Meat and Three

In Nashville they call them meat-and-three places-- little holes in the wall that serve up a variety of meats and vegetables. You get a choice of entree, two or three vegetables, and corn bread or a roll.

Donnie's is a meat-and-two place with the happy availability of breakfast until about 10:30 am. You'll find it on North Indian Creek, just a hundred yards or so off North Dekalb Road. To get there, turn left on Rockbridge as you leave Pine Lake, pass Memorial, and take the right immediately after the intersection. It will dump you out on North Indian Creek right with Donnie's directly ahead of you (or just drive a little further take a right onto North Indian Creek).

The breakfasts at Donnie's are wonderful. You have to wait a bit, but for less than four dollars you get two eggs cooked to order, grits, toast or a biscuit, and a choice of meat-- bacon, ham, country sausage, link sausage, salmon patty, and country ham. I like the bacon, which is cut thick enough to be real bacon and not that paper-thin stuff you get most places nowadays, but I always always get the country ham.

If you're not in the mood for eggs you can get pancakes and meat for the same price. You can also get shrimp and grits, which I've never quite understood. I mean, it's okay, but to my mind shrimp doesn't particularly seem to go with grits.

Lunch is about $6.50 with tax. Meats and vegetables are visible at the hot bar and vary from day to day, but include fried chicken, baked chicken, fried fish, baked fish, pot pie, meat loaf, swiss steak, pork chops, and turkey and dressing. Vegetables include yams, mashed potatoes, pinto beans, green beans, corn, lima beans, okra, turnip greens, and fried green tomatoes. I particularly like the stir fries. One consists of potatoes, peppers, and onion; the other (my favorite) is broccoli-based.

The meal comes with your choice of corn bread or a roll and includes a drink-- you fill your own from a soda fountain or draw your beverage from punch or lemonade containers.Refills are free.

There's plenty of seating. While you eat you can watch the othe diners or listen to judge shows on a big dim flat screen.

If you fancy a dessert, there are inexpensive ones available-- usually big brownies, pecan pie, or banana pudding.

Ingles is closer and cheaper and offers both breakfast and lunch, and I love their turnip greens, but there's no seating, so when I'm out to buy groceries or just to shop and can't think of any particular dining experience I crave, I often find myself at Donnie's. It's money well-spent.

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Donnie's closes at six pm or so and is not open on Sundays.