The Shrimp Boat: Best food to cure homesickness

There I sat, hair-soaking wet, windshield wipers on high, driving three miles back in the pouring rain after plugging in the wrong address on my Global Positioning Device. After just getting over the flu, I could have cared less about where I was going or what food I was supposed to be eating.

Destination: The Shrimp Boat, a tiny restaurant on the south side of Milledgeville revered by locals and mentioned in hushed whispers by upperclassman.

After passing Georgia Military College, I drove along South Elbert Street past a small shopping center and video store. Even the small shopping center ate at the homesickness I had been feeling all day, I missed the rumbling streets of Kennesaw and the stacks of shopping centers around every corner, only five minutes away from my Mother and her own cooking.

My friend Stephanie sat next to me and lamented too. We missed home, we wanted our mothers and we were about two miles away from having a good whining fit about stress, school and money issues.

Pulling up to The Shrimp Boat, the odds were looking good for tasty food though. Despite the aged appearance of the building and pouring rain, cars still filled the parking lot and we filed in to find a space in the back. Walking into the restaurant, smiles greeted us; for the first time visiting anywhere in Milledgeville, we were the only college students in the house.

Go where the locals go and eat what they eat, Anthony Bourdain said in his show ‘No Reservations.’ As an avid fan, I hoped by walking into the restaurant, I was channeling his spirit.

We were met with giant smiles and promptly ordered the shrimp dinner and chicken sandwich. Mildred Clance, a manager and 12-year-veteran met us and explained that they try to cook customers’ food to order, so that it tastes fresh.

“My favorite thing on the menu is chicken,” Clance said. “It’s so good and if it’s not the way you like, you take it back and we’ll make it right.”

Stephanie and I sat down at a table, next to a rowdy crowd of 17 or so crowded around a big table. Our waitress Morgan stuck her head out the window and yelled, “Y’all girls gonna be eating here?”

We nodded and not five minutes later, we were presented with baskets of gold. In my basket, a chicken sandwich worthy of being eaten with two hands and in Stephanie’s plump shrimp, hush puppies and cole slaw on a bed of golden fries.

The chicken was succulent, steaming and moist, all white meat with a light breading on a white bun with mayonnaise and lettuce. It tasted like home.

Stephanie’s shrimp tasted fresh, lacking the bitterness that normally accompanies seafood served away from the coast. The breading around the shrimp complemented it, adding a texture that effectively contrasted the porous seafood texture.

The fries were golden, crisp and hot, their crispiness a sign that the oil in the fryers was fresh and changed regularly. The hush puppies were delicious and cole slaw a perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Our meals, served in heaping portions, totaled up to only $9. And looking at the menu, for a college student on a budget, with large sandwiches for three dollars and sides for under 2, the price smells as sweet as the food.

“Why wouldn’t ya come to the Shrimp Boat?” Morgan Holling, a Baldwin County High School senior and waitress, said. “Ya got Southern Hospitality and lotsa’ grease, it’s perfect.”

Somewhere in the middle of dinner, Stephanie and I were invited to eat with the seventeen or so people at the table next to us. They explained that they were a Christian biker club and rode motorcycles to raise money to give back to the community.

I laughed and listened to the conversation and swapping of stories and plans for the future. In the middle of dinner, I smiled as my homesickness was swept away by good food and kind people.

On the back of the Shrimp Boat’s menu, it reads, “If you enjoyed your food, tell your friends about it.” I enjoyed my food and my new friends. My experience at the Shrimp Boat taught me that sometimes I need to open my eyes, heart and mouth to food that’s a little less processed and a little more local.

When asking Mildred if she would like to see more college students come to eat, she said, “Y’all come on, we’re waitin’ for ya.”

So for a true taste of Milledgeville, at an affordable price, visit the Shrimp Boat. For one evening, loosen your belt buckle, forget about your diet and settle in for a home-cooked meal right down South Elbert Street.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Nov 13 2009. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry