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| Truck event roars at SOKY Fair Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:55:46 -0500 Wendy Wingfield of Bowling Green was focused on the track Wednesday night and leaned forward as she watched to see whose truck was going to make it past the orange cones at the end of the drag strip. |
| Shawnee Estates traffic issue continues Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:55:47 -0500 Should longtime residents of a quiet neighborhood be able to block troublesome traffic, or should they have to accept it as the inevitable consequence of growth - or is there some middle ground? |
| Agricultural diversity continues to unfold in Kentucky Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:55:47 -0500 Kentucky continues to invest millions in diversifying its agriculture markets, and some of those investments are paying off. |
| ‘Predator’ cases near an ending Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:55:48 -0500 The final cases are coming to a close in a Bowling Green predator bust that was featured on “Dateline NBC: To Catch a Predator.” |
| High Street High School alum to reunite Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:55:48 -0500 A lot of stories will be told and memories will be shared this weekend when alumni of the old High Street High School gather for their biennial reunion. |
| Photos: Wacky water Wednesday Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:55:50 -0500 Wacky Water Wednesday was held at First Assembly God. |
| Cabinet will no longer foot bill on driveway pipes Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:55:50 -0500 As part of a cost-cutting move designed to save millions for the state, the Transportation Cabinet will no longer install drainage pipes at private driveways. |
| Young Republicans to select officers Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:55:51 -0500 The Warren County Young Republicans will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Logan’s Roadhouse restaurant on Scottsville Road. |
| POLICE NEWS: Crime Stoppers seeking information about burglary Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:55:51 -0500 The Bowling Green Police Department is investigating a burglary at a business. |
| Flying high at Vette City Big Bird ’08 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:39:31 -0500 Large-scale model airplanes will take to the sky this weekend at the Southern Kentucky Model Aero Club’s third annual Vette City Big Bird giant scale fun meet. The AMA-sanctioned SKYMAC event will be from dawn to dusk Friday through Sunday, with most flying happening Saturday and Sunday, at Stahl Field. Concessions will be available. The pilot fee is $15 for preregistration or $20 on site. Spectator fee is $5, free for children ages 10 and under. The meet will feature everything from vintage replicas to World War I planes and jets, event coordinator Chad Wilson said. “It’s anything that is large-scale airplane. It’s a fun fly for guys in the (radio control) hobby,” he said. “We want to get the public out to share a hobby with everyone. It’s a cool thing to see.” The primary gathering is all “big birds,” SKYMAC president Dave Coldwell said. “It’s a bunch of fun, radio control airplanes flying,” he said. “It’s impressive to watch the ‘big birds’ fly.” Last year’s Vette City Big Bird featured about 40 pilots, Wilson said. “(Participation) varies depending on the weather,” he said. “We have had as many as 100 people, but we usually keep around 80. We have some who come from Franklin and some who come from Nashville.” Wilson said the club has gotten larger as it has gained new members. “We’ve gotten to the point where we have people out there on the weekend flying. We’re encouraging new members to join the club and enjoy this hobby with us,” he said. “We hope to bring more people into the hobby. It’s something great to get into.” People may feel intimidated by the large aircraft, but they don’t have to start with those to get into the hobby, Wilson said. “A lot of full-scale pilots say they’re harder to drive. Sometimes at these events we have a crash or two,” he said. “We do maneuvers you can’t do with a regular airplane. The hobby can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.” SKYMAC has a variety of members, Wilson said. “We have people who love the art of building. We have people who love to fly,” he said. “We have so many different genres in the group.” Coldwell agreed. He hopes that more people will get involved with the nonprofit organization. “We’re always looking for sponsors and assistants for the projects that we do,” he said. The planes flying this weekend will definitely hold spectators’ attention, Coldwell said. “If they want to watch the planes fly, they should bring lawn chairs, but they’ll only need the edge of their seats,” he said. — For more information, call Wilson at (270) 590-0943 or visit www.skymacrc.com. |
| ‘Dark Knight’ one of year’s finest films Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:39:32 -0500 With plenty of pre-release buzz and a rabid built-in fanbase, one wouldn’t be surprised if the highly anticipated summer blockbuster “The Dark Knight” failed to live up to expectations. Fortunately, that’s not the case with the latest chapter in the “Batman” series. “The Dark Knight” isn’t just the best film in this series, it may well be one of the best comic book adaptations ever - with director Christopher Nolan creating an experience that transcends the comic book genre. Nolan has said in interviews that he wanted to give “The Dark Knight” the same feel as the Al Pacino/Robert DeNiro crime drama “Heat,” and Nolan accomplishes that vision. The film hits the ground running with a highly tense bank heist and never lets up until the final frame. “The Dark Knight” begins about a year after the last film, with Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) joining forces with Gotham’s new district attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), to help put an end to crime in the city. But the plans are quickly altered when a new supervillian known as the Joker (Heath Ledger) emerges - intent on revealing the dark sides of Batman, Dent and the rest of the rest of Gotham. I’ve already seen “The Dark Knight” twice - once in standard format and once in IMAX - and both times I’ve come away utterly impressed with the craftsmanship of this film. Nolan, who also co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan, has created a world that feels authentic and based in reality - a film that feels more like a crime novel than a comic book story, with its character studies of right and wrong and the large gray area in between. Bale continues to establish himself as the perfect choice in the lead role. Previous actors have been strong as one persona or the other, but Bale has managed to bring the complete package - just as believable as the playboy Wayne as he is the butt-kicking vigilante Batman. The cast also includes strong work from Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Maggie Gyllenhaal (who replaces Katie Holmes, the weakest link of “Batman Begins.”) But all these great actors are overshadowed by Ledger’s turn as the Joker. The Australian actor, who died shortly after completing this film, gives one of the greatest villain turns in movie history - not just evoking memories of other comic book villains, but groundbreaking work like Anthony Hopkin’s Hannibal Lector and Dennis Hopper’s Frank Booth from “Blue Velvet.” Ledger’s work is dark, scary and funny, making it hard to imagine how any actor would want to try to follow in his footsteps if the Joker ever makes a return to the big screen. Even before Ledger’s unexpected passing there was Oscar buzz, and that buzz has grown with his passing. The clamor is merited by Ledger’s performance, which is easily one of the best in any film I’ve seen this year. Ledger’s performance alone is good enough to make “The Dark Knight” a very good movie, but fortunately this is a film with even more than that - making it the not just the best film of the summer, but one of the best films of the year. DVD dandy of the week This week’s dandy is “21” (B) - director Robert Luketic’s entertaining film full of flash and style that makes it one of the more entertaining Vegas films in recent memory. “21” is loosely based on the novel “Bringing Down the House,” which chronicled the tale of six Massachusetts Institute of Technology students who were trained to become experts in card counting and then made millions during weekend trips to Las Vegas. Jim Sturgess stars as Ben Campbell, an MIT student who has just been accepted into Harvard’s medical school but can’t find a way to pay for it. He finds an answer to his problems when he is recruited by an MIT professor (Kevin Spacey) to join a group of students learning an elaborate system that gives them a distinct advantage when playing blackjack. Before long, Ben finds himself emerged in a double life: a shy student during the week, but a big shot, high-stakes gambler on weekends. Sturgess, who audiences probably remember from last year’s “Across the Universe,” continues to establish himself as a budding star with another confident and interesting performance. Spacey gives his patented reliable performance, while Laurence Fishburne is very good as an old-school pit boss who catches onto the group’s excessive amount of success. It’s also nice to see Kate Bosworth, another student in the group who becomes Ben’s love interest. Luketic gets the most out of his cast, but also gets the most out of a simplistic card game, amping up the card scenes with CGI effects and slow-mo techniques that only add to the tension. “21” could have benefited from more insight into how these students got away with card counting and if it wanted to be a cautionary tale, I’m not sure if it really works. But that’s only a minor gripe for a film that just oozes coolness. “21” is rated PG-13 for some violence and sexual content, including partial nudity, and is now available on DVD. — Like Ben of “21,” Micheal Compton leads a double life: A shy sports reporter throughout the week, a no-nonsense movie critic every Thursday. To contact him on either front, e-mail mcompton@bgdailynews.com. |
| Around town Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:39:33 -0500 What’s going on in the area. Add your event for free at http://www.bgdailynews.com/calendar Art The Capitol Arts Houchens Gallery will feature an exhibit of painted constructions by Claude Robertson and the photography of Nashville artist Byron Jorjorian from Friday through Aug. 19. An opening reception for the artists will be 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday. The event is free and open to the public. Showing in the Mezzanine Gallery will be the drawings, paintings and prints of Gayle Novick, opening Friday through Aug.19. Peg Truman’s paintings are on display at the Cancer Center at The Medical Center through Sept. 15. The Health & Wellness Center at Greenwood Mall is exhibiting the work of Myra Renee Dwyer in the classroom through September. Paintings by Barren County artists Tommie St. Charles Birge and Shelia Williams Oliver are on exhibit at the Glasgow-Barren County Chamber of Commerce through Aug. 12 during chamber business hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The public is invited to an artists’ reception from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. July 31. The Animated Lives of Rita and Andee Rudloff is on display through July 31 at The Gallery at 916, 916 State St. An artists reception will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday. Green River Museum in Woodbury will be open Saturdays through September from noon until 4 p.m. The museum features exhibits from around Butler County and the Green River. VSA arts of Kentucky will feature The Final Destination through Aug. 29 at its gallery, 515 E. 10th Ave. A reception will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 8 in conjunction with the Gallery Hop. The Presbyterian Church Art Board will exhibit “Jodi With an Eye” through Friday. The exhibit features the work of two Nashville artists, Jodi Reeves and Jodi Belinda Yandell. The exhibit may be viewed in the Fellowship Hall, 10th Avenue entrance, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Art from Angela Kuprion, Marion Parcusta and Allison Bacovillard is on display at the Capitol Arts Center. Campus An exhibition of work from Art of France: Studio Response, a 2008 study abroad course for students and alumni, is on display through Aug. 15 in Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center University Main Gallery on the second floor. A closing reception will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 14. Warren County Sights and Sounds, an exhibit presenting the history and culture of Bowling Green and Warren County in photographs and film, will be in Western Kentucky University’s Kentucky Library & Museum. The exhibit is the result of a two-year joint project during which about 150 photographs and 45 feet of moving film related to Bowling Green and Warren County were collected. Sponsors of the project and exhibit are The Landmark Association, The Bowling Green/Warren County Historic Preservation Board, Insight Communications and The Kentucky Library & Museum. Sights and Sounds of Warren County will be in the Museum’s Garden Gallery and continues through Dec. 7. “Beyond Our Borders,” an exhibit of international photographs by Western Kentucky University photojournalism students, is on display at Mass Media and Technology Hall. The exhibit includes photographs taken by students in France, Spain, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and others and will be on display in the gallery through August. Exhibits at the Kentucky Building on Western Kentucky University’s campus include: “U.S. Bank Celebration of the Arts,” which opens Sunday; “VSA Arts: Side by Side,” “Recommended by Duncan Hines,” “Western 100,” “Growing Up Victorian,” “Roads, Rails and Rivers,” “Hascal Haile: Guitar-maker to the Stars” and “Taking the Mystery out of Prehistory.” For more information, contact the Kentucky Building at 745-2592. Clubs The Factory at Cave City will feature The Moon Woods Band from 8 p.m. to midnight on the first Saturday of each month. The facility is on U.S. 31-W, just north of the Ky. 90 intersection across from Dollar General. Saturday Night Karaoke with Wayne Hallet will be from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. each Saturday at Burgers On The Square in Franklin. The smoke-free facility is for the entire family, with the bar for adults only after 9 p.m. For more information, go to www.burgers onthesquare.com. Rick Dunn will have karaoke from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursdays at Spillway Bar and Grill, 2195 Louisville Road. Ricky Beavers has karaoke Friday nights at the Brown Jug, U.S. 31-W By-Pass in Bowling Green, beginning at 8 p.m., and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays at Flealand in Bowling Green. Miss Kitty’s, 3315 Louisville Road, has live bands beginning at 9 p.m. each Friday and Saturday; Wednesdays feature karaoke and Thursdays feature acoustic music, nightly specials and pool tables. There is no cover charge. For more information, call 782-7777. Miss Kitty’s also offers a safe ride home program. Betty’s Bar has karaoke with Sheila on Wednesday and karaoke each Friday and Saturday. The Brewing Company, 423 Park Row, has live music from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday. Good Tymes 2, 1607 U.S. 31-W By-Pass, has top 40 hits from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. every Wednesday through Saturday. Music Russellville Blues Society will have a concert featuring Nick Nixon on the lawn of the African American Heritage Museum from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. Food and art also will be available for purchase. Tickets are on sale for Glen Campbell in concert with the Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra at 8 p.m. Sept. 26, sponsored by The Encore, Carol and Denny Wedge, Bob Evans Farms co-sponsored by Vicki and Dan Renshaw and Dr. Robert and Pat Goodwin. Special guest is Debby Campbell. In addition to the concert, a Southern Nights barbecue dinner and pre-concert party will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. presented by The Encore to benefit the chamber orchestra. For ticket information, call 846-2426. For the fourth event of its 2008 Arts On Main Summer Concert Series, the Allen County-Scottsville Arts Council will present an evening of classic standards performed by renowned chanteuse Annie Sellick and her jazz trio from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. This free outdoor concert will be at the Arts On Main Pavilion at 201 E. Main St. in downtown Scottsville, with an adjacent rain locale at the Allen County Cooperative Extension Agency. Bench seating is limited; bring enough blankets and lawnchairs for the entire family. Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra Retro Series single tickets and subscriptions are on sale. “Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven” will be Aug. 8 and 9; “Countrymadness” will be Nov. 14 and 15; and “One-Hit Wonders” will be Feb. 6 and 7. Subscribe now and save 10 percent off single ticket prices. For tickets or subscriptions, call 846-2426 (BGCO) or go to www.BGCO.com. Fresh Fridays will be the first Friday of each month at Bread & Bagel, 871 Broadway Ave. This month’s band will be Waterseed, playing at 9 p.m. Friday. The cost is $5 for anyone 18 and over. Calvin Ray’s Live Music & Restaurant in Leitchfield features live music with Calvin Ray and The Blue Moon Highway Band from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. each Saturday. For more information, call (502) 538-2893. Dumplin’s Diner in Adairville has a karaoke contest each Saturday night. Entry fee is $5 and first prize gets $100. For more information, call (270) 539-5413. Lucio, along with The Rose Band, performs at Main St. Music in Morgantown from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays. Simply Country Band performs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays at Main St. The facility is behind McDonald’s. Theater Pine Knob Theatre’s “At the Hop” will be at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday with The Countdowns Band performing music from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. Tickets are $15 or two for $25. See www. pineknob.com or call (270) 879-8190 for information. “The Drawer Boy” will be staged at Kentucky Repertory Theatre in Horse Cave. A dinner cabaret performance will be Friday, with dinner at 5:30 p.m. and performance at 7:30 p.m. Fifty tickets are being sold for $90 a couple and $50 a person. For more information, call (800) 342-2177. Expressions Performing Arts wants to start a Creative Workshop Group for those interested in the performing arts, including traditional and improvisational storytelling, comedy, drama and Imagination Theatre as an art form. For more information, contact Robin Baldwin at 746-2988 Odds & Ends The eighth annual WKYU-PBS Pool Party is from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 3 at Russell Sims Aquatic Park for this “Sunny Day Celebration.” The first 500 kids age 10 and under will receive special gifts, plus there will be door prizes. Also on hand will be one of WKYU-PBS’s favorite fun characters, Clifford the Big Red Dog. Coupons for $1 off regular Aquatic Center admission prices for the day are available at Bowling Green McDonald’s locations. The Woodburn Volunteer Fire Department will hold its annual Ice Cream Supper at 6 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Woodburn Ballpark. Activities will begin at 6 p.m. and include games, inflatables, food, ice cream from Chaney’s Dairy Barn, music from Blue Highway Band, prize drawings, a cakewalk and an auction. Proceeds will help support emergency services in the Woodburn district. For more information or to donate a cake or auction item, call the station at 529-2301 and leave a message. Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Kentucky will host its seventh annual Spirits in the Cave from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 31 at Lost River Cave. The presenting sponsor is English, Lucas, Priest and Owsley, and all proceeds will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Kentucky. Tickets are $35 per person and are limited. Tickets can be purchased at the local Big Brothers Big Sisters office, 716 E. 10th Ave. For more information about this event or tickets, call the Big Brothers Big Sisters office at 781-1180. Historic Riverview at Hobson Grove is hosting a Tea with Mary Todd Lincoln at 2 p.m. today. She will also visit Sept. 4, Nov. 6 and Feb. 12. For more information, call Riverview at 843-5565. Tickets are $18 and reservations are required. Chaney’s Dairy Barn will have Ice Cream and a Moovie on Fridays. The schedule for the free event will be Friday, “Shrek the Third;” Aug. 1, “Daddy Day Care;” Aug. 15, “Babe The Gallant Pig;” and Aug. 29; “Field of Dreams.” All movies are free and begin at dusk. Participants are asked to bring a blanket or lawn chair and watch the outdoor movie. In case of the rain, movies will be shown in the pavilion. For more information call 843-5567. American Red Cross has blood drives each Friday at its office, 430 Center St., from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additional drives are from noon to 6 p.m. Aug. 4, National Guard Armory, 600 Armory Drive in Russellville; from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Aug. 5, AT&T, 1061 Lovers Lane; from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 7, Bowling Green Municipal Utilities, 829 Center St.; from 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8, Auburn Baptist Church, 115 North Lincoln St.; from noon to 6 p.m. Aug. 11, Community Education Complex, 799 Veteran’s Way in Morgantown; from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 11, Kroger, 711 Campbell Lane; and from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 13, Eastwood Baptist Church, 500 Eastwood Drive. The Customs House Museum and Cultural Center in Clarksville, Tenn., will host a Civil War symposium Saturday to honor the opening of the exhibit Hoofbeats In The Heartland: Civil War Cavalry In Tennessee, a traveling exhibit from the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville. The exhibit will run through Sept. 14. The symposium is from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact Krista Castillo, Customs House Museum, at (931) 648-5780. Tickets are available for the Sept. 13 Hoedown at Shakertown at South Union featuring bluegrass artist John Cowan and the Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra. A wide variety of ticket prices are available. Barbecue, drinks and ice cream will be available for purchase. Gates for the event open at 5:30 p.m. with the concert at 7:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by BB&T and Logan Aluminum. To purchase tickets, go to www.bgco.com or call 846-2426. There is a benefit ride and auction Saturday for Shirley Wilson Bailey and Tooter Bailey. The ride is from noon to 4 p.m. beginning from 7920 Chandlers Road in Logan County. All proceeds will go toward the Shirley Wilson Bailey Liver Transplant Fund. Donations can be made at any U.S. Bank branch. For more information, call Glenn Bailey at (270) 542-4470, Howard Coles at (270) 542-8947 or Shelley Vance at (270) 202-4227. The Southern Kentucky Fair continues through Saturday. Gates open at 6 p.m. and ticket prices, including rides, are $10 a person. Tonight’s activities include a compact demolition derby. Friday includes a demolition derby and Saturday features six cylinder Figure 8 races. A car show to benefit Hope Harbor will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Greenwood High School. Entry is $25. For more information, call 782-5014 or go to www.HopeHarbor.net. Registration can be made now for the Sept. 13 Run for Autism, sponsored by LifeSkills and the Kiwanis Club. Proceeds from the event will go to the Kelly Autism Program. The events will include an 8k Run, 8k Wheelchair race and 1-Mile Family Walk. This 8k will be a Bowling Green Road Runners Grand Prix event. The start/finish line will be at the site of the Western Kentucky University Clinical Education Complex, which houses the Kelly Autism Program. Participants will receive a short-sleeved LifeSkills Run for Autism shirt, and all who complete their event will receive a commemorative event pin. To learn more or to register for the event online, go to www.autism run.org. The SKY Farmers Market will be open from 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays and from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays in front of the Riverside Building at The Medical Center on U.S. 31-W By-Pass. Kentucky-grown agricultural, horticultural and artisan products will be available for purchase. Karaoke is at Southern Lanes every Friday and Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. There is no cover charge. A regional chess club meets at 9 a.m. Tuesdays and at 1 p.m. Wednesdays at Barnes & Noble Booksellers. Players of all ages and talents are welcome. For more information, call 991-0126. Friendly Hands Squares monthly dance is from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. the second Friday of each month at Cave Mill and Smallhouse roads in Bowling Green. For more information, call 781-6382. A veteran’s representative will be at The Salvation Army, 400 E. Main Ave., at 9 a.m. the first Thursday of each month. For more information, call 746-7425, Ext. 104. |
| Longhorn Steakhouse quick to fix problems Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:39:34 -0500 If you saw the animated film “Ratatouille” last summer, you caught a glimpse of a New York food critic. He was a critic who nitpicked about the smallest imperfection and who found great pleasure whenever he wrote a negative word. I, on the other hand, am a restaurant reviewer living in the quaint community of Bowling Green. I’ve been asked to write about my experience when I visit a restaurant. I always prefer to have a good experience, but occasionally I don’t. I wrestle with the dilemma of what to do when a good restaurant seems to just have a bad night - hey, it can happen to any of us. My answer is two-fold. First, I don’t just look at what happened, because stuff happens. I’m more interested in how the restaurant handles the mishap(s). Second, I think it gives the restaurant a chance to review its policies, procedures and methods. I know I appreciate feedback from those closest to me, that is, if it’s not too harsh. Here goes. My dining companion and I entered Longhorn Steakhouse and immediately were uncomfortable. It turned out the air conditioning wasn’t working well - on one of the hottest days of the year - and we were seated in a stifling corner booth next to a table of 20 or so. We couldn’t breathe. After five minutes of not seeing our wait staff, I walked back up to the hostess (noticing a couple of pockets of cold air as I went) and asked to be seated in a specifically, semi-cool location. She was more than happy to allow me to sit wherever I wanted, and apologized that the air was to be fixed that coming Tuesday. And this is exactly what I mean by how does the restaurant handle the mishap? At Longhorn, as the evening went on, they refreshingly just kept doing their best to meet our needs and made sure to either improve the experience or just wipe it from my memory. By that I mean, I ended up not even paying for my meal. In my mind this was admirable, because perfection cannot be guaranteed, but if I can count on someone to do the right thing when things go wrong, I want them on my team. My dining companion and I started with the firecracker chicken wraps. These were an island of perfection in our evening. These crispy mini-wraps are flour tortillas stuffed with chicken and cheese. The cheese had a deliciously spicy kick to it and the avocado-lime dipping sauce was an effective and appetizing cool-down. I was overjoyed to see my favorite steak with my favorite fish and couldn’t remember ever seeing them together on a menu before (just ask my dining companion, whom I ask to order steak to my seafood, then do a split). I also had the option of ordering a special favorite of mine - a summer salad of mozzarella and tomatoes. Now here’s where things went really wrong. The salad never arrived, the filet came out without the fish, my dining companion was served his meal at the same time, and we were planning on seeing a movie after dinner. We talked amongst ourselves. What we wanted to do was get the salad, send the steak back and wait for the salmon and steak combo to come out together. However, we were splitting the salad, which would mean sending back his perfectly acceptable honey mustard chicken sandwich - which didn’t seem fair. As we blankly stared at each other trying to decide what to do, a manager arrived. We decided to tell her all the facts and let her in on the decision-making process. She apologized and, knowing there wasn’t enough time for her to fully remedy the problem and for us to make the movie, she told us my meal would be comped. After that, the salad was delivered right away. It was a delectable grouping of soft mozzarella, greens and grape tomatoes with a balsamic vinaigrette. The steak was tender and flavorful and the salmon, which arrived just before the check, was appetizingly marinated in bourbon and grilled fork tender. In this column, I hope to remind you of all the great places there are to eat in Bowling Green and what you can expect in the way of food, service and experience. At Longhorn, you can expect a delicious meal with a large and unique number of menu choices, friendly service (calm within chaos sometimes), and even on a bad day you can count on the Longhorn staff to do the right thing - without even having to ask. That’s community spirit that goes a “long” way with me! — 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. LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE 2635 Scottsville Road |
| ‘A Tuna Christmas’ returning to Capitol on Friday, Saturday Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:39:35 -0500 The Capitol Arts Alliance and Etcetera Theatre Company are bringing Texas’ third smallest town back to the stage with a holiday twist with Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard’s award-winning comedy, “A Tuna Christmas.” “We thought we’d take advantage of the ‘Christmas in July’ idea,” said Capitol Arts Youth Theatre artistic director Christopher Cherry, who is playing 10 of the 20 men, women, children and animals in the production. The play will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Capitol Arts Center. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors/students, plus a $3 Capitol Preservation Fee per total transaction. In “A Tuna Christmas,” it’s Christmas Eve and the big running theme is the Christmas Phantom, who is on the loose and wrecking havoc on the tiny town’s eclectic citizens. “It’s a prankster who really causes problems with people’s yards and Christmas decorations,” Cherry said. “A big part of the play deals with figuring out who the phantom is.” The story also deals with the lives of other characters in “Tuna.” Capitol Arts Youth Theatre artistic staff member Brett Andrew Riley - who also plays 10 characters in the play - said one of his characters, Bertha Bumiller, is trying to hold things together for the holidays. “She’s trying to get her house ready for Christmas, get her family together and try to make a fun Christmas, but she is failing miserably,” he said. “She’s trying to make it through holidays without completely losing it.” Riley and Cherry said they’ve enjoyed revisiting “Tuna” - where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. The duo did “Greater Tuna” in October and liked it so much that they decided to do it again in June. “It’s great story, and we enjoyed doing ‘Greater Tuna’ so much that we wanted to do ‘A Tuna Christmas,’ ” Cherry said. Riley said he loves the script. “I really like the use of the comedy because there are places where the script becomes serious for a little while, and then the rest of the time it’s just ridiculously hilarious,” he said. — For tickets or more information, call the Capitol at 782-2787 or visit its Web site at www.capitolarts.com. |
| Margaret E. Allen Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:15 -0500 LEWISBURG — Margaret E. Allen, 90, of Lewisburg died at 8 p.m. July 22, 2008, at Muhlenberg Community Hospital in Greenville. The Muhlenberg County native was born Feb. 20, 1918. She was a retired seamstress at a sewing factory and a member of First General Baptist Church. She was a daughter of the late John and Dona Blaine and the wife of the late Bro. Raymond Allen. She was preceded in death by two great-great-grandchildren, Brandie West and Caleb Slaton; and a son-in-law, Robert Higgins Sr. Funeral is at 2 p.m. Friday at Price Funeral Home, with burial in Lewisburg Cemetery. Visitation is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association or Gideons. Online condolences may be made at www.pricefuneralhome.com. Survivors include two daughters, Ramona Sadler of Dunmor and Judy Higgins of Lewisburg; a son, Bro. Richard Allen of Lewisburg; a brother, Marvine Blaine of Beechcreek; 10 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren. |
| Johnny B. Baskerville Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:16 -0500 RUSSELLVILLE — Johnny Barnes “J.B.” Baskerville, 68, of Russellville died July 22, 2008, at Commonwealth Regional Specialty Hospital in Bowling Green. The Logan County native was born on Nov. 29, 1939. He was a self-employed carpenter and a member of Cornerstone Full Gospel Church. He was a son of the late Chris Baskerville and Pearl Robertson Baskerville. He was preceded in death by two daughters, Amy and Rita. Funeral is at 2 p.m. Friday at Young Funeral Home, Russellville chapel, with burial in Pleasant Run Cemetery. Visitation is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Survivors include his wife, Rebecca Baskerville; seven sons, Johnny and Ty Baskerville, both of Elkton, Henry Baskerville of Guthrie and Randy, Tracy, Steve and Robert Baskerville, all of Russellville; two stepsons, Michael York of Nashville and Tracy York of Lewisburg; two daughters, Lisa West of Bucksville and Brenda Watkins of Russellville; two stepdaughters, Angie Sutton of Rusellville and Wendy Jenkins of Clarksville, Tenn.; two sisters, Alline Trenton of Odon, Ind., and Mamie Moody of Abilene, Texas; a lifelong friend, Lewis Matthews of Sioux City, Iowa; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and stepgrandchildren. |
| Gertrude Faulkner Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:17 -0500 MUNFORDVILLE — Gertrude Faulkner, 74, of Rowletts died at 2:04 a.m. July 23, 2008, at Hardin Memorial Hospital in Elizabethtown. The Hart County native was born Aug. 1, 1933. She was a cook for Hart County Bank & Trust and Hart County High School. She was a daughter of the late Jimmy Lee Coats and Verna Lee Maxey Coats. She was preceded in death by a son, Jerry Faulkner; a daughter-in-law, Jeanette Faulkner; and three brothers, Phillip, Albert and Elzy Coats. Funeral is at 1 p.m. Saturday at Woodsonville Baptist Church, where she was a member, with burial in Woodsonville Memorial Gardens in Munfordville. Visitation is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Brooks Funeral Home. Survivors include her husband, C.J. Faulkner; four daughters, Jan Waggoner and Kaye Faulkner, both of Rowletts, Sond Faulkner of Hodgenville and Lisa Faulkner of Munfordville; four sons, Billy Faulkner and his wife, Dorothy, of Indianapolis, Terry Faulkner of Sonora, David Faulkner and his wife, Sheila Jean, of Cave City and Larry Faulkner of Elizabethtown; three sisters, Effie Harris and her husband, Tobe, of Indianapolis, Minnie Woodard and her husband, Johnny, of Horse Cave and Barbara Driver and her husband, Joe, of Rowletts; a brother, William L. Coats and his wife, Sandy, of Indianapolis; 18 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. |
| James E. Hanshew Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:18 -0500 James Edward Hanshew, 48, of Bowling Green died at 10:09 a.m. July 20, 2008, at his residence. The Wichita, Kan., native was born Aug. 26, 1959. He worked for SCA in Bowling Green. He was a member of Rich Pond Baptist Church, loved the outdoors, camping, hiking, reading and traveling. He especially loved activities with his children, including motorcycle riding with Dwain and horseback riding with Natalie. He also enjoyed traveling to Europe with Angela and Dwain. He was a son of Edward Hanshew and his wife, Pat, of Wichita Falls, Kan., and Ruth Jones Hanshew Coggins and her husband, Norman, of Big Timber, Mont. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Andrew Dwain and Edward Dwain Hanshew. Funeral is private. J. C. Kirby & Son Funeral Home, Lovers Lane chapel, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.jckirbyandson.com. Other survivors include his wife, Debbie Hanshew; two daughters, Angela Kohler and her husband, Justin, of Germany and Natalie Hanshew of Bowling Green; a son, Edward Dwain Hanshew of Bowling Green; two grandchildren, Gage and Lily Kohler, both of Germany; and a sister, Tina Hanshew Burr and her husband, Shane, of Big Timber. |
| Hesson infant Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:18 -0500 BROWNSVILLE — Jameson Coy Hesson, 8-day-old son of Tim and Marissa Vincent Hesson of Bowling Green, died July 22, 2008, in Bowling Green. He was born in Warren County. He was preceded in death by a maternal grandfather, Coy Vincent. Funeral is at 2 p.m. Friday at Patton Funeral Home, Brownsville chapel, with burial in Dit Vincent Cemetery. Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.pattonfuneral home.com. Other survivors include four brothers, Matthew, Ryan and Daniel Hesson, all of Franklin, and Eli Vincent of Bowling Green; a sister, Rachel Vincent of Bowling Green; a maternal grandmother, Christine Vincent of Brownsville; paternal grandparents, Gene and Gloria Hesson of Franklin; and a paternal great-grandmother, Lillie Herbst of Louisville. |
| Jewell W. Hill Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:19 -0500 HOPKINSVILLE — Jewell Wilson Hill, 93, died at 7:08 p.m. July 21, 2008, at his home following a long illness. The Christian County native was born June 13, 1915. He was an Army veteran and a graduate of Newton Commercial College of Hopkinsville. Early in life, he was engaged in tobacco sales for several years and he had owned and operated two gasoline retail service stations, Hill and Hill Service Station at Ninth and Walnut, and Hill Service Station at 21st and Walnut. For many years, he was a grain and tobacco farmer in the county and during those years he was a co-organizer of Hopkinsville Elevator, serving as secretary during his 10-year tenure as a member of the board. He was one of the co-signers of the articles of incorporation of the Soybean Association of Kentucky. He was registered agent and chairman of the incorporators of Pennyrile Citizens Bank and Trust Co., when it was chartered in 1976, and served as chairman until his retirement. As a member of the Pennyroyal Arts Council, he served as chairman of the Alhambra committee during the theater’s restoration. He also served on the Pennyroyal Mental Health Board and the library board. He was a longtime member of First Baptist Church, where he served as deacon for many years. He served two terms on the Kentucky Baptist Foundation Board. In addition, he aided in the organization of Little League baseball in Hopkinsville and was a member of the Kiwanis Club. He also helped organize the first Key Club at Bethel College. He was a son of the late James Warfield and Sarah Elizabeth Crowe Hill and the husband of the late Grace Almeda Haddock Hill, who died in May. He was preceded in death by a son, Ron Hill, in 1987. Funeral is at 10 a.m. Friday at First Baptist Church, with burial in Green Hill Memorial Gardens. Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Hughart & Beard Funeral Home. Survivors include three daughters, Sandy Bridges of Bowling Green, Martha “Cookie” Maddox of Granada Hills, Calif., and Linda Hill of Burkesville; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. |
| Virginia L. Prather Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:21 -0500 RUSSELLVILLE — Virginia Lee Powell Prather, 82, of Columbus, Miss., formerly of Russellville, died July 22, 2008. The McComb, Miss., native was born March 2, 1962. She attended Victory Freewill Baptist Church. She was a daughter of the late Evie Powell and Emma Morgan Powell and the wife of the late Jack Prather. She was preceded in death by a brother, Troy Powell. Graveside service is at 4:30 p.m. today at Smith Cemetery. Visitation is from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. today at Young Funeral Home, Russellville chapel. Survivors include two sons, Donald Prather of Columbus and James Prather of Lewisburg; two daughters, Patricia Prather and Mary Prather, both of Russellville; three brothers, Charles Powell and Roy Powell, both of Albany, La., and R.V. Powell of Tennessee; two sisters, Myrtle Payne and Mary Clark, both of Albany; and a grandson, Christopher Prather. |
| Fred C. Ragland Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:24 -0500 Fred Clifton Ragland, 86, of Rockfield died July 22, 2008, at The Medical Center. The Indianapolis native was a retired Army First Sergeant and served in the Army during the Vietnam War. He was a graduate of North Carolina College at Durham. He was also a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity and American Legion and was a 33rd degree Mason. He was a son of the late Fred Ragland and Myrtle Grider-Ragland. He was preceded in death by a sister, Waldean White. Funeral is at 1 p.m. Saturday at State Street Baptist Church, where he was a member, with burial with military honors at Fairview Cemetery. Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m Friday at Burnam & Son Mortuary. Survivors include his wife, Sarah Smith Ragland; three daughters, Beverly Allen of Bowling Green, Antoinette Hooks of Rockfield and Dorinda Ragland of Manchester, Conn.; four grandchildren, Julius A. Hooks, Anthony Hooks, Rebekah Ragland and Reuben C. Watson; four great-grandchildren, Deidre C. Hooks, Cotis D. Hooks, Breja S. Hooks and Taygen Hooks; several brothers and sisters-in-law; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. |
| Jessie T. Sneed Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:25 -0500 GLASGOW — Jessie Thomas Sneed, 65, of Louisville died July 23, 2008, at the Hosparus Inpatient Pavilion in Louisville. The Barren County native was a son of the late Earleen Smith and Millard Wesley Sneed. Funeral arrangements, which are incomplete, are under the direction of Hatcher & Saddler Funeral Home. |
| Dennis D. Townsend Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:26 -0500 FRANKLIN — Dennis Dean Townsend, 62, of Franklin died July 22, 2008, at Greenview Regional Hospital in Bowling Green. The Iowa native was in retail management for 18 years at Wal-Mart. He was a son of the late Orie Townsend and Evelyn Stohl Townsend of Crestin, Iowa, who survives. Funeral is at 2 p.m. Friday at Crafton Funeral Home, with burial in Blackjack Cemetery, where military rites will be conducted by the Simpson County Honor Guard. Visitation is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. today and begins at 6 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.craftonfuneral home.com. Other survivors include a son, Darrin Townsend and his wife, Christie, of Bowling Green; two daughters, Debbie Sloan of Franklin and Denise Harward and her husband, Colby, of Ocala, Fla.; a son-in-law, Tommy Sloan of Franklin; two brothers, Bill Townsend of Springfield, Mo., and Jerry Townsend of Mount Ayre, Iowa; and eight grandchildren. |
| Larry G. Townsley Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:28 -0500 MORGANTOWN — Larry G. Townsley, 62, of Morgantown died July 22, 2008, at his residence. The Daviess County native was an equipment operator, a Vietnam veteran and a die-hard Nascar fan. He had a love for maintaining his home. He was a son of the late Tichenor Townsley and Amelia Bolton Townsley. Funeral is at 2 p.m. Friday at Smith Funeral Home, with burial in Webster Cemetery. Visitation is from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. today and begins at 8 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Survivors include his wife of 20 years, Doretha Webster Townsley; a daughter, Selena Travis and her husband, Scott, of Owensboro; a stepson, Aaron Hawkins of Morgantown; four grandchildren, Clayton Mersing, Dominic Hawkins, Kirra Hawkins and Savana Travis; and several aunts. |
| Della VanDevender Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:28 -0500 Della “Becky” VanDevender, 90, of Bowling Green died at 1:15 p.m. July 23, 2008, at her residence. The Warren County native was a homemaker, a factory worker for the U.S. government during World War II and a saleslady at Pushins Department Store. She was a member of Penns Chapel Church of Christ. She was a daughter of the late William Alford Beck and Lela Ann Miller Beck. She was preceded in death by her husband of 591/2 years, Charles Edward VanDevender; three brothers, Eddie Beck, Gilbert “Tank” Beck and Jessie Beck; and four sisters, Eunia Mae Beck Wilson, Annie Marie Beck Wilson, Stella Lorene Beck Truex and Beulah Beck. Funeral is at 7 p.m. Friday at Hardy & Son Funeral Home, Bowling Green chapel, with graveside service at 10 a.m. Saturday at Penns Chapel Cemetery. Visitation is from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the American Cancer Society, Greenwood Courtyard, 2425 Scottsville Road, Ste. 123, Bowling Green, KY 42104-4457, in loving memory of Van and Becky, married 591/2 years at Van’s death on Jan. 14, 2002. Online condolences may be made at www.hardyandsonfuneral homes.com. Survivors include two brothers, Charles William Beck and Jimmy Beck, both of Bowling Green; and several nieces and nephews. |
| Karadzic’s capture was long overdue Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:13:00 -0500 Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has been on the run since 1998 and it was long overdue when the world learned Monday that the man suspected of genocide and war crimes during Bosnia’s war had been captured. Karadzic had been indicted by the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, and he is expected to be turned over to the court in a matter of days. The fugitive, whose appearance had changed from a larger man wearing three-piece suits during his years in power to a thinner man with a white beard and glasses while on the run, is believed to have been responsible for masterminding the wartime siege of Sarajevo and the executions of up to 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrencia during Bosnia’s 1992-95 war. The atrocities are believed to be the worst massacre in Europe since World War II. All these crimes happened during the reign of former Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic, who was trying to preserve his country and not let various ethnic and religious regions within it become independent from Yugoslavia. Milosevic was indicted in 2000 and tried by the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal, but died before the trial was over in 2006. It is a relief that Karadzic is off the streets and will eventually have his day in court. Of course, he denies the allegations before him and plans to represent himself in court as Milosevic did, but the evidence to be presented against him seems very strong. It is worth noting that governments worldwide hailed the arrest of the man described by the tribunal as the mastermind of “scenes from hell, written on the darkest pages of human history.” His arrest also sends a strong message that Serbia wants to be a part of the international community. This indicates that it wants to be pro-Western, unlike past regimes that attempted to defy the West. Turning over suspected war criminals could put the country on a fast track for membership in the European Union. We commend Serbian officials for bringing Karadzic to justice and look forward to seeing him before the war crimes court to answer for his suspected atrocities. |
| BG’s Quiznos gone, but definitely not forgotten Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:36:25 -0500 Does anyone else miss the Quiznos Sub that used to be in Bowling Green? On a recent trip to Glasgow it was a case of you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, when my dining companion and I lunched on the patio at the Quiznos across from the movie theaters in Glasgow. Of course, this patio is like many, with just a few tables on the sidewalk outside the restaurant, but we were able to create a little inspired ambiance by turning the music on in our nearby car. Inspired, too, is the menu. In my experience that day, Quiznos was a chain-style sandwich shop with local ownership flair and abundant menu fair. To begin with, Quiznos has some new, one-of-a-kind sandwiches called flatbread sammies. This is a variety of unique meats like chicken cantina, roadhouse steak and Sonoma turkey served between a round piece of flat bread. My dining companion ordered the chicken cantina, which is chicken in a honey bourbon mustard sauce with tomatoes and onions. It was small, but even so, he finished it in record time it was so good. Also in the flatbread category are chopped salads served with flat bread. There are five types and it was hard to choose just one for me and my dining companion to share. I went with the black and bleu, which is a black angus steak with bleu cheese, tomatoes and red onions. It was acceptable, but not the ideal salad for a sandwich shop to do well. Next time, I may order the raspberry chipotle chicken and hope for the best. A cup of the chili turned out to be exceptional for a sandwich shop. Hearty red beans and chunks of beef, tomato and onion made this chili like homemade. It was a little on the spicy side, but the well-made sweet tea was a helpful balancer from time to time. Finally, I had a regular chicken sub on whole wheat bread. The chicken carbonara is a delicious blend of chicken strips, bacon and mozzarella cheese all in a creamy bacon alfredo sauce. There was an abundance of meat in each sandwich and my choice of vegetables, including a pepper and sauce bar near the soft drinks. So, as sandwich shops go, Quiznos in Glasgow has variety, abundance, value and a new, clean environment. If we closed our eyes while listening to the music, we could have been in any of the sandwiches places we’ve visited coast to coast - we wouldn’t have had to miss something that had slipped away from our hometown. — 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. |
| O’Charley’s good for something new Thu, 3 Jul 2008 11:02:54 -0500 After last week’s offbeat coffee chronicles, it was back to normalcy. What’s more “normal” than a typical dinner at O’Charley’s to step back into the reality of the many chain restaurants we are fortunate to have here in Bowling Green. O’Charley’s offers a local touch as well, with a huge mural of Bowling Green and Kentucky favorites, like a red Corvette and the Corvette Museum served on a platter, as well as a beautiful woman with a derby hat at least 100 times actual size. Another pleasing part of the chain restaurant scene is that they are always offering something new and exciting. Today, my dining companion and I tried everything new, starting with drinks, but not ending with dessert because a stomach is a limited container for newness. By the end of the meal, my dining companion described our wait staff as delightful, which she was, but at the beginning of the meal we had to wait so long, the management comped our appetizer. I will say O’Charley’s restaurant staff was attentive and seemed to be aware of our every move! In the spirit of newness (and because the menu noted I’d never tasted anything like it) I ordered the pretzel crunch chicken tenders with Dijon dipping sauce. They were right. The pretzel breading offered a unique taste and a light, extra crispy texture. It was like dipping a pretzel into mustard, with the added bonus of tender chicken breast in between. Our drinks arrived after the appetizer, which never sits well with me. I’m a stickler for the “dining experience” which to me means, drinks right away, appetizers or bread to quickly follow (because liquor does have a more intense effect on an empty stomach), then salads just after the appetizer has been mostly eaten, and finally entrees just about five minutes after my salad has had time to settle. The tangerine pineapple margarita I had was delicious. What a perfect balance between the too-sweet-for-me strawberry margaritas and the tartness of a regular margarita. My dining companion was not so lucky with his mojito because O’Charley’s was out of fresh mint. He sent the drink back. This is not exclusive to O’Charley’s, but I’d like to suggest to restaurants that if you’re out of a main ingredient, please let us patrons know ahead of time. We really can think for ourselves and will probably opt to order something else, instead of feeling like you are trying to put one over on us. For dinner, I had the Key West mahi. This was a flavorful fish served with a tropical salsa on top with rice on the side. The taste overall was acceptable, but the fruit was hard to bite into. My dining companion (who normally doesn’t like fish) actually enjoyed the fruit that seemed to lift the fish taste. My dining companion ordered the pecan chicken tender salad, which is not as new as the other items we ordered, but it was new to us. This was a delicious blend of honey-roasted Georgia pecans, chicken tenders, bleu cheese, mandarin oranges and cranberries on romaine lettuce served with a balsamic vinaigrette. My sense was right and O’Charley’s was the perfect step back into the customary world of dining that I realized is anything but ordinary. Looking at the staff, from the hostess to the wait staff to the manager, there’s a lot of time, energy, sweat and maybe even some tears that go into creating meals for hundreds of people each day. How fortunate we are to live in a country like this. Happy Fourth! — 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. O’CHARLEY’S RESTAURANT 2717 Scottsville Road |
| Coffee shops offer more than just caffeine Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:37:50 -0500 emember when food and a lap meant TV dinners at home with the food brought to the entertainment? Now you can bring entertainment to the food. What I’m fumbling around trying to say is that this week I toted my lap top computer with wireless Internet to visit as many local coffee shops as I could until my nerves gave out. No more than two in one day, however, because otherwise this column might sound like a Picasso painting looks! I ordered an iced medium caramel macchiato at each place, and took my lap top to write my experiences on the spot. There are two shots of espresso (shot-glass sized portions of pure caffeine), milk and caramel in a macchiato. My first stop: Spencer’s Coffeehouse on the square. It was late in the afternoon and there was a row of what looked like regular patrons sitting outside looking relaxed and full of life at the same time. The counter staff was attentive and helpful when I entered and there were a bevy of local people, even some of whom I knew. Spencer’s wireless Internet was a little choppy that day, but as far as food goes, it offers muffins, bagels, cinnamon rolls and pastries, and for lunch, a full menu of sandwiches and salads. The macchiato was also an effective blend of coffee, caramel and milk flavor. My next stop was the new Starbucks on Campbell Lane. I wasn’t going to go in unless it offered a wireless connection, which it noted on the door, so I went in. The staff was vibrant and friendly. I was now on my second medium macchiato, which translates into four shots of espresso. This macchiato was equally good. It turned out, however, that you must subscribe to a specific Internet service, so the wi-fi at Starbucks is not free. A staff member actually said that sometimes people pick up the signal from Buckhead Caf/. I ended up leaving earlier than I planned because of this. Starbucks offers a variety of cakes, muffins, cookies and other baked goods, both in regular and low calorie versions. And, I will say, it was a peaceful place to write and research - if only I could have picked up Buckhead’s signal. So, the next day, I headed to Buckhead Caf/. Buckhead has a pleasant and expansive atmosphere for Internet working and a huge menu of eclectic sandwiches, salads, pizzas, burgers, etc. It’s not as quaint as Spencer’s and during the lunch rush you can’t even hear yourself think; however, this was the best macchiato to date. It had a punch of coffee flavor, with the milk and caramel just there to take the edge off. At least, that’s the way I like it! I decided one caf/ a day was enough and I knew that Mug Shotz would be open on a Saturday, so I waited a day. Unfortunately, even though the sign said it would be open, it wasn’t, so I can’t report on the atmosphere or macchiato, because I wasn’t able to make it back there by press time. I did call and Mug Shotz does have free wireless Internet service (with purchase) and offers wraps, sandwiches, muffins and desserts. Finally, I went to another local hang out with wi-fi, Bread and Bagels. While Bread and Bagels no longer has an espresso machine for macchiatos, it does have flavored coffees. And, much to my surprise, it has added pastas to its one-of-a-kind menu of sandwiches, salads and pizza. In the morning it also has muffins, scones, pastries, etc. The walls are covered with artwork from young local artists. The wait staff was helpful, but distracted by a large phone order (which I’m sure was just an in-the-moment experience). The wi-fi worked well and the atmosphere was upbeat yet relaxed and I opted to sit outside on the enclosed patio. So that wraps up the coffee and wi-fi chronicles for the week. Although I highly recommend people watching, toting a lap top computer along is a little something different for those times when you don’t have a dining companion. I wouldn’t recommend trying to write a column, however, because looking back over this, I can spot the moments the coffee kicked in and kicked out! — 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. Spencer’s Coffee House: 915 College St., 393-7060 Buckhead Caf/: 760 Campbell Lane, 846-0110 Starbucks: 710 Campbell Lane, 842-6201 Mug Shotz: 116 Old Morgantown Road, 796-4143 Bread and Bagel: 871 Broadway Ave., 781-1473 |
| Mandolin perfect for a light summer meal Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:18:06 -0500 What to do on a hot summer night when you’re in the mood for fine food, but the intense heat keeps you from wanting anything but watermelon and Gatorade? How about a light meal at one of the finest eating establishments in Bowling Green, the Mandolin. My dining companion and I thought patio dining might be doable once the sun went down, but were not disappointed when air conditioning still made more sense at 8 o’clock at night. Mainly because the Mandolin is owned and operated by two wildly artistic Bowling Green residents: One creates the atmosphere, and the other works her magic creating and executing a four-star menu. Each room is donned in rich grained woods and striking rosined wood etchings, as well as a variety of international artwork. The fireplace mantle in the room in which we dined was a bit chaotic, but a quick glance out the window to the relaxing porch patio outdoors made it feel as if I were outside after all. To execute the light meal genre idea, we ordered two light appetizers then split an entr/e. We chose the crespella pockets as one appetizer, then looked to the salad menu for another light, chilled appetizer, the mozzarella and roma tomato salad. The crespella pockets, even though they were fried, were the perfect light meal choice: Crispy crepes folded into small triangular shapes, stuffed with light cheeses and meats. The mozzarella and roma tomato salad had an abundance of soft mozzarella cheese. Soft mozzarella has an appetizing texture when eaten chilled on a hot summer day, but with just a hint of flavor and when eaten alone is lacking. Add a slice of tomato drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette and a side of greens, which is exactly how the Mandolin served it, and you have a dish delicious to the eye and the palate. We opted for the fish special that evening, a lightly breaded Italian cod with wild rice. The wait staff graciously split the meal, for a small fee, which allowed each of us to have a house salad with the dressing of our choice. We both chose the house specialty, gorgonzola - a light, creamy dressing with chunks of gorgonzola cheese for an occasional kick. The cod was rolled, then breaded with seasonings bursting with flavors, some I recognized, others I didn’t, but the blendings made this otherwise light meal a rich treat. The rice, too, a blend of brown and other wild rice varieties, made for a slender summer alternative to potatoes. With all this weightless eating, we had room for dessert. Of course there were the heavier favorites, like chocolate cake or even tiramisu, but we opted for the pineapple cake and it was a delicate ending to this modest, delicious meal. Thin layers of cake soaked in pineapple juice with layers of a whipped cream frosting was served with pineapple rounds on the side. Even though, as of this moment at least, the heat has settled down a bit, I would highly recommend the Mandolin for a meal on a whim or a special night out because in my experience it is a singularly, extraordinary eating establishment in our 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. MANDOLIN 712 Chestnut St. |
| Nothing but ‘amore’ at Mancino’s Grinders Thu, 29 May 2008 12:08:18 -0500 "Amore” and pizza go together in songs and movies, so why not in Bowling Green. What I’m referring to here is Mancino’s Grinders and Pizza’s motto, which is: “I love that place!” Which both my dining companion and I did. While I reviewed Mancino’s at Greenwood almost two years ago, since this column is mainly about experience, I thought it was time for a visit to Mancino’s in Lost River. Love is not lost here, either. To begin with, the counter staff was jovial, friendly and not the least bit nosey, even when the two of us ordered just about one item in every category (in the name of trying as much as we could), which ended up being enough food for twice as many people. Love has to be pouring from everywhere if the kitchen is as exposed as it is at Mancino’s. A clean, cutting board wood and stainless cooking station looks to be about half the size of a football field and sits in the center, surrounded by pizza ovens and other work stations. The cook staff delightfully buzzes around each other as if they were choreographed by the workers in the Wizard of Oz, who “get up at 12, start to work at one, take an hour for lunch and then at two are done!” The entire experience was like a scene from a movie as the staff assisted with a pizza that sadly slipped off the tray and onto the floor and then mopped up a water spill with ease. Oh, and did I mention they can cook with consistency as well? At the counter my dining companion and I opted for soup, salad, a grinder, lasagna, a small pizza, a brownie and two oatmeal cookies. We were given the brownie and cookies right away and ended up eating dessert first, because what’s not to love about eating dessert first? The brownie had a cake-like quality and literally crumbled before reaching my mouth. Not even the frosting stayed put, but it was a chocolate treat overall. There are two types of oatmeal cookies: moist and chewy, that bend and don’t break, and the crispy, dryer version that snap and send oatmeal flakes a-flying. My dining companion prefers the soft version, yet Mancino’s bakes the latter, but we both agreed the cookies were quite flavorful. The soup was a cheesy, bacon potato that tasted best when it was hot. Small melt-in-your-mouth pieces of potato, with cheese and bacon tastes balanced nicely in a thick, creamy base. The Greek salad was excellent, with an abundance of olives, crumbly feta cheese, red onions, tomatoes and a packaged dressing. Both the pizza and the grinder exemplified taste. The Cajun chicken grinder wasn’t too spicy hot, but was spicy tasteful with tender, Cajun-rubbed chicken, onions, cheese, lettuce and tomato. We opted for the Mancino’s pride pizza with an effective combination of meats and veggies, a lovely crisp crust and just enough sauce! That appetizing sauce was generously poured over my personal favorite of the day, the lasagna. Even if you’ve only read this column a couple of times, you know I’m big on the perfect balance of flavor combinations and this lasagna had it going on! The sauce was plentiful, as I said, the noodles present, but it was the real ricotta with spices and cheeses hidden between the layers in just the right amount that made it truly delicious. Mancio’s also has other baked pastas, calzones, nachos, five other salads and cinnamon sticks with sides of vanilla icing for dipping, so surely you’ll find something to love. Actually we were on our way to a movie after pizza, but saved the ticket price partially due to the entertainingly delicious and enchanting visit to Mancino’s Grinders and Pizza. — 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. |
| Moe’s offers color, options and vibrant food Thu, 15 May 2008 10:59:35 -0500 When I think of the Southwest, I think of places like Santa Fe, N.M., and Sedona, Ariz. And when I remember passing through from one town to the other, I remember the vibrant contrasting colors of red earth, black rock and blue sky. Moe’s Southwestern Grill cuisine reflects this topography with a colorful flair added via ingredients, ingredients, ingredients. Black beans, olives, corn, tomatoes, avocado, onion and cilantro translate into appetizing shades of yellow, red, green, white and even black. Not to mention Moe’s also offers a plethora of multi-hued sauces. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Entering Moe’s, you can’t miss the oversized menu board with item names reflective of random pop culture, that don’t seem so random once you know that MOE’s is actually an acronym for: “musicians, outlaws and entertainers.” I had to look up the “Joey bag of donuts burrito,” which apparently hails from the movie, “My Cousin Vinny.” What I did not get when I entered was the “Welcome to Moe’s!” that was present when the restaurant first arrived in town. This was reflective of my entire trip down the manned conveyor of Southwestern cuisine. I could barely get the wait staff to look at me, let alone engage in a dialogue that would help me with the many choices. After I left the restaurant, though, I realized there appeared to be no necessary managerial guidance and only three servers working - this during the lunch rush. The wait wasn’t too bad, but I felt like more of an intruder than a customer. Despite this, I was able to choose menu items and make choices with enthusiasm. I chose two limited timers not on the usual menu, the Southwestern cobb salad and a special chicken quesadilla, as well as a close talker salad (from that close talker “Seinfeld” episode). My dining companion and I ate outdoors and relished in the variety of vibrant colors and groupings of savory tastes. Everything was fresh, from the pico de gallo to the cilantro to the romaine and especially the olives - I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a black olive with so much flavor! And as I was digressing earlier, there were an abundance of appetizing sauces, salsas and dressings. Chipotle ranch, guacamole ranch and a southwestern vinaigrette dressing for the salads. A chunky guacamole with onions, peppers, tomatoes and cilantro worked for my taste. My dining companion, however, did not like the guacamole and after one bite he went back to the tomatillo salsa that he’d been originally drawn to. The key ingredient in a variety of Latin American sauces, the tomatillo, is referred to as a Mexican tomato. Deep green in color, this fruit is spherical in shape and a bit larger than a walnut. Moe’s purees the tomatillo and I detected flavors of spices and lime that added to the deliciousness. I built each menu choice with my choice of seasoned beef or chicken, pinto or black beans, bacon, cheese, olives, pico de gallo, cucumbers and mango for the cobb salad. Each dish was flavorful, but I will say the quesadilla stood out as my favorite because the heated chicken was especially moist, when compared to the cold beef and chicken on the salads. Each menu category at Moe’s (burritos, nachos, quesadillas and the like) offers at least one vegetarian option, or you can choose any menu item, skip the beef and begin with the beans. So, between the colorful music, (hits from the ’50s to the ’80s), unusual menu options and vibrant food, gaudy works to please the palate in the south bringing the hues of the Southwest to Bowling Green. — 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. MOE’S SOUTHWESTERN GRILL 2020 Scottsville Road |
| Cave City’s El Mazatlan a good choice Thu, 8 May 2008 11:16:22 -0500 Que pasa? Which means: What’s up? It seems clich/ to begin a Mexican restaurant review with a Spanish urban phrase, yet I do so because it truly added to the enjoyment of my recent dining experience at El Mazatlan in Cave City. It all began with a friendly waiter, who genuinely called my dining companion and me “amigo” with every visit to the table, and who also humored us when we asked for translations, including the one that opened this review. Something I do always begin a Mexican meal with is a bowl of guacamole. El Mazatlan’s guacamole looked fresh and deep green in color, which made me think the only ingredient was avocado. This is usually a good thing, because I don’t like guacamole with fillers. In this case, however, the avocado must have been bland, because the guac was bland. I found one or two pieces of cilantro in the dip, but not enough to add flavor. My dining companion and I salted it, making it acceptable with chips. The appetizer we did vehemently enjoy was the cheese dip. It was the usual melted white cheese, but there seemed to be spices that added to the flavor as well. The d/cor at El Mazatlan was charming: Bright yellow, orange, brown and red colors on adobe-looking walls in a meandering floor plan and an occasional painted mural that looked like an open window on a sunny day. We sat far from the smoking section, because when we were seated near the door dividing the two sections, we still encountered smoke. El Mazatlan in Cave City is just off Interstate 65 north of Bowling Green. The word is with graduation, prom and Mother’s Day this weekend, the restaurants in Bowling Green will be full to capacity, so a trip north, if you don’t fall into any of those categories yet want to eat out, might be in order. And ... speaking of order, I can recommend a few items my dining companion and I enjoyed. The chimichangas were simple but delicious. They can be ordered with beef or spicy chicken. Both my dining companion and I had a chicken chimichanga on our combination plates. The chicken was moist - large flavorful chunks wrapped then fried in a flour tortilla that was flaky with deliciously substantial crunch at each end. Also on my el amigo special plate was a cheese quesadilla. This is a folded, then pan-fried flour tortilla filled with the same cheese as the queso dip. Unfortunately, as the meal cooled, the cheese separated and it was not as appetizing as it had been in the dip. Rounding off my plate was something I had never heard of called an ollita. This was a small, crispy, fried flour tortilla in the shape of a small cup with chicken chunks, spices, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and grated cheese layered inside. It was a unique, flavorful dish - and you could even eat the dish when you finished its contents. The chile in the egg batter then fried chile relleno was hotter than I’ve had at other restaurants. Both the beef taco and tamale had crumbly, fine pieces of ground beef with soft or crunchy corn meal for a classic Mexican combination and effective taste. El Mazatlan in Cave City has the same (or at least a very similar menu) to its sister restaurant in Bowling Green and also locations in Glasgow and Munfordville. I usually have either appetizers or dessert, but was tempted to enjoy both because El Mazatlan offers the Mexican classic flan, as well as unique desserts like fruit-filled burritos, churros with ice cream and tres leches cake. This translates into a cake made with three kinds of milk. And for my final Spanish expression: If you’re in “buen humor,” (a good mood) visit El Mazatlan and you will “que lo pases bien” (have a good 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. 105 Garbner Lane |
| Hilton’s breakfast a luxurious escape Thu, 1 May 2008 10:33:01 -0500 There are several country-style, Southern breakfast eateries in Bowling Green that are deliciously greasy when I’m in the mood. But there is less than a handful of Tiffany-style breakfast establishments which I also find pleasurable. This is not to be confused with Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which was a simple menu outside the richest, most famous jewelry store in the country, but just the opposite - a breakfast with a well-to-do menu. I discovered the Hilton Garden Inn breakfast a few months ago, and finally made it in for a taste. While the Hilton did not have eggs Benedict on the menu (my personal standard for a lavish breakfast), it did offer a variety of breakfast items to enhance any morning meal. The restaurant, which also serves dinner, is housed just inside the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn. I became enamored by the travel atmosphere, feeling as if I were actually away from home, and out of the blue began striking up conversations with the other guests about where they were from. My dining companion, on the other hand, sat at the table nostalgically noticing the upscale hotel d/cor that is a mirror image of any Hilton you might visit throughout the country. This luxury lends itself to the Tiffany-style breakfast, with thoughtful and soothing color combinations, deep grained decorative woods and opulent fixtures. The breakfast at Hilton Garden is a mix of buffet and made-to-order food. We each ordered at the made-to-order bar from a chalkboard menu. I ordered Texas-style French toast, my dining companion an omelet with potatoes. While we waited, we enjoyed a wide variety of fresh fruit housed in a bed of ice in the buffet. There were also the usual breakfast foods: bagels, doughnuts, toast, cereals - and even not so usual, soy milk. The buffet also included three kinds of juices, orange, apple and cranberry, in large ornamental carafes on the bar. I went for a cup of coffee and, by chance, discovered the Hilton Garden offers one of the best cups of coffee I have ever had. I don’t usually drink coffee black, but had overfilled the cup while chatting with a fellow traveler. I drank it down a bit so that I could add some of the flavored syrups they offered and was taken aback by the smooth flavor. Even my dining companion, who is not a coffee drinker, agreed. The first sip went down easy and lacked that usual bitter bite coffee can have. Our breakfasts arrived and while the omelet was not “fluffy” as the menu described, it was a flat, flavorful blend of eggs with a variety of chunky, abundant ingredients of your choice, like bacon, sausage, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, cheese and the like. It did not list mushrooms, but they were inadvertently included - so if you’re not a mushroom lover, take note and make sure to exclude them. The fried potatoes were tastefully unique and flavorful. The potatoes were uniformly cut into perfect half inch squares that were flawlessly fried in every direction - thick on the outside with a hint of soft potato on the inside. My Texas French toast was two pieces of thick bread, slightly crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. It needed just a small amount of butter and syrup because the sweetness of the egg batter was adequately enjoyable on its own. Breakfast at the Hilton Garden also offers patio dinning and was a splendid way to start the rest of our day, as we ended up engulfed in the true richness of taking in the wilderness while traveling down the Green River in a canoe. How lucky we are to have the best of both worlds in Bowling Green. — 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. |
| 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, p |