Dining on a Dime

Some of Mississippi's Best Kept Secrets

Jackson is the capital and largest city of the state of Mississippi. Located south of the Yazoo River, it is considered to be the southern border of the Mississippi Delta. The 2010 census ascribed a population of 539,057 to the five-county Jackson metropolitan area.

The current slogan for the city is "Jackson, Mississippi: City with Soul." The people here are just about the friendliest you’ll ever meet. And there are so many fun things to do in Jackson, the largest city in Mississippi. So many family-friendly places to discover in the metro area -- not to mention a hundred events, from heritage festivals to antique shows and symphony concerts to sports classics.  You will open up a world of new adventures when you travel to the City of Jackson, Mississippi.  Jackson is ranked 3rd out of America's 100 largest metro areas for the best "Bang For Your Buck" city according to Forbes magazine.   The study measured overall affordability, housing rates, and more. The city is named after Andrew Jackson, who was a general at the time of the naming but later became president of the United States. The city is the anchor of the Metro area.

Jackson is a city famous for its music – including Gospel,  Blues, and R&B. Jackson is also home to the world famous  Malaco Records recording studio. Many notable musicians hail from Jackson.

Being a native Jacksonian, I like to think we have a wonderful secret that the rest of the U.S. doesn't know about.  Life here is a "slow-lane" southern lifestyle, which suits me just fine.  Mississippi's relaxed pace and laid-back atmosphere are some of my favorite things about being a southerner.

All that being said, I wanted to talk about one of the things I love about this place.  Eating!!  Several restaurants that we frequent that have a policy of BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle).  Crazy as that sounds, I think it's a wonderful idea that lends itself to long, lazy dinners lingering around the table, chatting with other diners.

Basil's 904 (AKA Basil’s of Belhaven) is one of three Basil’s locations in Jackson, but it’s the only one that serves dinner as well as lunch. What you also may not know is that in addition to their standard panini, pasta, and salad fare, they’ve added a mouthwatering selection of wood-fired pizzas to their menu. Basil’s pizzas are recognizable on sight by their distinct football-like shape, cut in a zig-zag pattern to create long, thin slices. You’ve got your standard Cheese/Pepperoni/Meatball options, but the menu is rounded out with signature pizzas unique to the restaurant.

Creative pizzas, Italian food, burgers, bruschetta, crab cakes and comeback dressing, salmon, Greek salad, shrimp and grits Creole and much more in a casual-dining atmosphere in the heart of Belhaven.

Spaghetti and Meatballs $8.95 Every Wednesday Night! Or for lunch you can get a half pizza with a salad!

NO corking fee for bringing your own wine, plus an extensive beer selection.  Great inexpensive dining experience when you don't feel like cooking.  Nathan is an awesome chef, and the wait staff is superb!

If you’re looking for some fabulous Greek eats, then Bill’s Greek Tavern is a definite must try. Bill’s began in 1972 as Bill’s Burger House and has evolved into one of the best authentic Greek dining establishments in the metro area.

Bill is the man is awaiting your visit with a big “God Bless America” and a huge smile.This is a man that was born in Greece and loves cooking so you are definitely in for a treat with the excellent dishes, smiling friendly staff and authentic, always fresh and never frozen seafood.

Bill’s is open for lunch and dinner daily Monday through Saturday. At lunch there is always a fresh fish of the day that is served with a Greek style salad, potato and a veggie. You will always find crab cakes, fresh shrimp, scallops, oysters or the specialty Greek gyro platter served to perfection.You can always ask for fresh lump crab meat or feta cheese on your salad for an extra charge, well worth it for sure.

At night Bill kicks it up with some great appetizers like the cucumber and yogurt dip with hot bread and tzatziki sauce, Tyri feta cheese, calamata olives, dalmathes, golden pepperoncini peppers, fish dip, or a combo appetizer platter.

The salads continue at dinner and the great entrees come with a Greek salad, baked potato or fries, a veggie and plenty of Greek bread and butter. The Tavern’s specialty is the Gyro dinner of lamb and beef with Greek sauce. Other entrees are grilled chicken, beef shish-ka-bob, ribeye and filet.

From the sea, fresh seafood abounds with tilapia, crab cakes, red fish, red snapper, grouper, shrimp, scallops, oysters or combo dishes of two and a divine seafood platter of five fish offerings.

You must save a bit of room for the incredible desserts of Baklava, cheesecake or the pastry treat of walnut and syrup.

 A nice selection of imported and domestic beer is available as well as coffee, iced tea and soft drinks. You can bring your own wine to compliment your meal and just relax with some great food and excellent service.

Bill’s Greek Tavern is not an elaborate restaurant, just a good food, good time, friendly service establishment that has been a local favorite for over 30 years.

 

Bestowing generous helpings of good food and great hospitality is a joyous lifelong affair for Jane and Jim Hudson.  As proprietors of Bon Ami restaurant, Market Bites, as well as a regionally popular catering business, the Hudson’s unapologetically share with their entire family an effervescent love for making guests feel welcome when they arrive. 

Lunchtime finds diners selecting from a menu that ranges from a mouth-watering gourmet burger to curry chicken salad,

which has been repeatedly voted "Best in City."  While enjoying the setting of an intimate evening, guests may choose from entrees featuring the freshest seafood to steak au poive.  Lloyd and Kilgore are the best wait staff!

Diners are encouraged to bring their favorite vino to pair with the featured daily dishes as well as Chef Hudson’s specials.

Since its inception in 1935, the Mayflower Café has become synonymous with good taste and good times in Jackson, MS.  A 75 year old institution, they don’t waste time being pretentious and they definitely don’t have the hippest atmosphere, but that being said, The Mayflower has built their reputation on the quality of their seafood.  Mayflower is where you go for an original and nostalgic experience to usually dine before an event downtown or some formal affair you plan to attend. This is where you take someone visiting Jackson to understand the classic urban character that the city is known for downtown. When you arrive,  put your name on the list, and join the group of people waiting outside for about 20 minutes. It's a great place to have a pre-dinner cocktail where you'll see and be seen!  As the oldest operating restaurant in the capital city, the classic, Greek-inspired seafood and steak menu has been passed down through the Kountouris family from generation to generation.    A traditional, nightly gathering spot for locals and visitors alike, Mayflower Cafe is a downtown landmark and often featured in the works of area artists.  Many celebrities—from international superstars to local trendsetters—have chosen the Mayflower Café as a favorite stop in Jackson. The restaurant was featured in the highly acclaimed Alec Baldwin film Ghosts of Mississippi and most recently, The Help.

Almost every table has a bottle of wine that was "brown bagged" in. That's right, you can carry in your own wine.  Serving beer and BYOB allows you to bring your favorite wine to accompany your meal.

You don’t go to the Mayflower for the latest and greatest food trends; you go to the Mayflower for simple classic seafood.  They deliver with good seafood and a nice piece of Jackson history.  Annie, Sondra, and Charlotte are the best!

The nice and fresh and served on a saucer house salad is full of iceberg and green leaf lettuce, with cherry tomatoes, black olives, shredded carrots, pepperoncinis, and feta cheese.    However, if you know anyone that’s been to the Mayflower, it’s the comeback dressing that makes their salad.  It’s a little bit sweet with just a hint of spicy.  It almost tastes like there's a little bit of Zatarain's shrimp boil mixed in, delicious.

Appetizers, like Eggplant Josephine,  crispy fried rounds of eggplant, with the perfect amount of batter, light and delicate, just like the batter for Granny’s fried green tomatoes come topped  with big chunks of fresh crab meat and tomatoes.  Seriously, where do you ever get that much crab meat without it being in the title?  Stack the eggplant with a piece of crab meat and tomato, and it makes a delectable little bite.  Not to be missed are the fried crab claws or fried onion rings, either!  Yummy lemon ice box pie, coconut cream pie, and chocolate ice box pie are available for dessert, if you've left any room!  From the famous house salad dressing that Maxim magazine calls the nation’s number one condiment and was featured on Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate", through the buttery, melt-in-your-mouth signature redfish, the Mayflower experience is second to none.

Add Eslava’s to the list of interesting, hearty dining options amidst the Flowood bustle.  The Cajun crawfish pasta is a favorite, as are the steaks, snapper, and the fried green tomatoes stand tall among similar offerings by other area restaurants. They also offer some interesting appetizers like the avocado salsa with fried plantains and yucca chips, and desserts like the Tres Leches milk cake (a family recipe) bring things to a sweet

finish.   Eslava’s is BYOB with hopes of bringing in a full bar in the near future, so bag up your favorite adult beverage and the friendly wait staff will be glad to get your setups ready for you. The regular array of iced tea, soft drinks and coffee are available. They do serve beer however with offerings of Corona, Miller, Coors, Budweiser and Heineken.

The building once housed a fast food restaurant, yet they have done a good bit of interior renovations that include a nice art deco style with clothed tables. They are still facing a bit of newness, yet the staff as well as the management, especially Emma,  are eager to make you feel at home while they settle in for what looks to be a great new hot spot with their nice menu selections.

The top notch tastes and flavors at Eslava’s will definitely be making their name known in short order.  So spread the word, drop in for a great meal and try a bit of everything they have to offer.

Aladdin Mediterranean Grill, is a distinctly charismatic and casual elegant dining destination. For a taste of the Mediterranean, head to this small but kitschy restaurant and see what the fuss is all about. This restaurant brings together delicious authentic dishes, made from scratch, and a fusion of culture and cuisine that is a feast for your eyes, as well as your plate. Delicious authentic dishes including lamb dishes, hummus, falafel, kabobs, shwarma and much more. Consistent award-winner, great for takeout or for long evenings with friends.  BYOB - no corkage fee.

 Gibbes Country Grocery

Learned, MS

http://southernlagniappe.blogspot.com/2010/05/dinner-at-old-country-store.html

 

This is a place that we have not tried yet.  We've heard lots of good things about it, so it is on our list of new places to go some weekend.  Bring your wine and head over to Gibbes, built in 1850 or so and still owned by the same family. The old store is the site of a restaurant, open only Thursday to Saturday, where Chip Gibbes and his wife cook and serve up some of the best food you'll find anywhere. Smartly, they stick to the basics: ribeye, strip. rack of lamb, salmon, chicken. Salad: simple, cold, crisp with homemade Comeback dressing. Sides: seasonal and fresh--yellow squash with onions; creamed spinach; potato casserole; all really great! Plan to go with friends, bring your wine, and have an evening of lingering around the table, chatting with other diners and with the Gibbes. You will not want to leave, and you'll want to go back again. We look forward to our visit there so we can recommend it to you.  Have a great Saturday, and maybe you'll get to try one of these local spots for your dinner tonight!