Deadlines, Fried Green Tomatos and One Perfect Dish

So, I'm on a crazy deadline. (A friend of mine recently said "You're *always* on a crazy deadline," so maybe I've got to quit oversharing.) Still, it's true. Plus, it's summer, and the last place any of us want to be in this great weather is sitting in a restaurant with our hands wrapped around a glass of wine. But, last night, needing a break, I took myself out to dinner. I don't have a three latest and best for you this week (although I could do a whole list of "Two Minute Warnings" from last week. This means you, Noah Grant's.)

So my one latest and one best is possibly the one perfect dish I've had in the last few months. If you eat nothing else that personifies summer in the next week, take yourself to L'explorateur for the Fried Green Tomato -- thick cut, breaded in cornmeal, and perfectly crispy on the outside. Served with a hefty dollop of Trader's Point Cottage Cheese (loaded with salt and pepper, just like mom used to serve it!), then topped with a generous portion of fresh tuna tartare -- perfectly spiced with the right amount of tang. This dish has it all going on -- cold and hot; crunchy and soft; savory, sweet, and tangy. All mixed up with great memories of hot, childhood lunches.

Their whole menu is comfort food right now, perfect for summer, and I daresay the portion sizes are coming up. (After an appetizer and entree, I was *stuffed*.) Neal, your southern roots are showing, and they're terrific.