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| Fallen soldier gets hero's welcome Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:30:55 -0500 In a solemn ceremony, the body of Sgt. Adam J. Kohlhaas arrived at Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport Tuesday morning to be escorted to J.C. Kirby and Son Funeral Home, Lovers Lane chapel. |
| Problems on Lovers Lane Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:30:58 -0500 State transportation crews’ action earlier this month has prompted numerous complaints and possibly a citizen solution to the problem. |
| Teacher’s challenge helps kids slim down Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:31:00 -0500 On a whim, a friendly competition was waged in Suzanne Cecil-White’s Warren Central High School math class - a challenge to stop eating fast food, pizza and sweets and to stop drinking carbonated beverages. |
| Insurance for city may be altered Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:31:01 -0500 Changes are undoubtedly in the works for the 445 people covered by the city’s employee health insurance plan. A five-member employee committee gave its recommendations to city commissioners during a nonvoting discussion Tuesday. |
| Photo: Car vs. building Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:31:05 -0500 Bowling Green Police Department officers work the scene of a single-vehicle accident Tuesday, when a motorist drove into one of The Registry’s apartment buildings. |
| Longtime Franklin police chief Powell plans to retire Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:31:05 -0500 After 15 years as chief of police in Franklin, Jamie Powell plans to retire in November. |
| Roving church plans to protest Kohlhaas funeral Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:31:06 -0500 Westboro Baptist Church, notorious for its hard-line anti-gay stance and its practice of protesting at military funerals, has announced plans to come to Bowling Green to protest outside the funeral of Sgt. Adam Kohlhaas. |
| POLICE NEWS: Police respond to calls for car damage, theft Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:31:06 -0500 Criminal Mischief — Four car tires were slashed and two windshield wipers were bent on a car parked on the 2400 block of Thoroughbred Drive sometime between Sunday and Monday, according to a Bowling Green Police Department report. |
| Kindergarten Orientation Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:53:37 -0500 Cumberland Trace Elementary School principal Mary Evans held up her hand and explained that at school, a raised hand, or high five, means it’s time to be quiet. “Giving five is how we start our morning,” she said to a room full of new parents and soon-to-be first-year students Thursday. The students, mimicking Evans, got their first lesson in following rules as they went through kindergarten orientation. Every school in the Warren County system is encouraged to have school orientations. High schools have them, so do middle and elementary schools. And now there is a day set aside just for kindergartners and their parents to become acclimated to the school environment. “In a lot of cases, having orientation eliminates fear and anxiety for both parents and students who are entering primary school in the fall,” said Judy Glass, Warren County Schools elementary instructional supervisor. “That fear is real. We want parents and the community at large to know we are concerned about appropriate transitioning at every level, and the beginning of school is critical for children.” Before finding their way to classrooms, Evans gave a few pointers geared toward parents, like reinforcing to their children that they are ready for school. Evans said children grow and develop at their own rate, and parents shouldn’t worry about what their child knows or doesn’t. “Kindergarten is quite different,” she said. “It is very hands-on, very active and very student focused.” After a short video, the children and their parents were off to peruse the brightly decorated kindergarten classrooms. While the 4- and 5-year-olds saw a colorful room to play in, parents took note of the play center, reading center and all the classrooms had to offer. “I like it,” said Kelly Condiff, parent of Jacob Condiff, 5, who will be starting school at Cumberland Trace in the fall. “He was worried he wouldn’t know anybody the first day ... this was helpful.” Orientation is as important for students as it is for parents, said Patrice McCrary, a kindergarten teacher at Cumberland Trace. Kindergarten is a milestone, she said. The orientation, she said, lets parents and kids know what is ahead, which makes the transition easier. Glass said the overall goal is to build a school culture that inspires lifelong learning. Activities such as kindergarten orientation promote that goal, she said. “It is a necessary thing for parents to know what their child is learning and how they are learning it,” said Beth Scheaffer, early reading first coach for the school. “Parental involvement is key, and one of the most important things we can do as teachers is partner with parents ... start that relationship now.” Going to school for the first time is a “very overwhelming experience,” said Sara Smith, a kindergarten teacher at the school. Educators want the students to be comfortable with school and the faces they’ll get to know, Scheaffer said. “I was scared. I didn’t want him in school ... sending him here was a scary thought,” said Latricia Brown, whose son, Tavion, 4, will start kindergarten next year. Tavion has been at the school for his preschool years. “I feel better now. I know the teachers and love the school. He’s been spoiled here.” The night wasn’t complete without the adventure of a bus ride, which many of the students had not been on before. The children and parents boarded the yellow school bus, getting a lesson - and for some, a refresher - on the proper way to get on and off the bus. Devonna Driver, transportation department Greenwood area manager, pointed out some of the features on the buses such as the exits, the emergency exits, where the video camera is and the high backed seats. “This is one of the safest vehicles on the road,” she said. Students who will ride the bus are also issued orange vests the first day of school to let people know they are bus riders. “Children are our most precious commodity.” Glass said. “We want to provide them with the best we can offer, and that is a climate that is safe, secure and inviting.” |
| Davis’ volunteer attitude will be honored at dinner Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:53:38 -0500 For almost 10 years, B.J. Davis has found happiness within the walls of Warren East Middle School - not as a teacher, but as a volunteer. And her work has paid off. Today, Davis will receive the Third District Education Association Friend of Education award during a dinner at the Warren Association of Baptists building. She was nominated for the award by Debbie Roddy, the middle school’s librarian. “They told me the other day,” Davis said with a smile. “And I am so proud.” Roddy, a lifetime member of the Kentucky Educators Association, said she nominated Davis because of her dedication to the school. “I just put down the kind of person she is and what she does for us,” Roddy said. “When you’ve got someone who spends as much time here as your paid personnel, it says a lot ... She is truly a part of the WEMS family out here.” Being involved in the schools has provided many happy times for Davis. She said parents should be more involved with their children’s schools, especially when the children are in middle school. “Here, it’s the hardest years,” she said. “They’re going through everything.” It’s important, Davis said, to know how children are doing and what they are doing, and volunteering - even if it’s just for an hour - does that. “The students get to you, and the more you’re there, they look for you,” she said. “They develop a relationship.” The Bardstown native moved to Bowling Green about 20 years ago, and worked for Fruit of the Loom for 12 years. And when her children started school, so did she. Davis started at Richardsville Elementary School as the PTO president. She began volunteering at the school in various positions, helping out in the library, with fundraisers and tutoring. “It led to where I was like a fixture on the wall,” she said. When her children settled into Warren East Middle, she settled right along with them. “We are like a family here,” she said. “It would be kind of hard to say goodbye.” Davis said she is at the school early in the morning and leaves around 4 p.m., and loves it. She said being at the school is “like therapy” for her. “For the kids to go, ‘Hey B.J., how are you doing?’ is just wonderful,” she said. “I love giving myself to these kids.” While the thought of becoming a teacher entered Davis’ mind, she said she felt she had found her calling volunteering instead. And with her children now grown, she has more time to dedicate to the school. “I see the kids coming and going and I interact with parents as they come in,” she said. “I’m doing everything that I love. I love working with the kids, and I help anywhere I’m needed. “It’s just a feeling inside that says this is the right place for me.” |
| Taking notes Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:53:39 -0500 Area news in the field of education. WKU program honors three local nonprofits Western Kentucky University’s American Humanics (Nonprofit Administration) program has recognized the accomplishments of three local organizations and has selected the second recipient of its community partnership program. At the First Annual Nonprofit Excellence Award Reception April 1 at the L&N Depot, the WKU program presented First Choice Home Medical with the Philanthropic Business Award, The Save Our Kids Coalition with the Emerging Nonprofit Organization Award and the Bowling Green Human Rights Commission with the Established Nonprofit Organization Award. The WKU American Humanics (Nonprofit Administration) Student Association also selected Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana as the 2008-09 recipient of its community partnership program. The students will work with the Girls Scouts of Kentuckiana in the creation of a new Interest Patch Project/Badge/Try-It that is age appropriate for the grade levels defined in the GSUSA 2008 Realignment. Students will plan and execute a Girl Scout Disc Golf Field Day for the 15 counties in the Caveland Service Center jurisdiction. The program will then culminate in a community-wide disc golf tournament event. The students also will assist with marketing, fiscal management and volunteer development for the project. This yearlong effort of organization and implementation will allow students to gain invaluable practical experience within the greater Bowling Green nonprofit community. These students are working with the Friends of Lost River Inc., the first recipient of the community partnership. BGHS get awards in foreign language meet The following Bowling Green High School French students placed at the March regional language competition at Western Kentucky University: Recitation of Literary Passage 1, second place, Cesia Anaya; Dialogue 1, second place, Matt Miller, Breana Nebel; Dialogue 2, second place, Maresa Arauza, Reina Castillo; Oral Proficiency 1, first place, Rachel Ortiz; Oral Proficiency 2, second place, Arauza; Listening Proficiency 1, second place, Ortiz, third place, Laneisha Jackson; Listening Proficiency 2, third place, Mayra Gomez; Listening Proficiency 4, second place, Sarah Hitch; Reading 1, first place, Jessica Rivera; second place, Nebel, third place, Kayla Gelo; Reading 4, second place, Hitch; Projects, second place, Alex Solcum and Amanda Jarrett. Ortiz, Jackson, Gomez, Hitch, Rivera, Nebel and Gelo qualified to compete at the state competition at the University of Kentucky in May. The following Bowling Green High School Spanish students placed at the March regional language competition at WKU : Recitation of Literary Passage 1, second place, Diana Gazaryan; Recitation of Literary Passage 2, second place, Karla Lazo; Recitation of Literary Passage 3, second place, Carrie Costellow, third place, Carlos Sweeney; Recitation of Literary Passage 4, second place, Kara Higdon, third place, Clayton Crocker; Recitation of Literary Passage Native, second place, Omar Anaya, third place, JoBeth Barrios; Oral Proficiency, third place, Grant Sims; Drama Group, second place, El Delantal Blanco; Listening Proficiency 2, second place, Sophie Wohltjen; Listening Proficiency 3, second place, Chase Russell; Listening Proficiency 4, first place, Richard Korte; Reading 1, first place, Katie Cohron; Reading 2, second place, Ellie Johnston; Reading 4, first place, Thomas Dooley, third place, Ashley McCloughan; Art, first place, Megan Taing. Wohltjen, Russell, Korte, Cohron, Johnston, Dooley, McCloughan and Taing qualified to compete at the state competition at the University of Kentucky in May. Greenwood senior named Beta Scholar Gregg Michael Reynolds, a senior at Greenwood High School, has been named a Beta Scholar by the National Beta Club. The honor comes with a $1,000 scholarship. He is the son of Mike and Jan Reynolds of Bowling Green and plans to attend Western Kentucky University. Hunley earns degree in interdisciplinary Amy Hunley of Bowling Green has graduated with a bachelor of arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from Western Governors University, an accredited online university. WKU broadcasting professor gets award For the second year in a row, Western Kentucky University broadcasting faculty member Terry Likes has won a coveted Edward R. Murrow award presented by the Radio/TV News Directors Association for his documentary “Music and War” that aired on WKYU-FM. The report about how music shapes people’s opinions about war also won a prestigious Broadcast Education Association Best of Festival award for overall excellence. It is Likes’ third Best of Competition award and sixth overall from the BEA. He has won more than a dozen awards in the last 10 years. Likes also has won a national fellowship to attend a Scripps Howard Academic Leadership Academy in June at Louisiana State University. The fellowship brings together up-and-coming professionals and scholars with seasoned administrators to share strategies and insights and to learn from university leaders about the challenges and rewards of heading an academic program in journalism and mass communication. Organized and hosted by LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication and funded by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Academy will take place June 1-5. In September, Likes has been invited to deliver two seminars (on resume writing and TV storytelling) at the Society of Professional Journalists conference in Atlanta. He has also just completed another in-depth report titled “The Comedy of Politics: No Laughing Matter,” which aired on WKYU-FM on April 3. He was later interviewed about this program for an article published April 13 in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Last semester, Likes attended a workshop at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies for multimedia training. Also in 2007, Likes won two awards for his documentary on “The Changing Faces of the Evening News.” The honors included a regional RTNDA Edward R. Murrow award and a national Broadcast Education Award. Likes has taught at WKU for the last 20 years. During these years, he has also won awards from the Associated Press and National Press Club. Company gives WKU $65K for ag students U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. has donated $65,000 in scholarships to Western Kentucky University’s Department of Agriculture for the 2008-09 school year. The funds will help cover the cost of college for the adult sons and daughters of Kentucky and Tennessee dark tobacco producers. The donation marks the 11th consecutive academic year that USSTC has contributed scholarship funds to WKU’s agriculture department. In all, the company has donated 302 WKU scholarships to 131 farm families for a total of $724,000. “At USSTC, we are extremely proud that we have been able to help make the college dream a reality for hundreds of Kentucky and Tennessee men and women over the past 10 years,” said Danny Kingins, USSTC Hopkinsville plant manager. “We remain deeply committed to both the agricultural community and the universities of this region and will continue to do all we can to lend a hand to the area’s dark-tobacco producing farm families.” Higgins, Chaffin place in competitions Hannah Higgins, a fifth-grade student from Bowling Green Christian Academy, placed third in the March Regional Academic Governor’s Cup in Language Arts Written Assessment. Bowling Green Christian Academy alumnus Brian Chaffin received third place at WKU’s Physics Olympics competition earlier this month. Chaffin represented the Greenwood High School team. |
| John E. Brady Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:34 -0500 LEWISBURG — John Elbert Brady, 79, of Floral City, Fla., died Feb. 24, 2008, at Hospice Care Unit in Inverness, Fla. The Russellville native was born July 5, 1928. He was retired from General Motors and a World War II Navy veteran. He was a son of the late Henry and Lula Brady and the husband of the late Thelma N. Baker Brady. He was preceded in death by a son, Kenneth Brady; two brothers, Victor Brady and Leland Brady; and a sister, Ruth Collins. Memorial service is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Price Funeral Home. Visitation begins at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.pricefuneralhome.com. Survivors include a daughter, Rita Asselin and her husband, Terry, of Scottsville; two sons, Dennis Brady of Floral City and Patrick Brady of Durham, N.C.; a friend, Barbara Moulder of Floral City; two grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. |
| Calvin C. Byers Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:34 -0500 Calvin Carl Byers, 62, died at 1 a.m. April 25, 2008, at a Bowling Green nursing home. The Detroit native was born Oct. 19, 1945. He was a retired policeman and served in the Army. Graveside service was Tuesday at Fairview Cemetery, Veterans Section. J.C. Kirby & Son Funeral Home, Broadway Avenue chapel, was in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.jckirbyandson.com. Survivors include three daughters, Tonya and Sonja Byers, both of Owensboro, and Starla Byers of Roundhill; two sons, Carl Byers of Utica and Jim Byers of Louisville; and a brother, Tom Byers of Louisiana. |
| Jesse L. Carter Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:34 -0500 FRANKLIN — Jesse Lee “Jake” Carter, 81, of Franklin died at 2:24 a.m. April 29, 2008, at The Medical Center. The Simpson County native was founder of Carter Farms in Simpson County. He was a member of Providence Baptist Church, served on the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service Committee for 15 years and was one of the founders of the Kentucky-Tennessee Grain Co., involved in tobacco warehousing for 20 years in Simpson and Logan counties. He was a pioneer leader of the F-S Parks that built the community’s first baseball field, coached Babe Ruth baseball for several years, played softball until the age of 50 and began playing golf. He was a lifetime honorary member of the Franklin Country Club. He was a son of the late John Wesley “Booker” Carter and Dora Frances Shrum Carter. He was preceded in death by an infant son, David Ross Carter. Funeral is at 11 a.m. Thursday at Booker-Gilbert Funeral Home, with burial in Providence Cemetery in Simpson County. Visitation is from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. today and begins at 6 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Survivors include his wife, Mary Frances Carter; two sons, Mike Carter of Franklin and Mark Carter and his wife, Lynn, of Georgetown; a brother, Joe Carter of St. Petersburg, Ind.; two grandsons, Michael Carter and his wife, Samantha, and Matthew Carter and his wife, Darby; and two great-grandsons, Jackson Carter and Jake Carter. |
| The Rev. Maude C. Cherry Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:35 -0500 RADFORD, Va. — The Rev. Maude C. Cherry, 85, died April 28, 2008, at the home of Doris and Leonard Caldwell. The Bowling Green, Ky., native was born March 31, 1923. She was an ordained minister with the Church of God for more than 60 years. She was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Carl Cherry. She was preceded in death by three brothers. The family would like to extend a very special thank you to Ruth Stuart, Karen King, Joy Gilmer, Andrea Hanlon and Dr. Tina Smutz for their kind and compassionate care. Funeral is at 2 p.m. EDT Thursday at Parrott Church of God, where she was a member, with burial in Sifford Cemetery in Parrott. Graveside military rites will be conducted by VFW Post 776. Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. EDT today at the church. DeVilbiss Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Parrott Church of God youth fund, P.O. Box 97, Parrott, VA 24132. Survivors include a sister, Mary York of Bowling Green; several nieces and nephews; best friends, Doris and Leonard Caldwell, the Caldwell family, the Hinkley family and her church family; and several other friends and loved ones. |
| Boyd E. Farmer Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:35 -0500 RUSSELLVILLE — Boyd Earl Farmer, 56, of Russellville died April 28, 2008, at The Medical Center at Bowling Green. The Adairville native was born Dec. 17, 1951. He was a member of East Side Baptist Church. He was a son of Edgar B. Farmer of Russellville, who survives, and the late Kathryn Renfro Farmer, and the stepson of Faye Farmer of Russellville, who survives. Funeral is at 2 p.m. Thursday at Sanders Funeral Home, with burial in Maple Grove Cemetery. Visitation is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Other survivors include three sisters, Shirley Cherry, Darlene Lyons and her husband, Robert, and Agnes Lyons and her husband, David, all of Russellville; a stepbrother, Calvin Stuart of Russellville; four nieces; a nephew; a step-niece; a step-nephew; three great-nieces; and a great-nephew. |
| Marjorie Francis Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:36 -0500 GLASGOW — Marjorie Francis, 88, of Cave City died April 28, 2008, at T.J. Samson Community Hospital. The Atlanta native was a homemaker and Methodist. She was a daughter of the late Calhoun Maner and Pearl Baker Maner and the wife of the late Arthur Jewell Francis. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Frank and Cecil Maner; and a sister, Dorothy Snider. Funeral is at 11 a.m. Friday at Hatcher & Saddler Funeral Home, with burial in Union No. 2 Cemetery. Visitation begins at 3 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Survivors include a daughter, Brenda Peden and her husband, Jimmy, of Cave City; a sister, Ruby Davis of Florida; a sister-in-law, Margaret Maner; and special nieces and nephews, Gail Lukens and her husband, Bob, of Texas, Ronnie Snider and his wife, Carol, and Gerald Snider and his wife, Joy, all of Georgia. |
| Harold Hall Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:36 -0500 Harold “Neal” Hall, 66, of Oakland died April 29, 2008. Funeral arrangements, which are incomplete, are under the direction of Burnam & Son Mortuary. |
| Beulah M. House Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:37 -0500 MORGANTOWN — Beulah Myrl House, 96, of Morgantown died April 28, 2008, in Butler County. The Butler County native was a homemaker. She was a daughter of the late James Monroe Kirby and Mattie Jane Dunn Kirby and the wife of the late Zell House. She was preceded in death by four stepdaughters, Catherine Hatcher, Alma Hunt, Ilene Snodgrass and Geneva Smith; three sisters, Melissa Kirby, Julie Carathers and Rebecca Johnson; and two brothers, Henry and George Kirby. Funeral is at 2 p.m. Thursday at Smith Funeral Home, with burial in Youngtown Cemetery. Visitation begins at 4 p.m. today at the funeral home. Survivors include two stepsons, Elijah House and N.V. House, both of Morgantown; two stepdaughters, Gusta Embry of Colonial Heights, Va., and Juanita Keith of Louisville; and a stepgranddaughter, Debbie Mullenax of Anglewood, Tenn. |
| Artemis Lambrianou Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:37 -0500 JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Artemis “Diana” Lambrianou, 80, of Jersey City died April 26, 2008, at her daughter’s home in Athens, Greece. She was born Oct. 18, 1927, in Cyprus and immigrated to the United States with her husband and six children in 1969. She was a homemaker and a devoted mother to her children and was greatly loved and respected by her grandchildren. She was a parishioner of the Evangelimos Greek Orthodox Church in Jersey City. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arestis “Harry” Lambrianou; and a sister, Katherine Vasilles Carlis. Burial was April 27 in Athens. A memorial service is at 5 p.m. Sunday at First Christian Church on State Street in Bowling Green. A 40-day Greek Orthodox service will begin June 8 at the Evangelimos Greek Orthodox Church in Jersey City. Expressions of sympathy can be made to Community Action of Southern Kentucky Senior Services Program or the Family Enrichment Center’s Adoption Resource Center. Survivors include four daughters, Maria Rizzo and her husband, Tony, and Andrea Lambrianou, all of Little Falls, Tina Tentes and her husband, Anthony, of Athens and Kitty Jedra and her husband, Bogden, of North Plainfield; two sons, Michael Lambrianou and his wife, Denise, of Bowling Green, Ky., and Lambro Lambrianou and his wife, Anna, of Jersey City; a sister, Thea Vasilles of Jersey City; eight grandsons, Nikko Tentes of Athens, Andreas and Nikko Lambrianou of Jersey City and Harry, Matt, Ricky, Dakota and Jax Lambrianou, all of Bowling Green; and five granddaughters, Angela and Christina Rizzo and Deanna Lambrianou, all of Little Falls, and Stephanie and Christina Jedra of North Plainfield. |
| Georgia W. Lane Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:38 -0500 GALESBURG, ILL. — Georgia Wilcoxon Lane, 78, died April 9, 2008, at Cottage Hospital The Alliance, Ohio, native was born Sept. 1, 1929. She was a daughter of the late Dr. George M. Wilcoxon and Louise Shem Wilcoxon. Georgia attended the University of Chicago at age 16 for two years. She transferred to Mount Union College, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in 1951. During her college years, she joined Alpha Xi Delta, founded in 1893 in Galesburg, and held numerous offices at local and regional levels. Georgia taught music in both public and private schools. She married Kenneth E. Lane on Aug. 2, 1953, moved to Chicago and had two children. She then moved to Wheaton and had two more. Georgia was a singer who worked as a professional church soloist and made several records. She was a lifelong genealogist, publishing countless newsletters and two books. She established the Wilcoxons as one of the First Families of Ohio. She traveled widely and loved music, tennis, card games, her family and the Florida sunshine. She was a 44-year survivor of breast cancer. She was preceded in death by a sister Sherry Lowe; a nephew, Matthew Lowe, an uncle, Don Shem; and an aunt, Thelma “Peg” Wilcoxon. Graveside service is May 19 at the Alliance City Cemetery in Alliance, Ohio. Hinchliff-Pearson-West Galesburg Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Nova Singers, P.O. Box 1302, Galesburg, IL, 61402-1302. Online condolences may be made at http://www.h-p-w.com/?s=lane. Survivors include son, Kenneth C. Lane and his wife, Roxanne, of Reedsburg, Wis.; three daughters, Laura L. Lane and her husband, Richard Stout, of Galesburg, Linda Lane Haghi and her husband, Mehrdad Haghi, of Laguna Niguel, Calif., and Katherine Lane Bunting and her husband, Gary, of Bowling Green, Ky.; five grandchildren, Jacob Lane of Madison, Wis., Joshua Lane of Whitewater, Wis., Lydia Lane Stout of Galesburg and Leila and Sarah Haghi of Laguna Niguel; a sister, Peggy DeTombe of London, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews. |
| Verna R. Morgan Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:38 -0500 GLASGOW — Verna Ruth Morgan, 91, of Glasgow died April 29, 2008, at T.J. Samson Community Hospital. Funeral arrangements, which are incomplete, are under the direction of Hatcher & Saddler Funeral Home. |
| Eddie L. Williams Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:38 -0500 GLASGOW — Eddie Louis “Roscoe” Williams, 53, of Glasgow died April 28, 2008, at his home. The Glasgow native was a long distance truck driver. He was a son of the late Walter G. Williams and Lucille Stockton Williams. Funeral is at 11 a.m. Saturday at Queens Chapel Baptist Church in Hiseville, where he was a member, with burial in Lou Green Cemetery. Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at A.F. Crow & Son Funeral Home and begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at the church. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Hospice of Southern Kentucky, 1027 Broadway Ave. in Bowling Green or to the American Cancer Society. Survivors include four sisters, Betty J. Crayton and Jewell D. Green, both of Bowling Green, Shelvy Ann Bevel and her husband, Henry, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Minnie L. Jones and her husband, James A. Jones, of Edmonton; two aunts, Ora Ethel Stockton Nelson and her husband, Thomas, of Cridersville, Ohio, and Sarah Stockton Stovall of Louisville; seven nieces and nephews, Henry Bevel III, Walt Bevel, Roxanna Connor, Marc Jones, Phyllis Jones, Maurice Jones and Erica Greene; seven great-nieces and nephews; and a host of friends. |
| Robert Windham Sr. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:39 -0500 Robert Windham Sr., 52, of Bowling Green died April 28, 2008, at Veterans Administration Tennessee Valley Health Care Facility in Nashville. The Mobile, Ala., native was employed by Kelly Thompson & Associates and was an Army veteran. He was a son of the late Rufus Windham Sr. and Linda Amoson-Windham. He was preceded in death by a stepdaughter, Toni Potter. Funeral is at 1 p.m. Thursday at Burnam & Son Mortuary, with burial and military honors in Fairview Cemetery. Visitation is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Survivors include his wife, Sheila Lewis-Windham; a son, Robert E. Windham II of Bowling Green; three sisters, Sybia Green and her husband, Debarron, and Brenda Collins and her husband, David, all of Mobile, and Katie McIntosh of San Antonio; two brothers, Rufus Windham Jr. and Kenny Windham, both of Mobile; an uncle, Jessie Amoson of Bowling Green; two aunts, Minnie Richardson of Dayton, Ohio, and Ella Windham of Mobile; in-laws, Earline and Fred Lewis, Charles Lewis, Joyce Lewis, Barbara Reed, Brenda Lewis and Paula Daniels, all of Bowling Green; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and special friends, Kelly and Victoria Thompson, Cindy and Richard Downey, Rico Banks and family, Tim Williams and family, James Harris, Leslie Barry, Barbara Covington, Marsha Byrd, Vaniece Byrd and Geraldine Byrd. |
| Maylene O. Woods Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:13:39 -0500 Maylene Owens “Boots” Woods, 88, of Bowling Green died at 10:43 a.m. April 29, 2008, at a Bowling Green nursing home. The Warren County native was born July 26, 1919. She was retired from Holley Carburetor/Colt Industries and was a member of Bethany Baptist Church. She was a daughter of the late Henry Owens and Willie White Owens and the wife of the late Earl Davis Woods Sr. She was preceded in death by a son, Earl Davis Woods Jr.; two sisters, Noonie Gilbreath and Mary Armour; two brothers, Oscar and Tom Owens; a son-in-law, Leon May; and a brother-in-law, Fred Gilbreath. Funeral is at 1 p.m. Friday at J.C. Kirby & Son Funeral Home, Lovers Lane chapel, with burial in Bethany/Goshen Cemetery in Alvaton. Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.jckirbyandson.com. Survivors include a daughter, Lucille Woods May of Bowling Green; a son, Dennis Wayne Woods and his wife, Joyce, of Bowling Green; grandchildren, Debbie Rogers and her husband, Dutch, of Smyrna., Tenn., Delisa Smith and her husband, Jeff, of Bowling Green, Chris Woods of Franklin, Tenn., and Carrie Huffer and her husband, Scott, of Alvaton; a great-granddaughter, Kelsey Rogers of Smyrna; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; and sisters-in-law, Mamie Owens and Lottis Owens, both of Bowling Green. |
| Recycling plant good for Logan County Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:08:15 -0500 Recycling is an important part of preserving our environment and the more recycling we do, the better. Logan County is doing its part. Logan Aluminum unveiled a recycling center and aluminum furnace Thursday that uses a technology no other American recycling facility uses. The 70,000-square-foot facility, which went into operation this month, recycles aluminum beverage cans, painted siding and scrap metal obtained from can manufacturers, recycling plants and other third parties using a technology that reduces emissions at the plant and avoids generating landfill waste. The recycling center created 50 new jobs at the plant, which employs about 1,100 full-time workers and has up to an additional 300 contract employees on site on any given day. Thanks to automation, it can operate 24 hours a day with a minimum staff. The addition of these jobs and having such a cutting edge facility is good news for Logan County’s economy. A lot of people may not be aware of just how important recycling is and how much energy it can save each day. One recycled can saves enough electricity to power a television for three years and a ton of recycled cans saves enough electricity to power a home for 10 years. This compares to the energy needed to produce aluminum from raw materials. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t recycle at all or as often as they should. Only about 50 percent of aluminum cans are recycled. About 40 percent of the aluminum cans used by Americans originate from ingots pressed at Logan Aluminum. This is a real shame. More people should become actively involved in recycling. If we could recycle 75 percent to 80 percent of our aluminum cans, the increased energy saving would have a significant impact. |
| Red Lobster all about the extras Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:13:11 -0500 I was fortunate recently to enjoy a celebratory Sunday night at Red Lobster. Many local fine dining establishments are closed on Sundays, and since this was the only day we could all meet for a birthday, I was grateful Red Lobster was so accommodating. Accommodating, too, was the atmosphere. It was a festive evening, yet we had the good fortune of getting into one of those huge booths in the back, which felt as if we were a party unto ourselves. This was a treat since I haven’t seen those booths making their way into restaurants lately. Red Lobster, of course, is a seafood haven, yet it also offers a variety of steaks, pastas and some appetizers that are either cleverly disguised or lack the taste of seafood. We ordered a combination platter of southwestern lobster egg rolls and lobster, crab and seafood stuffed mushrooms. Even though they were smothered in cheese, the mushrooms definitely had the texture and flavor combinations that seafood lovers would be drawn to. The southwestern lobster stuffed egg rolls, however, were just the opposite with black beans, corn, tomatoes and a hint of seafood taste all wrapped in an egg roll shell and fried lightly crispy. Our server was fun and jovial and the rest of the wait staff worked well together - tag-teaming our order and other needs as the night went on. This made for a very pleasant dining experience, especially since I was with a lively group that didn’t need a lot of attention, just service. We each had our own special drinks for the evening and were impressed with what Red Lobster had to offer and what we were served. From an apple-tini for the birthday girl to imported beer on tap to a stellar Long Island ice tea and a bottle of Pino Grigio, we were treated as if we were dining royalty. I guess it’s about high time (or should I say high “tide”) to get to the food, which was good, but not as impressive as some of our locally owned fine dining establishments. This would be fine, if the prices were also lower, but they were not. I had a fine New York steak and was fortunate enough to be able to substitute the lobster tail for tilapia in a bag, which was a Bowling Green special. It was served with my choice of side item and a vegetable. My particular meal was acceptable. The steak cut was tender and grilled well, the fish seasoned well for the moist benefits when cooked in a bag. The vegetables were a little over-cooked for my taste. Also ordered at the table were combinations that included plates of chicken, salmon and seafood. The literally dozens of choice combinations are a big part of the dining options at Red Lobster and those who ordered them felt the meal was enhanced by a spicy dipping sauce they ordered separately on the side. Others at the table did not enjoy their meals as much. The fried shrimp, calamari and scallops were average in size, preparation and flavor - nothing to write home about. The “jumbo” shrimp scampi platter looked similar to the regular shrimp combination, so I didn’t see the advantage in going big. The comment was, “without all extras like the salad, sides and the Cheddar Bay biscuits, I might have been disappointed.” Maybe that’s the point - it’s all the extras that Red Lobster has to offer that make the difference. The staff warned us about their singing abilities, but we all engaged in a lively round of “Happy Birthday,” accompanied by at least one professional level singer at the table - so all ended well. And if that wasn’t enough, any off-key voices were long forgotten once we were served the New York cheesecake covered with strawberries that was a perfectly thick, rich, yet not-too-sweet dessert we all could share. So if you’re looking for a day or evening, especially on Sunday, of fun and fish, I would recommend Red Lobster for the extras and the variety of options that make dining an individual treat. — Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, contact Managing Editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail to malexieff@bgdaily news.com. RED LOBSTER 2525 Scottsville Road |
| Country Mill’s buffet offering wide variety Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:33:36 -0500 I was invited by a couple of colleagues to dine at The Country Mill Restaurant this week. I didn’t know what to expect, but heard it had changed for the good since I’d last visited years ago. Upon entering, we discovered right away that there isn’t a menu, it is strictly buffet; however, that didn’t stop us from getting made-to-order food and a variety that rivals any menu in town. The conversation quickly turned to quality, standards, expectations and how all of us might effect change. We weren’t talking about the restaurant, but in the work place and academic worlds. As I listened and ate, I realized my experience at Country Mill was mirroring that very conversation. To begin with, Country Mill has a long-standing foundation of buffet-style country food. This included, but was not limited to, the collard greens with a hint of spice, the highlighted flavor of the pinto beans and the pulled pork that was lean, tender and seasoned to Southern perfection. Even with the catfish, which a fisherman at the table commented was the best he’s had in all surrounding counties, Country Mill was consistent while offering a large variety, all made from scratch - maybe not at any one’s “home,” but certainly homemade. Even the d/cor offered a big country welcome with a faux barn roof in the back, Southern paintings, era inspired music, and a sign that read: “Come on in and sit a spell.” Also, Country Mill now offers a saut/ bar, salad bar and an oasis of desserts. The saut/ bar offers made-to-order entrees that include appetizers, five made-to-order burgers, pasta dishes, wraps and even a chicken cordon bleu sandwich, which I gleefully ordered. While my sandwich was cooking, I headed off to the salad bar and created a monster of a salad with mixed greens, first of the season beefsteak tomatoes, green peppers, olives and a Caesar dressing. I returned to the table to find my sweet tea waiting for me, and this is where I experienced some disappointment. The sweet tea was barely sweet, which surprised me at a “country” restaurant. I certainly had the opportunity to add sugar, but it’s just not the same. Then, while the waitress was friendly and informative when I met her at the dessert counter later, she wasn’t very personable at the table. Again, nothing major, just some things my dining companions and I noticed when we visited. One area for improvement would be the consistency of the saut/ bar. We each noticed the dishes we ordered, the cordon bleu, a spicy ranch chicken wrap and a fettuccini alfredo with shrimp and broccoli, were all acceptable and appreciated, but also lacked the punch of flavor these dishes usually have. As the conversation meandered through academics, it was inevitable, with the huge selection of desserts, the subject of “pie-ology” brought us to the end of the week. I had a coconut cream pie that was clearly homemade - and the best I’ve ever had. Fresh, thick whipped cream; flavorful filling; flaky crust and baked crispy coconut on top. There was something like a derby pie that others at the table had, and reported the chocolate chips, nuts and abundant filling were delectable - as was much of the meal. It was a wonderful dining experience and an incredible value. And again, since we’re talking academics, I’ll use a spelling metaphor. To remember the difference in spelling desert (dry land) and dessert, I learned with dessert you always want a second helping, so it has a second “s.” If that’s the case, at County Mill everything should be spelled like this: dessssssssssssert! — Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, contact managing editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail to malexieff@bgdailynews.com. COUNTRY MILL RESTAURANT 600 U.S. 31-W By-Pass |
| Dining at Ichiban consistently good Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:54:22 -0500 t was a sunny Sunday afternoon and my dining companion and I were in the mood for Japanese food. Ichiban came to mind, because, as far as my memory serves me, it’s the only Japanese food in town with patio dining. We arrived to find we weren’t the only ones with this idea and a group of very verbal Sunday travelers on the patio prompted us to eat indoors. Ichiban has been in Bowling Green for close to two years now and the cuisine, variety, service, value and just down-right fun remain consistent after all this time. The long strip of dining area inside the patio window means you can still enjoy the great outdoors if the blinds are open, yet also means the acoustics get chaotic and noisy with even just a dozen or so tables occupied. Not to worry though, if you can handle a little noise, the food is definitely worth it. My dining companion and I ordered the gamut after our complimentary clear broth soup with mushrooms and onions arrived. This included an egg roll for each of us, a crunchy shrimp roll for me and a veggie roll with a soy paper wrap for him, and a salad, tempura combo, chicken bowl and chicken lo mein to share. I didn’t see much of the chicken bowl (one of his favorite values at only $3.80), which is chicken on top of fried rice and carrots in a bowl served with a creamy light ginger sauce. All entrees are served with this signature sauce, as well as fried rice and carrots that are steamed just to the point of flavor enhancement. Later in the meal we discovered, by observing a nearby table, that you can order these delicious carrots by the bowl as well. The eggrolls, filled with a veggie and meat combination, were appetizing and generous in time. The chicken lo mein was enhanced by the perfectly grilled chicken and noodles tossed with vegetables and a light oil for flavor. The tempura combo was my least favorite, partially because it was served with onions as the only vegetable, but mainly because the tempura overwhelmed the meat or vegetables and was on the greasy side for my taste. I like a light tempura, not heavy tempura. My dining companion, however, favored the amount of tempura batter Ichiban had prepared. Our final fare was the sushi. We learned that those of you, like my dining companion, who strongly prefer sushi without the fish taste can order only veggies in the middle of a sushi roll, and substitute soy paper for the seaweed. This all but eliminates any fish flavor. I will say, over the years, my dining companion has been quite a trouper, trying eel, octopus and trying over and over the sushi seaweed despite his dislike for fish. So here’s a new culinary avenue for those who would like to try sushi, but have shied away due to the fish. Make sure to try the pickled ginger and wasabi that sushi is always served with, but beware of a little something I like to call wasabi wars. Wasabi, as I’ve reported in this column before, is served with sushi and has a horseradish quality. You can mix the amount, to your liking, with soy sauce in the Japanese bowl, stir with chopsticks, then dip a slice of roll into the mixture. The sauce mixture is not hot, as spicy food is, but a punch of intensity rolls through your mouth and sinuses, depending on the amount of wasabi you choose. My dining companion and I had a grand time, with each other, the staff and those around us, challenging each other to more and more wasabi, not just mixed in the soy sauce, but spread on each roll. It was a wild ride that led to some intense moments of deliciously cross cultural entertainment. So Ichiban turned out to be a lot of fun, out of the sun, on a Sunday afternoon, thanks to an informed, expedient staff (the sushi arrived faster than any I’ve ever had) and a variety of flavors at an excellent value. — Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, please contact managing editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail to malexieff@bgdailynews.com. Hours: 11 a.m to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday Cuisine: Japanese Price range: $3.00 to $11.99 Specialties: Steak, seafood, sushi Libation situation: Beer, wine Smoking: Yes |
| Embrace Brickyard’s mystery Thu, 3 Apr 2008 11:13:33 -0500 As a well-known eating establishment in Bowling Green, The Brickyard Caf/ may need little to no introduction, except that a friend of mine told me a few weeks ago, in her mind, The Brickyard was best for lunch. This puzzled me. I meandered in on a Saturday night to discover a pleasingly mysterious, yet charismatic, dinner dining experience. The staff dressed entirely in black against the dark salmon-colored walls is striking. Each room has soothing artwork and the quaintness of divided rooms offers a wonderfully private setting for each table. You can see those you know on the way in and out, yet not feel you’re having dinner at a large, impersonal restaurant. And then there’s the food. While the restaurant may need no introduction, the menu specials translate into a relationship with this restaurant that will not soon tire, and where living in the mystery is appetizing. My dining companion and I had two specials and two regular menu items. Our appetizers, artichoke fritters, were on the regular menu. The sight of them started the evening with an air of fun. What looked like large spindly, spiky round creatures on the plate were actually battered-dipped fried artichoke hearts. The artichoke fritters themselves had an adequate flavor, and were served with a remoulade sauce. The sauce was awkwardly sweet for our taste, but an enjoyable treat overall. From the specials menu, I had sesame encrusted ahi tuna with a beurre blanc (an emulsified butter sauce) with capers. Wow. Even though the amount of sesame seeds I expected with “encrusted” in the description was not what I thought it would be, the tuna was delectably raw in the middle and the delicious dipping sauce caused a pleased raised eyebrow right away. It was served with mashed potatoes and a combination of winter vegetables that were steamed and seasoned to perfection. From the regular menu, we also ordered the portabella stacker. This was angel hair pasta tossed with truffle oil, light pesto and tomatoes with a stack of eggplant, cheese, zucchini and roasted red peppers in the center of the pasta, topped with a portabella mushroom. It looked like a flying saucer in the middle of a wheat field on the plate, and yes, it was out of this world. The underlying theme of each meal seemed to be mystery in the balance. By that I mean, one part of each dish tended to lack flavor (not to a fault thought), the fritters, the pasta, the tuna, coupled with ingredients with an incredible burst of flavor, the remoulade sauce, the beurre blanc and the stack of veggies and cheese. That, when put together, created taste sensations to the liking of most palates - if not, one could eat just a part and be satisfied. This was even true when we ordered a salad. When asked if we wanted anchovies on the Caesar salad, there was a resounding “definitely” from me and an emphatic “no thanks” from my companion. Our professional and astute waiter offered to put them on the side and we were both taken care of. The Brickyard menu has steaks, seafood, pastas and pizzas, depending what you’re in the mood for, and still is European cuisine with an inclination toward Italian foods and seasonings. But before I sign off here, I’ll say the chocolate Grenache tort from the special desserts menu was poetry in motion and a mystery I won’t soon forget. The Grenache was a thin layer of breakable, dark chocolate on the top, with melt-in-your-mouth whipped chocolate on a bed of chocolate cookie crumbs. It’s as if the chocolate became a mist in your mouth. No chewing required and not even “melting” adequately describes the chemical reaction that took place in each bite. It was like cotton candy that becomes a liquid as you eat it, but just before that is this mist. Imagine chocolate mist. So then, don’t conceal your need for a little night time fun - live in the mystery and savor all the Brickyard has to take in because living in the mystery can be delightful. — Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, please contact Managing Editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail to malexieff@bgdailynews.com. THE BRICKYARD CAFE 1026 Chesnut St. |
| Sugar Maple eatery all about pizza Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:55:18 -0500 I’ve been gladly writing reviews each week for a while now and each week my visits in, around and just outside of town, also bring a bit of inspiration when I sit down to write. An angle, if you will, because not only does Bowling Green have a high number of restaurants per capita, it also has some very creative minds with unique food offering ideas. This week I ate at You and Me Sports Bar and Pizza. Much as I tried to find an angle, some inspiration, I was blank. Now, don’t get me wrong, the experience was one of a kind with a staff that was both attentive and fun. The calzone was delicious. I went to report on a new restaurant in the Sugar Maple side of town and since I’m not sure what to tell you, I’ll just go with the facts, just the facts. The restaurant and structure of the bar are artistically beautiful, which, when I did a pre-visit a few weeks ago made me think this was an outside-town version of the You and Me Restaurant on Chestnut Street. The sports bar also has Mediterranean archways, deep rich wood and solid high-back bar stools. When my dining companion and I entered the other night and took a closer look at the tables, we experienced a casual setting, with pizza, pool and music - which was my first shot at an angle. When we sat at the bar, however, the height was awkward for eating comfortably. The wait staff gave us a menu right away and I could see it was limited to appetizers, pizza and calzone. I asked about salads and our server said they had none. I asked about pizza delivery and she said not yet. I asked how late they were open, and she said 2 a.m. - unless it was slow. She was very personable, talkative, informative, fun and apologetic if they didn’t have something we wanted. We decided to try a few items that sounded unique, so we ordered the “French fried 4 oz. baget” (verbatim from the menu), the tequila lime wings and a pizza calzone, which is pizza dough folded over salami, onion, garlic, tomato, ricotta cheese and parsley. There was a little confusion with the order, but sitting at the bar we had direct access to the kitchen staff through a portal, so we chatted and worked things out. What didn’t work out so well was the “baget.” It turned out to be a plate of French fries served with marinara sauce. I thought we were getting slices of sourdough-type baguette bread battered and fried with marinara sauce. The fries were thick and well made, but apparently the idea of serving the fries with the marinara sauce is why it’s called a baget instead of fries. The tequila lime wings were deep fried, lightly crispy. I was hoping for a punch of lime flavor, but the punch came from the hot sauce served with it. My dining companion had the brilliant idea of mixing the hot sauce with the ranch dressing we were also served. This created a fine combination of light hot wings with a punch. The calzone was the highlight of the evening, as I’m sure most of the pizzas at You and Me are. Is it the sauce, the dough, the unique combinations of toppings? I think it is that they take such care in all of the above, that it really does make for one of the best pizza experiences in town. After our dining experience I imagined that You and Me Sports Bar and Pizza puts more time into the live entertainment they offered on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, so I called a fun-loving friend, who I knew had been to You and Me the previous Friday night. She said it was fun, and the band was good, but since there weren’t many people she thought the focus was more on the restaurant aspect. Well that puzzled me, until I realized, maybe this little gem just hasn’t been discovered by any Bowling Green pizza or entertainment patrons just yet. Looking over the article I just wrote, “without an angle” I realized - it’s the pizza, stupid! So I do recommend you stop in and pick up a pizza. You might call ahead of you’re in a hurry and encourage them to start delivering as soon as they can. And finally, if you’re in the mood for more, there’s always the well established sister restaurant, You and Me Restaurant, right here in town. — Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, contact Managing Editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail to malexieff@bgdailynews.com. You and Me Sports Bar and Pizza 1347 Hwy. 185, Sugar Maple Square |
| Micki’s on Main reinvents menu Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:19:53 -0500 The luck of the Irish was with me this week - I visited Micki’s on Main the week they were serving green beer and introducing a new menu! I was too late for green beer, so I delighted in the new menu, reflective of the power of change. I say the power of change because I visited Micki’s a few months ago and my experience that day was a disappointment. I imagine though, when you’ve been restaurateurs as long as the owners of 440 Main Restaurant and Bar have, reinvention is part of the cycle, and my last visit must have hit the lull before renewal. And I’m happy to report on the renewal. Micki’s on Main restaurant, formerly known as the bar attached to 440, has patio and sidewalk seating overlooking Fountain Square. The staff at Micki’s endearingly refers to it as “the grill” serving lunch as the companion restaurant to 440 that serves only dinner. As is the case with 440, Micki’s menu leans toward Cajun recipes and techniques, but this new menu expands into some light salads, a stir fry entr/e and even a veggie lasagna for an international reach. My dining companion and I came in for a late lunch and were greeted by a jovial, informed and attentive waitress. We had the opportunity to witness the shift change from lunch to dinner, and the waitress treated the situation professionally with style and compassion. The rest of the wait staff could have used a lesson about teamwork from the fighting Irish this week - my experience that day was that their focus was reserved for their tables alone and after our waitress left, we had long waits for everything. We actually lucked out with the waitress, because we had planned to sit outside. Mardi Gras collided with St. Patty’s day, so the beads and clovers (not to mention the weather) drew us inside. Indoor dining at Micki’s is a one-of-a-kind, low light atmosphere enhanced by the charm of cookbooks, novels and lanterns that line the shelves above the wall of booths. Appetizers were not an option until the evening, so we ordered a side of Cajun fries and a cup of gumbo to happily fill the void. The gumbo was a rich roux of a strong, stew-like stock with okra, sausage, green peppers, rice and a variety of other spices and veggies. It was rich with chunks of each ingredient (although the menu description included chicken and shrimp, which must have missed) and just spicy enough to enjoy. I don’t know how the chef did it, but each bite was spicy in and of itself, but the heat did not escalate as I ate on, which often happens when I eat spicy food. The fries were fun and unique, with blackened seasoning sprinkled on perfectly crisp, thick-cut fried potatoes. My dining companion enjoyed a new salad called the Athena Greek tuna salad - a goddess-light, yet flavorful dream of lettuce greens, seared sashimi tuna, feta cheese, red onion, kalamata olives, tomato and cucumber with a house vinaigrette served with a peppered crispy flat bread. It was a challenge, but getting one serving of each ingredient in each bite made for a subtly flavorful experience. I had a hard time deciding between the veggie lasagna, the blackened grouper, the muffaleta or a hot brown (only because the waitress said it was the best hot brown within 100 miles), but I opted for a Bayou Chicken salad instead. This was a grilled Cajun chicken breast (same spices as the French fries), baby spinach leaves, candied pecans and bleu cheese crumbles with a balsamic vinaigrette. The menu noted the pecans were both spicy and sweet, but I didn’t get that flavor combination. The balsamic in the vinaigrette was pleasingly subdued, allowing for the natural goodness of the spinach, bleu cheese and crunchy pecans to shine through. Micki’s has taken a few things off the menu, like the cheese steak that was problematic when I visited months ago, and replaced them with an inventive mix of blackened and Cajun delights, a few southern staples and some unique new eats that will surely become your favorites before the new summer restaurant season has even begun. — Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, contact managing editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail to malexieff@bgdailynews.com. |
| A Taste of Europe offers tasty gyros Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:03:29 -0500 I have been attempting to visit The Taste of Europe for more than a month now and I finally made it in last week. This week was unique because not only was I anonymous to the restaurant, my dining companion was also not aware I was writing a review. As luck would have it, she had been to Greece a few years ago, and had a unique take on our dining experience. To begin with, she knew from her Greek island hopping days that you do not pronounce the Greek food gyro, which are predominate on The Taste of Europe menu, like “j-ai-roh,” which is how I was saying it. Gyro is pronounced, our waiter confirmed, “j-yeer-oh.” Or close enough. The “g” is not silent, but spoken with the “j” sound, just softly. This may be subjective, however, because an online search noted the word is often mispronounced and suggested the “g” is actually silent. I have to say it doesn’t matter how you pronounce it, they’ll know what you’re talking about, but the greatest challenge is in finding The Taste of Europe. It is so tucked away, that even though I was the one who suggested the restaurant, I almost couldn’t find it. It’s gently squeezed between two windows of furniture on State Street, one block from the square. It is definitely worth a little detective work, and, as my dining companion revealed to me, reminiscent of a petite, tucked away, unassuming European caf/ you might find in Greece. What you’ll also find at The Taste of Europe is a Greek specialty sandwich prepared in many different ways with different ingredients. Gyros is well-season beef shaved into fine slices from a large piece of meat on a cylinder. The meat is cut from a slowly rotating vertical spit, just like the spinning motion of a gyroscope. The Taste of Europe offers this in plate form and in sandwiches made with beef, chicken or a combination of the two. My dining companion had the “authentic” gyro sandwich with the choice of a side item, French fries, rice or small Greek salad. French fries by “default,” as the menu noted, which I thought was an adorable way of suggesting: Choose or it will be chosen for you. In sandwich form the gyro is put into a round piece of double layered flat, pita bread with tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomatoes and onions (or as you like it) and folded in half. For me the tzatziki sauce made the meal. It’s a fresh, cool, cucumber yogurt sauce with a hint of mint. It was also served with the chicken gyro plate I ordered. Instead of coming in sandwich form, my well-seasoned shaved chicken was served on a bed of seasoned rice with vegetables. The pita bread, tzatziki and a small Greek salad with feta cheese and olives was served on the side. I thoroughly enjoyed the flavor of everything. The pita bread had substance and tasteful essence, but was not heavy or chewy. The rice was tenderly seasoned with light oils, herbs and vegetables. The gyro meat and chicken, odd looking at first glance, was a unique and delicious way to eat meat. Just as it was hard to find the restaurant, I didn’t see the appetizers on the front of the menu, or I certainly would have tried the hummus. Hummus is a dip made with chickpeas, oil and seasonings and is delicious on pita bread. The Taste of Europe also serves a variety of salads (yes, including a gyro salad), pizzas for dinner, other Greek specialties and even a fajita plate. The atmosphere is laid back, just like Europe. It took me a while to pay the check, waiting for an elongated conversation to finish while I waited in line, but hey, it’s like being in another country, which is similar to being country. All life enhancing experiences, no matter how you pronounce it. — Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, contact managing editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail to malexieff@bgdailynews.com. A Taste of Europe 1006 State St. |
| Bagels and Bites has great homemade breads Thu, 6 Mar 2008 11:16:53 -0600 I usually find myself gallivanting to opposite ends of Warren and its surrounding counties, but this week I found myself back in the heart of Bowling Green at Hartland. Vincent’s Bagels and Bites drew me in, and, like a scene from a Seinfeld episode, seemed to be drawing a lot of customers in. I entered the practically empty restaurant alone, looking to place a to-go order and after a couple of minutes, found myself at the front of a long lunch crowd line that was gently and willingly herded to the right with a retaining wall for excellent organization. A wall-sized mirror on the far right wall created a large space illusion and surely made the crowd seem much larger than it was. Or not. The d/cor was simple, light, clean and cheery with several four-top tables scattered throughout the restaurant. As I ordered, I kept looking back at the growing crowd and finally apologized to the women behind me for taking so much time. When I took a closer look at the reflections in the mirror, however, the customers seemed just happy to be there. The woman behind me only needed a New York accent and it really could have been a scene from Seinfeld - she said, “There’s no right time. We’re all used to this place being busy all the time. It’s worth it.” And it was! Vincent’s has a huge variety of homemade bagels for breakfast or anytime, as well as breads, muffins, pastries, cookies and even a breakfast sandwich if you stop by for breakfast. And for dinner or lunch, there is no limit to this homemade sky! I enjoyed the Hilltopper sandwich piled high with ham, salami and pepperoni and equally generous portions of provolone cheese, onion, green pepper, lettuce, tomato and a light drizzle of Italian dressing on thick slices of homemade bread. I was impressed with the long, lean, yet large slices of green pepper, which meant I got a taste in every bite, and the fact that the sandwich was perfectly moist without any other condiments meant the flavor of the meats and vegetables shined through. Not even the thick slices of wheat bread overwhelmed, but all ingredients worked together to form a delicious symphony of flavors. The pasta salad was also moist, light and appetizing with chunks of pepperoni, green pepper and onion. Both homemade soups were equally appetizing that day. The cheesy tomato was like having spaghetti in soup form. The blend of ground meat, pipe rigate pasta (large macaroni type) and a cheesy tomato base tasted like my favorite plate of spaghetti piled high with parmesan. The base of the ham and bean soup was where most of the flavor came from, slightly salty with the bean flavor cooked right in, then little bits of ham and a generous portion of white beans to round off this savory lunch treat. The green salad too was fresh and full of vegetables. A nice touch was that they waited to put the grated cheddar cheese on until just before they gave me the salad. The staff did forget to ask about or include salad dressing, but then so did I and I wasn’t under any pressure. The three women taking and making orders worked well together, had a system and stayed pleasant no matter how many sandwiches they were making all at once. The Californian sandwich was a unique and palatable delicacy. A slice of homemade bread was spread with a spinach/artichoke cream cheese, then piled with turkey breast, onion and tomato, and finally grilled on the panini grill - a lovely indulgence no matter if it’s cold or hot outside. One glitch - I arrived home to discover I had not been given a honey-go-round sandwich I’d ordered but chicken salad. This would have been fine, if I had liked the chicken salad, but it wasn’t as flavorful as the other two sandwiches and just listen to the description of the honey-go-round: “ham covered with melted Swiss cheese, onion and honey mustard, served on our toasted onion bagel.” You can bet I’ll be back in the Seinfeld line before long to try out the honey-go-round, the hartland, the country bumpkin sandwiches and to have another one of those deep, moist chocolate brownies while I try not to hold up the line. Luckily it’s not New York or there would have been no soup for me! No, it’s Bowling Green so I got a “bless her heart” pat on the hand to take my time, and a smile! — Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, please contact Managing Editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail to malexieff@bgdailynews.com. Vincent’s Bagels and Bites 1660A Scottsville Road |
| Awards shows are nothing without Oscar-worthy food Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:08:50 -0600 What would the Academy Awards be without delicious food to mark the occasion? In this week’s review, appetizers from previous reviews will walk the red carpet as I revisit outstanding performances in the hors d’oeuvre category. Additionally, I will introduce four appetizers my dining companions and I consumed as we viewed the Oscars, honoring that writers are again writing in Hollywood. The first two appetizers from a former review hail from Anna’s Greek Restaurant and Bar. The croquettes santorini are a delicious mixture of tomato with peppers, onion, oregano and mint, breaded and lightly fried - no dipping sauce needed. Months ago, when my dining companions and I visited Anna’s, the wait staff also recommended the spanakopita. A great meal starter, it was a homemade crispy filo dough filled with spinach and spices served with a tangy cucumber and sour cream sauce called tzatziki. No one had to yell action to get us to gulp down these two perfectly executed treats. The next winner showed well in two categories: performance and value. This was the Belgian cheese fondue at the Cellar Restaurant and Wine Bar. When I dined there a few months ago, my dining companion and I were served a generous portion of artisan bread, apples, olives and tomatoes to dip into a fondue of melted cheeses with wine and kirsch. This was a glamorous appetizer on an independent film budget. Not to forget those in a supporting role, the deep fried ravioli from BB’s Italian in Leitchfield fared as a box office success when I visited last year, and the deep fried pickles from A Taste of Texas in Glasgow earned excellent achievement in Southern finger foods from dining companions who know country when they see it. On Oscar day, I ran around town getting just the right combination of appetizers. Much to my surprise, this was easier than I thought. All but one of the restaurants I ordered from had curb-side take out and all were efficient and friendly. Most notable of the four was an outstanding performance by a foreign appetizer from an American restaurant, namely the Asian dumplings from Ruby Tuesdays. Filled with chicken and seasonings, they could stand alone as a delicious steamed treat, but Ruby Tuesdays adds a thick peanut sauce with a hint of soy sauce, ginger and other spices to attain a pleasing dramatic effect. We also enjoyed the parmesan encrusted Sicilian quesadillas from TGI Friday’s and the Tillamook cheese and pico de gallo from Montana Grille. The cheese dip included sharp Oregon cheese, five pepper relish and rice wine vinegar served with tortilla chips. Like many actors, it was a little too cheesey for my taste, but good overall. The Sicilian quesadillas were flour tortillas pan fried with Parmesan cheese filled with chicken, sausage, bruschetta marinara, bacon and Monterey jack cheese and drizzled with a balsamic glaze. Wow, flavor combinations to rival any comedy or tragedy. I would, however, request the balsamic glaze for dipping, as we did not get any from takeout. Though neither may have won the Oscar outright, they were definitely among nominees and, after all, it’s just an honor to be nominated, right? Not forgetting to thank the little people in an acceptance speech is important. The Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp from Outback Steakhouse has always been a favorite of mine so I stopped by Outback for not one, but two orders on Oscar day, knowing it would go fast. This shrimp is beer battered, rolled in coconut and served with a Creole marmalade dip that is sweet with a hint of spiciness - just the opposite of Cate Blanchett as Queen Elizabeth. Finally, when you stage any event, it’s important to have wine that’s red-carpet worthy as well. I decided to stop by the quaint new wine shop at Hartland, called Chuck’s (behind Steak n’ Shake). It’s a high-end wine and spirits shop with a caf/ atmosphere including wine and cheese tastings on Friday and Saturday nights. The knowledgeable and attractive evening staff members (casting agents be aware) helped me pick out the best wine for my occasion. The first wine was something no female celebrity can be without. “Little Black Dress” was a 2006 Merlot from California. Like its namesake, it’s a subtle red wine and a fine choice to build from. The second wine was to honor Johnny Depp’s performance in the movie “Sweeney Todd: The Demon of Fleet Street.” “The Razor’s Edge” was a 2005 Shiraz from Australia. This red is a bit more complex but balanced nicely between extremes with full-bodied elegance and both went well with the appetizers. While none of my choices for movies or actors won this year, at least the Bowling Green eating and drinking establishments performed to perfection, making the evening at home a crowd-pleasing success. — Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, contact Managing Editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail to malexieff@bgdailynews.com. |
| Mis Amigos menu offers flavorful Mexican dishes Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:50:41 -0600 While it’s true there are several fine Mexican food establishments in Bowling Green, you might consider a trip to Brownsville to experience the new Mis Amigos Mexican Grill as well. Mis Amigos, which means “our friends,” notes on its menu it offers “the best authentic Mexican food cooked fresh daily.” In my experience, that’s just what I found. I thoroughly enjoyed a few one-of-a-kind menu items, as well as taking a gander at the magnificent Green River as I crossed the bridge on Ky. 259 just past town that led me to Mis Amigos. As we often do at Mexican restaurants, my dining companion and I began with a bowl of guacamole dip to go with our complimentary chips and salsa. You can tell a lot about a Mexican restaurant by the guacamole, and this was the thick, deep green variety with the primary ingredient being avocado, enhanced with a hint of seasonings and no filler. The salsa was more of the same: fresh and appetizing. In my experience, Mexican restaurants have one good salsa (usually medium in heat) and then a backup salsa that’s just so-so for those who don’t want it as hot. At Mis Amigos, the mild salsa my dining companion requested was just as chunky, fresh and tasty as the medium salsa we were served. It was a good thing, however, that both the guac and the salsa were so flavorful, because the chips weren’t as appetizing. Not that they were bad, but they were overly dense and on the greasy side. They seemed to be made with a thick yellow corn tortilla, instead of the more popular white corn tortilla that’s not as thick. I have to say right now though, after the chips, every bit of food we were served was fresh and savory with abundant serving sizes and generous palatable flavors. For instance, when I ordered the guac, I also ordered a unique sounding shrimp cocktail - Mexican style. It included boiled large shrimp swimming in a tomato-based juice with pico de gallo and avocado. I could eat this dish every day. It was light, yet tangy. There were so many shrimp I couldn’t count them all and the grouping of flavors - the avocado, shrimp, tomato and peppers in the pico de gallo - was a delicious amalgam for the palate. My dining companion had the chicken fajita and reported it was the best he’d ever had. The taste seemed to be created as it was grilled in the skillet so that the marinade soaked nicely into the fork-tender chicken. I ordered a special dinner that had a “little of everything,” including a chalupa, enchilada, tamale, taco, chile relleno, Mexican rice and refried beans. It was enough for two people. Every item was unique, but my favorites were the tamale, a small round version of cooked corn meal surrounded by shredded beef and cheese, and the chile relleno, a cheese stuffed mild chile with a flavor-enhancing red sauce. There are so many items on the Mis Amigos menu it was really hard to choose, which was maybe why I ended up with such a variety. A few other unique items included Jim’s dip on the appetizer menu consisting of melted cheese with beef, mushrooms and scallions served with flour tortillas; 11 different kinds of nachos, and something called a Mexican pyramid with chicken, broccoli scallions, mushrooms and rice covered in cheese sauce. Inside the structure of the restaurant is a pleasing color combination of gray, red, black and white on the walls with booths down one windowed wall and a variety of table types and chairs throughout the restaurant. Mis Amigos was clean. However, as is common with rural restaurants, it was a little rough around the edges in a slightly run-down facility. This should not keep you from visiting though. Mis Amigos’ staff, as our waitress shared, is “a group of friends with the heart of a family.” I could feel this in our interactions with our waitress, with the management and it came through in the food. And, since it was a family birthday that had brought me to this neck of the woods, like family, Mis Amigos is well-worth the trip. — Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, please contact Managing Editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail at malexieff@bgdailynews.com. Mis Amigos Mexicano Grill 600 Ky. 295 N, Brownsville |
| Thai Express is fast on food, and doesn’t lack taste or freshness Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:16:44 -0600 Thai cuisine hails from the country of Thailand in Southeast Asia. Thai Express is a new restaurant on the U.S. 31-W By-Pass that offers the fundamentals of Thai cuisine at a fast-food pace. Don’t get me wrong - there’s a dining area, and they bring the food out to you. It offers dishes that have a balance of flavors, (hot, sour, sweet, salty and even sometimes bitter) and uses fresh, not dried, herbs in all the dishes. Thing is, it just happens fast. After asking a few questions, my dining companion and I had an order of pad Thai chicken with thin rice noodles, cashew chicken over rice, two egg rolls, lemongrass shrimp soup and a Thai beef salad - all ordered on the mild side because, in my experience, spicy really means spice when it comes to Thai food. The pad Thai chicken had a light, yet appealingly flavorful, sweet-and-sour sauce tossed in with the thin rice noodles with small bits of eggs, bean sprouts, green onions and ground peanuts. If you’re looking for vegetables, this dish had only a few, but the taste was the best of the meals we ordered. The lemongrass shrimp soup with green onions and cilantro in a lemongrass broth had an abundance of mushrooms and fresh, plump shrimp. I ordered it mild, but it was still deliciously spicy and tangy. The Thai beef salad was a unique treat, but not what I expected. There was more beef than cucumber, lots of crispy fresh lettuce and a vinaigrette dressing that didn’t have a lot of flavor. But again, it was good. There was one other dish that didn’t have a lot of flavor and that was the cashew chicken over rice. As a replacement, I ordered the drunken noodle chicken with wide rice noodles, chicken, chili sauce, white wine, onions, red pepper, tomatoes and basil. This dish was also sparse on the vegetables, but not on taste. It hit all five Thai flavors, including a little bitterness from the basil, and all worked well together. In my experience, I would highly recommend Thai Express for taste, freshness, expedience and value, (especially since they take cash, credit cards and Big Red dollars). Thai Express 511 U.S. 31-W By-Pass Bowling Green, 796-3614 Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Specialties: Noodles, rice Price range: $5.75 to $6.95 Smoking: No Libation situation: None |
| Beijing Restaurant : Some things never change, and some improve Thu, 7 Feb 2008 11:22:22 -0600 At Beijing Restaurant, some things are the same, like the same haphazard pool of water in the concrete pond outside the restaurant, but some things have changed. Enough has changed so that I felt compelled to ask if the restaurant was under new ownership or management. It is not. Just some not necessarily needed, yet welcomed, fine tuning. To begin with, the overall food presentation on the buffet was much improved. The sushi has moved and is housed next to the stir fry station, all on its own. There are now five to six varieties of sushi, instead of just three, and each of them is covered in a solid plastic, rectangular lid with a handle, instead of just clear plastic wrap. Additionally, each variety of sushi was wrapped tight with more flavorful, traditional sticky rice than I remember from previous visits. So tight with rice, fish, vegetables and seaweed that it was easy to spread the pungent wasabi and soy sauce over the top and a breeze to pick up with chop sticks. The variety, as well as the freshness of each item on the buffet, seems to be much improved as well. Don’t get me wrong, Beijing has always had a high quality of food, freshness and service, yet what I’m reporting here is Beijing, on the day I visited, had gone beyond just above average to a stellar performance by a Chinese buffet. I opted for the sesame chicken, chicken with broccoli, fried rice and, of course, a variety of sushi. All fresh and flavorful in their own way. The sesame chicken was deep fried chicken covered in a thick sesame sauce. The chicken pieces were abundant enough that the balance of flavors between the chicken, the breading and the sauce were some of the best I’ve ever had. The chicken with broccoli was the same - enough broccoli, steamed crispy, with thin and tender pieces of chicken in a thick sauce. As I looked over the buffet, I could see numerous appetizing dishes, including steamed salmon, three kinds of soup, lo mien and shrimp with vegetables. The buffet still features both American and Chinese appetizers, green salad with all the fixings and an ice cream and dessert bar. The only items that seemed to be missing are some of the items like puddings, sweet salads and fried okra that for me just cluttered and confused anyway. My dining companion made a beeline for the fresh stir fry station, where there were two new sauces, including the one he chose, teriyaki. You can combine meats, rice, noodles and a variety of vegetables to be stir fried on the spot on a huge wok-like cooking device. He opted for noodles, broccoli, snow peas, bamboo and more - and I chimed in asking for a few of the deliciously flavorful and soft baby corn. The price of the buffet has increased from $8.95 to $9.50, but it was well worth it. I’d actually be willing to pay even 25 cents more if they’d do two things: Fill the pond with filtered water and some gold fish so that it’s not such an eyesore as you enter; and, at the request of my dining companion, bring the gong back. The gong used to signal for the chef to come out and stir fry the vegetables. It was such a nice cultural touch and the buzzer they’ve replaced it with just isn’t the same. — New restaurants are given a six-week grace period. Comments can be sent to Managing Editor Mike Alexieff by telephone at 783-3235 or by e-mail at malexieff@bgdaily news.com. Beijing Restaurant 1951 Scottsville Road Bowling Green 842-2288 Hours: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday Cuisine: Chinese Specialties: Buffet Buffet price: Lunch $6.95; dinner and all day Sunday $9.50 Libation situation: Full bar Smoking: Yes |
| Sante Fe Cattle Co. offers lots of color Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:39:59 -0600 Having not been to the Santa Fe Cattle Company for more than a year, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the menu has been expanded and includes a few one-of-a-kind items. I was greeted outside by a manager who opened the free swinging, barn-like doors, then greeted again as I entered the lobby. Being seated just outside the kitchen door usually prompts me to ask for a change of venue, but something told me to stay put today. My intuition was right. It added a little color to my meal. Color, because of the row of full-color plate presentation photographs the cooks effectively use for uniformity I could see when the hard-working wait staff swung open the stainless steel doors. And colorful, because when one of the wait staff dropped food off a plate as she exited the kitchen, I was close enough to hear the expletive she muttered and to see a helpful colleague soothe her co-worker. The wait staff was an interesting and pleasant part of the dining experience. It was as if they gently blended in to the southwestern, barn wood, rawhide motif, but at the same time were there whenever, and I mean whenever, needed. Our waiter was smooth but effective. He was the kind of waiter who doesn’t have to write anything down, but who gets everything right - even amid my “on the side” and unlimited questions about the side dishes and how long the veggies are cooked. I decided to skip the appetizers and have dessert instead. I usually like to have one or the other. This was hard, though, because Santa Fe has 11 appetizers to choose from, including deep fried flautas and Texas sausage, which both sounded unique and inviting. With it being so cold outside, I also skipped past the four salads, including a blackened sirloin salad with bleu cheese that had the flavor combinations I love. I opted for one of their specialties, ribs, combined with a little seafood, coconut shrimp, and my dining companion choose the one-of-a-kind chicken breast a la lawn boy. My combo platter was pricey, but I had enough for dinner that night and a few shrimp the next day. My first bite into the ribs was pleasant to the taste buds, yet tough on the teeth. The barbecue sauce had more than just a hint of what I think was orange zest and it was delicious. I’m going to have to try this at home. The meat was on the crispy side, so I asked the waiter about it and he said he’d be happy to replace the ribs, but that they do in fact cook them that way so that the sauce really cooks in and stays on. It turned out it was just the outsides that were crispy, and he was right, this method works. The coconut shrimp was fried crispy and deep in color, with a generous amount of coconut in the batter and the shrimp inside was still moist and flavorful. The green beans were overcooked for my taste - I think next time I’ll get the broccoli. Both my dining companion and I had a salad as one of our side items and it was a generous amount of lettuce, vegetables, red onion and dressing - on the side. The chicken my dining companion ate was a grilled chicken breast covered with spinach, mushrooms, saut/ed onions and Monterey jack cheese. The layers of flavors melded into one fine bite, bite after bite. The mashed potatoes came with a heap of unexpected white gravy and were, unfortunately, so dense they were hard to get through. Neither of us even wanted to take them home. I should have been listening to the same intuitive voice that told me to sit by the kitchen door when it told me to go ahead and order dessert with my meal. This was because when I ordered the dirt pie at the end of the meal, I was told the cookie crumb mix that goes over the top took 10 minutes to prepare and they had not prepped it for the day yet. Our waiter explained that it was mainly a dinner dessert, in his experience. I often go against the crowd in search of greater things. We ordered the brownie delight instead and it was a batter-gooey, slightly underbaked (and I mean that in the best way) brownie, with ice cream melting on top. Yum. So my Santa Fe suggestions include: Try something new or an old favorite - Santa Fe makes them equally well with appealing plate presentation and consistency. Want color? Sit by the kitchen door. Less color? Ask to be seated anywhere else. Want dirt pie at lunch? Order ahead as you would duck in a Chinese restaurant. And, just because the waiter describes green beans as fresh and steamed, this still may mean cooked well with bacon. I mention this not only for crispy veggie eaters like me, but for all those who like them this way. It’s OK to be different, and in fact when I complained about my beans, my dining companion exclaimed, “That’s the best way to eat green beans.” I’m sure many of you will agree. — New restaurants are given a six-week grace period. Comments can be sent to Managing Editor Mike Alexieff by telephone at 783-3235 or by e-mail at malexieff@bgdailynews.com. Santa Fe Cattle Company 247 Three Springs Road 843-4666 Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday Cuisine: Southwestern Price range: $6.99 to $15.99 (Express lunch $5.99 to $6.99) Specialties: Ribs, steaks, fajitas Libation situation: Full bar Smoking: Yes |
| Double Dogs offers clever, flavorful menu Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:15:36 -0600 Looking over the Double Dog menu, I am challenged to offer just as many clever acronyms, metaphors and cute pooch connections as they have. Where else can you get a “sit, heel and peel shrimp” as an appetizer or Pavlovian references that a hot dog will “make your mouth salivate.” The canine cleverness begins long before the menu is ever placed in your hands. In the parking lot I was greeted by a motion sensor barking dog in a dog house and pup prints embedded in the concrete sidewalk. The Double Dogs wait staff opened both doors with a greeting as welcoming as man’s best friend, minus the face licking. I sat down and chatted with the waitress, when some sad news piddled on my parade. No tennis channel in this sports bar during the quarter finals of the Australian Open that was having the best play in decades! I will give Double Dogs the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps the thought of all those bouncing balls around when everyone knows how obsessed dogs can get with tennis balls was too much to consider, but I ask you to reconsider. Tennis is a legitimate and well-watched sport. I promise. As a matter of fact, I was dining with an avid tennis-playing, tennis-watching family that very night. As we looked over the menu, I decided to get a plate of nachos. But, as we should have guessed by its name, instead of coming on a plate, the nachos came in a bowl - a doggy bowl. The Bo’s dog bowl nachos were an abundant portion of white tortilla chips, beefy chili, refried beans, Monterey and jack cheeses, pepper jack sauce, shredded lettuce and jalapenos. Two kinds of beans and three kinds of cheese might sound overwhelming, but it wasn’t. It was, you guessed it if you‘ve read my columns, a appetizing flavor combination. It came with a side of pico de gallo and another unique twist, lime sour cream. This added an additional tang that was as satisfying as a scratch behind the ear. After a heavy appetizer, both my “official” dining companion and I decided to keep it light with a Greek salad and shrimp quesadilla. The quesadilla was a combination of spicy buffalo shrimp, melted Monterey and pepper jack cheeses and grilled onions wrapped in a garlic-herb tortilla with a side of that tangy lime sour cream. The flavors blended well, but the shrimp lacked the kick the menu implied. I would suggest, if you want a kick, order some buffalo sauce on the side. The GRRRRRReek salad, as it is called on the menu, was one of the most generous portions of lettuce, spinach, Greek olives, roasted peppers, feta cheese and cucumbers that I’ve ever had. The feta cheese vinaigrette dressing I was sure went with it lacked the flavor I like with a Greek salad, so I would recommend the balsamic vinaigrette instead - but that’s just me. I had a taste (or at least a look) at the other food served at the table that night. The wings were meaty, generous and covered in sauce that really stuck to the meat, right down to the bone. The chipotle BBQ sauce is a nice variation, with just the hint of a kick. I did not try them, but an avid “hot wing” eater reported his “double dog dare you” hot wings were not even as hot as you find at some local restaurants that don’t have a gradient of four kinds of hot. So that was a disappointment. Perhaps dogs feel the same way about humans feeding them cayenne that they feel about humans feeding them peanut butter: It takes too long to get the taste out of their mouths. The bulldog Philly cheese steak offered a generous and juicy amount of marinated beef, sweet onions, bell peppers and provolone cheese crammed into a hoagie roll. Looking around as we ate, the restaurant motif has, of course, gone to the dogs. Brick walls with all kinds of cartoon dogs, as well as a soothing poster-sized photograph of two actual dogs hanging out together on the lawn. The wait staff was friendly enough, but it seemed as if there were some kind of tag team system going and different wait staff helped us with different tasks. This created moments when we were taken care of frequently and times when no one visited our table for a long period of time. Not even calling, whistling and newspaper across the nose threats worked (those are all metaphors, not what we actually did). I had eaten at Double Dogs twice before this trip to record my experience in writing. We give restaurants six weeks to get on their feet (in this case all four) and from the food to the drinks, Double Dogs used that time well. A little more fine tuning with wait staff attentiveness and all will be well. In other words, they’ve gone from jackal to dingo to a pooch of a place to eat in Bowling Green. It’s like having the perfect mutt wander into your life at just the right time! — New restaurants are given a six-week grace period. Comments can be sent to Managing Editor Mike Alexieff by telephone at 783-3235 or by e-mail at malexieff@bgdailynews.com. Double Dogs 1780 Scottsville Road Bowling Green 843-9357 Hours: 3 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday through Sunday Specialties: Hot dogs, burgers, pizza Cuisine: American Price range for dinner: $4.99 to $19.99 Libation situation: Full bar Smoking: In separate bar |
| Short trip to quaint Franklin takes one to culinary heaven Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:26:57 -0600 This week, I found not just a one-of-a-kind culinary treat, but a true recipe for success. The ingredients include two heaping cups of attitude, one level teaspoon of keeping the menu simple, a dollop of delightful flavor combinations and creativity to taste, all stirred gently and poured into an inviting home environment. What comes out of the oven is the ideal meal at the Sassy Lassie Cafe, just a short drive in the quaint town of Franklin. To begin with, I have never felt so at home and comfortable in an eating establishment. Certainly, there’s plenty of home-cooking eateries that offer comfort food, but this is like choosing your favorite spot in the house and settling in with a special meal. The setting is an old home with colorfully painted walls in each room. Each room houses a combination of dining tables and chairs for two or four and inviting, comfortable couches and chairs with a nook for every taste and mood. There’s the main room, where you might pick up a morning chat that I hear is more like heart-to-heart therapy with neighbors and friends; the well-lit computer room, where being alone in contemplation and technology come together; and what I call the secret room, which is a little more isolated so two friends can sit by the fire and possibly share their innermost secrets. But really, I have to stop gushing about the atmosphere and start gushing about the food. My dining companion and I visited the Sassy Lassie for lunch, but it also offers coffee and espresso drinks and an inexpensive breakfast you can take with you or cozy up with and eat in. All breakfasts are homemade and include items such as a sausage roll, which is a puffed pastry stuffed with fresh sausage. It also offers quiche, scones and muffins, as well as a new twist on a southern favorite. The eatery has biscuits rolled flat and stuffed with eggs, cheese and sausage or bacon, and newer twists without any old favorites - like spinach and feta cheese in pie pastry. Sassy Lassie also has what it calls “breakfast pudding” - a baked egg casserole with onion, sausage, ham, bacon, cheese and sassy seasoning topped with parmesan cheese. The lunch menu has been kept simple, just five sandwiches to choose from, but each of them sounded so good, it took me and my dining companion a good five minutes to try to choose just two. It couldn’t be done, so I ordered an extra sandwich to take home for dinner - and was still disappointed I didn’t get to try the other two. My dining companion had the southwestern cowhand with roast beef, herbed cream cheese, green chilies, cheddar cheese and a horseradish dressing on thick slices of sourdough. I finally chose the alpine mountain climber. This sandwich was made of ham, turkey, Swiss cheese and chipotle sauce on an asiago cheese roll. And for dinner that night, I took home the sea captain, which was tuna, feta cheese and black olive pesto on the asiago cheese roll. I am a huge, and I mean huge, fan of perfect flavor combinations and this is what made Sassy Lassie’s menu so inviting to me. Each sandwich had the usual meat and cheese suspects, but each had its own unique flavor twist, like horseradish on the roast beef, chipotle on the turkey and ham and olive pesto with the tuna. Each sandwich was served warm, making it especially inviting on a cold day. To top it all off, there is a soup of the day each day and on this day, I enjoyed the potato soup. Medium-sized chunks of potatoes floated in a thick (but not too thick) creamed soup, with a kick of cheddar flavor every now and then. My dining companion had the potato salad. It was homemade with a traditionally appealing flavor, but you can also have pasta salad or potato chips with your lunch. Before leaving, we just had to try a couple of coffee drinks - the white chocolate raspberry latte and a caramel macchiato. Each begins with a shot of espresso and then, as each name implies, flavors are added so that you get a jolt of caffeine minus the bitterness. My final purchase, to go with the coffee, was the locally famous empire biscuit. This is a small, cookie-type dessert with a fruit filling and a sugar glaze. Rumor has it that if they aren’t available daily, the customers and the wait staff are up in arms. Not to worry though, everything is available in abundance, every day, including Saturdays. So if you live in Franklin, make sure to visit this true hometown treat, and for you BGers, take the short drive and find yourself arriving at a home you’ll want to visit again and again. — New restaurants are given a six-week grace period. Comments can be sent to Managing Editor Mike Alexieff by telephone at 783-3235 or by e-mail at malexieff@bgdailynews.com. Sassy Lassie 614 Main St. - Franklin (270) 586-3806 Hours: 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday- Friday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday; closed Sunday. Specialties: Breakfast, coffee drinks and sandwiches Cuisine: American Price range for dinner: $3.99 to $7.99 Libation situation: No Smoking: No |
| Food shortage ruins steakhouse meal Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:07:25 -0600 My dining companion and I ventured north this week to Rawhide Steakhouse and Saloon in Cave City. Rawhide is right off Interstate 65, adjacent to Knight’s Inn, making it convenient for travelers and those of us who sometimes like a little drive with dinner. I was excited to discover this seemingly quality steakhouse, and even more excited when we entered a freshly decorated rustic atmosphere. We were seated at one of the many booths painted the same deep, barn brown as the walls, which were scattered with farm items and memorabilia. My anticipation spiked even more as I read menu items like pecan encrusted chicken, grilled salmon salad, angus beef, deep fried green beans with wasabi/ranch dressing, and three flaming desserts, including bananas foster. I’m afraid my high expectations, coupled with the delay of a delivery truck that day, left a less than desirable taste in our mouths. Before I give you the details of our one experience, I will say that my hope when I review a restaurant is to guide you, the customer, toward desirable menu items and offer information so that you can decide for yourself what and what not to ask for. It is, after all, just one random experience. I also hope it gives each restaurant an opportunity to fine tune anything that they may not know is not working. I will say one wonderful feature of this restaurant was the humble, genuine way in which the wait staff and management tried to remedy this situation so that we had as enjoyable experience as they were able to offer that day - without knowing I was critiquing the restaurant - and I truly admire that. We began with those fried green beans I mentioned, but the breading didn’t have any flavor at all. Salting them wasn’t enough, and I thought perhaps the lack of flavor would be balanced out by the wasabi/ranch dip. I did not, however, find a hint of punch in the dip. We sent the green beans back and asked for the shrimp appetizer. They were out of shrimp. The apologetic, helpful wait staff (who was two days new) mentioned that the artichoke dip was especially good, however she sheepishly returned to report they were out of chips and that, in fact, a scheduled food delivery that day was long overdue. We decided to skip the appetizer and order entrees. My dining companion opted for the chicken breast and baked potato, I ordered the combination dinner of sirloin steak and ribs, choosing mixed vegetables as my one side. We were only offered one side and no dinner salad, which seemed odd. A salad and side was offered with steaks, but not the fish, steak combos or chicken. At these prices, I thought for sure a salad would be included. I’m wondering if they were out of lettuce and our thoughtful server just couldn’t disappoint us one more time. One the bright side, the grilled chicken breast was a tender, generous portion (but I would recommend one of the choices with sauce), and the baked potato came fully loaded with cheese, sour cream and butter. The top sirloin steak had some gristle, was tender, but lacked any appetizing beef flavor or seasoning. The vegetables seemed to be a mixture of frozen and fresh. From what I could tell, fresh broccoli and cauliflower, frozen carrots and squash. Dinner was also served with what looked liked Texas toast, but the butter was sweetened - making it a confusing combination. I really didn’t know what to think, so I called the next day, anonymously, to see if the manager had an explanation for our experience. She said the cook that day was the usual cook, the beef was fresh, but the lack of delivery did create some real problems that day. This was never more present than when the manager tried to remedy the situation the day before by offering us a free dessert. We opted for the caramel brownie, but again, with a truly apologetic look on her face the waitress told us the only dessert they had that day was peach pie. So we took what we could get - and will hope for better next time. — New restaurants are given a six-week grace period. Comments can be sent to Managing Editor Mike Alexieff by telephone at 783-3235 or by e-mail at malexieff@bgdailynews.com. |
| Hog Wild specializes in Memphis-style barbecue Thu, 3 Jan 2008 10:57:51 -0600 I sat by myself in the Hog Wild BBQ and Deli last week, eating a chicken salad sandwich, feeling like I was in the Hard Rock Caf/ of Bowling Green, and, as if I wasn’t really alone. That’s because the bright yellow walls of this diner are donned with celebrity photos and autographs. So while Don Adams and I shared our New Year’s resolutions, I could also catch a glimpse of Joe Namath, Jimmy Cagney, and one of my favorite people on the planet, Robert Redford, across the room. One thing Hog Wild does not have in common with Hard Rock Caf/ is over-priced meals. This was one of the most reasonably priced meals I’ve eaten in a long time. For just $5, I had a chicken salad sandwich on a six-inch sandwich roll and a cup of potato soup. The soup was a tangy blend of potato broth and cheeses, without being too cheesy. The chicken salad sandwich was sweet in flavor, I think made with salad dressing instead of mayonnaise, with relish and even a few nuts for texture. I ended up eating the sandwich with the bottom part of the bread only, because I like a lot of the meat taste in my sandwiches with a hint of bread. I knew that I couldn’t go away without trying the barbecue, baked beans and coleslaw, as well as Hog Wild’s specialty, barbecue nachos, so I ordered these items to go and asked for second and third opinions when I arrived home. We were all in agreement that the pulled pork barbecue meat was smoked to perfection. Hog Wild’s specialty is Memphis-style barbecue, and when I researched what that meant, it’s the smoking that sets this barbecue apart. Apparently, it’s not just the seasoning that made the distinct smoked flavor so very appetizing, but that they use only the highest quality of meat and let the slow smoking process enhance its natural flavor. This results in pork that is tasty and tender, even without rubs and sauces. I couldn’t tell if the baked beans were homemade, but they tasted good, either way. The coleslaw seemed as if it were also made with salad dressing instead of mayo, something I don’t personally care for, but I know many might like to know where they can find this type of coleslaw. Hog Wild has a variety of sandwiches, hot dogs, a house salad, soup of the day and even a loaded baked potato in the deli department - as well as cookies and a thick slice of chocolate cake, if you please. The barbecue menu offers pulled pork sandwiches and all the fixin’s, no ribs or chicken. I brought home the pig-out plate and for $7 three of us ate - the barbecue sandwich, baked beans, coleslaw and chips. Finally, we all had to try the barbecue nachos. This is a unique combination of tortilla chips, baked beans, pulled smoked pork, melted nacho cheese, sour cream and jalapenos. Each of us started with an open mind, but the head tilt followed, one by one. That’s the head tilt that says, “Wow, that’s different. I’m not sure what to make of it.” I am a great lover of combining pungent tastes, but am used to tastes like capers with bleu cheese or kalamata olives with basil. So, I’ll let the head tilt speak for itself and let all of you out there give it a try. I’d love to know what you think. You can spy the Hog Wild sign if you’re sitting at the light on Scottsville Road and look down toward Greenview Hospital, but you can also enter from the Party 1 store in the Hobby Lobby shopping center. I’ve glanced at the sign hundreds of times, but didn’t know when I entered I’d be getting some of the best smoked pulled pork I’ve eaten and the chance to get a glance across an uncrowded room from the likes of Batman and Robin, the odd couple, and of course Bob. Redford that is. Hog Wild BBQ and Deli 1751 Scottsville Road Bowling Green 393-4471 Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday - Saturday Specialties: Memphis-style pulled pork Cuisine: American Price range for dinner: $2.50 to $7 Libation situation: None Smoking: No |
| Nashville buffet has international flair Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:12:49 -0600 I can’t believe I’ve lived just one hour from Nashville, have driven right by on my way to the airport hundreds of times (especially during the holidays), yet have never been to the Opryland Hotel to see the one-of-a-kind atrium with its spectacular display of lights. Apparently, I’m not the only one in town, because, on the overwhelming recommendation of two other longtime residents who had never been, I joined some new dining companions there this week, and they hadn’t driven down from Bowling Green to see it in 20 years. If you are a Bowling Green resident who falls in one of those two categories, I recommend you venture on down, and while you’re there, I recommend the Water’s Edge Marketplace Buffet. True to its name, the buffet had an international flair: From the tamales and chili from Mexico, to the pot stickers from Asia, and the Polish pierogies and tiramisu from Italy. My dining companions and I started with a festive two bottles of wine and appetizers. Yes, appetizers at a buffet! Four kinds of cheeses, salami, prosciutto, and an olive and sun-dried tomato bar. This, coupled with eight different crackers and breads, including olive cibatta bread, all complimented the California pinot noir and a refreshing pino grigio. We were glad for the sustenance, especially since a large party had descended onto the buffet, turning it into a cafeteria line instead, so that when we went back for salads, we were politely turned away. The salads definitely had world flair with a Caesar, spinach and mixed greens with mandarin oranges and Asian dressing. Which leads me to one of my few complaints. Because this buffet was expensive, it felt much more like fine dining than an “all you can eat” attitude. Because of this, I looked to create a plate of food that fit well together, yet with food from so many different countries, I struggled to do so. What I did opt for was the grilled salmon with pesto, a mixed green salad (that turned out to be too sweet for my theme) and some steamed zucchini that went well with the salmon and was seasoned with herbs to perfection. One of my dining companions commented that she could have eaten an entire vegetarian meal because of the zucchini, a delicious cauliflower dish, the salads and the marinated corn and garbanzo beans also included in this one of a kind buffet. Other highlights for the verbal new crew of companions (especially after a few glasses of wine) included the pierogies, veal and chocolate fondue, which were berries on a small skewer with a ramekin of dark chocolate. The consensus of what not to put on your plate included the pot stickers, curried lamb on toast and a peanut butter mousse that tasted as if they just took peanut butter from the jar and whipped it up - too thick and tasteless. It is said, after building on for decades, that the Opryland Hotel is one of the largest buildings under one roof in the world! I would have to agree, because the trek I made from the hotel rooms to the restaurant was enough to increase my appetite, but the food coupled with the entertaining lights and show on the water’s edge was well worth the walk and well worth the drive. — New restaurants are given a six-week grace period. Comments can be sent to Managing Editor Mike |