Moxie Burger - Marietta, Georgia

Over the past couple of weeks the Dining Companion and I have been scouting out dining spots where the 4LB Wonder would be welcome. With patio season in full swing that task has been fairly easy. As I've mentioned before I use the website BringFido to find dog friendly spots in any given area. Moxie Burger was a great find.

Moxie Burger is located in a picturesque business district made up of local, small businesses.
 

We made our way there for lunch a couple of weekends back. We got a nice tour of the business park thanks to the 4LB Wonder's desire to smell all the things. After a bit of a walk we found a seat on Moxie Burger's shady covered patio.

Although not visible in this photo water dishes are available for 4-legged visitors

Moxie Burger is a fast casual place. Most typified by the process of ordering at a counter and then having your order delivered to your table. We grabbed a menu to look over our choices and then I went inside to place our order.

Besides the traditional beef burgers, Moxie also offers a few other options. You can get a lamb burger, a black bean patty, a portobello cap or a turkey or buffalo burger. Something for most everyone. They also offer hotdogs, salads and a nice variety of sides that include things like brocolli salad and goat cheese fritters. A nice, well thought out menu.

I decided on the eponymous Moxie Burger and the Dining Companion had The Entrepreneur burger which is Moxie's build-your-own-burger option.

The Moxie Burger - Bacon, fried green tomato, pimento cheese & Moxie sauce

The Entrepreneur Burger - Lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo

The burgers were good; perfectly cooked, sturdy but soft buns and plenty of tasty toppings. You can get beer or wine to go with your burger as well as the usual soft drinks.

Overall we were happy with Moxie Burger and plan to get back there soon. The fact that the 4LB Wonder is welcome is a nice perk that we really appreciate. 

 Happy dining!

NOTE: In our search for pet friendly dining spots we found a couple more that made the cut for return visits.  

The Rib Ranch in Marietta serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and welcomes furry family members on their patio. All this from a BBQ place that also serves a really decent bowl of Texas chili.

Pisano's Pizza in Kennesaw, GA A great Antipasto Salad as well as pizza by the slice, strombolis, pasta and sandwiches.

Brandi's World Famous Hot Dogs - Marietta, Georgia

Photo from city-data.com

The Dining Companion and I recently had lunch at Brandi's World Famous Hot Dogs. Brandi's in Marietta is a small lunch place that's open 10am-3pm Monday through Friday.

When we arrived at lunch time there was a line at the door and the tiny dining room was standing room only. Luckily for us we were able to snag a seat with two older gentleman that were finishing up their lunch. They seemed a little bemused at my request to sit with them but they were polite and gracious and allowed us to share their table. We chatted briefly about the weather, like you do, they gave us a couple of recommendations for local places to eat and then said their goodbyes. By this time we had placed our order and sat looking around and waiting for our food.

 

There are a handful of tables in the dining room as well as a a two sided bar that surrounds the small kitchen. Every seat in the house was filled. Everyone from moms with kids, business men and law enforcement officers stopped in for lunch.

Finally lunch arrived.

Chili Slaw Dogs, Chili Burgers, Fries and Onion Rings

The chili dogs, one of the things Brandi's is known for, were really good. The burgers were okay but it was clear that the dogs were the star of the show. The onion rings were made with whole onion slices, as they should be and the fries were crinkle cut and fried crispy just like I prefer.

Brandi's is a simple place with a small dining room and a limited menu. It is also a beloved local institution. Having lunch with the locals, and people like ourselves who came here based on word of mouth, was fun. A room full of happy people sharing good food and a fun time. What could be better than that?

Happy dining!

Frito Pie

There are a few things you should know about Texas. First, everything is bigger in Texas. Second, the barbecue. And third but not least, turns out one of my favorite snacks is from Texas, Fritos Corn Chips. Fritos were born in the 1930's in San Antonio, TX. I can only imagine that not too much later we got the best way to eat a Frito known to mankind, the Frito Pie.

Some of you may be familiar with the version of Frito Pie that involves a small bag of Fritos, a scoop of chili and a handful of cheese. That is the version I got when I ordered it at Fox Brothers BBQ in Atlanta. Not bad at all.

Fox Brother's BBQ Frito Pie

I recently had the chance to try a local Texas version of this wonderful dish. I was having lunch at a place called Kelley's Country Cookin'. That bit right there should tell you all you need to know about Kelley's. There's a section on the menu called J.W.'s Chili Favorites. Two things stood out: the Texas Special for the Real Texan (how could a person NOT order that?) and Kelley's Chili Pie. What follows may not be pretty, may seem way over the top and unhealthful in the extreme. Yes, yes, it's all of those things but, oh my is it good. So, so good, and awful and wonderful. A plate full of guilt and hard arteries and awesomeness.

Kelley's Chili Pie

Texas Special for the Real Texan

A big plate of delicious

In case I haven't made it clear, I love this stuff. Really. It's a guilty pleasure I just can't quit. So, while I can't in good conscience tell you to, you know, go out and try it, let me state for the record that if you do, IF you do, you won't be sorry. At least not right away.

Happy dining!