Monthly Archives: August 2024

Well That Took a Turn…

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When I got up this morning I had no intention of doing a blog entry this weekend. Things changed.

I’d made up my mind I was going to go someplace new for breakfast this morning instead of one of my 4.5 regular weekly haunts. The half is someplace that makes every other rotation. Anyway, I settled on Sully’s Steamers (normally I’d link that reference but for reasons you’ll understand in a minute I’m not going to). I made a quick stop at the dump (ok it’s called the recycling center but anyplace I take my trash will always be “the dump” to me) and headed out.

On the way there I had to pass the lakeside park and the sunrise was looking pretty cool. I turn a quick right turn to see what it looked like over the lake.

The sun was pointing right at the picnic table. I thought about just grabbing a biscuit from the nearest open place and coming back but no, I decided to stick fast to my plan. To downtown Clemson I continued. I got to Sully’s Steamers (again no link) and they had just this week changed the hours and now didn’t open until 8:00am. That’s brunch time people. I didn’t see that coming and now had to pivot.

Delish Sisters (see the link) is located inside a boutique hotel just half a block down the road. Seemed a little fancy but hey it was open so I turned right and then left into the place. There was one couple having breakfast and a couple of folks seated more or less in the hotel zone having hotel coffee and me. The menu isn’t huge but it had some interesting looking choices. I opted for the Breakfast ‘Sarmie’.

I don’t know what a ‘Sarmie’ is but what I got was a fancy bacon, egg and cheese sandwich with a breakfast salad. Now I will say the eggs were nicely cooked, the bacon portion was generous and thick cut plus the cheese was aged white cheddar. Oh and there was garlic aioli and onion marmalade all on a lightly toasted ciabatta roll. I did give the mixed greens salad some side eye as salad isn’t a breakfast food for me. It turned out to be tasty with the garlicy, olive oily, savory dressing. On the whole it was delicious and the atmosphere was boutique hotel casual. I fired up my Kindle app and prepared to read and eat.

I am pulled away after half my sandwich by a voice obviously directed at me, “Looks like you and I are the only ones in the place.” I look up to find this gentleman smiling at me and taking the table next to mine. I smiled and confirmed he did have the head count correct and went back to my book and breakfast. “My group didn’t get in until 3am last night. I was in bed by 10:00” Since we had established it was only the two of us I knew he had to be talking to me. Oh man he’s one of those. I looked up, smiled, made eye contact and nodded willing him to silence. His will was apparently greater because he ignored my silent wishes and asked if I was from here or in town for graduation like he was. Seems his grandson had just graduated from Clemson.

As much as I started out as a reluctant participant in the conversation I spent the next hour chatting with Bryce. Turns out he’s a multimillionaire from just south of Dallas with global business concerns that started with a parking lot painting business. He’s kind of passionate about biomedical research and technology as a result of his granddaughter’s childhood cancer (she’s doing well now 15 years on). We talked about the value of travel, staying engaged and purposeful as you age, a whole of lot of medical technology, his company in Panama and the research they are doing with stem cell infusions. His son came down, assumed his dad had cornered another victim and apologized. He needn’t have as I told them both it was a real treat chatting with his dad.

So while it wasn’t the start to the day I had planned when I got up it was a really good start to the day. Hope yours is surprisingly delightful as well.

Eating Ethiopian in Athens

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Athens, GA that is. My original plan was to meet my sister in Athens and go to a Greek restaurant, because why not. That fell through, however I already had my mind set on driving the hour and change to Athens and I decided to go with plan B. Mannaweenta Ethiopian Restaurant was that plan. It had quite a while since I’d had African and they had some good reviews so it seemed like a low risk proposition.

It is in the corner of a well established shopping center and the layout has an odd layout that opens up as you go further in where it expands with the corner. The decor is fairly simple, with plastic covered tables and decorations reflecting the origins of the cuisine.

They were not too busy when I got there. One group of 3 seated and waiting on their food and another group of 3 ladies who were placing a takeout order. It was the first time here for those ladies and the young woman behind the counter was super friendly, smiling and encouraging questions. These ladies were more that happy to accommodate her on that last point. She went through the process in the photo above and they asked questions about most of the dish options. I’m not an especially patient person by nature but since people trying new and unfamiliar food is pretty much the spirit of the blog I just smiled and listened as Lisa went through it all.

My turn came and I ordered Yebeg Tibbs (lamb cooked in onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, herbs and spices). For sides I got Yemisser Wot (red lentils cooked with onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and berbere) and Atakilt Alitcha (cabbage, carrots, potatoes, garlic, ginger, herbs, and curry powder). I was going to get the Gomen Wot (Ethiopian collard greens) but they were out. Step 2 is to pick Injera (an airy flat bread) or rice. Now from the Q&A I heard earlier Lisa had dropped a secret menu option of half injera / half rice. I asked for that but alas as my meal was being prepared she came over and told me that they were running out of rice and it would be a while before they had more ready. It wasn’t a real hardship to get the full injera option.

The meal is served on injera and as I was given to understand my first time at an Ethiopian place you tear off a hunk of injera and scoop up the food. I got a fork as back up but managed to eat most of it with the tear, scoop and pinch method. Only once did any hit the table and not once did any land on me so that was a win. I also got some hot spiced tea to go with it. The lamb was tender and well flavored. I’d asked for it with medium spiciness and honestly it was very mild. The vegetables were pretty good but the red lentils were probably my favorite of the dishes. It had a good earthy flavor you expect from lentils and the other ingredients added their own goodness plus it did have a bit more spice that the lamb or vegetables. The portions were enough that I rolled up some leftover lamb in the injera and brought it home for dinner.

Overall it was a good lunch and experience. I will say that I’d have probably had an issue with the time it took to get the food and the fact that there were out of a side at 12:30 and effectively ran out of rice by 1:00 if Lisa had not been so nice. Her attitude and helpfulness to everyone who walked through the door (including the lost person looking for directions) gave me an unexpected tolerance I guess. As plan B’s go it turned out well.