We spend the day traveling to Vicksburg, MS for a BBQ judging competition tomorrow. We chose one of our favorite restaurants in Meridian to enjoy lunch.
Weidmann’s was established in 1870 by Felix Weidmann, a Swiss immigrant who was a chef on a transatlantic steam ship. The restaurant was originally located in the Union Hotel with a counter and 4 stools. In 1923 the restaurant moved to it’s present location under the ownership of Henry Weidmann, grandson of the founder.
Each table at Weidmann’s is set with a handmade peanut butter crock and an assortment of crackers. This tradition dates back to the 1940’s, when legend has it there was a shortage of butter due to the WWII. A guest mentioned to Henry Weidmann that peanut butter would be a good replacement to accompany the crackers. Henry embraced the concept and eventually found a potter in Louiseville, Mississippi to make the crocks. They now have a local potter in Meridian making the crocks by hand.
Nick was our server and he was a very personable young man. He kept the tea glasses full, made suggestions from the menu, and was very efficient.
I have a confession to make. I was fully prepared to eat lightly at lunch. I even chose the Quiche of the Day. Then, I decided to add a Caesar salad because I remembered how delicious they are.
The Quiche of the Day included spinach, feta, and portabella mushrooms. A very generous portion indeed. The filling was well seasoned, served piping hot, and was full of cheesy goodness.
I took a picture from above to show the size of the serving. It was a fourth of a pie!
The Caesar salad was as good as I remembered. With a generous portion of dressing and lots of shaved Parmesan. Yum!
Sweet Harold selected the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich with house made chips. Again, the serving size was impressive and he loved the chips!
Now, I realize that lunch was enough. We should have taken the check, paid for our meal, thanked Nick, and been on our way.
But we're talking about us. And we asked for the dessert menu. Yes, we did. Did we simply choose one dessert to share? No, we did not. Sigh.
We chose two desserts to try. When you see these, you'll understand why.
First up is the Peanut Butter Pie! If you're a peanut butter (and chocolate) lover, this is the pie for you. The filling is light and creamy with a thin bottom layer of chocolate on top of the crust. Add whipped topping, chocolate drizzles, and chopped peanuts on top, and you have a prize winning dessert. It was as delicious and it was beautiful.
The other selection? Black Bottom Pie which is a three layer pie consisting of a chocolate custard or ganache, a custard meringue, and then a top layer of whipped cream. The chocolate shavings are a fun and decorative topping.
If you ever find yourself on I-59 in Meridian, drive a few blocks from the interstate and indulge in a meal from Weidmann's. You won't be disappointed!
