Marie's, Oxford, Mississippi ****

Mississippi Lebanese food, and excellent in this case. The six people in Edna Earl's party ordered all sorts of different dishes, and all were terrific. They had hummus, and stuffed grape leaves, and kebbeh (a sort of meat loaf), and a dish that was green beans and rice, and "Marie's casserole" (a little similar to moussaka), and baklava and Lebanese cheesecake, and Turkish coffee and several other dishes the names of which Edna Earl doesn't even know! (Edna Earl does love a mystery!)

EE understands that Marie's had a previous very successful incarnation in a building on the Courthouse Square, but that it has recently re-opened, after a several-year haitus during which time Marie, the Lebanese owner, went back to graduate school and got a graduate degree in math, somebody said. Oxford locals seem very happy to have Marie's back in business. We arrived about 11:30 AM on a Friday, and before we finished our meal the place was full.

The present location is a not very interesting building in a not very interesting strip mall. In fact, the strip mall location and a not very friendly waitress (We decided she was depressed.) are the only reasons Edna Earl is not giving Marie's five stars.

The interior of the place is tastefully decorated, with white tablecloths and white paper on top of the tablecloths. Marie's could work well for a "ladies' lunch" spot, or for a business lunch, or for a group of friends, or for a well-behaved family meal.

Oxford, Mississippi, already boasted a number of good eatin' places. Now it has one more. Thanks, Marie's, for an exceptional lunch.

Ajax Diner, Courthouse Square, Oxford, Mississippi *****

Now here's a place that's close to Edna Earl's heart. Traditional Southern food, in a diner setting, with a little somethin' extra -- and it's always a GOOD somethin' extra. EE's personal favorite order is a vegetable plate with fried eggplant, collard greens, black-eyed peas, coleslaw -- or whatever vegetable combination is in season -- with cornbread, of course. The mashed potatoes are a favorite, as are the chicken an' dumplins and a local specialty called "Comeback Sauce" (somethin' to do with football? Edna Earl is no sports fan.). Mixed drinks and wine and beer are available. Ajax sports a lively scene, pretty much any time of day or night, with a bar up front and restaurant seating a few steps into the place. The world's best waitresses work at Ajax Diner on the Square in Oxford, Mississippi -- no kiddin'. They're SMART as whips, too.

Ajax is a favorite of the whole Mississippi Manning family -- so you're liable to see Eli, Archie, and Peyton, as well as the Manning wives and mothers. You might just catch a glimpse of other famous Mississippians in here, too -- so between bites be sure to keep a lookout. Warning: Portions are HUGE at Ajax, so come hungry. You'll come back, for sure.