Masters of the mater

Tripadvisor lists Atomic City Eatery and Billiards as number one among New Ellenton’s “Game and Entertainment Centers,” a category of which it is the town’s only member. Billiards and darts are the games to play. Entertainment includes trivia contests, music bingo, karaoke, live music on Saturday evenings, and open-mic night Monday. People with no interest in any of those activities come to the colorful shopping-center storefront anyway. Where else can you get such a spot-on tomato sandwich?

Of course, I’m talking about a tomato sandwich in the summer. When the local ones ripen, Atomic City slices them thick and puts them between tiles of lightly toasted white bread, dresses them with mayonnaise, and sprinkles on salt and pepper. Full stop: no garnishes, no other condiments, no special seasoning. Other than righteous tomatoes, the secret of the sandwich’s perfection is its mayonnaise. A sugary brand would be wrong because it would clash with the sweetness of ripe tomatoes; so Atomic City uses Duke’s, which is sugar-free. Its tang magnifies the tomatoes’ fruity flavor.