T and I ventured down Highway 280 on a fall Saturday to experience a lunch we will remember fondly. There, at #3 Mt Laurel Avenue, is Standard Bistro.

I have always been fond of Mt. Laurel’s city planning and architecture. The fire station there is one of my favorite pieces of architecture in Alabama.

An unassuming rubble-stone-and-shingle building houses this great restaurant.

T and I were greeted and—because I am picky—I selected the table I wanted. We were handed menus, printed in easy-to-read Art Nouveau font (how authentically bistro!).

I spotted the baked oysters, and T zeroed in on the pork and beans, of all things.

Fresh warm bread was served with room-temperature sweet butter. All was well.

The fresh-baked oysters were served on a bed of rock salt. T’s pork and beans were beyond good, meaty and not too sweet.

Read on to see what came next!

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