My friend Christian was running late, but that gave me the chance to enjoy the view, read the menu and strike up a conversation with the server at Local, Chef Edward Mendoza’s latest creation.
Perched up at the bar at lunchtime on a Friday, I had a good vantage point. Like his other restaurant, Cucina 503, Local is stylish but homey, with soft colors, rich wood, gorgeous large-format black and white images of Augusta and other art, and a beautiful stone bar that I coveted immediately. There are two large dining areas, with mostly high tops but some low tops; patio seating; great music playing; and three large TVs.
Strictly a breakfast and lunch place, Local serves up breakfast all day, with lunch starting at 11 a.m. It’s a generous menu of what its Facebook page describes as “tavern comfort food,” with simple, honest ingredients, presented in interesting ways.
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Pancakes and French toast, for example, can be fancied up with your choice of berries, Nutella, pecans, bananas or chocolate chips. Avocado plays a big role, garnishing egg white bites and featured in an avocado bacon frittata or a California-style avocado toast. There are also more quick-bite options, including a smoked salmon platter I seriously considered; six other frittatas, from a veggie to a Western frittata with ham, cheddar and veggies; breakfast sandwiches on your choice of croissant, sourdough, wheat or Texas toast; and big plates, including shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy, chicken and French toast, and short rib and eggs.
Then you flip the menu over to see lunch. There are salads, including a trio of tuna, chicken and egg, as well as hearty green salads topped with protein; sandwiches, including fillings such as marinated portabella mushroom, whitefish, or pulled pork; a classic burger; and meat and twos, featuring salmon, chicken, meatloaf or pork, paired with everything from the classic potato options to fried okra, crispy brussels, braised greens, mashed sweet potatoes and more. Not to mention a short list of desserts.
It was a lot to take in. I appealed to the waitress, who rested her arm on the bar and leaned in for a good chat. “Everything’s so good,” she said, but then she started listing off her favorites: “The short ribs and eggs are excellent, and the frittatas—you can’t get that anywhere. The burger is popular and the blackened chicken sandwich.”
The salmon, she said, just came in that morning, and as far as the sides, she suggested the brussels sprouts, which are cooked crisp in an air fryer then tossed with sea salt and lemon. “I know what I like to eat,” she said with a laugh.
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By then, Christian had arrived. For me, it was between the short rib or the salmon, while Christian was deciding between the avocado and bacon frittata or the blackened chicken sandwich. Our server gave us the same advice: “Where else would you get short ribs or a frittata?” Good point! I also added a side of fruit to mine—not on the menu, but I asked—which she said would be pineapples and a mix of berries.
For Christian and myself, it was a combination work meeting/catchup, and we’d just finished business when our food arrived. Christian’s plate was a beautiful mix of colors: the yellow egg garnished with slices of bright green avocado, the golden brown of the potatoes, and the curly tendrils of a fresh green and purple salad. Mine was colorful too: A scrambled egg made even more yellow by the addition of a slice of American cheese; the gilded, rich brown of the short rib, brightened by purple pickled onion; slices of white toast atop my breakfast potatoes; and the dish of red strawberries, plump blueberries and diced yellow pineapple alongside.
We were both quiet for a while. The bacon and eggs were great but a little heavy, said Christian, but she loved how the avocado and the crisp salad lightened everything up. My egg was scrambled hard, per my request, and just the way I liked it. I admit I was a little surprised the cheese was laid on top and not mixed in, but it actually ensured that every bite was equally cheesy.
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And the short rib? As soon as I went in with my fork, I knew I was in for a treat. It sank in immediately, showing just how tender the cut was. The marinade tasted almost Asian to me, a little sweet and a little tangy, and you have to have some pickled onion with every bite.
The potatoes were fine, if a little bland; the Texas toast was delicious and buttery; and the fruit was lovely and fresh, especially those sweet blueberries. But the star was definitely that short rib.
Our server came by to refill our waters. As we both raved about our dishes, she asked if we’d tasted each other’s. “I didn’t think about it,” exclaimed Christian. “And I was too busy greedily eating every bite of my short rib,” I admitted with a laugh.
Next time, though, I have my sights set on that frittata.
Make Your Reservation
Local
3851 Evans to Locks Road
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Entrée cost: $6.50 to $13.50 for breakfast and $10.50 to $15.50 for lunch
Danielle Wong Moores is a local freelance writer who’ll never turn down a shrimp cocktail, sushi or cheese dip. Her greatest food influences are her mom and writers MFK Fisher and Amanda Hesser. Her Dine and Dish column runs the second and fourth Fridays in The Augusta Press.
