Mellow Mushroom

Thursday last, I visited Mellow Mushroom near the Kennesaw State campus. It was an odd meal time (4:00 pm), so the place was relatively quiet.

To baby boomers, the name Mellow Mushroom would conjure up images of Cheech and Chong, or the Beatles' "Sgt Pepper's..." psychedelic record album cover. The interior of this particular MM does not betray that image. Mushroom sculptures of many colors protrude from the walls, and a giant mushroom marks the kitchen entry.

To the right of the giant mushroom is a bar about sixteen feet long. A handful of college-aged patrons adorned the stools. My server, Brad, invited me to sit wherever I liked.

From my table, I could see that there were a dozen or so tables inside, and an equal amount on the over-sized patio. Brad told me that the dining room and patio filled up quickly with college students on Thursday through Saturday evenings.

I ordered a pepperoni Calzone, which comes in two sizes. A large gets you twice what I have pictured here. The base price is $7.25, and you can add additional items at $.95 and up.

The Calzone was very good, and I liked the marinara sauce, even though I suspect it is mass-produced and shipped to them. As far as presentation, come on, it's a calzone. Just pick it up and eat it.

The staff and dining room were clean, as pizza joints go. While the colorful decor suggests "kid-friendly", in the late hours, no-one under 18 is admitted. They have free WiFi, decent food and good service. The perfect combination, minus a live band, for a college crowd.