By Jon Waterhouse
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/12/08
As the stretch between downtown Decatur and Avondale Estates readies for its big, build-out boom, nearby meat-and-three mainstay Our Way Cafe keeps churning out its brand of gullet-warming, home-cooked meals. It's still a cash-only operation, fun and funky antiques decorate the walls, and colorful regulars get a first-name greeting. But a budding catering business and the addition of Sunday lunch hours this fall are a couple of plans Our Way has in the oven.
What do you like most about your job?
Rosewall: I love feeding people more than anything, because they're happy and they like to see me. ... I've been serving some of these people for 20 years, and I've watched their children grow up. And now their children bring in their own children ... I would not want another job. I love my job more than anybody.
With all of the transplants in Atlanta these days, do you have to tweak your Southern recipes to keep everyone happy?
McFerren: Eva's Swedish, but she has a Southern flair to her. And I'm from the North. So we've just incorporated things over the years.
Rosewall: The mothers of my boyfriends when I was growing up were the ones who taught me how to cook because we did not know anything about lima beans, field peas, butter beans or anything.
Your creamed corn is legendary. What's so special about your veggies?
Rosewall: The thing I think we're most famous for is that our vegetables are all vegetarian. There's no meat, lard or fat added.
What about your vegetarian entrees?
Rosewall: Our spinach-artichoke lasagna is a huge hit with our vegetarians and so is our spinach-tofu pie with artichokes. I had a woman call me and say, "Any time you make those two dishes, set aside three little containers for me."
Your clientele is diverse. Describe it.
Rosewall: At 11 a.m., it's all of the contractors. From 12 to 1 p.m., it's the office people. At 2 p.m., it's the artists. At 5 p.m., the more bohemian, industry crowd comes in. And the families come at night.
McFerren: Ruth is our oldest regular. She's 94 and a former burlesque and can-can dancer. She comes in every Thursday and gives out candy and good luck pennies to our customers. She passes out the pennies because she's a cancer survivor.
> Our Way Cafe, 2831 E. College Ave., Decatur. 404-292-9356, www.ourwaycafe.com
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