Buggies, buggies, and more buggies

The Burrito Buggy is an Athens tradition. The buggy, which has been around for over 25 years, is one of the first things you hear about upon setting foot on Ohio University's campus. I'll never forget visiting OU as a high school senior just three years ago. It seems like just yesterday, but the girl who was giving my campus tour told us we had to do two things before graduating OU: eat at Burrito Buggy and climb the rock-climbing wall at Ping Center. I'm not much for rock climbing, but I love food, and it's sad that three years later I have yet to do either of those things. I decided this needed to change and after my classmate, Anne Culhane, suggested I do a post on all of the buggies by college gate, I finally had a reason to give it a try.

(Photo credit: http://www.burritobuggy.com/, The Burrito Buggy)

While Burrito Buggy is the original and most recognizeable buggy uptown, a few new ones have recently burst onto the scene. Ali Baba's, Bagel Buggy, Zaanti, and A-Town Pies and Fries have all taken up residence in "Buggyville" by college gate. The unique thing about all of these buggies is that they all offer much different cuisine.

Burrito Buggy offers a wide variety of burritos. You can get bean, beef, or veggie buritos. On my first ever trip to Burrito Buggy, I ordered the Beef Supreme. It was loaded with beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, olives, jalapenos, and sour cream. Because I'm a guacamole fiend, I ordered it with guacamole for $0.75 extra. Needless to say, for $5.25, I was absolutely stuffed.

"Burrito Buggy is awesome, especially late at night," junior Ronnie Corey said. "I go through withdrawals when it goes away for winter quarter."

Ali Baba's is known primarily for their gyros. The gyros come in three sizes: econo, regular, and supreme. I've had the regular and it's absolutely delicious, and a ton of food. I don't even want to know what the supreme looks like. A variety of other Mediterranean items are available on the menu such as falavel, baba ganoush, and hummus. There is also a variety of baked goods from cookies to baklava that you can order as well. The majority of the ingredients are purchased at the Athens Farmer's Market and are always fresh. You can also sample some of the items on the menu that you may not be familiar with. Ali Baba's has quickly become an Athens favorite among students.

"I go to Burrito Buggy or Ali Baba's about once a week," sophomore Chris Barkley said. "They hook you up. Burrito Buggy loads the burritos up with more than enough meet. At Ali Baba's, I always get the supreme size. I guarantee you will be stuffed after eating one of those and it's so good, too."

Bagel Buggy offers bagel sandwiches that are much different than the one's you would find at Bagel Street Deli. The bagel buggy offers many generic sandwiches in the form of a bagel sandwich. You can get a pizza bagel, ham and cheese, or even a hot dog bagel.

Zaanti is another one of the unique buggies uptown. "Zaanti" is the Sanskrit word for "peace." Zaanti offers Indian cuisine. According to an article in The Post, "[Zaanti] serves two curries with rice and salad for $5.50, and customers can add a piece of flat bread or a drink for $1 and soup for $2.50." While I've never been to Zaanti, I do enjoy curry and plan on giving it a try sometime. The thing about this blog is, there's so much to try, but so little time and money. Hopefully I get around to trying it at some point in the near future.

A-Town Pies and Fries specializes in essentially what its name suggests. This cart provides customers with slices of pizza and french fries. Although I've never had the pizza or fries, they've gotten good reviews from people around campus.

All of Athens' buggies are locally owned and operated and are some of the many interesting things that make Athens unique. Give the buggies a try, they're cheap, different, and delicious. Who knows what new buggy will surface on your next trip to "Buggyville."

An avalanche of pizza picking up steam in Athens

Pizza is one of those foods that I feel like everybody enjoys in one way or another. Whether it be deep dish, thin crust, pizza al taglio, brick oven, etc., there are always enough varieties of crust, sauce, and toppings to keep everyone happy. As noted in my post about O'Betty's, I'm very picky when it comes to pizza. Chicago-style pizza, in my opinion, is the end-all-be-all of pizza. Athens, however, is quickly earning a reputation for good pizza in the form of Avalanche Pizza. Avalanche has gained national recognition in recent years and has won various awards, such as first place at the USA World Pizza Championships in Salsomaggiore, Italy in 2009.

Avalanche is known primarily for their signature pies, which offer a wide variety of toppings and sauces. I've tried many of these signature pies and I've never been disappointed. When I eat Avalanche, I prefer to think of them as pies and not pizzas. I like them so much, and it makes me feel better about turning my back on Chicago, even if only temporarily. Other Chicagoans apparently feel the same way about Avalanche, as evidence suggests in this review from Yelp.com:

"Coming from Chicago to the Athens area I thought one of the areas that would take the biggest hit was food, specifically pizza and Mexican. Well I have to admit that Avalanche Pizza has made me forget most Chicago pizza, its that good. From adventurous toppings and combination's to great prices this is a very good place. The crust is crisp and tasty and the toppings are fresh. When you can get a one-topping thin crust pizza and you think it doesnt need [anythign] else, its a good pie. A great place for pizza."

The thing I love about Avalanche though, is the fact that their signature pies are very different than the pizzas that I'm used to. The biggest reason that I created this blog is because I enjoy trying new foods and new combinations.

One of my favorite pies from Avalanche is the Hot Tuna Pie. The Hot Tuna Pie consists of Asiago cream, hand-cut tuna, fresh mushrooms, artichoke hearts, roma tomatoes, and a wasabi "Ninja" sauce that takes the place of your traditional pizza sauce. The tuna is an interesting alternative and the Ninja sauce gives it just the right amount of kick. Other favorites of mine include the Avalanche Ranch and the Original BBQ Chicken Pie, which I ordered today while watching my beloved Chicago Bulls fall to the Cleveland Cavaliers in game one of the NBA Playoffs. Anyhow, the Avalanche Ranch features marinara sauce with roasted chicken breast, Italian Sausage, pepperoni, ranch dressing, and a half-pound of mozzarella and provolone cheese. The BBQ Chicken Pie, however, is easily my favorite pie on the menu thus far. It includes roasted chicken, marinara sauce, bacon, cheddar cheese, and sweet BBQ sauce.

(Photo credit: www.avalanchepizza.net, The Avalanche Ranch)

Other pizzas feature everything from shrimp, to potatoes, to taco meat. The possibilities are endless at Avalanche!

Avalanche Pizza owner, John Gutekanst, also has his own blog, The Pizza Goon, where he discusses the trials and tribulations of owning a pizza place and making pizza. It's a very interesting read for those interested in what goes on behind the scenes. Avalanche is also a positive influence in the Athens community. Gutekanst cooks bread in his pizza ovens at Avalanche to help feed the hungry in Athens and surrounding areas.




I may be from Chicago, but all that means is I know good pizza...er, I mean pie...when I see it. Avalanche Pizza offers great pies with fresh, interesting ingredients, delicious crust, and savory sauces. I would recommend it to any pizza lover in search of something new. Give it a shot! You won't be disappointed!