First, the

Beauty:

"Be right with ya,

baby!" Those were the first words I heard when I

entered Crossroads Family Restaurant for lunch last week.

And with that pledge, I knew that I had entered a beauty

of a lost tradition; the home-owned, Southern-style

restaurant.

It was rather daunting,

checking-out this new eatery, being that I think every

vehicle in the parking lot was a pickup truck, except for

mine. Would Merle Haggard be playing on the AM radio in

the joint? Would I have to wade through a fist fight to

get to a table? Not at all.

This was the most

refreshing ambience and menu I have eaten a meal through,

in a long time. I ordered fried chicken, mashed potatoes

with the skins and turnip greens. Tell me anywhere you

can have a sit-down meal anymore that serves this kind of

food.

I am so sick of chicken

fingers, I could hunt down that cartoon KFC Colonel and

bludgeon him with a salad plate. Give me the bones, the

skin and a little bit of cornmeal in the mix.

There is a lot more on the

menu than just Southern cooking (fresh seafood is

delivered every Tuesday) but this set as comfortable with

me as my old Remington 870 pump shotgun.

I eat out a lot and Fayette

County has gained quite an amalgam of trendy franchise

restaurants, but this is just the shock I have been

needing to my system. I have become quite the Stepford

food patron. So much so, that lately I am confused to

which chain restaurant I am eating in... "Wait, do

you have the Bloomin' Onion or is that Outback? Yours is

the Awesome Blossom? Oh, that is Chili's' name for it? I

am confused now, just give me the fajitas... again!"

It was great to check out

of my comfort zone and drive an extra 10 minutes to the

corner of Ga. highways 85 and 16 in Senoia for a truly

original dining experience. So if you are tired of

following the crowds, put on your Old Navy, climb into

your SUV and drive on down to some place different. Odds

are, no one will notice what you drove up in and what

you're wearing, but they will call you "baby."

Now, the Beast:

Everything in this world

says I should not desire what I desire. She has dark skin

and she's warm to the touch. I feel nervous as those

around me in the restaurant keep staring at us together.

I, of course, am talking about the Chocolate Volcano

desert at Don Pablo's Mexican restaurant.

Reputation is everything to

banks and high school girls and it has been no less

important (or devastating) to Don Pablo's, The most

original and attractive eatery in Peachtree City has the

terrible distinction of just plain stinking. You need to

try the place again.

Management has changed,

some prices are being lowered and most of all, it is just

the coolest franchise in town. Since its doors opened,

this is one of my favorites. It is for sure my kids'

favorite as they serve alphabet tater tots and chicken

fingers (Okay, for kids, whattaya gonna do?).

I have always found Don

Pablo's to have good service and good food, yet it seems

next to Janet Reno, it ranks at the top of everybody's

"bad rap" list. I think it is just that, a bad

rap.

The Yugo doesn't deserve a

second chance. MC Hammer doesn't deserve a second chance,

but Don Pablo's, this place deserves a second chance.

Just please, when you do come back, don't stare.

[Visit Billy Murphy on

the Internet at https://ebilly.net .]