Ole Miss people and Mississippians in general love to eat. We're the most obese state for about 203 years runnin' and, despite Haley Barbour's efforts to get us up off of our hams and get walkin', that doesn't look to change any time soon. You couple that with Ole Miss' perennial top-10 party school status, and you've got a horde of thirsty, hungry people.
So, of course, the food/drink regional is going to be hotly debated and discussed. Please be civil, but don't hold back with your opinions. Omissions, predictions and general tomfoodery (c wut i did thurr?) should go in your comments thread after the bracket and jump.
- Bourbon - The holy water of Oxford, Mississippi, a popular imbibing liquid that's been stealing food out of the mouth's hungry Mississippi children as well as acting as a fine lubrication to any conversation for decades.
- Ajax - Where macaroni and cheese is considered a "vegetable." Oh, and MEATLOAF!
- Taylor Catfish - BROWN BAG'd. Not only do the folks at Old Taylor allow one to bring their own bottle of no-no juice, they also cook up fine Southern vittles which are more than worth the wait. Many a fantastic Rebel evening have begun sitting on the front porch of Old Taylor amongst good friends.
- Chick-Fil-A - Not only does Oxford have a nice, new Chick Fil A out on Jackson Avenue, but Ole Miss has one right in the student union. I can't even begin to guess how many of those sandwiches I ate as a freshman.
- Chicken on a Stick - It's like Chick-Fil-A, but sinful. It's an excessive, rowdy, never-ending establishment filled with every other three-sheets-to-the-wind Ole Miss student there is on any given weekend night. Also, you're inundated with delicacies such as pizza sticks, eggrolls and potato logs if chicken isn't your bag.
- Mimosas - Omigah like brunch y'all!
- City Grocery - Shrimp 'n' Grits. Balcony. Reservations required. Those three things alone spell success for any Oxford dining establishment. The Grocery offers exclusivity, fine dining and a high seat upon which to rest one's laurels. It's also Eli Manning's favorite spot to eat, earning it immediate points in any Rebel's book.
- Mint Juleps - Sweet like our tea and spiked with our No. 1 seed. With crushed ice, there's nothing more refreshing and rousing than this cocktail.
- Scotch - Old men drink it. We have a lot of those as fans.
- Shitty Mexican Food - 2 for 1 pitchers at EL SOMBRERO'S!!!!111 That's the only reason to eat there unless you like spewing hot spackle out your ass for three days. Why does a town like Oxford need a dozen damned Mexican restaurants, especially if only two or three of them are willing to serve palatable food? That taco joint next to the old tobacco store, you get an A+ for food. kthx
- Shitty Sushi - Nothing like a fried catfish, mayo and cream cheese sashimi to make me feel like I'm in the Orient. Also, it's important to note that hating on popular terrible dining spots is something else Ole Miss people really like, so take THAT, Two Stick. We still like free PBR night.
- High-Gravity Beers - Barley wines are illegal in Oxford, but that's what makes them so damn appealing. We're REBELS, and we're willing to trek across state lines just to stick it to the booze-hatin' man.
- Big Bad Breakfast - Homemade bacon with tobasco salt, gigantic biscuits, and chicory coffee is worth the two hour wait at what may be the finest breakfast establishment in the entirety of the Deep South.
- Sausage Balls - They're great for recovering from Friday night hangovers in the Grove and provides sustenance for those pesky 11:21 a.m. kickoffs. Also, my wife makes baller sausage balls.
- Pimento Cheese - Mayo, cheese and spicy red things make up this tailgating staple. They're also great on burgers, something which Pillip's Grocery and Ajax have both figured out.
- Expensive Catering - If you're blowing $500 to get a spot on the Walk of Champions for tailgating, you might as well pay $45 a head for lobster rolls, ahi tuna and silver platter carrying servants to accompany it.