Archive | April, 2010

Bring On The Food Emporium!

13 Apr

There’s a proliferation of food venues popping up all over town lately. It could have something to do with spring renewal, warm weather or the coming football season. Or, maybe we’re all just really hungry! Whatever it is, I’m loving it!

We can add Olivia’s Food Emporium to the list, which will open April 21st and is located in the little blue and white house across the street from Abner’s on South Lamar (415 S. Lamar Blvd.) that used to house a law firm. You have to admit, the thought of an “emporium” of food gets you a little excited, right?

The original Olivia’s Food Emporium, started by Olivia and J.W. King, is based in Madison, Mississippi. When the Kings saw a need in Oxford for their take-home family- and individual-sized ready-to-eat meals and catering services, Olivia decided to open a second store here, asking her mother, Mary Catherine Guest, to run the operation. “In addition to a variety of homemade dishes such as lasagna, eggplant Parmesan, and spaghetti and meatballs, we’ll have Delta-style hot tamales, a full range of specialty foods, assorted gourmet desserts and grab-and-go cheese plates packaged on their own cutting boards,” says Olivia. “We also have plans to use three-wheeled bikes to deliver game-day orders to The Grove and around The Square.”

In addition, if you’ve walked past the store during construction in the past couple of weeks, you’ve probably noticed cement being poured out front. This is not for a parking lot; the area is designated for sitting back and enjoying specialty sodas, snow cones, gelatos and sorbets that can be purchased from a walk-up side window. A perfect summertime treat.

Hours will be Monday through Saturday 10-6; be sure to stop in for a free sample! For more information visit Olivia’s website.

UPDATE 5/4/10: Starting next week, Olivia’s will remain open late Thursday-Saturday nights, when they’ll serve three-tamale plates with garlic cheese grits and corn salsa. For those dining in, imported beer and Mexican soft drinks will also be available.

Photo: Olivia's Food Emporium

Supporting a Sustainable Oxford

11 Apr

Photo: FarmToMenu

Part of what makes Oxford, Mississippi, so unique is the widespread feeling of support for local businesses. The new website www.FarmToMenu.com is the perfect testament to this ideal. Launched by Daniel Morrow (some of you may know him as the Oxford Music Snob), the site focuses on showcasing local growers and the restaurants in Oxford that help support them.

More and more we see a growing trend toward sustainability and the purchase of local ingredients. As Daniel points out, it’s not always easy to know who is supporting this movement, and even some restaurateurs may not fully understand how easy it can be to incorporate fresh, locally grown ingredients into their menu offerings.

Through the site FarmToMenu.com, local farmers and restaurateurs have the opportunity to post information, photos and videos about themselves. Consumers can then find exactly where to go if they’re searching for locally obtained meats and vegetables. It’s a site you’ll want to bookmark and revisit often as I’m sure it will continually be updated.

Some restaurants already listed in the directory include:

  • Ravine
  • Honeybee Bakery
  • Emileigh’s Table
  • Big Bad Breakfast
  • Tallulah’s Kitchen
  • Snackbar
  • Boure
  • Bottletree Bakery
  • Deli News

Portuguese Bakery and Cafe Opens in Oxford

10 Apr

It’s always so exciting when a different style of food becomes available here in Oxford. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy fried catfish, dumplings and crawfish etouffee as much as the next guy, but I also believe that variety is the spice of life.

When I saw the menu for Lusa Pastry Cafe, which just opened on North Lamar, I immediately began marking the menu items I wanted to try. I may start with an assortment of Portuguese cookies and puff pastries (to share, of course). Then there are tempting sandwiches such as The Prosciutto with prosciutto, smoked Gouda, tomato and red onion, and The Panado with breaded pork, lettuce tomato and mayo. Good thing the place is open on Sunday!

Lusa Pastry Cafe will be open Tuesday through Friday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can find more information on the Facebook page here.

Best of Oxford Voting Reminder

7 Apr

Just a reminder to vote for your favorite restaurants and more in the annual Best of Oxford survey conducted by The Oxford Eagle.

Please submit a vote for EatingOxford.com as Best Oxford-Themed Website! (last page of survey)

VOTE HERE

Mink’s On The Park Opens on College Hill Road

6 Apr

Photo: Mink's

This past Friday saw the opening of Mink’s On The Park, a new deli/bakery/coffee shop located at 904 College Hill Road in the old Gail’s Final Touch space near Patsy Lamar Park.

The inviting turquoise and orange restaurant offers a choice of indoor or outdoor seating, and the menu features an array of deli sandwiches, grab-and-go breakfast items and pleasantly-priced coffee.

Open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., you’ll have plenty of time to ask owners Stephen and Amy Donnelly what the meaning behind some of the sandwich names are (The Gina, The R.J., The JoBaby, etc.). Did I mention that there’s also a drive-through window for picking up a quick cup of coffee or a called-in sandwich order?

For more information, visit the Mink’s On The Park Facebook page here.

UPDATE 7/14/10: Mink’s expands menu to 18 sandwiches:

Breaking For Breakfast

5 Apr

Subway, of all places, is debuting a breakfast menu today, helping to reinforce the idea that breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day (not to take away from the day’s other two meals, of course). On the Subway breakfast menu you’ll find egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches, whole wheat English muffins, foot longs with as many toppings as you can fit, and more. Prices range from $1.75 to $6 (and no, the photo above is not from Subway).

Now that I’m thinking about it, there are quite a few breakfast options in Oxford now. I remember not too long ago when I’d complain about never having a place to go for eggs, pancakes or smoothies. Check out the list of choices we have now–no excuse for skipping breakfast.

  • Honey Bee Bakery
  • Big Bad Breakfast
  • Mama Jo’s Country Cookin’
  • Bottletree Bakery
  • LBs. Meat Market
  • Smoothie King
  • Main Squeeze
  • Handy Andy
  • Beacon
  • Huddle House
  • Phillips Grocery
  • Einstein Bros. Bagels
  • Mink’s On The Park
  • Hunt Bros. Pizza
  • The Blind Pig
  • Fotino’s Deli and Market

We All Scream for Ice Cream

2 Apr

Photo: Holli's Sweet Tooth

OK, I think it’s safe to say that it’s officially ice cream weather. The line at Sno Biz today was filled with wide-eyed children who have waited all winter long to sink their teeth into a frosty snow cone. Up the street at Holli’s Sweet Tooth, scoops of creamy, frozen goodness were being transformed into milkshakes, sundaes and banana splits.

Yes, it’s time to partake in one of the season’s favorite treats, and the weather couldn’t be better for it. Stop into one of the many ice cream, frozen yogurt or snow cone purveyors around Oxford and grab yourself a cool treat—you deserve it!

  • Holli’s Sweet Tooth
  • Sno Biz
  • Sonic
  • TCBY (inside Chaney’s)
  • Zaxby’s (now serving milkshakes)
  • Ya-Ya’s Frozen Yogurt
  • Olivia’s Food Emporium (snow cones, gelato, sorbet)

Crawfish Season In Full Swing

2 Apr

Well, if you’re looking for some crawfish, you don’t have to travel far. You can find crawfish every day of the week here in Oxford except Sunday and Monday (anyone out there want to jump on that missed opportunity?).

  • Tuesdays – Frank & Marlee’s at 5 p.m.
  • Wednesdays – Irie at 4 p.m. and Proud Larry’s at 5 p.m.
  • Thursdays – Boure at 4 p.m. and Taylor’s Pub
  • Fridays – Taylor’s Pub and The Levee (free starting at 4:00 p.m.)
  • Saturdays – Funkys at 3:30 p.m. and Taylor’s Pub
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