Mimi Reed has an article in today's NYT on people buying second homes as part of their evacuation planning -- Loving New Orleans, With a Ready Escape. Featured in it are two of my favorite people, JoAnn Clevenger (my mom) and Patrick Dunne (owner of the antique culinary store Lucullus on Chartres Street).
JoAnn and Alan (my stepfather) bought their second home last summer. They had spent the spring driving around central Louisiana and southern Mississippi looking for just the right place. They found it in Columbia Mississippi, a small county seat just across the state line north of Bogalusa, about a two hour drive from New Orleans.
The house is lovely, the people friendly and interesting (as JoAnn put it, "It's like living in a small town with some of my favorite Welty and Jane Austin characters, all of whom have been very kind to Alan and me."). But what really helped seal the deal was The Back Door Cafe, an upscale restaurant on Main Street owned by Fran and Mike Ginn. It does an eclectic mix of contemporary (medium rare grilled tuna) and southern (Caramel Cake, which JoAnn says tastes like she always wanted layer cakes to taste) cusines. As an extra zinger, Fran prepares "The Road" special -- a three course meal on a single theme -- that runs all week. Last week it was Shanghai, another week it was Morracan, and another it was Julia Child. JoAnn brought the Shanghai noodles with 5-spice ribs back to the Upperline and Chef Ken proclaimed it one best things he had ever eaten.
If you find yourself in southern Mississippi, stop by at The Back Door (lunch and dinner) and see whats on "The Road" for yourself.
The Back Door Cafe
705 Main Street
Columbia Mississippi (30 miles west of Hattiesburg).
(601) 736-1490