I knew that taking on the challenge of writing about the foods of our region and the memories of growing up in the South each month, my mind would be tested at times for good articles and good ideas. I have gone down to the deadline wire many a time before hitting on a subject, or FOOD, that would be worthy of my Pulitzer Prize caliber of writing! That was not the case this month; I just plan ole forgot about it. I had the idea for the August article weeks ago but just failed to put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard as it is, to complete the article. IF this shows up as the SEPTEMBER article you know I failed!

As mentioned, I concentrate mainly in this column on the South and the foods and people who make up our region, BUT I have wondered off the path a few times and will do some this month as well. I mentioned in last month’s article about a restaurant I grew up with that had Northern tentacles…Jerry’s Drive In Restaurant.  Although headquartered in Lexington KY for many years their main territory was North of the beloved Mason Dixon Line…AKA the Ohio River in many parts of the country. Well, back in June,  I had the good fortune of stumbling, figuratively not literally, into a fine new restaurant in Dayton OH. Don’t confuse the spelling for Daytona FL……

While visiting my sister in law and her husband for a few days in Dayton, before heading to Columbus OH (not to be confused with Columbus GA) we had the good fortune of dining in somewhat of a different concept restaurant. I guess you could call it the Cracker Barrel of Wines.

The restaurant was called Ray’s. Not a big bold catchy name like Fogo De Chao,or One Flew South, or Wrecking Bar Brew Pub, like we have here in Atlanta , but there is a reason for that. It seems that Ray was in the process of building and opening this new restaurant in 2014, yet passed away before the project was complete. In his honor the partners decided it fitting to name the new place, Ray’s.  Just Ray’s. No other words to describe it.  It just so happens that night we were rewarded with a complimentary glass of champagne to help toast to the man named Ray, and the restaurant named Ray’s, as they celebrated their first year in business….a nice touch. Try to get a free glass of Champagne in Conyers and let me know how far that goes!

ANYWAY, back to the reason for the article. It seems Ray’s is also a Wine and Beer shop. SO, in place of those all of the trinkets that crowd the floor at the Cracker Barrel they have jammed the floor with Wine and Craft Beer (sorry Flynn NO Bud Light here).  Rather than walking through and loading up your hands with dish towels, or cute little yard signs, or Cracker Jack Boxes, you load up with Greg Norman Wine.

Not a bad concept and the best deal is you can take the bottle to your table and drink it with your meal. This is a restaurant like none other I have seen. You shop for your own wine before you sit. Now why didn’t I think of that!

I know that Atlanta already has laid claim to a restaurant with the name Ray in it…Ray’s on the River.  But I think that one in Conyers named Ray’s On The Tracks would work. As long as it is not too close to the track…I hate dust in my food!