Eating in Oxford Mississippi - A review of Ajax Diner

Lately I've been "home sick" for my college town. Mostly my sorority sisters, but also my favorite restaurants, shops, and outings. It's funny, but I never would have guested I'd miss the simple act of walking through campus to class each day. Something I tried to avoid by finding a friend to drive me each and every time the weather turned even a little bad is now something I ache a little bit for daily. Today I'm sharing with you about one of my very favorite Oxford things, my favorite restaurant, Ajax Diner.

Ajax is a perfect example of the typical "meat and two" restaurants that so abundantly populate the South. Its greatness comes from the simplicity of the menu. You won't find any fancy words listed in the ingredients, unless you count Andouille, which nobody in Mississippi does. You also won't find any clever descriptions of dishes or ornately garnished plates. Don't let the simplicity fool you; this is the comfort food we all wish our mothers had been capable of producing every night of the week growing up. The roast beef po'boy is delicious, as is the fried catfish, but I have a hard time passing up the veggie plate. A heaping portion of 4 vegetables (fried eggplant, squash casserole, cheese grits, and sweet potato casserole are my favorite combination) plus a square of jalapeno cornbread fills you up for only $9. As a word to the wise, don't make the rookie mistake of volunteering to drive that night, because you won't want to miss the lemonade margarita.

Warning: This baby is stronger and more delicious than it looks

Who eats at Ajax? Everyone. It's not uncommon for the line to wrap down the block on a Friday or Saturday night, and if you're trying to grab lunch on Graduation Saturday you better have someone holding your spot in line well before the doors open. On any given day, except Sunday when in typical small town Southern fashion it's closed, the simple black and white plastic tablecloths will see Ole Miss students stopping to grab lunch between classes, women's Bible study groups, and local high school students on their way to semi-formals. In the spring, there's a good chance you could even dine next to a Manning; unless you're like me and have the worst Manning sighting luck in the world. I can't even tell you how many times I just missed seeing Archie, Olivia, or Eli about town. 

Ajax isn't pretentious or over priced; rather, it is proof that simple can be tasty. It lets what comes out of the kitchen speak for itself. That's why Ajax is my favorite restaurant in the world. It may not hold this coveted spot forever, but I'm sure excited to discover new spots that'll put it to the test.

I'd love to hear about your favorite restaurant! When I can't sleep at night I like to look at the menus of restaurants I've never been to, even if there is only a 2% chance I'll ever eat there.