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March 2000
SIX UNDER $6

Intown dining that's easy on the wallet and pleasing to the palate
By Saeed Ahmed

     I resolve the following: No longer will I withdraw $20 from the ATM every Friday night for a satisfying yet overpriced dinner. If there's one thing Atlanta has plenty of, it's a host of inexpensive eateries that offer affordable meals that don't necessarily come with "super size it" options.
    Here's a list of a few places in intown Atlanta where you can fill your belly without breaking your bank.

EATS
600 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-888-9149
    Offering its signature jerk chicken platters, Eats is a haven for Atlantans who crave good food at great prices. Eats serves up this spicy Jamaican delicacy with black beans, rice and cornbread ($5). If a nice marinara is more your style, sidle up to the ever-crowded pasta line, where one can enjoy fresh pastas mixed with a variety of hearty sauces accompanied by garlic bread ($3.25 - $5.25). Eats has a self-serve environment, and diners should be prepared for a no-frills dining experience. If you're lucky, one of the many youthful and dreadlocked cooks will announce that his up-and-coming band is playing somewhere in town that night, and you'll have your evening entertainment all set.

GUMBO-A-GO-GO
736 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-874-8620
    Also on Ponce, this quiet little spot will transport you to the Big Easy with generous portions of Cajun cuisine served over a bed of rice. You can't go wrong with its shrimp etouffe ($4.99), which is just rich enough to enjoy without feeling heavy afterward. The restaurant is careful not to season its dishes with too much spice for the average palate, but like any self-respecting Cajun establishment, it provides a variety of hot sauces to satisfy those who demand an authentic, tastebud-searing meal.

EVANS DINING HALL, AGNESS SCOTT COLLEGE
141 E. College Ave. 404-471-6293
    While conventional wisdom holds college cafeteria food just a notch above refried spam, Agnes Scott's recently renovated dining hall serves up an unbeatable all-you-can-eat experience ($3.50 - $6) that has not just students but area residents swarming. Instead of trudging through a cafeteria line, diners gravitate toward specific stations. Lunch and dinner feature grill, bakery, sandwich and homestyle lines, as well as pizza, pasta and international stations framing a large salad bar. Is it possible that the fare served in this beautifully remodeled Gothic building has catapulted the freshman 15 into the freshman 25?

OUR WAY CAFE
303 E. College Ave. 404-373-6665
    You may not admit it, but you'll wish your mom cooked this well. Everyday, Our Way serves up heaping plates of soul food with a twist; offering, for example, tomato chutney with their ever-popular meatloaf. With corn that couldn't be sweeter (save the sweet potato souffle), be forewarned that only those with truly expandable stomachs will have room left to indulge in one of the café's homemade desserts. Another popular eatery with a no-frills environment, but the wait in line is always worth it. (Lunch and dinner average $5.25)

TORTILLAS
774 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-892-0193
    If you're in the mood for Mexican and feeling creative, head to Tortillas and pick from a list of tasty fillings to custom-build your burrito. You will be amazed how fast you feel full when you sink your teeth into one of these gargantuan burritos stuffed generously with beans and rice ($3.50). While Tortillas doesn't offer the variety of a traditional Mexican restaurant, it is miles beyond any fast-food place in terms of quality and quantity.

FELLINI'S and MELLOW MUSHROOM
Various locations
    Whether you want to sample a slice or go for a whole pie, these two pizzerias serve up pleasant meals at modest prices. The true connoisseur will enjoy Fellini's white pizza, which combines minced garlic and a blend of Italian cheeses to create a unique and delicious take on your basic pie ($1.25 a slice). At both locations, the meals are hardly complete unless accompanied by a garden fresh salad ($2.0). The atmosphere is casual, and the pizzerias cater to the most eclectic of crowds.

    With such incredible bargains all around Atlanta, dining out is still an option even when you're low in funds. But remember, even though you're eating cheaply and these restaurants don't ask for it, tips are always welcomed.


© Saeed Ahmed
School: Unit 141762 | Morehouse College | Atlanta | Georgia 30314
Home: 491 Seminole Avenue | Apt. 13 | Atlanta | Georgia 30307
email: saeed@writeme.com