Thursday, June 22, 2023

Robert St. John: A Former Fruit Cart at a Century

Some people judge towns by their population. Others judge them by amenities such as parks and playgrounds. Many consider school systems and tax policies when evaluating municipalities. Still others prioritize water and air quality. I judge towns by the excellence and longevity of their small independent diners and cafes. 

 For 100 years, the Coney Island Café has defined my hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. 

Arthur Fokakis, the original owner, emigrated here from Greece in 1923. He got his start by selling fruit from a pushcart he parked under a large shade tree near the railroad tracks on Main Street. After a few years, he leased the land under the tree and built an open-front fruit stand. A few years later he turned the fruit stand into a short-order café that served hamburgers, hot dogs, homemade curly fries, and breakfast, just as it does today.

Greek immigrants like Arthur were the early pioneers of the restaurant business in Mississippi. They were our culinary forefathers. In 100 years, only four Fokakis men— all direct decedents— have run the Coney Island Cafe. It’s the definition of a true, family-run operation. 

Arthur turned the business over to his son, also a Greek immigrant, who everyone called “Junior.’ His son Billy took over in 1984. After Billy’s untimely passing five years ago, his son B.J. began manning the griddle and still runs it today. Four generations of fathers and sons. A century of commitment, hard work, dedication, and service. Truly rare air in the restaurant business. Seriously, the rarest of air.

There has been a member of the Fokakis family manning the grill at The Coney Island Café since Calvin Coolidge was in the White House. The Coney Island Café in Hattiesburg predates the Empire State Building in New York, but— to us— it’s just as iconic of a structure in downtown Hattiesburg as the 102-floor structure is in Midtown Manhattan. 

Billy Fokakis was a few years older than me, but we were friends. Once Billy took over the business, he never missed a day of work. Not one. 34 years. 6am to 3pm. Every day. He once scheduled surgery on a Friday afternoon, so he could be back to work on Monday. He was. 

Locally owned restaurants and cafes are key to the makeup of a city or town’s character. Whenever I am out of town I go to the front desk of the hotel and ask directions to the local breakfast café. “I want to go where the old men are talking sports and politics over eggs and bacon,” I say. That is the place where one learns of that town and its people.

I do my best to only support locally owned restaurants, and independent restaurateurs. The owners are in your town, and they live in your neighborhood. Their kids and grandkids go to school with your kids and grandkids. They shop in your stores and buy groceries in your markets. I believe independent restaurateurs support locally owned businesses more than others in the community, because they know— on a deep and personal level— how important it is to keep all commerce local whether it be grocery stores, hardware stores, gas stations, or boutiques.

A chain-restaurant proponent might make the argument that the chain restaurants are hiring people who also live in the community, and I can’t dispute that. But corporate profits get sent to corporate headquarters in Dallas, Orlando, or wherever the base of operations is located. Think of it this way— if there weren’t so many chain restaurants in your community squeezing out the independent operators, there would be more independent restaurants filling that void, creating unique character, vibe, and distinctiveness in your town, while keeping everything local.

I believe restaurants have souls. They define a town and tell the story of that place and its people. Some restaurants take on the personality of their owner, some take on the collective personality of the staff. Still others adopt the characteristics of their customers or the town itself. The Coney Island Café is a little bit of all that wrapped up in a small dining room filled with stools, booths, and memories.

The Coney Island Café probably won’t ever win a James Beard Award or get special recognition in any of the national culinary trades. But it has done so much more. It has fed all the people of a town— black, white, young, old, rich, poor, local, tourist, for 100 years— a feat that can’t be measured by ribbons, and trophies, or accolades. 

The Coney has survived a world war, a great depression, and dozens of recessions. It was there in the early days when downtown Hattiesburg grew and thrived. It never wavered when those businesses moved away to open shiny new stores in sprawling malls and strip centers. It held firm during the white flight of the 1980s and was still standing when downtown’s renewal and renaissance began in the late 1990s. The Coney Island Café is a survivor.

I ate at the Coney Island Cafe as a kid. My father brought me there. His father took him here. I take my son there. I hope that he’ll do the same.

The last conversation I had with Billy Fokakis was about his café reaching the 100-year mark. It’s something we spoke about every time I dined with him. One of the last things he said to me was, “Robert, I don’t think I’m going to get to see us hit 100.” A few weeks later he was gone. Though B.J. Fokakis was the next in line and he took over immediately. Billy would be proud. So would Junior and Arthur. 

We are all proud.

So, on behalf of a grateful community, happy 100th to the Coney Island Café and the hard-working Fokakis family. Here’s to 100 more!

Onward. 


The World’s Last Meatloaf 

2 pounds         Ground beef

1 Tbl               Bacon grease (or canola oil)

1 cup               Onion, minced

3 /4 cup           Celery, minced

3 /4 cup           Bell pepper, minced

1 tsp                Garlic, minced

1 /8 tsp            Thyme, dry

1 /4 tsp            Oregano, dry 

2 tsp                 Steak Seasoning         

1 Tbl               Salt

1 cup               Milk

1 /2 cup           Ketchup

1 Tbl               Worcestershire sauce

3                      Eggs

1 cup               Bread crumbs, course

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Heat the bacon grease in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté vegetables with salt and dry herbs until tender. Allow to cool. 

Combine milk, eggs, Worcestershire and ketchup and mix well. Place ground beef, cooled vegetables and egg mixture into a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, squish the meatloaf until you have mixed everything together and all is well incorporated. Fold in the breadcrumbs last. 

Shape the meat mixture into the form of a loaf on a baking sheet. Using your hand, make an indentation down the center of the loaf (This is where the glaze goes). Bake 50 minutes. 

While meatloaf is cooking make the glaze. Remove from the oven and spoon glaze down the center of the meatloaf and spread over the sides. Return meatloaf to oven, lower heat to 300 degrees and bake 30 minutes more. Allow meatloaf to rest 15 minutes before serving. Yield: 8-10 servings 

Tomato Glaze 

Ingredients: 

1 tsp.               Bacon fat

1 tsp.               Garlic, minced

1 Tbl.              Onion, minced

¼ cup              Brown sugar

2 Tbl.              Yellow mustard

1 Tbl.              Worcestershire Sauce

1 cup               Ketchup

 

Heat the bacon fat in a small skillet over a low heat. Cook the onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and allow it to melt. Stir in remaining ingredients.

 


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Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
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