Cheap Eats - Friendly find
Inman Park’s T.W. Collins keeps it small and simple
A mirrored sign in T.W. Collins (Your Friendly Grocer) advertises Genesee beer with the slogan, “Welcome to the friendliest place in town.” And that’s what you get when you walk through the door of Todd Collins’ grocery and food shop. A boy stretches on tiptoes to reach a candy jar. A couple finds a spot to share a hot chocolate. A man gets his cup of joe, directions and a smile. It’s a disorienting time warp back to when things were simple and people were nice. Collins seems to know most of the neighbors who walk in his door — and they greet each other with big hellos.
KITSCHY-KOO: The store is located in the basement of a 98-year-old home on the corner of Ashland and Lake avenues in Inman Park. A hand-painted sign — a bright, cheery picture of Collins’ grandmother and two sisters — is the only clue that there’s a cozy micro-business located at street level. Inside, the rough-hewn rock walls have been left exposed, except where they are crowded with memorabilia, bric-a-brac and things for sale. The space is uncluttered, everything arranged for maximum effect — a ’50s-style Formica table, a multi-culti kitsch shrine, rows of canned dog food, Cokes and Moon Pies.
DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS: The attention to detail doesn’t stop at the decor. Collins’ menu consists of lovingly prepared soups and highly imaginative sandwiches. Fanny’s Favorite ($5) is a tangy veggie combo of tomatoes, onions, basil and fresh mozzarella pressed between thick toasted slices of aromatic bread. Collins cradles the onions from their balsamic marinade to the bread and carefully slices the mozzarella into hefty chunks. Then he presses the whole thing like a panini. The Funky Monkey Jane ($5.25) gets similar attention. One side of the bread is slathered with crunchy peanut butter and Nutella before it’s topped with a banana sliced in two long halves. To put the sandwich over the top, slices of crispy bacon are added, and the whole thing is pressed and toasted.
LIQUID BALM: Collins’ “Famous Lake Avenue Chili” already has locals lining up for a cup ($3) or bowl ($4.75). A mixture of beans (pinto, kidney, white, black), ground beef and stewed tomatoes make up the brunt of it, but it’s the uncompromising, spicy kick that makes it distinct. A close second is the pasta fagioli ($2.75/$4) with its white beans and pasta suspended in a warm, wine-tinged stock. And if you’re getting the sniffles, there’s the hearty New York Penicillin — aka chicken soup.
KISS, KISS, KISS: Todd Collins’ labor of love is currently a solo affair. That means it can take him a spell to greet newcomers, take orders and get a sandwich to the table in one of his signature brown bags with cutesy lipstick marks. But this place is obviously not about speed, and it’s not about big bucks. It’s about making a family — and making people smile.