By Rut Labrada, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Fortify Pizza & Burger Bar is undoubtedly one of the hottest new places in the City of Valdosta. Since its opening in late August, Fortify has already made headlines multiple times for its perfect score on a recent food inspection — and for being robbed of multiple alcoholic drinks by someone Valdosta residents have dubbed the “14 bottle bandit.”

After hearing all the buzz surrounding the new restaurant, I knew I had to go take a look for myself, so I set off on a sunny Sunday to grab some lunch.

Before I even stepped inside, I was greeted by the restaurant’s cow print door, and I knew I was in for a fun experience.

Fortify’s interior had all of the rustic charm of a Southern sports bar, with its red, white and black décor and its mural of a cow and a chicken saying, “Don’t be a chicken; eat more beef,” which almost felt like a callback to Chick-Fil-A’s iconic campaign to have visitors eat more chicken.

Despite the hustle and bustle of the Sunday church rush, I (and my five roommates who accompanied me on this trip) were greeted warmly and seated immediately upon entering. I was pleased to see Fortify’s support of VSU in the large mural of Blaze that graced the back wall of the restaurant.

For an appetizer, I ordered the ricotta and honey, a $12 dish which looked beautiful in its array, the center of the plate being a pile of the ingredients surrounded by small toast points.

I wasn’t sure what to expect at the combination, but the sweetness of the honey enhanced the nuttiness of the ricotta, and the herb topping gave a hint of freshness that brought everything together.

My only complaint was that, for a $12 dish, the order only came with perhaps 12 small pieces of toast, and even after dipping my toast in the cheese mix multiple times, I still had a mound of cheese and honey left, which ultimately went to waste.

The Black and Bleu was my choice of entrée — a Black Angus bacon burger with jalapeno relish, bleu cheese aioli and classic burger vegetables. I got the (frankly humongous) burger and a side of fries, for a total of $19.

The fries were pretty standard and would have benefitted from some more seasoning, particularly Cajun seasoning, which would have elevated the dish to an entirely different level.

The Black and Bleu was an absolute monster of a burger, featuring at least two giant beef patties, and I nearly had to dislocate my jaw to consume it (in the way that someone does when they’re excited to dig into a new food).

I appreciated the kick that the jalapeno relish provided, but I am heartbroken to say that the burger was simply OK.

The bacon was a little too soft and not crispy enough for a burger, and the beef patties didn’t taste much different from what you could find at any standard higher end burger joint.

The saving grace was the sheer amount of food that I was given for my $19 entree, which, as a perpetually broke college student, really solidified my appreciation for Fortify, as it was certainly more food than I could get at The Drop for almost the same amount of money.

All things considered, Fortify Pizza & Burger Bar is the place to go if you’re looking to experience a casual dining experience with a wonderfully pleasant local ambience. Despite my thoughts on the burger, I truly felt the spirit of Georgian hospitality while I was at the restaurant, and I would come back for a fun trip with friends.

I rate Fortify a 7/10.