It's a lazy country drive south on Alabama Highway to LaFayette, Ga., home of Dari Dip. The small country diner has been family operated for 60 years. Currently, it is owned by Don Benton and his son Donald.
Whenever I stop by, I'm always made to feel like family too. On my last visit, as on every visit, the smell of hot skillets permeated the air, making me feel particularly cozy. I took a long sip of my coffee.
Beyond the dining room in which I sat chatting with Don lies Dari Dip's private banquet room. It is there that Dari Dip is hosting its reservation-only candlelit dinner this Valentine's Day. The special menu will feature different surf and turf recipes like steak and shrimp or chicken and shrimp. There will be sides like green bean almondine and oven-baked potatoes. For dessert, Dari Dip will serve its best-selling brownie sundae topped with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream and, of course, a cherry.
Donald Benton, owner of Dari Dip in Lafayette, GaThe main dining area will be open for business as usual, serving up all your down-home favorites. There is country-fried steak, fried chicken and the chicken salad cold plate, served on a bed of lettuce with a side of cottage cheese and your choice of fruit.
"This time of year everybody is thinking about losing weight," said Don. "We have 18-22 veggies daily and salads with grilled chicken." There are tuna salad and seafood platters as well as several homemade soups.
"How long does it normally last before people return to their normal eating habits?" I wondered.
"Really, it's just getting started," Don told me. "Actually, February is when it really picks up. It'll last through May. People want to get ready for swimsuit season," he explained.
It made sense to me. And it meant there is still time. I ordered a slice of blackberry cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to go. The cobbler was warm and the ice cream melted quickly, creating a sweet blend of fruit and creamy coolness.
I savored every bite during my drive home, past the sprawling horse pastures, the rustic hillside cemeteries, the majestic mountains rising in the east - the many delicious reasons it's good to be a Southern girl.