treats

Tuesday’s Treats #20

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Sweet Magnolia’s

Location: Gainesville, Ga

Okay, I know I should have had such a better picture to post today, but I promise you, this Hello Dollie will be one of the best things you’ll put in your mouth!

These are rather delicious, too. Homemade coconut pecan cookies, two of my favorite flavors in one bite. Wow.

Okay, excuse me for getting distracted, but it’s yummy desserts. I always get distracted by dessert!  So, now onto the rest of the story. This place is simply delightful. You walk in and feel like you’re entering a little storefront cafe. You order at the counter, take a number and then find a table. There are adjoining shops where you can meaner while you wait or after your meal; it’s probably best after your meal, as you have a number that your waiter has to find once your meal is ready, but I was able to find a table right beside one of the shops; so, I took a quick peak while I waited. It took just a few minutes for them to being my (already mentioned) yummy desserts and my lunch special of chicken salad on croissant with a small cup of chicken noodle soup. (I’m sorry I don’t have a pic. I thought I had, but I can’t find it! 😁) They call this sandwich the Rebecca’s Famous Chicken Salad, chosen by Esquire Magazine as one of the best sandwiches in America, and if you like chicken salad, I can see why. It is delicious. They took that croissant, loaded it with this yummy chicken salad and grilled it just enough to toast the outside without heating up the salad or lettuce. I am really picky with chicken salad, too; so, I was a little hesitant. I don’t like a lot of mayo or celery, the chicken can’t be fatty and the grapes need to be firm and fresh. This one is made perfect!

To be honest, I probably won’t order the chicken soup again. It was more like Campbell’s condensed soup with larger noodles, which isn’t too bad, but I just didn’t care too much for it. I’ll try the chili next time. They offer that everyday, and I think that might be one of their better ones.

Everything else was wonderful, and I will definitely be back again. I knew I’ve included the menus in the photos, but you may need some more info, like their location. 😉 Here ya go.

Tuesday’s Treats #19

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Bob’s Victory Grille

Location: Auburn, Al

This is a great restaurant right near the Auburn University. It’s become one of our regular visits when we’re passing through town. It’s got a great atmosphere and wonderful food.  

After you order, they bring you a serving of their famous slaw and sauce. I was hesitant, at first, because I’m not a huge coleslaw fan, but this stuff is really good. The best way I can describe this sauce is “thousand island with a twist.” It’s a great little appetizer.

They have a great variety of burgers, sandwiches, wood fire pizza, “blue plate” specials and more. Everything we’ve tried is delicious, and we will continue to stop by here when we’re in town. They also have key lime pie for dessert. Yum. Honestly, It’s not the ultimate best I’ve ever had, but it is very delicious!)

Check them out here.

Tuesday’s Treats #18

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Madison’s

Location: Highlands, NC

Madison’s is located inside the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands. They have inside seating, a wine garden with outside seating, and even a rooftop terrace where you can choose to have your meal. We have eaten both inside and on the rooftop terrace and enjoyed both immensely. We have friends who had lunch in the wine garden and just loved the patio feel with the sound of the waterfall trickling nearby.

Let me stage for you and tell you about one of our favorite moments here… Now just imagine: a lovely rooftop terrace, with beautiful shutters, table settings and cushioned seating, overlooking the little town, and a gentle summer breeze blowing in the “heat” of summer with ceiling fans gently rolling. The temperature gauge rising no more than about 70-72 degrees, because you’re at such a high elevation! The waiter brings you a pleasant cheese and cracker tray for an appetizer, “just right” sweet Southern tea, mini biscuits and cornbread made fresh daily, and your meal consists of fish and chips and the best shrimp and grits you’ve ever tasted. You sit around the table with family and friends and feel like royalty… Yes, it was that wonderful!

The food is incredible, and we haven’t had one thing yet that we didn’t like! As I mentioned before, their fish and chips are great, and they serve it in a really cool style. (See pic below) Their fries are more like miniature potato logs, and the dill/tartar sauce is great. I don’t have it pictured, but they also have a great cheese tray which comes with several cheese, currant and several other delicacies that are just fantastic. They have a pimento cheese burger that is just as fantastic, too.

As I’ve also mentioned, they have some of the best shrimp and grits I’ve ever put in my mouth…and being a Southern girl, that’s quite a bit! They serve the dish in a cute little crock/skillet; so, your grits stay nice and warm throughout the duration of the meal. However, they’re usually gobbled up so quickly, it’s difficult to let the grits grow cold anyway. Haha. The grits are so creamy, and the shrimp are just right, never chewy.

It is simply a fine Southern meal to remember! If you have time, and can afford it, be sure to stay a night or two at the Old Edward’s Inn, too. It is breathtaking!

I will include the whole website on this blog; so, you can find all your needs. When you go to the site, if you just want info on Madison’s, click on the little circle icon in the top right hand corner, and a drop down menu will appear they has “dining” listed. Click there, and it will direct you to the restaurant. If you’d like to know more about the town of Highlands, you can read one of my past Wednesday’s Odes telling all. It is a delightful little town!

Tuesday’s Treats #15

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Rico’s World Kitchen

Location: Buford, Ga

Rico’s is a cool little eclectic restaurant in the heart of Historic Buford. Buford is the town famous for The Mall of Georgia, but sometimes the downtown can get missed, because it’s a few Mike’s away from the mall. Rico’s has been listed in several magazines and articles as one of the best places to eat in Georgia, and I completely understand why. Their food is unique, and it tastes incredible!

Pictured above is their sandwich called, “The Chicken Cuban.” I promise you, when you first bite into it, you will think it is a wonderful pork Cuban. It’s all in the marinade. The first time my husband orders it, he called the waitress over and she knew before he even asked what he was going to say. She assured him it was chicken, and it was due to the marinade and cooking process. He thinks it’s the best chicken sandwich on the planet.

I do think it’s wonderful; however, I’d have to say their “Royal Rooster” is my all time favorite. They (now – it used to be just one) take TWO chicken breast, marinate them in a habanero sauce and fry them, place them on a bun with tomato, lettuce, and mayo. Now, I switch mine up just a little, because I sub in smoked Gouda for the Swiss, and I only have it with lettuce and the bun.

You have a choice of inside dining and outside patio, both are nice. If you time your meal just right, you’ll also get the treat of watching the train run through downtown. I always love that..I guess, I’m still a kid at heart. 😊

They always have the best sweet tea (yes, this is the South! 😉), a creative and delicious daily special and beautiful desserts on display. If you haven’t been to Rico’s, you’ll want to try it! Here is their website for more information.

Tuesday’s Treats #14

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Hilltop Grill

Location: Athens, Ga


Hilltop is a great local steakhouse restaurant in Athens that we love to frequent when we can. They have to best bacon-wrapped shrimp appetizer that you’ll put in your mouth! They have incredible burgers, sandwiches and a various assortment of different plates. One of their sides I love is their grits. Oh. My. Yum! Their sweet tea is good ol’ Southern Sweet Tea, and their dinner rolls are the delicious yeast kind that melt in your mouth with a little butter on top.

They have special “lunch plates” Tuesday-Friday for lunch, and the price isn’t bad at all. These are like roasted pork loin, meatloaf and even turkey and dressing. Their salads and soup are great; they usually have a special soup of the day. The “icing on the cake” is their hilltop brownie. Oh. My. Word! It’s to die for!! 😉 They have several other desserts, but that one is my favorite.

The atmosphere is really cool, too. It is nice enough for linens on the table, and you can come dressed “to the nines,” or you can come dressed for game day, and you’ll feel perfectly welcomed. Just know, if you come on game day, you better come early, cuz this place will be packed!!

Here’s their website to get more information.

Tuesday’s Treats #2

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Michaelee’s Italian Life Cafe and The Cellar

Location: Blairsville, Ga There’s a little restaurant in Blairsville, Ga, that is a delicious “best kept secret.” Michaelee’s used to be located in Hiawassee, Ga, and while there, we went several times for lunch, dessert and coffee. We have been to their new location once, and even though, it’s a little different than before, it’s still wonderful.

They have now split their location into an upstairs and downstairs section, the upstairs being a regular restaurant and the downstairs being a coffee and dessert “cellar.” We haven’t eaten dinner at the new location, but if it’s anything like before, you’ll love it!

The restaurant features a great selection of paninis, pastas and Italian dishes, as well as, italian coffees and desserts.

The Cellar, as the dessert portion is called, has a really cool and intimate atmosphere downstairs. They have homemade fudge, Italian Gelatos, a wide assortment of homemade desserts, and handcrafted chocolate “tea cups,” which are served up with whip cream and chocolate .

The desserts are incredible! We recently ordered a slice of caramel apple pie and a turtle brownie pie (both served warm and a la mode) that was to die for!! Oh. My. Word. These were so good, and we couldn’t decide which we liked better. We had some friends join us, and they had the same turtle brownie, and two of us had a gourmet coffee, both white chocolate mochas. Everything was SOOO good!
They also have a really neat “tasting vault,” in which they have a wide variety of locally pressed olive oils and balsamic vinaigrettes. You can actually taste these, just as you would a wine tasting, and, as a very unique tasting experience, they have select ones you can order with gelato for a very unique dessert experience. They say, “That’s what the Italians do.” We were very hesitant in this idea of balsamic vinegar and gelato mixture, but one of the guys with us took the barista up on her offer for a sample. She created a vanilla bean gelato and raspberry balsamic vinegar “bite” for him to try. He said it was different than anything he had ever had, but he thought it was delicious. He said he would even order it the next time we came!

If you’re looking for a great Italian dinner and dessert while in the North Georgia mountain area, Michaelee’s is the place to go!

Check them out here.

New Weekly Event: Tuesday’s Treats

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Last week finalized the last of the Wednesday’s Odes, and I hope you enjoyed those. This week, I’d like to introduce Tuesday’s Treats. 

My husband and I love to go out to eat, and it is such a treat! We have kind of created a little “rating system” for ourselves by which we “grade” the restaurant at which we eat. If we like it, you better believe we will be back, and we recommend it to many! If we don’t care too much for it, we just find a new place. If it’s really bad, we “mark it off” the list. My husband always says, “Eating is not just a necessity; it’s an event. If I can’t sit down to enjoy the meal; then, I won’t eat!” …always makes me think of Mr. Ego on Ratittoue, “…If I don’t like it, I don’t swallow!” Haha! 😂 (I promise, he’s not that bad, but it is funny!!)

So, I thought I would share a few of these places with you and call it Tuesday’s Treats. These are from all over the South; since, that’s pretty much our locale, and I may give a few from other locations and/or a some that are highly recommended by a few of our good friends; however, I will note if it’s not from us. 😉 These will not be in any particular order; however, I do plan to include pictures, when I can, and the city where the restaurant is located. If I don’t have a picture, I may try to screenshot one from the restaurant’s website, and I will note this. when I can, I will, also, try to include the website link; so, it will be easier for you to find the location, menu and other needed info. 

 I do hope you will, also, take this opportunity to share with me some of your favorites. We always love to try a new place! 😊

I hope you enjoy these, and maybe, you’ll find a yummy new place to try, too! See you next Tuesday! (Or tomorrow, if you’d like to follow the blog.😉)