So, what do you do in North Georgia?

Recently, my friend Sous and I decided to go on a ‘foodie road trip’, with a plan to keep the driving to within a three-hour radius (avoiding overly long drives, especially after dining experiences). To any of you reading this from the ‘Northeast Corridor’, you may be thinking that a three hour radius is more than enough time to do a true three-city tour de cuisine… with Boston, Providence, Hartford, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington all in striking distance. To those of us in the Southeast (Atlanta specifically), this driving radius means that Birmingham and Chattanooga are the only real options (though Nashville, Charleston and Savannah are all about 4+ hours – and honestly, at that point I’m getting on a plane and headed to St. Martin).

Sous has lived in ‘the ATL’ longer than I, and as such, has experienced some of the regional flair. With some pre-selected quality spots in mind, we chose Chattanooga’s direction and headed off, stopping first in North Georgia for the night at a resort named Barnsley Gardens. A cute spot to hang your hat for the night, Barnsley offers private cottages (equipped with wood-burning fireplaces) and a choice of restaurants.

We opted for The Rice House and the more upscale dining environment (over the more casual Woodfire Grill); starting off with two appetizers, Chesapeake Bay Jumbo Lump Crabcakes with corn okra relish and fried lemon as well as pumpkin ravioli in citrus cream. The first course was enjoyable, but the entrees were definitely a step up, with the ‘rustic’ kitchen showing off its goods with game. Seared duck breast with duck confit bread pudding was elegantly prepared (though the accompanying foie was overcooked, shh..), but the real winner of the evening was the grilled bison over parsnip puree, demi-glace and root veggie pave… delicious.

After Barnsley Gardens, we wandered into ‘town’ the next morning (on the way to Chattanooga), stopping in Adairsville’s historic district for breakfast. The old 1902 Stock Exchange now houses a collection of tourist shops, including a real find for brunch/lunch; Maggie Mae’s Cafe & Tea Room is located downstairs in the center of the gallery shops. The decor is homey, with the aromas of imported tea, coffee and antiques wafting throughout. Food includes fresh chicken salad, quiche and a selection of grilled sandwiches (reuben and monte cristo looking best). Definitely worth a stop-in if you’re ever in Adairsville, GA (hey, you never know!).

Pretty good food all around; better than tipping cows I thought to myself. North Georgia…. check. We got back in the car and headed off towards the ‘big city’ lights of Chattanooga and the next stop on our foodie road trip…. (part two, Chattanooga, coming soon)
-bryan