Passing travelers, having searched for a dinner with local character, end up at Red Lobster.They know this isn’t Boston, Chicago, or LA, but couldn’t there be a diner, pizzeria, or caféthat exudes terroir, even dilute, even abject? Most locations aspire only to be the objectsof prepositions. North of which. From which. Out of which. Beyond …
Better takeout was thriving in DeKalb County,but the school system hadn’t caught up,its languages unable to support the Greek bakery,dim-sum parlors, or lox-and-bagel shops.We knew the Roman Empire went beyond Italyand Pizza Hut was not quite Italian,but we had to distinguish Latin partiesfrom the French, Spanish, and German.Latin drew the kids who would opt for …