Ol' School Cafe

Aisha and Tim are two people we have met while being stationary in Hattiesburg. At last we have found the alternative to the endless pervasive fast food restaurants along the Interstate.

The Ol' School Cafe is located to the side of a winding narrow highway which runs from the Habitat for Humanity build to the historic downtown section. The railroad tracks run close behind this area as that is how Hattiesburg was established. It became the HUB for pine lumber distribution.

This is a family restaurant where the owner's children can talk with their grandmother while eating lunch and the customers in line for the southern cooking buffet smile and talk with you. Until we open our mouths they think we are locals.
The selection of foods varies daily but all of them are much different in taste from the chain establishments. Our favourites include:

• Steamed collard greens
• Sauteed okra
• Pan fried corn bread
• Battered shrimp and chicken legs
• Deep fried whiting and catfish
• Several types of cooked dried beans
• Green beans
• Boiled cabbage with pork rinds
• Potato salad and white rice
• Sweet or unsweetened ice tea
• All of these are served in large quantities with a variety of home made hot sauces.
  

"We have met or seen only one other coffee drinker since we have been here."

One may wonder why CHITTERLINGS (chitlins) was not mentioned. It has not made our favourite picks. This Southern delicacy is served over white rice and we were told that appreciation is an acquired taste.

There is nothing to date in the area of food we will not try. Ruth is happy for the experience but needed a sip of sweet tea to wash out her mouth. Jannich had to eat all of the full side dish while Ruth noticed that he did not reorder this dish the next week. Chitlins is sliced boiled pig intestines with a unique aroma . The smell instantly brought back memories to Ruth of pig slaughtering days at the family farm. The intestines were scraped and boiled to make casings for sausage.

Chitlins has very easily bumped grits, crayfish and hushpuppies right off the foods not to repeat chart.