If this year’s Best of Jackson picks are any indication, Jacksonians are never afraid to expand their palates when the moment calls for it, but they certainly can have their tried-and-true fan favorites, too. Of this year’s 33 pre-existing categories, nearly two-thirds of the winners successfully defended a title from 2021 Best of Jackson, with some restaurants’ winning streaks stretching even further back.

Longtime contender Mama Hamil’s Southern Soul Food took its usual nods for “Best Fried Chicken” and “Best Soul Food” back to its massive homefront in Madison, and Babalu’s margarita selection extended its three-year streak into a fourth year. Babalu’s fellow Fondren-dweller, The Pig and Pint, once again flaunted its dominance at the pit and the spit, winning the “Best Barbecue” title for many years running.

The Pig and Pint wasn’t Babalu’s only neighbor to put in a solid showing at the Best of Jackson polls, though, as the pair of restaurants joined Cups Espresso Cafe, Campbell’s Bakery, Aladdin Mediterranean Grill, Rooster’s, Saltine Restaurant, Green Ghost Tacos and Walker’s Drive-In to bring a combined 11 awards home to the Fondren district.

Former Fondren resident Sal and Mookie’s New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint proved that its cross-interstate move was a good one, as Jacksonians decided that the pizza parlor deserved the “Best Outdoor Dining” nod for its new digs at the District at Eastover, making it the only restaurant at the District to take home a 2022 Winner certificate in the food section.

Sal and Mookie’s wasn’t the only surprise this year, as Walker’s Drive-In’s “Best Restaurant” win broke Char’s three-year streak in the category. Koestler Prime also unseated the longtime Jackson staple for “Best Steak,” a title it had held for the last two years. Stamps Super Burgers also dislodged former favorites to prove that its burgers live up to its name in the eyes of Jacksonians, as the restaurant won both “Best Hamburger” and “Best Veggie Burger.”

New blood in old categories keeps things interesting, though, as Tuk Tuk Boom took home the accolate for “Best New Restaurant,” closing out its first year of business in grand style. The Thai restaurant joined its adjacent eatery, Aplos Simple Mediterranean (winner of “Best French Fries”), on the Best of Jackson list, making the duo the only two Highland Village staples to take home Best of Jackson titles this year. Tuk Tuk Boom’s menu is vast and varied, offering traditional favorites like spring rolls and pad thai in addition to more unique offerings, such as “tuk tuk bowls” and poke. Patrons interested in trying the latest addition to the Best of Jackson slate can dine on-site either indoors or outdoors, order takeout, or even try the new restaurant’s catering selection for their next party.

Best Place for Healthy Food, Best Place for Hummus, Best Vegetarian Options: Aladdin Mediterranean Grill

Best Place for Healthy Food Finalists

Cultivation Food Hall / Fit Chef / Mama Nature’s / Nissan Cafe by Nick Wallace Culinary

Best Place for Hummus Finalists

Aplos Simple Mediterranean / Keifer's / Krilakis / Sal & Mookie's New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint

Best Vegetarian Options Finalists

Aplos Simple Mediterranean / BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar / Meals that Heal / Oops All Vegan / Thailicious Restaurant

Best Breakfast, Best Plate Lunch: Primos Cafe

Best Breakfast Finalists

The Bean / Brent's Drugs / Broad Street Baking Company & Cafe / Elvie's / The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen

Best Plate Lunch Finalists

Corner Market / Logan Farms Honey Glazed Ham & Market Cafe / Mama Hamil's Southern Soul Food / Martin's Downtown / The Trace Grill

Best Burger, Best Veggie Burger: Stamps Super Burgers

Best Burger Finalists

Brent's Drugs / Bulldog Burger Co. / Burgers Blues Barbecue / Rooster's

Best Veggie Burger Finalists

Aladdin Mediterranean Grill / Babalu / BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar / Burgers Blues Barbecue

Best Fried Chicken, Best Soul Food: Mama Hamil’s Southern Soul Food

Best Fried Chicken Finalists

Fannin Mart Restaurant / The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen / Primos Cafe / Rooster’s

Best Soul Food Finalists

Bully's Soul Food Restaurant / Mama’s Kitchen / Nissan Cafe by Nick Wallace Culinary / Primos Cafe / Sweetie Pies

Best Italian Food, Best Place for Dessert: Amerigo Italian Restaurant

Best Italian Food Finalists

BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar / Cerami's Italian Restaurant / Fratesi’s

Best Place for Dessert Finalists

Char Restaurant / Elvie’s / La Brioche / Saltine Restaurant / Urban Foxes

Best Bakery: Campbell’s Bakery

Finalists: Broad Street Baking Company & Cafe / The Prickly Hippie / Sugar Magnolia Takery / Urban Foxes

Best Barbecue: The Pig & Pint

Finalists: Eddie Wright BBQ / Hickory Pit / Jefferson's Grill Restaurant & Catering / Sylvester's Mississippi Style BBQ / Triple A's Barbecue

Best Beer Selection (Restaurant): The Bulldog

Finalists: Barrelhouse / Fondren Public / Martin's Downtown / The Pig & Pint / Sal & Mookie's New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint / Saltine Restaurant

Best Restaurant (Overall): Walker’s Drive-In

Finalists: BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar / Elvie's / Koestler Prime / The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen

Best Brunch: The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen

Finalists: BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar / Elvie's / The Iron Horse Grill / Saltine Restaurant

Best Chicken Sandwich: Rooster’s

Finalists: Barrelhouse / Dumbo's on Duling / Elvie’s / Fine & Dandy / Saltine Restaurant

Best Chinese Food: Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese Restaurant

Finalists: Best Wok Chinese Restaurant / Ding How Asian Bistro / Hunan Wok Carry Out / Ichiban Asian Bistro & Go / Wok To Go

Best Crawfish: Crawdad Hole

Finalists: The Back Porch / The Crawfish Hut / Mudbugs / Sal and Phil's / T'Beaux's Crawfish and Catering

Best Doughnuts: Donut Palace

Finalists: Campbell’s Bakery / District Donuts. Sliders. Brew. / Monroe's Donuts & Bakery / Pillow Donuts / The Prickly Hippie

Best Food Truck/Mobile Vendor: One Guy Steak and Chicken

Finalists: Crooked Letter Kitchen / Eddie Wright BBQ / Green Ghost Tacos / Oops All Vegan

Best French Fries: Aplos Simple Mediterranean

Finalists: Aladdin Mediterranean Grill / Crooked Letter Kitchen / Elvie’s / The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen / Rooster's / Saltine Restaurant

Best Greek/Mediterranean Food: Keifer’s

Finalists: Aladdin Mediterranean Grill / Aplos Simple Mediterranean / Kismet's Restaurant / Krilakis / Vasilios Greek Cuisine / YiaYia's Greek Kitchen / Zeek'z House of Gyros

Best Gumbo: Gumbo Girl

Finalists: Char Restaurant / Fat Tuesday's / Gumbo Pot / The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen / Saltine Restaurant

Best Margarita: Babalu

Finalists: Green Ghost Tacos / Margaritas / Picante's Grill / Santa Fe Grill & Bar / Sombra Mexican Kitchen

Best Mexican/Latin Food: Green Ghost Tacos

Finalists: Babalu / Cinco De Mayo / El Charro / La Cazuela / Picante's Grill

Best New Restaurant: Tuk Tuk Boom

Finalists: Bulldog Burger Burgers / Blues Barbecue (Brandon) / Dogmud Tavern / Hattie's Chicken & Waffles / Kenova Smokehouse / Nissan Cafe by Nick Wallace Culinary

Best Outdoor Dining: Sal and Mookie’s New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint

Finalists: Babalu / Elvie’s / Keifer's / The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen / Saltine Restaurant

Best Pizza: The Pizza Shack

Finalists: Aplos Simple Mediterranean / The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen / Sal & Mookie's New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint / Soulshine Pizza Factory

Best Place for Coffee: Cups Espresso Cafe

Finalists: The Bean / Coffee Prose / Mocha Mugs / Native Coffee Co. / Urban Foxes

Best Sandwich Place: Basil’s

Finalists: Beagle Bagel / Broad Street Baking Company & Cafe / Crazy Cat Eat Up / Frisco Deli / Room Service

Best Seafood: Saltine Restaurant

Finalists: CAET / Elvie's / Sal & Phil’s / Walker's Drive-In

Best Steak: Koestler Prime

Finalists: Char Restaurant / Ely's Restaurant & Bar / Kathryn's / Tico's Steak House / Walker's Drive-In / Wynndale Steakhouse & Restaurant

Best Sushi/Japanese Food: Ichiban Hibachi and Sushi

Finalists: EDO Japanese Restaurant / Little Tokyo / Sakura Bana / Sushi Village

Best Thai Food: Thai Time - Thai and Sushi Restaurant

Finalists: Fusion Japanese & Thai Cuisine / Thai Tasty / Thailicious Restaurant / Tuk Tuk Boom

Best Wine List or Wine Selection (Restaurant): CAET

Finalists: BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar / Char Restaurant / Elvie’s / Koestler Prime / The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen

For a full list of winners and finalists for all sections, visit 2022.bestofjackson.com.

Jack Frost promises to stop nipping at our noses by this weekend, with forecasts currently showing warmer weather through the end of the year. For those wanting to take advantage of the weather to safely venture out and check out what the metro has to offer this holiday season, the Jackson Free Press has assembled a sampling of food and event news tips to browse. Read below, and happy holidays.

The Strawberry Cafe (107 Depot Drive, Madison; 601-856-3822)

The Strawberry Cafe's catering menu serves four to six people and includes items such as chicken or shrimp alfredo, pasta creole, shrimp and grits, chicken marinara, shrimp pasta, shrimp etouffee and more. The restaurant also sells a variety of salads, iced tea by the gallon, caramel pie and cheesecake by the slice, and bread pudding. For more information, visit strawberrycafemadison.com.

Elvie's Restaurant (809 Manship St., 601-863-8828)

Elvie's is offering a five-course, prix-fixe New Year's Eve dinner with two seatings, each two hours long. The first seating begins at 6 p.m. while the second seating begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $125 per person and include a complimentary glass of sparkling wine plus optional wine pairings and caviar.

For more information or to make a reservation, call 601-863-8828 or visit elviesrestaurant.com.

1908 Provisions (734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429)

The Fairview Inn's 1908 Provisions restaurant is offering both a Christmas Eve feast and a New Year's Eve dinner. Tickets are $55 per person for both events. Reservations are required to ensure social distancing.

The Christmas Eve dinner menu includes items such as fresh lump crab cake, charred gulf oysters, tuna carpaccio, lobster bisque, roasted prime rib, roast turkey, pan-seared halibut, sauteed scallops, cherry and chocolate Buche de Noel, apple tart tatin and more.

The New Year's Eve dinner menu includes smoked Scottish salmon deviled eggs, creamed wild mushrooms, prime beef tenderloin, Maine lobster tail, pan-seared Muscovy duck breast, sauteed panko-crusted black grouper, linguine pasta with Cajun shrimp and littleneck clams and more.

For more information or to make a reservation, call 601-948-3429 or visit fairviewinn.com/1908provisions.

Bravo! Italian Restaurant and Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Highland Village, Suite 244, 601-982-8111)

On New Year's Eve, Bravo will be holding a special dinner with seatings at 
6 p.m. and 9 p.m. The early seating is $85 per person, while the late seating is $95 per person and includes extra champagne or a sparkling cider toast and celebratory sparklers. Each seating also offers optional wine flights for an additional $35.

The prix-fixe dinner menu includes duck rillettes, beet and horseradish cured salmon gravlax, root vegetable bisque, lobster ravioli, roasted pork belly and raspberry galette.

For information or to make a reservation, call 601-982-8111 or visit bravobuzz.com.

Hickory Pit (1491 Canton Mart Road, 601-956-7079)

The Hickory Pit's catering menu includes items such as smoked turkey, desserts, ribs and sides. Customers can pick up catering orders at any time during normal business hours on New Year's Eve.

The Hickory Pit will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. that day. For more information, call 601-956-7079 or visit the restaurant's Facebook page.

The Hungry Goat (1006 Top St., Suite F, Flowood, 769-233-8539)

The Hungry Goat's holiday party menu includes apple pork tenderloin, steak tenders, charcuterie trays, butternut squash soup, seafood gumbo, French leek soup, lemon broccolini, bacon-wrapped asparagus, bacon ranch cheese balls, dessert trays, dips and more. All items are a la carte, and customers must place their catering orders at least 24 hours in advance. For more information or to place an order, call 769-233-8539.

Primos Cafe (515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-898-3600; 2323 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-936-3398; 201 Baptist Drive, Madison, 601-853-3350; primoscafe.com)

The holiday menu at Primos includes whole turkey or ham, cornbread dressing, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls by the dozen, sweet potato casserole, squash casserole, green bean casserole, broccoli au gratin, mashed potatoes sweet potato pie, lemon ice box pie and other items.

Primos' dinner package costs $180 and serves 10 to 12 people. Pick-up dates for orders are Wednesday, Dec. 22, though Friday, Dec. 24. Customers must pick up their orders by 5 p.m. on Dec. 22 and 23 and by noon on Dec. 24.

The restaurant will also serve a special Christmas Eve breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 24.

Nandy's Candy (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 380, 601-362-9553, nandys-candy.myshopify.com)

Nandy's Christmas offerings include hot chocolate bombs, chocolate Santas and reindeer, chocolate-covered oreos, holiday-themed boxed chocolates, decorated candied apples and more.

Robby Peoples at Martin's Downtown's 17th Annual Christmas Show

Delta Blues Robby Peoples will perform at Martin's Downtown's (214 S. State St.) 17th annual Christmas show on Saturday, Dec. 25. Doors open at 9 p.m. and the show starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person.

Cirque Musica Holiday Spectacular

Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.) will host the Cirque Musica Holiday Spectacular on Wednesday, Dec. 22. The event features famous holiday songs from the Cirque Musica performing troupe. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person. For more information, call 601-960-1537 or visit cirquemusica.com.

Christmas in Canton

The City of Canton will host its annual Christmas in Canton celebration every night from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. until Thursday, Dec. 23. Events include storytime with Mrs. Claus, cider, singalongs, photo opps with Christmas characters, rides, concessions and more. For more information, visit cantontourism.com or find the event on Facebook.

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Drug Prevention Event

Hinds Behavioral Health Services (3450 US-80) will host the Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Drug Prevention Event on Thursday, Dec. 23, beginning at 10 p.m. The event features free food, hot chocolate, eggnog, music, prevention resources and door prizes.

On Wednesday, Dec. 22, the organization is also hosting an Ice Cream Breakfast with Santa from 9 a.m. to noon, featuring parfaits, waffles a la mode and ice cream from Ice & Vice in Madison. $5 from every ticket sold will go into Ice and Vice’s transportation scholarship fund, which helps teens and young adults that are in foster care or have aged out of the system secure a reliable vehicle.

Tickets for both events are $20 each. For more information, call 601-321-2400 or visit hbhs9.com.

Holiday Yoga Flow Benefiting CASA MS

M Theory Yoga (118 W. Jackson St. C, Ridgeland) will host a Holiday Yoga Flow event on Friday, Dec. 24 at 9 a.m. on behalf of Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, a non-profit organization that advocates for abused and neglected children in Mississippi. The event is open to the public with a suggested donation of $10. The event will feature a yoga flow, a boutique sale, holiday treats, giveaways and more. For more information or to register, visit MTheoryYoga.com.

New Year's Eve Glow Party

The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science will host its New Year's Eve Glow Party, featuring food and drinks, a live nocturnal animal show, a photo booth, games and more.

Other events include a 1,000-balloon drop, a black light dance party, a glow stick trail hike, glow-in-the-dark bowling and hopscotch games and special tornado and hurricane-themed museum exhibits.

Visitors must buy tickets in advance by noon on Dec. 31, as tickets will not be sold at the door. Tickets are $8 per person for museum members and $10 per person for non-members. Children age 2 and under get in free. To purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/nyeglowparty2021.

For more information, call 601-576-6000 or email at nicole.smith@mmns.ms.gov.

Have something to add to the list? Email dustin@jacksonfreepress.com to submit your business-related story tips.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Department of Human Services officials say inaccurate data provided by school districts is leading to delays in families receiving pandemic food cards.

Meanwhile, families say they are waiting hours on hold when they to reach out to Mississippi Pandemic EBT Hotline for assistance.

The rollout of the cards, meant to provide assistance to families of children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school and missed out on the benefits because of the pandemic, has been hampered by challenges.

About 345,000 Mississippi children were set to receive a benefit of $375 per child through the Pandemic EBT program, according to the state. The Mississippi Department of Human Services said in September the money would be distributed by the end of October, but that hasn’t happened in all cases.

In October, more than 14,000 low-income children in Mississippi had their pandemic food cards mistakenly deactivated. Officials said children with an apostrophe in their first or last names all had their cards accidentally deactivated by a processing partner. Families would have new cards sent to them in days, officials promised.

Now, some families say they still haven’t received the funds.

Department of Human Services spokesperson Mark Jones told WLBT-TV that delays in card distribution are the result of inaccurate data from the school districts, which were responsible for providing a list of names and addresses of qualifying students. Jones said there is now a high call volume to the hotline because of those inaccuracies.

Washington County parent Isaac Morris, 57, told the television station he's waited on hold for up to three hours to no avail.

“It’s important for me, my family," said Morris. “My wife is going through breast cancer and stuff like that, and it would help us a lot.”

The Center for Art & Public Exchange at the Mississippi Museum of Art recently announced the release of two new publications made through support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The publications are titled "CAPE Toolkit" and "Compassion, Art, People and Equity: The Story of the Center for Art and Public Exchange at the Mississippi Museum of Art."

CAPE Managing Director Monique Davis created CAPE Toolkit, which is a digital publication that offers a model intended to guide institutional transformation by investigating equity, transparency and truth in a community, a release from CAPE says. CAPE Toolkit is available on the Museum’s website.

Art critic and writer Seph Rodney wrote "Compassion, Art, People, and Equity: The Story of the Center for Art and Public Exchange at the Mississippi Museum of Art," which describes CAPE’s establishment, its partners and participants and its signature programs. The 21-page softcover book is available on the Museum’s website (https://www.msmuseumart.org/cape-resources/).

Meals That Heal, Plant-based Menu

Meals That Heal (612 N. Farish St.), a restaurant with an entirely plant-based menu, opened for business in Jackson on Aug. 29. Husband and wife Yasmin Gabriel and Eric Collins opened the restaurant together with their friend Detrice Roberts and chose Aug. 29 as the opening day because it coincides with the Haitian Revolution, a successful insurrection by self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in what is now Haiti.

"My husband and I are of Haitian descent and were even married there," Gabriel says. "The Hatian Revolution represents the first successful Black revolution and place of freedom in the Western Hemisphere, and we wanted to open our restaurant on a day that signified Black freedom."

Gabriel and her husband also own Herbal Blessings (614 N. Farish St.), an herb shop located right next door to their new restaurant. The spark to open a restaurant came when Roberts, who suffers from asthma, decided to switch to a plant-based diet.

"A plant-based diet is good for your health, but there aren't many options for that in Jackson," Gabriel says. "Some restaurants have a few vegan or vegetarian options, but they're often processed foods. Our goal is to bring fresh and healthy food to Jackson that tastes just as good as what people are used to."

The menu at Meals That Heal includes vegan tacos and burritos, beet burgers, black bean burgers, pecan meat spaghetti, plant-based gumbo, kale wraps, baked cauliflower wings, Creole greens, butternut squash macaroni and cheese, Berber cabbage, spring rolls and more. Meals that Heal does not use any white sugars, butter or heavily processed items in any of its dishes.

Meals That Heal is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. for dinner. For more information call 662-314-7739 or visit mealsthatheal601.com.

The Village at Livingston Under Construction in Jackson

Developers and City of Jackson officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new project called “The Village at Livingston” on Thursday, Oct. 21. Retail Specialists is overseeing the development, which is slated to bring 195 to 200 new homes to Jackson along with commercial and retail space for hotel and grocery users.

The Village at Livingston will feature traditional-styled homes and a common area greenspace within the neighborhood for resident’s use. The development, located off Livingston Road and Woodrow Wilson Avenue, is a redevelopment of the former Hood Furniture Manufacturing facility.

Retail Specialists is developing The Village at Livingston together with Prominence Homes, which is constructing the new homes. Benchmark Engineering is serving as the project engineer for the development, and Construction Services, LLC, will perform the site work for the project.

Crisp, cool air has drifted through the metro this week, reminding us that Mississippi can indeed experience the autumn season after all. A wonderful way to heat yourself when the temperature outside drops is to sit down at the dining table and enjoy spoonful after spoonful of warm soup.

Rashanna Newsome, sous chef at The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen, has shared the fall chili recipe she used to win the Pro-Bowl Chili Cookoff, a fundraiser that Pelican Cove hosted to benefit the Magnolia Speech School.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 pound ground lamb

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 white onion, diced

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• 5 Roma tomatoes, diced

• 2 bay leaves

• 3 tablespoons dark chili powder

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 2 teaspoons celery salt

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 15-ounce cans cooked cannellini beans

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt

• 6 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 quarts beef stock (substitute vegetable stock, if desired)

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a pot. Add onions and peppers and cook until onions are translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add ground lamb and beef. Then cook until the meat is browned. Add all of the listed seasonings and tomato paste. Mix and cook for an additional three minutes.
Finally, add beans and beef (or vegetable) stock. Let the chili simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.
Serve and garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese or green onions, as desired.

After years of working in the food industry, Ridgeland resident Wendell Brewster decided “it was time to invest in myself” and opened a food truck in April of this year. Just a handful of months later, Brewster expanded his business, Jerk City Grille, by establishing a physical restaurant on Robinson Road in Jackson.

Growing up and spending much of his life in Augusta, Ga., Wendell moved to Mississippi in 2013 and joined Thompson Hospitality, a company that specializes in providing food service to HBCUs. In fact, Brewster served as executive chef for Mississippi Valley State University for three years in addition to a number of other positions with Thompson Hospitality, such as food service director and corporate chef.

“I got a chance to see a lot of different things,” he says. “It sparked my interest in doing my own mobile food business. And then, with the pandemic happening, things sped up a little bit. It seemed like that was where the food train was going in the food industry.”

While studying the food scene in the Jackson area, Brewster noticed that Caribbean cuisine appeared to be underrepresented in the metro, and he felt that he could fill that niche. While his father was born in Barbados, his South Carolina-native mother is the one who taught Brewster how to cook, and she specialized in southern comfort. Thus, Brewster knew he had to become more familiar with Caribbean food if he wanted to succeed.

“I started studying the ingredients, the methods, what makes it tick—took it all apart and put it back together and added my own little flair to it, which sparked Jerk City Grille,” he says.

Public reception to Jerk City Grille’s food has encouraged Brewster and affirmed that his hard work has already begun to pay off.

“It’s amazing. The Jackson public has really been loving us. They really been loving us,” he says.

The Caribbean fusion restaurant features a sizable menu.

“Everything we serve here is flavorful, different and exciting,” Brewster says. “Whether it’s our pasta, our oxtails or our marinated meats, you’ll be able to tell that all our ingredients are handled with care. We even have items I consider whimsical for a Caribbean restaurant, like our jerk wings, rice and egg roll combo.”

In addition to Jerk City Grille’s food, Brewster also takes pride in the business’ beverage options. The chef crafted a signature lemonade recipe in 2005 that he sells at the restaurant, and he has created other drinks that spawn from that concoction, such as passion fruit lemonade, mango lemonade, and a pineapple ginger beverage that is traditionally served with Caribbean cuisine.

Currently, only the indoor location is open until Brewster hires and trains more staff members to man the food truck, which he hopes to get up and running again soon.

Jerk City Grille (4157 Robinson Road) is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call 601-923-0102 or find the business on Facebook.

A James Beard-nominated chef, Alex Eaton owns both The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen in the Belhaven neighborhood and Aplos Simple Mediterannean at the Highland Village Shopping Center. With a month and change left in the summer, Chef Eaton has provided the Jackson Free Press with a summer salad recipe to share with its readership.

Salad Ingredients

• 4 ounces chopped romaine

• 2 ounces diced heirloom cherry tomatoes

• 1 diced avocado (large cubes)

• 1 ounce red onion

• a drizzle of pomegranate molasses (available at Aladdin Grocery in Jackson)

• pinch of sumac

• 1 ounce feta cheese

• 4 pita chips

• 3 fluid ounces lemon sumac vinaigrette

Pita Chips

• pita bread

• olive oil

• salt, pepper and garlic powder

Lemon Sumac Vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon diced shallot

• 1 teaspoon diced garlic

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 2 teaspoon sumac

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• salt and pepper

Directions

Slice pita bread into triangles, drizzle them with olive oil, and top with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake at 325°F until crispy, approximately 13 minutes. Remove to cool.
To prepare the lemon sumac vinaigrette, whisk together all listed ingredients—dijon mustard, diced shallot, diced garlic, honey, sumac, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Combine salad ingredients, including the pita chips, in a bowl and toss with the lemon sumac vinaigrette until evenly coated. Serve and enjoy!

Beer connoisseurs know that little helps beat the Mississippi summer heat better than sipping a cold brew. Fortunately, the Magnolia State harbors more than a dozen locally owned breweries that supply Mississippians and travelers alike with a variety of stouts, sours and everything in-between.

1. Bicentennial Beer Company/LD’s BeerRun (5006 Parkway Drive, Suite B, Jackson; 769-208-8686; bicentennialbeer.com)

As a Beer Judge Certified Professional, Chris Edwards has consistently brewed beer for 13 years. Since early 2020, Edwards’ Bicentennial Beer Company has supplied LD’s BeerRun with its craft beers.

2. Fertile Ground Beer Co. (Coming soon to Belhaven Town Center, Jackson, fertilegroundbeer.com)

Set to open later this year, Fertile Ground sets out to create a “third space” environment, intended to serve as a communal space of sorts for guests to socialize while enjoying a few drinks.

3. 1817 Brewery (Okolona, 662-305-5907, facebook.com/1817brewery)

Earlier this year, the company that markets itself as North Mississippi’s first brewery debuted the 1817 Brewery Mobile, a refrigerated vehicle the business can use to deliver its products to areas beyond Okolona.

4. Chandeleur Island Brewing Company (2711 14th St., Gulfport, 228-701-9985, chandeleurbrew.com)

Gulfport natives Cammack Roberds and Cain Roberds founded their company in December 2013, which they named in honor of the Chandeleur Islands found near the coast of Mississippi.

5. Colludium Brewing Company (2108 W. 4th St., Hattiesburg, 601-402-7194, colludiumbrewing.com)

Colludium, which Marcus and Christine Cooper founded in Marucs’ hometown of Hattiesburg, offers 100 board games that guests are invited to play at the brewpub.

6. Southern Prohibition Brewing Company (301 Mobile St., Hattiesburg, 601-602-4871, soprobrewing.com)

“So Pro,” as locals call it, offers curbside pickup on canned beers and other merch and sells many of its brews on tap for those who want to sit-in to sip a cold one.

7. The Porter Public House (201 W. Pine St., Hattiesburg, 601-336-9373, theporterpub.com)

In addition to its brews, The Porter showcases a full menu of pub food fare, including all-day breakfast, sandwiches, desserts such as cookie dough egg rolls, and more.

8. Craft Advisory Brewing (1314 Government St., Ocean Springs, 228-334-5000, craftadvisorybrewing.com)

Doubling as a bistro, Craft Advisory offers both a weekday and weekend menu, as well as a loyalty program, wherein customers earn one point for each dollar they spend.

9. Fort Bayou Brewing Company (6616 Rose Farm Road, Ocean Springs, 228-641-4616, facebook.com/fortbayoubrewingcompany)

The micro brewery sells its craft beers at The Cypress Taphouse, a restaurant whose menu includes a number of fried, grilled and smoked dishes, among other items.

10. Key City Brewing Company/Cottonwood Public House (1309 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-501-7712, keycitybeer; 1311 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-501-7712, cottonwoodpub.com)

In 2018, Zach and Kaitlyn Erikson founded Key City after being inspired by Belgian brewing traditions they witnessed on their honeymoon. Vicksburg restaurant Cottonwood Public House sells their brews.

11. Lazy Magnolia Brewery (7030 Roscoe-Turner Road, Kiln, 228-467-2727, lazymagnolia.com)

Serving its beers since 2005, the packaging brewery invites customers onto The Porch to sip on one of more than 100 beers while dining on a brick-oven pizza.

12. Macon Brewing Company/Puff Belly’s Brewery Pizza and Grill (478-200-1199; 3179 Mallett Road, D’Iberville, 228-967-7611, see puffbellys.com)

Established in 2018, Macon Brewing Company sells its craft beers through Puff Belly’s, a restaurant specializing in pizza, burgers, kabobs and other grilled food items.

13. Mayhew Junction Brewing Company (106 Eckford Drive, Starkville, 662-546-0510, mayhewjunction.com)

Co-founders Derek and Jean Irby named their brewery after the Crossroads at Mayhew, a place where college students would often go to drink and socialize during a time when Starkville outlawed alcohol.

14. Natchez Brewing Company (207 High St., Natchez, 769-355-2225, natchezbrew.com)

Lisa Miller founded and owns Natchez Brewing Company, which uses recipes for craft beers that her husband Frank Miller created since he discovered a passion for brewing while stationed in Asheville, N.C.

15. Threefoot Brewing (517 23rd Ave., Meridian, see threefootbrewing.com)

Threefoot Brewing distributes its two craft beers—The Local Brown and Imperial Honey—through Mitchell Distributing Company.

16. Fly Llama Brewing (186 Bohn St., Biloxi, 228-207-7757, see flyllamabrewing.com)

“When glasses rise, llamas fly,” so goes the slogan that founder David Reese coined for his brewery. Fly Llama sells both craft beer and hard seltzers at its Biloxi location.

Send food and drink story tips to nate@jacksonfreepress.com.

“Fit to Eat,” an original program created by Mississippi Public Broadcasting, is now officially part of the Create® TV channel’s lineup, airing nationwide on Mondays at 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Central Standard Time. The show started in 2012 to help combat the state’s obesity and health problems at a time when 68.6% of Mississippians were overweight or obese.

Chef Rob Stinson, a Gulf Coast restaurateur, has hosted the program since it began and over the last 10 years, “Fit to Eat” has really hit its stride. Each half-hour episode offers a balanced menu of a starch, meat and vegetable and as Stinson says, this flavorful food will fool you.

“We’ve been conditioned to think that healthy food is tasteless, but often the opposite is true,” he says. “I always make the food visually appealing, and I teach viewers how to get great depth of flavor from fresh, local ingredients.”

Stinson also provides tips on making food healthier through simple substitutions (“use this, not that”) and by avoiding white sugar, salt and wheat flour. “It’s Dr. Rick deShazo’s anti-white diet,” he jokes. “There are lots of alternatives available, and because we use rice flour and other thickeners instead of wheat, it also means most of the recipes are gluten-free.”

The show focuses on using local ingredients available at any grocery store to prepare healthy recipes that Mississippians could prepare without much difficulty.

“So many products come from Mississippi, I was amazed,” Stinson explains. “Vardaman is the world’s leading producer of sweet potatoes, and Mississippi is a leading producer of seafood for the entire USA, although you don’t realize because the packaging doesn’t say ‘Made in Mississippi.’”

Registered dietitian Rebecca Turner often joins the chef and gives insights into the medical and nutritional benefits of foods. “I’m a busy mom of two, so I understand what it’s like to try and incorporate these ideas into a busy lifestyle,” Turner says. “My role on the show is to give families the quick tips and make Rob’s recipes accessible, no matter your cooking style or your level of cooking skill. Rob shines in being able to make delicious dishes, and I’m here for the everyday cook. I can help you shop a little healthier and easily add more servings of fruits and veggies to your family’s meals.”

Many episodes also contain Down on the Farm segments, where Stinson visits a dairy, a sweet potato farmer or other grassroots producers. Delbert Hosemann and Tate Reeves, among other well-known Mississippians, have also appeared as guests on the show and have chopped, sizzled and served the meals. “In addition to cooking, we discuss current events to keep the show relevant,” Stinson says.

“Having another MPB program air nationwide on Create® TV is a win for Mississippi,” John Gibson, MPB Director of Television, says. “This program gives Mississippi national exposure and showcases healthier choices of what to cook and how to cook it. It shows Mississippi in a positive light.”

The DIY shows on Create® TV—the premier channel for how-to programming—include viewers’ favorite public television series, and specials on cooking and food, travel, home improvements and gardening, arts and crafts, fitness and other lifestyle interests.

These programs come from American Public Television, the National Educational Telecommunications Association, Public Broadcasting Service, and a handful of local public television stations across the country including two shows from Jackson’s own Mississippi Public Broadcasting: “Fit to Eat” and “Mississippi Roads.” Create® TV will air a curated selection of “Fit to Eat” episodes, and all past shows—and all recipes—are available on MPBOnline.org/television/fit-to-eat. Visit CreateTV.com/locate to find your local station.

Michele D. Baker lives in Belhaven in a restored 1920s bungalow with two cats and too many books. She enjoys world travel, reading and listening to public radio. Learn more at MicheleDBaker.com.

For a number of Jacksonians, the new year motivated them to make some changes in 2021, namely in the local food industry. Since January, the metro has welcomed new restaurants presenting foodstuffs from varying culinary backgrounds. Now that 2021 is halfway over, let’s take a look at some of the selections now available to our food scene.

Dogmud Tavern Opens in Ridgeland

Jesse Labbé and Rick Moore, co-founders of local creative studio and board-game developer Certifiable Studios, opened a sister business called Dogmud Tavern in Ridgeland in April.

Dogmud Tavern’s interior features decorative artwork from the studio’s various gaming properties, including “Endangered Orphans,” “Who Goes There?,” “Stuffed” and “D6,” most of which Labbe designed.

The pub serves its own custom-made namesake brew “Dogmud,” a dark lager which is available on draft. Other available draft beers include Colsons, Sopro Suzy B, Abita Andygator, Yuengling and Destihl Key Lime Go. The pub offers more than two dozen other beers in either cans or bottles.

Visitors can play board games from Certifiable Studios as well as games such as Catan, Splendor, Ticket to Ride, Betrayal at House on the Hill and more at gaming tables that double as dining tables. A full list of Dogmud’s available board games is available in the Games tab of the business’ website, dogmudtavern.com.

Dogmud Tavern also features gaming consoles that allow guests to play a number of one- and two-player NES and SNES games, such as Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros. 3, Galaga, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong Country, Star Fox and other 8-bit and 16-bit video games. The lounging area also showcases free-to-play arcade machines with fighting games.

Each Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Dogmud Tavern hosts Trivia Night at the Tavern. Entry costs $5 per person. Winners receive cash prizes, and drink specials are held throughout the weekly event.

Dogmud Tavern (681 S. Pear Orchard Road, Ridgeland) is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to midnight. For more information, call 601-499-4932 or visit dogmudtavern.com.

A’HA Donuts & More

Madison resident Frank Phann held a grand opening for his new donut shop, A’HA Donuts & More (3086 Highway 80 W., Pearl), in Pearl on Friday, May 7, following a soft opening in January 2021.

The shop is located inside a building that formerly housed Planet Donut, which a friend of Phann’s owned. Phann renovated the building’s kitchen so that A’HA could be more than just a donut shop, he says.

In addition to fresh-baked donuts all day, A’HA offers items such as wagyu or surf and turf burgers, extreme A’HA chicken biscuits and gravy, po-boys, hot wings, Philly cheese steak, chicken sandwiches, fried rice with chicken, beef or shrimp, weekly rotating breakfast specials and more.

“’A’HA’ means ‘food’ in my home country of Cambodia, and I chose the name both for that and because I want people coming here to have their own ‘aha’ moment whenever they try the food,” Phann says. “I have had a passion for food for a long time, and I knew that people in Pearl would love to have quality donuts and burgers without having to drive all the way out to somewhere like Madison for them. I want people craving that kind of thing to be able to come to us.”

For more information, call 601-932-2175 or visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.

Coco’s Multi-Culti at Cultivation Food Hall

Madison resident Cloe Sumrall opened a fusion restaurant called Coco’s Multi-Culti in Cultivation Food Hall in Jackson on Monday, May 17.

The menu at Coco’s includes loaded hummus, miso ramen bowls, polish dogs, Thai coconut soup, pork belly BLTs, shrimp rolls, turkey and pear paninis, blueberry grilled cheese, smoked salmon toast and more.

“I’ve loved working with food ever since my grandparents would let me join them in the kitchen as a kid, and I even have my own garden for growing fresh food and seasonal items,” Sumrall says.

“I’ve been following Cultivation Food Hall ever since it opened and wanted to bring something to it that had a southern flair along with flavors you might not ordinarily find in restaurants here.”

Sumrall previously served as a member of the management team for Cultivation and worked as a cook at the food hall’s Americana and Yo Mama’s restaurants.

Coco’s Multi-Culti is open Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is closed on Sundays. For more information, call 601-487-5196 or visit cultivationfoodhall.com/cocos.

Lost Pizza and El Potro at Outlets of Mississippi

Two new food vendors, Lost Pizza and El Potro Mexican Bar & Grill, opened inside the food court at the Outlets of Mississippi in early June.

Lost Pizza offers fresh-ingredient pizza, Mississippi Delta hot tamales, chicken wings, craft bottled beers and more. Mississippi Magazine has voted the establishment as “Best Pizza in Mississippi” for six years in a row.

El Potro Mexican Bar & Grill offers authentic Mexican dishes such as fajitas, taco salads, burritos, chimichangas, enchiladas and more. The restaurant’s owners have been in business in Mississippi since 1995.

For store hours and other information, visit outletsofms.com/brands.

District Donuts Coming to Belhaven

The Belhaven Town Center recently announced that New Orleans-based District Donuts Sliders Brew will take over the space that formerly housed Campbell’s Craft Donuts during summer 2021.

In addition to scratch-made donuts, District Donuts offers sandwiches made from locally sourced ingredients and small-batch roasted coffee.The Jackson restaurant will be the seventh district location, with others in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Las Vegas.

District Donuts’ new location is at the corner of Manship and North Jefferson streets in Belhaven.The restaurant will include indoor dining and outdoor patio seating. The Belhaven Town Center is currently renovating the space ahead of District’s arrival, which is set for mid-July.

For more information on the Belhaven Town Center, visit belhaventowncenter.com. For more information on District Donuts, visit districtdonuts.com.

Hattie’s Chicken and Waffles Opens in Jackson

Carlton Brown, a Jackson-born resident of Houston, Texas, plans to open a new restaurant in south Jackson called

Hattie’s Chicken and Waffles, LLC (1675 University Blvd.) by July 23.

Brown named the restaurant in honor of his grandmother, Hattie McCullough, who passed away in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to chicken and waffles, the menu at Hattie’s will include chicken sandwiches and chicken tenders in original or Nashville Hot flavors, fries, greens, macaroni and cheese, honey rolls and Rap Snacks chips. The restaurant will have a patio as well as a drive-thru and curbside service.

For more information, call 601-260-7403.

Know of a restaurant that opened in 2021 that isn’t included on this list? Email dustin@jacksonfreepress.com with the tips!

When Jackson native Roche Jefferson was studying political science at Hinds Community College in Raymond and later at Tougaloo College, the Lanier High School graduate expected to break into the governmental-affairs field as an elected official

But, as he says, “Life has different paths for different people.”

Instead, Jefferson entered the food industry around nine years ago, working as a manager for two years before opening his own restaurant and catering service, Jefferson’s Grill. The barbecue establishment originally opened in Byram but has since changed location a handful of times before settling into its current station on Old Canton Road.

Recently, Jefferson spoke with the Jackson Free Press on how he started his business and offered some tips that others lighting up their grills this summer can implement in their own cooking.

Tell me about the journey you went through to become a cook and start your business.

I got into barbecue back when I worked full-time for Hinds Community College in Raymond in student housing. The department would always tailgate at home games, and they would let us do it on the field, on the track. That’s when I developed many of my barbecuing tricks and trades, so to say. We’d be out there with everybody eating, and I remember telling one of my student workers, “You know, I think these may be good enough to sell.”

Eventually, probably three years later, I opened Jefferson’s Grill (in August 2014).

Beyond the practice you had preparing it at home games, were there other reasons why you wanted to focus on barbecue cuisine for your restaurant?

Barbecue is one of my favorite forms of food. Once I got into it, I realized how much I enjoyed it. … It worked for us, worked for me, and we just stuck with it.

Do you have any grilling tips that you live by?

One of the things I would always encourage people to do first and foremost is to purchase quality meat. The quality of your meat plays a big role in the quality of your product. That’s one thing I like to brag on: At Jefferson’s Grill, we use top-grade products. (For example), even though they are very expensive right now, we use baby-back ribs. They’re our number-one seller.

Second of all, for the people who are using charcoal or wood, I would say that you gotta be sure you’re able to control your fire. That plays a very, very huge part in the texture and the overall flavor of the meat. You gotta be able to get the right temperatures. My pit may be different from your pit, so you have to understand your equipment and what you’re working with.

What are some easy mistakes people make while barbecuing, and how can people avoid them?

The most obvious mistake I’ve seen people make that I’ve observed is the overuse of lighter fluid, propane gas and similar accelerants. Sometimes, people cook meat too fast, which rushes the outcome of your product.

Oftentimes, you gauge the doneness of meat by the color. When people cook the food too quickly, the outside appears done, but the inside isn’t there yet. A lot of the time, the outside will look beautiful, but when you bite into it and actually eat it, you can tell it’s been cooked too fast because the meat is not as tender as it should be.

Sometimes you’ll see someone go out in the backyard and take a liter or gallon of lighter fluid and think they’re supposed to use it all just because they have it. You can tell because it’ll be like you’re fighting a fire sometimes. Once you get the grill lit and you have the greases and juices from the meat falling, it becomes easier for the grill to flame up real quick, so you have to be careful.

Additionally, when it comes to grilling, just by natural course the grill can become hotter in some spots than it is in other spots, so one of the best things to do is to always identify your hotspots so that you can pay a little bit more attention to them so that you don’t end up burning your food.

How does Jefferson’s Grill cook its meat?

We old-school barbecue meat. I’ve studied the industry in our area. A lot of people have gone to using propane smokers where you don’t have to use a lot of charcoal or wood, and I understand why they do it because it does make the job easier. But we are old-school. We don’t boil our meat before we do anything with it; we clean our meat, we season our meat with our special rub, and we put it on the grill. Now the way we do it, I’ll admit, is much more difficult—it’s a whole lot more work—but we do it the way it’s been done for a long time.

Do you have any preferred beverages to drink with barbecue?

I have seen across the South a beer and barbecue concept being developed. I do not drink alcohol myself, but I will tell you that in my opinion, especially when you’ve been outside, that there’s nothing like some good ole lemonade. I think of barbecue as heavier food, so something light like fruit juice or lemonade feels like the way to go.

Did you have anything else you wanted to say about you or your business?

Southern barbecue is a good food industry to be in, and the support in this area is really strong. We’re proud to be one of the leaders in the barbecue scene in Jackson and especially in the gas-station setup as a leader in gas-station food.

We’re really proud of that.

To learn more about Jefferson’s Grill (5612 Old Canton Road, inside Velero), call 601-738-6164 or find the business on Facebook.

Chicago-born Jackson transplant Robert Raymond has been enriching the metro-baking scene with his artisanal bread since opening Sunflower Oven in 2017. "Although I've been baking and sharing my own bread for several years, I had never thought of doing it for a living," he says. The business is a cooperative, meaning that each worker is a part-owner and shares in the profits. "Real, nutritious food is a basic human right. With that as our 'soil,' we sell real bread to as many people as possible each week."

Raymond sources ingredients from local and regional suppliers. His unbleached flour comes from non-GMO wheat grown and cold-stone milled in North Carolina at Carolina Ground, although he also buys flour from Bellegarde Bakery and Mill in New Orleans. "The flour comes from the older heritage strains of wheat, so it might even be more easily tolerated by people with gluten sensitivity," Raymond suggests.

Sunflower Oven's breads and 
pastries contain no commercial yeast and are naturally leavened in a style similar to sourdough. Dough prepared this way does not require kneading, just the occasional pulling and folding and a longer prove, a term that refers to its rising time.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Sunflower Oven has continued to produce bread for Jacksonians. "COVID really changed the scene," Raymond says. "For a while, we were the only ones with bread because we were able to consistently get flour from our small-mill supply."

Each week, Raymond and his coworker Betsy Bruening bake nearly 250 loaves at The Beanery, the site of a former inn for railroad men traveling through Jackson. The two-story Craftsman residence at the curve of Spengler and Madison streets in Belhaven Heights is also the pickup location for pre-ordered loaves and dozens of pastries available, subject to what ingredients are fresh and seasonal. Pickups occur every other Tuesday at 5 p.m.

On Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon, Sunflower Oven sells bread from its stall at the Mississippi Farmers Market on High Street. During June, July and August, Sunflower Oven will also have a stand at the Clinton Farmers Market on Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Customers are encouraged to pre-order their loves to ensure they receive precisely what they want.

Bruening loves baking bread and the deep sense of community that the Sunflower Oven ethos inspires. "It's great working with friends. It feels healthy and balanced," she says. "We create quite a selection each week." Sunflower Oven breads include rustic round loaves, sandwich loaves, bagels, baguettes, pita bread, Iranian flatbreads, brioche, chocolate-almond babka (a Jewish filled pastry bread), cookies, scones, and even seasonal king cakes. She and Raymond also ferment vegetables for sale and craft stone-ground mustard from scratch.

For more details about Sunflower Oven or to place a pre-order, visit sunfloweroven.com or find the business on Facebook. Visit MicheleDBaker.com for more of her works.

Since Ridgeland-based gaming bar Dogmud Tavern opened on April 1, 2021, patrons have come far and wide to immerse themselves in the experience, with some guests traveling hundreds of miles. Jesse Labbé and Rick Moore, co-founders of local creative studio and board-game developer Certifiable Studios, opened the Pear Orchard Road locale to serve as a new venue for the First Friday gaming events that Certifiable Studios used to host on the first Friday of every month at the company's headquarters.

Labbé and Moore had been toying around with the concept for a while, although the COVID-19 pandemic impeded their progress on the project. With vaccines available across the state and cases of the virus at significantly lower numbers than they were a short half-year ago, the two business partners decided that spring would be the right time to put their cards on the table, so to speak.

As a sibling-company of sorts to Certifiable Studios, Dogmud features iconic artwork from the studio's various gaming properties, including "Endangered Orphans," "Who Goes There?," "Stuffed" and "D6"—most of which Labbe designed—along every wall, in addition to other game-centric and fantasy-like adornments.

The name "Dogmud" actually stems from a running joke from Labbé's college days, when he and friends used to spend the occasional evening in a bar. Labbé, not one for stiffer drinks, would normally order what he would call "fru fru drinks with umbrellas" and become the target of playful jesting. One night, Labbé asked the bartender serving them if the establishment had any "dogmud," which he described as an earthy sort of adult beverage.

After checking around, the bartender said that they must be out. Labbé, who had invented the drink name on the spot, subsequently enjoyed a hearty laugh with his pals. Since then, "dogmud" became an inside joke, first among Labbé's friends, and later with his colleagues at Certifiable Studios, with the developer including "dogmud" as a game mechanic in a number of the company's games, in one form or another.

Now, thanks to Dogmud Tavern, "dogmud" is no longer simply a fictional beverage, as the pub serves its own custom-made brew that they have christened "Dogmud," a dark lager available on draft. Other draftable beers guests can order from the bar include Colsons, Sopro Suzy B, Abita Andygator, Yuengling and Destihl Key Lime Go. The pub offers over two dozen other beers in either cans or bottles.

True to its label as a gaming bar, Dogmud Tavern houses a plethora of board games—both ones from Certifiable Studios and other popular selects like Catan, Splendor, Ticket to Ride, Betrayal at House on the Hill and dozens more—that the bar invites visitors to request and play at its various gaming tables, which double as dining tables. A full list of Dogmud's available board games can be found in the Games tab of the business' website.

Meanwhile, another seating area features gaming consoles that allow guests to play a number of one- and two-player NES and SNES games, such as Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros. 3, Galaga, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong Country, Star Fox and many other classic 8-bit and 16-bit video games. The lounging area also showcases free-to-play arcade machines with fighting games so that customers can nostalgically button-mash their way to victory.

Each Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Dogmud Tavern hosts Trivia Night at the Tavern. Entry costs $5 per person. Winners receive cash prizes, and drink specials are held throughout the weekly event.

Frederick Roseman, a graphic artist in the area, has trekked through Dogmud Tavern's doors a few times since the grand opening. "What I love most about the place is the atmosphere," he says. "It's a really chill environment for not just gaming but also for creativity. It is my new getaway from home when I want to just get out and create art somewhere." His favorite dish is the Bayou Dragon pizza, which is coated in a white sauce and topped with creole seasoning, a five-cheese blend, alligator sausage, caramelized onions and bell peppers.

"Most of what we serve is made in-house," Labbé says of Dogmud's menu, which contains a list of options for appetizers, salads, "mud dogs," pizzas, sandwiches, desserts and specialty cocktails—each with a similarly fun and punny name that ties back to the restaurant's theme or to a Certifiable Studio product.

Those who want to take a piece of Dogmud Tavern home with them can browse the gift shop corner, which displays various board games, plushes, apparel and other merchandise available for purchase.

Dogmud Tavern (681 S. Pear Orchard Road, Ridgeland) is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to midnight. To learn more about the gaming bar, call 601-499-4932 or visit dogmudtavern.com.

Jackson's local restaurants have all you could ever want when it comes to Easter brunch. Here is some of what's on offer for this year's holiday season.

Saltine Oyster Bar (622 Duling Ave., 
Suite 201, 601-982-2899, saltinerestaurant.com)

Saltine will be serving brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The menu includes bourbon caramel French toast, soft shell crab Benedict, smoked salmon tartine, scotch eggs, breakfast wraps, cinnamon rolls, wood fired gulf oysters, chicken biscuits, biscuits and gravy and more. Saltine also offers Beanfruit coffee, Bloody Marys, mimosas and nitro cold brew coffee.

Char Restaurant (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142, 601-956-9562, charrestaurant.com)

Char will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and will serve from its regular brunch menu, which includes croque madames, custard-fried french toast, crab cakes, chicken and waffles, fried green tomatoes, crab claws, spinach crisps, crab or steak Benedict, eggs florentine, crab, shrimp and Andouille gumbo and more.

Bravo! Italian Restaurant and Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Highland Village, Suite 244, 601-982-8111, bravobuzz.com)

Bravo! will be serving Easter brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Specials will include carrot cake cheesecake and crab and pepper quiche. The restaurant will also offer its normal brunch menu, which includes crab cakes, New Orleans style shrimp and grits, eggs Benedict, veal piccata, breakfast pizza, crabmeat omelettes and more. Bravo! also has brunch cocktails, mimosas, Irish coffee, espresso martinis and more.

Scrooge's Fine Foods & Drink (5829 Ridgewood Road, 601-206-1211)

Scrooge's is offering a special Easter meal consisting of one meat, three veggies and a cornbread muffin or Sister Schubert's roll. Entrees include over roasted prime rib, grilled or fried chicken breast, honey glazed ham, oven roasted turkey breast, fried oysters and St. Louis style ribs. Veggies include squash casserole, orange glazed carrots, black eyed peas, green bean casserole, buttered corn and more. Desserts include brownies and ice cream, pecan cobbler with vanilla ice cream and buttermilk pie.

Olivia's Food Emporium (637 Highway 51, Suite K, Ridgeland, 601-898-8333, oliviasfoodemporium.com)

For those looking to have a catered brunch at home, Olivia's holiday menu features smoked or fried turkey, spiral-cut brown-sugared ham, smoked pork tenderloin and Ya Ya seafood gumbo. Sides include green bean, baked potato, sweet potato or squash casseroles, cornbread dressing and cheesy broccoli rice, while appetizers include cranberry walnut chicken salad, pimento cheese and spinach dip. The menu also features barbecue pork skins or fried chips, and desserts like lemon ice box, Hershey or sweet potato pies, rainbow, red velvet or coconut cakes and more.

The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen (1200 N. State St., Suite 100, 601-398-4562, themanshipjackson.com)

The Manship will be serving brunch from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The restaurant is offering a prime rib special for Easter in addition to its regular menu, which includes creme brulee pancakes, brisket Benedict, breakfast tacos, duck leg, grilled salmon, steak and eggs, fried chicken and waffles, gumbo, avocado toast, biscuits and gravy, roasted oysters and more.

Estelle Wine Bar & Bistro (407 S. Congress St., 769-235-8400, estellejackson.com)

Estelle will be serving its weekend Brunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The menu includes Mississippi oysters and waffles, east bay shrimp, cinnamon rolls, Caesar salad, pimento cheese flatbread, steak and eggs, bagels and lox, lemon ricotta pancakes, gulf shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, French toast and more. Estelle also offers bottomless brunch-tails for $17 per person. To make a reservation, visit estellejackson.com/reservations.

Much like Memphis' barbecue, New Orleans' creole dishes, Philidelphia's cheesesteaks and New York City's pizza-by-the-slice, MH Ventures hopes to help the Jackson area similarly define its food identity.

"Our long-term goal was to give a voice, a face and a talent to (the question), 'What is Jackson cuisine?'" Catering Director Cody Walker says. "We have some of the best restaurants in the South, so what defines that cuisine? When you think 'Jackson,' what do you think of? That is what we are trying to do with the Fine and Dandy."

Fine and Dandy opened in December 2017 in the District at Eastover and quickly became a local hit. Wallpapered pictures of iconic Jackson eateries welcome customers, whose dishes rest on vintage china, while classic tunes fill the air.

The restaurant offers twists on modern American fare. The popular "Da Bod Tots" menu item features tater tots topped with pimento cheese, "Betty White" barbecue sauce, bacon and green onions. Another favorite dish is the "Baked Cheese Dip," a mix of pepper jelly, bacon, cream cheese blend, green onions and almonds served with crackers.

In November 2019, Fine and Dandy launched It's Happening Jackson as its official catering brand. The company services both small intimate groups and large festive ones. The catering group can accommodate buffet, cocktail, individually packaged, and seated dinner setups and is equipped to provide a full bar and staff, florals and linen. The menu sports many of Fine and Dandy's signature dishes such as the 
pan-seared redfish as well as other favorite items like gumbo and jambalaya.

"We offer all types of flavors (including) southern, Cajun, barbecue," Walker says. "We love to take someone's vision and run with it and not make it ours but rather execute on yours."

Walker, who accepted his current 
position two months before the pandemic hit, says that COVID-19 has presented its own set of challenges, as with other restaurants. However, Walker credits the support of Jackson residents for helping keep the company afloat, adding that he hopes to continue to meet the needs of the community by offering quality service and memorable experiences.

It's Happening Jackson will soon unveil a new marketing campaign that highlights its commitment to catering to everyone in the metro area. "We've been able to build sales because the community has been so awesome to us," Walker says. "We are always pushing ourselves to try to meet what the community and area want and to do our best at it."

To learn more, visit eatdandy.com.

Wright's Foundation for Better Communities, better known by its acronym WFBC, is gearing up for its third-annual Donate A Dish event to serve home-cooked meals to homeless individuals at Stewpot Community Services' Opportunity Center from March 24 to 31.

Derick Wright founded the nonprofit organization three years ago to "uplift and enhance" the Jackson community. This spring, WFBC plans to serve hot to-go meals to 245 members of Jackson's homeless community the week before Easter, and asks that each pre-cooked dish be made to serve roughly 35 portions.

"We often see nonprofits or groups of people feed homeless people on Thanksgiving or Christmas," the 28-year-old said, "Nobody really reflects on Easter."

Considering the significance the Easter holiday holds for Christians, in 2018 Wright and his six-member board decided to collect potluck-style dishes from community members and provide for homeless people on a day that few think to do so.

At that first event, Wright and his volunteers served 130 people at the Opportunity Center "restaurant style," seating them at a table, taking their order, and returning with a plate of hot food. Though the COVID-19 pandemic prevented them from continuing that kind of service, WFBC held Donate A Dish last year, preparing uncooked donations and serving them hot in to-go plates.

This year, Wright says, Donate A Dish will be a hybrid event. Cooked dishes will be stored, reheated, and served in to-go plates. Depending on the weather, WFBC will either set-up a tent and outdoor tables and distribute meals, or else deliver them directly to those that need it.

Though donating dishes remains the focus of the event, Wright encourages people not to forget about drinks, plasticware, napkins and to-go plates. As for homeless people who are not at the Opportunity Center, Wright says, "give us a call and we'll drop food to them, too."

Motivated by his own experiences with homelessness and bankruptcy at age 22, Wright founded WFBC as a support system for Jacksonians to turn to when they need help. He wants WFBC to be "something for people to depend on, whatever they need, so they can continue to be positive about life."

Christie Burnett, who has served as director of the Opportunity Center since 2013, recalled the day Wright walked "out of the blue" into her office three years ago. "He shared his vision and what he wanted to do with his foundation, and we've been partnering ever since," Burnett says.

The Opportunity Center aims to provide homeless individuals with as many resources for security and success as possible, from computer labs and mail services, to a vast clothing closet and showers. Burnett encourages the center's patrons to "do the things they need to do," be that finding steady housing or better jobs. "We do not want to see you back on the street," she says.

Wright and Burnett are grateful for the partnership their two organizations have sustained for the past three years. "They always seem to come through when we need them," Burnett says of WFBC. Admiring the Opportunity Center's dedication to improving homeless peoples' lives, Wright says, "We're going to help them as much as we can."

Just as important as sharing a meal, Wright and Burnett believe that building relationships between neighbors in the same city improves it. "There's so many opportunities to make Jackson better," Burnett says, "You don't have to have a degree, you don't have to have training. You just have to have the heart."

"We all have a dish we want to present, and we all have a heart to help people in need," Wright says.

For information on donations and how you can help, contact Derick Wright at 769-257-0073. Follow WFBC's page on Facebook for updates on this and other events. For more information on the Opportunity Center, go to stewpot.org/services/opportunity-center/.

The old saying "if you want something done right, do it yourself" rings true for McKinley Pierce—the idea helped him define and develop his passion for food. Born in the Mississippi Delta where food deserts are common and access to grocery stores and obtaining fresh fruits and vegetables always seemed out of reach, Pierce became determined to improve his circumstances.

When his family moved to the Jackson area, a new world of good food appeared. As his exposure to new tastes and dishes increased, his palate changed.

Pierce credits Outback Steakhouse as the restaurant where he honed his skills. "I had no experience in a kitchen, so they gave me my first opportunity to cook," Pierce explains. "I started to incorporate that knowledge into cooking meals for my family. I like to eat, and I was able to make whatever I had a taste for."

For his next challenge, he strives to nurture and engage young people in a new world of cooking, healthy eating and lifestyle changes. Pierce firmly believes that changing the eating habits of children can change the lives of families. "Once you know how cooking works, you can look in the refrigerator and piece together something nutritious," he says.

With this goal in mind, Pierce joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi, or BGCCM, to lead its culinary operations and mitigate the struggle of food inequality. Since 1936, Boys & Girls Clubs have provided after-school and summer youth-development programs for at-risk children in the Jackson metro area. BGCCM currently serves about 2,200 youth ages 6 to 18 in Hinds and Madison counties at four locations. The newest Club offering is the recently named "Dole's Sunshine for All" culinary program.

Pierce uses firsthand experience struggling with access to affordable, nutritious food as an asset when teaching children to cook healthy recipes that are inexpensive and easy to prepare. Dole Packaged Foods supplies many of the ingredients needed for the cooking demos.

"Right now, the 15 (club members in the culinary program) are learning the basics: how to properly use knives, food safety and sanitation," Pierce says. "But we've also made mango chutney and chicken pasta with Alfredo sauce. The students were all so excited to show their parents."

Future lessons will cover all aspects of cooking from searing fish, to grilling steaks and sauteing vegetables. "I want children to see cooking as a career option," Pierce says. "This is a great skill to have. Once you get the knowledge, get some experience. Then you'll always have a job."

To learn more about the Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi and its programs, visit BGCCM.org.

Christmas is days away, and New Year's Eve is fast approaching. Fortunately, the Jackson metro has plenty of options for those eager to say "bye" to 2020, whether it's dinner out or catering for a large group.

Char Restaurant (4500 Interstate 55 N. Frontage Road, 601-956-9562)

Char is offering a three-course prix-fixe dinner-theater performance from the Detectives Comedy Dinner Theatre on New Year's Eve. Seating and cocktail service begins at 6 p.m., while dinner and the show begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $70 per person plus tax and gratuity.

The Detectives menu includes tenderloin filets, pan-seared Atlantic salmon, pecan crusted blackfish, range chicken, salad and dessert. The event will take place in Char's private dining banquet space, with a maximum of 6 guests seated per table and all tables 6 feet apart from one another.

Char is also offering its full menu on New Year's Eve, along with chef specials, for both dine-in or takeout. Socially distanced reservations are limited. The New Year's Eve menu for the day will include crab quesadillas, bone-in filet and blackened snapper.

For information or to make reservations for either dinner, call 601-956-9562 or visit charrestaurant.com.

Elvie's Restaurant (809 Manship St., 601-863-8828)

Elvie's is offering a five-course, prix-fixe New Year's Eve dinner with two seatings, each two hours long. The first seating begins at 6 p.m. while the second seating begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person and include a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.

The prix-fixe dinner menu includes raw and fried oysters, butternut squash salad, swordfish, New York prime strip and flourless chocolate torte.

Evlie's is also hosting a New Year's Eve midnight toast event beginning at 11 p.m. Tickets are $100 and include three complimentary drinks and Elvie's breakfast items beginning at midnight.

For more information or to make a reservation, call 601-863-8828 or visit elviesrestaurant.com.

1908 Provisions (734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429)

The Fairview Inn's 1908 Provisions restaurant is offering a four-course New Year's Eve dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $69 per person. Reservations are required to ensure social distancing.

The menu includes items such as fried Texas quail, gnocchi pasta, chilled oysters, gulf crab cakes, buttermilk fried pickles, spinach salad, seafood gumbo, sauteed redfish, Mediterranean-style snapper, rack of lamb, hanger steak, cavatappi pasta and more.

For more information or to make a reservation, call 601-948-3429 or visit fairviewinn.com/1908provisions.

Bravo! Italian Restaurant and Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Highland Village, Suite 244, 601-982-8111)

On New Year's Eve, Bravo will be holding a special dinner with seatings at 
6 p.m. and 9 p.m. The early seating is 
$75 per person, while the late seating is $85 per person and includes extra champagne or a sparkling cider toast and celebratory sparklers. Each seating also offers optional wine flights for an additional $35.

The menu includes crudo di pesce with wahoo and fried capers; pheasant consomme with wild mushrooms; duck pastrami with spaghetti squash and asparagus; giant ravioli stuffed with veal and porcini; monkfish scallopini with skordalia spread; and ricotta with chocolate-covered pistachios.

For information or to make a reservation, call 601-982-8111 or visit bravobuzz.com.

The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen (1200 N. State St., Suite 100, 601-398-4562, themanshipjackson.com)

The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen's catering menu includes smoked prime rib, spit-fired leg of lamb or turkey breast, lamb or pork sliders, marinated or fried crab claws, vegetable bruschetta, shrimp cocktails, charcuterie platters, crab beignets and more. To place an order, call 601-586-9502 or send an email to catering@
themanshipjackson.com.

Hickory Pit (1491 Canton Mart Road, 601-956-7079)

The Hickory Pit's catering menu includes items such as smoked turkey, desserts, ribs and sides. Customers can pick up catering orders at any time during normal business hours on New Year's Eve.

The Hickory Pit will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. that day. For more information, call 601-956-7079 or visit the restaurant's Facebook page.

The Strawberry Cafe (107 Depot Drive, Madison; 601-856-3822)

The Strawberry Cafe's catering menu serves four to six people and includes items such as chicken or shrimp alfredo, pasta creole, shrimp and grits, chicken marinara, shrimp pasta, shrimp etouffee and more. The restaurant also sells a variety of salads, iced tea by the gallon, caramel pie and cheesecake by the slice and bread pudding. For more information, visit strawberrycafemadison.com.

The Hungry Goat (1006 Top St., Suite F, Flowood, 769-233-8539)

The Hungry Goat's holiday party menu includes charcuterie trays, cranberry brie bites, muscadine hot chicken bites, cheese balls, stuffed mushrooms, dessert trays, dips and more. All items are a la carte, and customers must place their catering orders at least 24 hours in advance. For more information or to place an order, call 769-233-8539.

Primos Cafe (515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-898-3600; 2323 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-936-3398; 201 Baptist Drive, Madison, 601-853-3350; primoscafe.com)

Primos is open for New Year's Eve catering and offers party trays of chicken tenders, po-boys, finger sandwiches, pasta salad, fresh fruit, corn bread, vegetable soup, seafood gumbo, salads and more. Primos also has cakes and pies whole or by the slice, cookie trays and lemon or fudge squares.

Email additional New Year's Eve info to dustin@jacksonfreepress.com.

When the previous owner sought to sell Scrooge's Fine Foods and Drink, she didn't have to look far. Chris Jefferson and Chris Carter, who both worked at Scrooge's, were more than willing to take over the restaurant. The pair understood that the pub had its own unique atmosphere paired with food and service embedded in southern hospitality.

"It was a good situation for both of us because we had worked together for a long time and we both had the same 
vision for the restaurant," Carter says. "We knew what Scrooge's was, and we wanted it to continue to be that."

Jefferson had been with the restaurant nearly 20 years and Carter nearly nine years when they became co-owners, and the two have now owned and managed the local favorite for six years.

The menu contains what Jefferson refers to as "a little bit of everything." Patrons can sample pub favorites such as loaded nachos, loaded fries, cheese sticks and an assortment of wing flavors while enjoying the full bar. There are also southern classics like steak, chicken and seafood, as well as a variety of po-boys, sandwiches and soups.

Daily blue plates—consisting of a main entree, choice of two sides and a bread—are available for those stopping by for lunch. At dinner, nightly specials feature signature appetizers, entrees and soups. All can be enjoyed inside or on the patio, which is available year-round.

The most well-known item on the menu is the signature Scrooge burger, a hearty sandwich loaded with cheese, bacon, sauteed onions, mushroom gravy, chili, lettuce and tomato. "It's pretty popular," Carter says. "The Scrooge burger is definitely something to behold."

COVID-19 has slowed business in the past few months, but the pair are gearing up for what they believe will be a busy holiday season. The restaurant will also be open on Christmas Day.

"(We will offer) a limited menu, but it's always good to give people a place to go on Christmas night," Carter says.

"They can get some food and don't have to cook, and they can get away from their family after a long day, or if they don't have family, they don't have to stay alone on the holiday."

That sentiment of community has remained the heartbeat of the business Carter and Jefferson have continued.

"Whether they are traveling through and just stopping in or whether they live in the neighborhood, (Scrooge's) is a social network with people of different walks of life and different communities," Carter says. "That is the experience that we want. We want to be that neighborhood restaurant or bar."

Scrooge's (5829 Ridgewood Road) is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, find the business on Facebook.

It's Friday evening and a crowd of people begins to gather at Smith Park. A car pulls slowly up the drive and parks. The sedan's trunk opens as several men move toward the vehicle to begin unloading the small brown boxes and cases of water. The crowd forms a line as two of the men distribute the 400 boxes unloaded from the vehicle's trunk one-by-one.

Another person hands each recipient a bottle of water. Once the trunk is empty, one man closes it and taps the car twice. With a smile and a wave, the driver pulls off while the crowd settles in to enjoy the meal they've just been given.

The scene is the same each Friday night when Bilal Qizibash delivers the weekly sandwich boxes to the homeless. The program "R U Hungry?" recently celebrated its seven-year anniversary. However, COVID has caused some changes. Safety concerns have eliminated the use of volunteers, leaving Qizibash as the sole deliverer. The boxes now contain 
individually wrapped and sealed hot sandwiches. However, Qizibash's dedication to continuing the work caused those he serves to step up for his safety.

"The very first time I was out there during the pandemic, I was handing out the sandwiches, and they told me to stop (and) move away," Qizibash says. "They said, 'We will do it,' and they told me to go back to my car. So I went back to my car (and) they formed their own line. They distributed the food and even cleaned up."

With the pandemic creating new food needs, Qizibash has also been helping guide other programs in the metro. From March to October, his "Draw a Smile Foundation" partnered with the City of Jackson to provide emergency meals to residents through a program from the USDA. When a glitch caused those deliveries to stop, Qizibash said local grocery stores banded together to help fill the need.

The group is also working in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club and Dole to provide meals. The hot meals, which are professionally prepared by chefs Nick and Regina Wallace, are distributed at the West Capitol Boys and Girls Club where families can drive through to pick up the individually packaged and sealed containers each Saturday. The partnership is now also providing food boxes of produce and meat.

Qizibash notes his organization is not a charity, but a movement toward systemic change. "'R U Hungry' is essentially a band-aid," said Qizibash. "It is essential. It is critical. We do have to feed people that are hungry, but we do need to put in more sustainable solutions. We are in the business of putting ourselves out of business."


Find more information on R U Hungry at facebook.com/hungryur. Bilal Qizibash is the co-founder and CEO of EasyKale, which manufactures shaker bottles of the dehydrated and powdered namesake vegetable. Visit easykale.com to learn more.