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Loran Smith: The Expat

The Five Points neighborhood in Athens has an allure that makes it
extraordinarily special and becoming. There is an intoxicating buzz year-
round in this traditional section of Athenstown, where old homes blend with
latent upscale construction, which is taking place everywhere you look.
Five Points is a neat neighborhood. It has the feel of a laid-back
village in Europe. “That,” says Rick Johnson, who has spent multiple
summers in Cortona, Italy, with the UGA Art Department, “is because there
is such a great blend of town and gown. I love the restaurants and places
like the bakery where you see a bevy of students and faculty, and a lawyer
in coat and tie.”

Five Points is where you can choose a classic bottle of wine, ride
your bike, and buy the best burger at the best pub in town. There’s healthy
grocery shopping at Earth Fare, you can enjoy great pizza options, and
there’s plentiful seafood, as tasty as you would find if a shrimp boat found
its way up the Oconee River and docked behind Sanford Stadium.

For many of us, the signature address is The Expat, located at a
former home that dates back to World World II—when Frank Sinkwich and
Charley Trippi were the talk of the town.

Located at 1680 South Lumpkin, it fits into the neighborhood like it did
a half century ago—except that the chef then was the madam of the house
who cooked for her family.
Now Jerry Slater and his staff can accommodate 75 or more. For
those who have a bent for al fresco dining, the porch at the Expat is as
charming as they come.

You seldom see The Expat empty, even in summer when many of the
UGA student body and faculty have sojourned elsewhere. The “regular”
clientele keeps things a humming along with visitors who show up for
various reasons.
The ambient atmosphere complements the core values of the
establishment—the menu which specializes in Italian and seafood cuisine,
and experienced chefs with the right stuff.
Inside everything is relaxed and cozy. But I can’t stop there. It’s
equally a vibrant, lively, and magnetic place. Neighborly and
encompassing.

Diners from Atlanta make the trip over to enjoy an evening at The
Expat, and if you want a reservation on a football weekend in the fall, you
may be too late.

The owners are a husband-wife team; Jerry and Krista Slater are
spirits columnists for the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. Jerry is widely
recognized for his hospitality and spirits expertise with stops at Charlie
Trotter’s in Chicago, The Oak Room at the Seelbach Hilton Hotel in
Louisville, Ky., and Atlanta’s One Flew South, named for one of the world’s
best airport restaurants.

Krista is a visual artist turned certified sommelier who likes ice-cold
martinis and intentional spaces. She has worked for nearly 20 years in the
world of wine retail, bars, and fine dining. The Slaters own, in addition to
The Expat, The Lark wine bar and shop, The Nighthawks Lounge, and the
recently opened Dovetail Market, with partner Fritz Gibson. Many students come to work for them as freshmen and continue through UGA graduation. An incentive to work with the Slaters is that employees are entitled to health insurance. Until recently, I often took respite

at the bar for a glass of pinot noir and my favorite Expat pasta plate, tagliatelle. I enjoyed conversation with Trent Parker, the General Manager, and Romie Engram, the sprightly and
charming bartender who is as efficient as you can find. Unfortunately for
Expat regulars, which include Kirby and Mary Beth Smart, they both have

moved on, owing to opportunity. They both were upbeat (opportunity) and
downcast (leaving The Expat clientele.)

Included in the lore of The Expat’s history is that its most devoted
supporter, John Parker, showed up in his golf cart on the day they opened,
wearing his trademark shorts and flipflops. He yelled, “When does this
place open?” Jerry yelled back, “Five minutes ago.” Parker became the
first customer, and when he is town, you usually find him there.

Another “regular” couple is Joe and Anne Frierson who were dining at
Slater’s one night; one of Anne’s favorite side dishes is lemon garlic
artichoke. It was not on Slater’s menu. A call went out to Trent at The
Expat and he answered Anne’s request, hoofing less than a hundred yards
away post haste. That was an extraordinarily special delivery, but
something you expect from the proprietors and staff.

Add to all that this frequent scene: Mark and Mindy Horne, who live
on Milledge Circle, would call Trent for another special delivery request.
Mindy would meet Trent with a big dish and her credit card, handing all
over the fence between the restaurant and the Hornes’ backyard. When
the tiramisu is baked, the over-the-fence exchange takes place again.

That would never happen in a metropolitan city. It only happens in
the Classic City when restaurateurs like the Slaters hang out one of their
many shingles.

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