Omnivore - Liquid Diet: Midtown Bowl
Balls to the wall food, fun and drink
MEMORY LANE: Thanks to a recent renovation, the previously dingy digs of the 49-year-old Midtown institution are welcoming once again with plenty of deliciously tacky old-school charm to go around. Each of the 32 state-of-the-art lanes has an assigned table for congregating; an Atari-esque kiosk with various service call buttons; and a mounted TV monitor — complete with those wonderfully cheesy animated bowling shorts — that tallies and boasts which player is the current “Kingpin.”
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GUTTER BOMBS: Basic and obscenely cheap items such as hot dogs, burgers, hand-battered wings, fried fish baskets and funnel cakes abound on the large menu. But there’s something simply irresistible about the “Big Nasty,” a sinfully messy and greasy heap of French fries, tater tots and homemade potato chips topped with chili, nacho cheese and pickled jalapeños. Check out the lunch special Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-2 p.m., which includes lane rental, those bitchin’ shoes, your pick from a handful of menu items and a fountain drink for $11.75.
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BEER FRAME: This bowling alley doesn’t play around when it comes to booze. The fully stocked bar has an impressive list of more than 84 beers from all over the world, wines, an extensive selection of liquors, and shot specials to warm up your arm and give you the courage to bust out that impression of Jesus from The Big Lebowski. They even sell towels to shine your ball if you’ve forgotten your prop at home.
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Midtown Bowl, 1936 Piedmont Circle. 404-874-5703. Daily, 9 a.m.-3 a.m. www.midtownbowl.com.
(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)__
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