re: Meridian restaurants alone...

Penn's is an express store I guess but they do have ten or twelve tables. It is in the old Krystal location on the parking lot in front of the Hampton Inn on H-39 at Interstate 20/59. I like their catfish just fine, but we always go to Chunky Shoals when we decide to go out to eat catfish. Chunky Shoals is just better and has beer.

I forgot to mention the Vietnamese Gas Station on H39 beside BMW dealership. Great Shrimp, catfish and oyster Po Boys, fish oyster and shrimp patters, fried chicken and other stuff. The H-39 gas station location is duplicated at their other (nicer) place on 8th street. I go all the time, but neither location is in what I would consider a very safe location. We get them to go on H-39 and sit and eat on 8th Street. Both places have beer.

First place I ever had fried pickles was Len Lew's Beer Joint on H-45 south of West Point, MS, back in the 60's. Sliced BBQ Pork, fried Pickles and a pitcher of Michelob or Schlitz maybe Pabst. It has been a long time and a lot of miles since those days.