That was my friend Mercedes' post to my Foursquare check-in that I was enjoying a baby octopus salad at Ta Ca Sushi & Japanese Fusion.

When I'm in a sushi kinda mood, you won't find me having the mundane gateway-sushi California roll or anything remotely tame. When I eat sushi, I go for the zaniest stuff on the menu, or at least the most interesting.

The baby octopus salad was about seven tiny, whole critters lightly dressed with a flavorful sauce much akin to the sauce used on Unagi (eel) nigiri. A dusting of sesame seeds added crunch and the octopus did the work. Nope, it's not for everyone and you might wanna share with the rest of your more squeamish friends. Yeah, it's chewy, but not as challenging as the live tentacles I enjoyed on a trip to California. With those you have to chew fast — those guys are still trying to suck onto my something!

I also selected the above mentioned Unagi and a pair of conch nigiri. The eel was tender and smoky in its sauce; the conch chewy and fresh.

Ta Ca was never a place to be in a hurry, and that has not changed. There always seem to be too few servers for the traffic and I did overhear one nearby diner crank about the lack of speed in the delivery of everything to his table. I was chilling, so time was not of the essence. If it is, you've been warned.

513 E OGLETHORPE AVE. 912/232-8222 TACASUSHI.COM

Are you ready for some Chik'n?

Chick-fil-A opens Thursday (April 25) at Skidaway Road and Victory Drive. Besides 70 new jobs, the opening is expected to cause a stir beginning on Wednesday, when anxious fans of the restaurant are expected to begin filling the parking lot. Chick-fil-A's "First 100" event awards meals for a year to the first 100 adult guests. The contest begins at 6 a.m. Thursday. There are more rules, online with a Google of "Chick-fil-A First 100 Promotion."

Missed that freebie? Earn a free Chick-fil-A sandwich by donating non-perishable food items to help stock the shelves of America's Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia. The food drive will be held Wednesday, April 24 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Odds & Ends

Great Harvest Bread Co. is coming to Sandfly, in a brand new outlying building at Norwood Plaza. The Montana-based franchise has more than 220 franchises across the U.S. The company uses fresh-milled whole wheat flour and stands on a company mission of giving back to its community. Locally, franchise owners are Janet Doyle Savadge and LeeAnn Williams Aldridge. greatharvestsavannah.com.

Marandy's, one of my favorite Soul food joints, is relocating to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, a move that will most likely be complete sometime in May. 574 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd (corner of MLK and Huntingdon Street.

"Savannah Chef's Table," a new cookbook by Savannah author and culinary historian Damon Lee Fowler was released last week. The cookbook features recipes from nearly 50 Savannah restaurant chefs. The book features great photos of Savannah and its chefs and offers some signature classics from the city's best kitchens small and large. Score a copy at Kitchenware Outfitters where Fowler is culinary director or online.