Atlanta: The Varsity

OK . . . so you know I like just about everything . . . so here's on one the downside of fine dining. A drive in! With car service. In downtown Atlanta. Its an institution, a weird one, but an institution none the less. First of all, its HUGE. Car service for a bunch of cars, then a parking deck and large inside space to eat as well. The food is exactly what you'd expect . . . hot dogs and hamburgers [emphasis on the dogs here], and if you're eating inside, a serving of attitude from the women behind the cash registers waiting to take your order. The car service guys are friendly and great, inside . . . its all business. At lunch the place is hopping with business people, students from GATech and everyone else in the neighborhood. Its casual, fast and . . . well . . . interesting.

My advice would be to stick with the hot dogs, and get them served with stuff. I like the chili and slaw dog the best, but there are a number of variations. The thing to keep in mind here is that the dogs are small, you'll need two at least, its not foot longs at the ball park. The fries are good, and you can get them smothered with chili and cheese too to continue the bacchanal. Then its time for beverages, which of course is all Coke products. But then there is the curious case of the "frosty orange" or "orange frosty", both listed on the menu but when I asked no one could give me an answer as to the difference. I should probably order one of each sometime and do a taste test myself . . . its orange and cold and refreshing and kind of slushy like . . . go figure.

This is a cool place for a quick stop, take the kids and enjoy. Don't expect fine anything, its a drive in for goodness sakes, but its fun. Its been featured in magazines, on the radio and probably TV as well, and is an Atlanta institution worth a visit. Have fun, and if you can figure out the frost conundrum, let me know.

EatHereOrNot: MAYBE