drinks were nicely crafted and we enjoyed each other's company before being seated in a booth in the same general area for an early dinner.

There were few people in the restaurant when we we began our meal, but the place was packed as we left. The atmosphere festive.

Don't come expecting James Beard quality nomination-worthy eats, something Mr. Currence apparently wouldn't give two damns about anyway since he recently very publicly trashed his Beard award over the foundation's treatment of Tim Hontzas. Rebels.  They live among us. 😎

The food and service are solid and recommended.

We found ourselves in Oxford, Mississippi meeting friends from Florence, Alabama who originally planned to meet us for a camping excursion at a nearby Corp of Engineers campground.

Winter weather, and some unusual associated conditions, factor large in our recent travels with two powerful fronts complete with thunderstorm and tornado warnings with large hail predictions. In a day or two we'll be faced with plunging temperatures that will force us south to the coast again.

Full time travel has it's challenges.

We left the gulf coast a day early a few days back to escape the first to these strong winter storms, the one that left parts of Panama City in ruin.

Our friends opted out of camping due to the weather and rented an Airbnb nearby. We cancelled our campground reservation to join them in Water Valley, Mississippi

When we agreed to meet our friends in Oxford, I texted Tim Hontzas, owner of Johnny's in Birmingham, Alabama knowing he worked in Oxford for, among others, John Currence owner of City Kitchen and Big Bad Breakfast. I asked for dining recommendations in Oxford. Ajax Diner was one of his picks. Like Johnny's in Birmingham, Ajax should be one of your essential meat and threes when in Oxford.

Since 1997 Ajax Diner has been serving Oxford’s finest Mississippi cuisine. Southern comfort food is our specialty. Chicken and dumplings, fried catfish, Mississippi pot roast, meatloaf, country fried steaks, along with an array of burgers and poboys are just a few of the standards.

Named after owner Randy Yates’ grandfather, A.J. Ajax was his nickname when he was his fraternity’s kitchen steward. A.J bragged that people came from all over campus to eat his food. A.J was also well known for his hospitality at the Neshoba County Fair. The late night sing he directed is named after him to this day. Ajax’ awnings and Christmas trees lights are fashioned after the family’s fair cabin. It’s that Mississippi hospitality that Ajax brings to the Oxford Square.
 
Ajax has been voted Oxford’s best plate lunch every year since opening. It has also been voted best restaurant several times, and twice has won Oxford’s Best of the Best. Mississippi Magazine readers have three times now voted Ajax as the best plate lunch in the state. From their website