Hidden Gems Revealed

originally published April 9, 2008

Hideaway: I’ve lived in Athens for nearly 12 years. I’ve been writing this column for more than four years. I even wrote the restaurant listings for the Flagpole Guide to Athens a couple of times. And yet, never did I hear of the Hawthorne Drug Company lunch counter (975 Hawthorne Ave., 706-548-5227) until this month. Add Drug’s is a local legend, so why doesn’t anyone seem to know about the one at Hawthorne Drug unless they pick up their prescriptions there? Serving from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, the counter fulfills a dual function as soda fountain (unfortunately with Pepsi products, which don’t make for quite the same experience in floats) and heartier eatery, with chicken salad, tuna salad, egg salad, pimento cheese (gooey and peppery on toasted bread), PB&J, grilled cheese, ham and cheese, turkey and bbq sandwiches, each priced at only $1.99, with chips and pickles upon request. The cue sandwich is a dense, Georgia-style thing, rather too soggy for the bun to hold up, but the Cuban sandwich, which costs $4.99 (including chips and drink), is the real attraction. Assembled in the morning, then reheated in a two-step process, it lacks the whiz-bang of the sandwiches at Cali 'n' Tito’s, but it’s a far more authentic version of the classic, with pork, ham, Swiss, mayo and pickles tucked into Cuban bread and squashed flat during the heating. The pickles could be more of a presence, the mayo more assertive, the pork deeper in flavor, but the overall experience is right, as one sits at a picnic-style table, eyeing a box of anatomical posters for sale next to the counter and happily munching. Hawthorne Drug takes other forms of payment, but cash is easier, and also makes a variety of ice cream and frozen yogurt dishes.

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Shift: Not having ventured out in the direction of the Georgia State Patrol office in a while, I thought it quite possible that Charminar (1745 Hwy 29 N., 706-543-0793), a little Indian restaurant in a gas station just past the patrol, and on the same side of the road, might not exist anymore. It always seemed unlikely, serving a selection of surprisingly delicious meats and vegetables from a small steam table on real plates for an unbelievably low price. There were a few tables, each with a glass jar of chutney, set in front of the rows of sodas and overpriced emergency housewares. The prices remain good, but the format has changed quite a bit. The tables, both seating and steam, are gone, and the food is now obtainable out of a mini-fridge with a clear door set in front of the cash register. Each item is packaged in a Ziploc baggie and labeled with its contents and an expiration date. Regardless of what the baggie contains, whether meat or veg or rice, and of quantity therein, they will run you $2.50 apiece, a better deal the more you want to eat. It’s an entirely different beast than Taste of India downtown, which does white tablecloths and higher-end ingredients. Nothing fried can survive the freezing or refrigerating process, and the vegetables fare better than the meats. Much of the food is oily (the green beans left a steadily expanding pool on the plate after being microwaved at home, the method the food seems best suited for), and the spices are strong, not weakened for the American palate. Not a single dish would probably show up on the list most folks are comfortable with (no samosas, no tandoori, no puri), but each vegetable is redolent with its own essence, while coexisting interestingly with its supplementary flavorings. The potatoes have a deep, warm taste of starch and earthiness. The cauliflower may be soft, but its delicacy is uncompromised by its spicing. The shrimp are clearly not high quality, but the dish they constitute a large part of overcomes its inexpensive ingredients in much the same manner as a lot of soul food. Charminar may not be the ideal for a five-course dinner, but it retains a great deal of authenticity and the deal is hard to beat. The gas station, of course, accepts credit cards for payment.

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What Up? Little Caesar’s is open on Baxter. The Tartar House has closed. Hot Corner Coffee has new owners and has been making some changes. Beans now come from 1000 Faces Coffee, which is both high quality and direct-trade; organic milk is an option; an extensive “green initiative” to reduce waste and contribute to compost is being pursued; and the interior is getting a facelift. Rumors of the store’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Hillary Brown

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