So it finely happened. It only took 18 months. In June of 2009 I found out about
Jim N Nicks at the Southern Foodways Alliance Field Trip in Bristol. I met some nice folks from Jim 'N Nick's, and they had brought some Pimento Cheese, which is on their menu in various forms. It was very good; much cheesiness, some hotness, and best of all, they brought a lot! They set it out at the gathering spot, and folks slathered it on celery and crackers. It was for a while the focal point. The gathering spot was
not a bar. It was more of large room with chairs tables and bar at one end, where people congregated. But not a bar. (It was also used as a classroom, but that’s another story.)
Anyway, I found out Jim 'N Nick's had some places in the Low Country. Well, you ask, since Catherine goes to the College of Charleston, why did it take you this long? I have some fairly good reasons: We didn’t actually go to see Catherine a lot this fall, and when we did we wound up already full when near the restaurants, or we wound up cooking for ourselves at the house in Folly Beach, or got involved in several catered events down there. But it was always in the middle part of my mind. Stewart had gone to a FBLA event last year right beside the North Charleston site, so he talked some others into eating there. Rave Reviews. Catherine went to the downtown location in order to get Brain Food before exams. More Rave Reviews.
Catherine had 6 day break between exams, so last Wednesday I left after work to get her. She was ready to go as soon as I pulled up at the dorm, but I needed to walk around some to flex my knees, and I hadn’t eaten yet, so we stopped by the North Charleston site. The folks were very helpful and friendly. I decided a Catfish BLT would probably be manageable on the interstate. When they asked if I wanted tartar sauce on it, I said no thank you, but then I had a flash of inspiration. I asked if they could put Pimento Cheese in place of the tartar sauce. The waiter kind of cocked his head, his jaw dropped a little and his eyes kind of squenched up. Then he grinned, “Yeah, we can do that! That sounds awesome. I might have to try that!”
“But not mine. You’ll get your own, right?”
“Well. . . . yeah, . . . I’ll get my own!”
A few minutes later they brought it, and it
was awesome. Toasted Sourdough with a big slab of grilled catfish; the cheesey gooey goodness was married with the porcine perfection of the thicker-than-normal smoky bacon. It all fit together so nicely that I was able to eat in one handed driving up I-26!
I don’t know when we’ll get back to try out more of the menu, but hopefully sooner, rather than later. Maybe over Christmas, but I doubt it. Who knows? Catherine goes back to Charleston on January 9th. I can probably wait that long.
