Normally, I don’t feel the need to travel outside the circle of great food selections in the city of Macon, but when I heard about a newly-opened European style cafe serving up farm to table soups, salads and sandwiches, I had to drive a little extra to see what this place was all about.
Visiting Bluetick Mercantile Co. takes a 25 minute drive from Mercer’s campus — a drive that will take you years into Mercer’s past.
Forsyth, Georgia, just outside Bibb County, is the site of the old Tift College, which was a Georgia Baptist women’s institution before joining with Mercer to create early childhood programs. Forsyth is also home to quaint little restaurant.
Bluetick is located on Forsyth Square on an old-fashioned town street that seems like it hasn’t changed since 1960, except for the modern southern-style decorations outside the restaurant. Patrons are greeted before they even step in the door by Blue, a scarecrow with the head of a Bluetick hound. Once inside, they are taken into a part bakery, part coffee shop, part restaurant.
The Good
The Atmosphere
The interior designers for Bluetick deserve a cookie — one baked by the bakers at Bluetick, no less. They had mason jar lighting, spices and bread for sale, and the room was filled with the heavenly aroma of fresh baked bread.
“It felt organic,” said freshman Josh Dupaty, elegantly summing up the atmosphere.
“The atmosphere was adorable. It had a southern, comfort, organic feel. Everything felt real,” said Taylor Cole, another friend who went with me. She also enjoyed ordering at the counter and having the food brought to us. She said it made the experience more relaxed and casual.
The Coffee
I had their coffee of the month called “Witch Sister Is Hazel.” It was a hazel-flavored mocha topped with whipped cream, crumbled sugar cookies and chocolate drizzle. The coffee flavor was still tastable among the mass amount of sugar. It was a dessert unto itself.
The Dessert
Among our group, we tasted 5 desserts. These were classic desserts, taken to the next level.
The chocolate fudge brownie was chewy and had the slight twist of a boozy bourbon flavor.
The key lime pie was creamy and tart, and the crust was an exceptional graham cracker crust with coconut shavings.
Cole said the sweet potato cheesecake was incredibly satisfying.
“It had the creaminess of a cheesecake, but the sweetness of a sweet potato. It wasn’t too sweet. It wasn’t loaded down with sugar. It tasted naturally sweet,” Cole said.
The chocolate caramel cake featured soft chocolate cake and delicious caramel icing.
I personally ordered the pumpkin pie (I was in the fall mood), and it was easily the best pumpkin pie I have ever had. Every bite hit me with cinnamon and nutmeg.
The Salads
The salads were balanced and had little additions that went a long way, such as fresh mozzarella, smoked bacon, or homemade croutons.
“The croutons were banging,” Dupaty said.
The Freshness
Everything on the menu was made from scratch and locally sourced. Freshness could be tasted in everything we ordered.
“They stayed true to their theme of fresh and organic,” said Lizzie Ctibor, another friend who came to eat with us.
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The Questionable
The Smoked Eggplant
Bluetick takes fresh eggplant and smokes in a Big Green Egg smoker. They then put it on their salads and in an eggplant and mozzarella panini.
“I did not necessarily like the eggplant. It was very smoky, a little overpowering. It tasted like campfire,” Cole said.
The Portions
I thought the portions were a bit light for the price. Cole agreed that they were a bit small, but Dupaty said it was plenty and that he couldn’t finish his.
The Price
The price is a bit expensive, but reasonable for the quality.
“I’m used to a low budget lifestyle, but I get the price because it’s organic,” Ctibor said.
The Bad
The Hours
They are only open weekdays from 6AM to 6PM, so it’s not a possible weekend lunch excursion or evening study spot.
Bluetick is a great place to grab a snack; however, as a restaurant, its meals are lacking in quantity. While the prices are not too bad, ordering enough to fill me would be expensive unless I wanted to fill up on sweets. Still, I would go back to Bluetick. It’s a great shop to just sit down and take in the beauty of its atmosphere.
Rating
Will: 3/5
Taylor: 4/5
