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| After the fire Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:52:42 -0500 The congregation of Mount Pleasant Church of Christ lost its building, but not its resolve - gathering Wednesday night at the Anna Community Center to worship, pray and plan for the future after a fire earlier in the day destroyed their church on Ky. 185. |
| Minorities on rise Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:52:42 -0500 While populations of blacks and Hispanics in area counties are growing, they still are a very small percentage of the population dominated by whites. |
| Local schools beat U.S. average on ACT Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:52:44 -0500 Bowling Green High School’s 2008 seniors remained above the state and national average on the ACT college-entrance exam. |
| Keaton’s suit over halfway house tossed out by judge Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:52:44 -0500 The halfway house company that sought to place a 40-bed facility on Reservoir Hill has had its lawsuit against the city and LifeSkills thrown out by a federal judge, but the attorney for Keeton Corrections says it’s not over. |
| BG native charged in Fla. girl’s rape, killing Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:52:45 -0500 TAMPA, Fla. — A Bowling Green native has been charged with allegedly raping and killing a 6-year-old girl in North Port, Fla. |
| Association of the Century to gather here this weekend Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:52:46 -0500 This weekend will bring dozens of veterans from far and wide to Bowling Green, which will be the site of the annual reunion of The Association of the Century. |
| Baptist group will host Back to School Bash on Saturday Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:52:46 -0500 The Union District Baptist Association, comprised of 39 churches from Warren, Edmonson, Simpson, Logan and Barren counties, is hosting its first Back to School Bash. |
| City updates Web site to clarify pet licenses Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:52:51 -0500 Bowling Green’s city Web site has been updated to specify that both cats and dogs within the city limits must have license tags issued by the Bowling Green-Warren County Humane Society. |
| POLICE NEWS: Riding bike, man killed by vehicle Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:52:52 -0500 Wesley Denham, 39, of Chalybeate was killed early Tuesday when he was struck by a vehicle while he was riding a bicycle. |
| One Night Only Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:16:36 -0500 Country singer Lorrie Morgan will perform Friday at the Plaza Theatre in Glasgow. The show will be at 7 p.m. at the theater at 115 E. Main St. Tickets are $28 for all seats, plus a $1 preservation fee per order. Plaza Theatre executive director Steve Jones said he wanted to book more female country artists since male country acts had already performed there. “We’ve had Craig Morgan and Tracy Lawrence. We had Kathy Mattea, but she’s more country and bluegrass,” he said. “It turned out Lorrie Morgan was available.” Jones anticipates that tickets for the show will continue to sell well. “She has been singing for well over 20 years. She has a (large) fan base,” he said. “We’ll probably have few tickets available at the door.” Morgan was the daughter of the late Grand Ole Opry star George Morgan and made her stage debut there when she was 13, according to the singer’s Web site at www.lorrie.com. She has charted more than a dozen top 10 hits, including “Five Minutes,” “What Part of No” and “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength,” which all landed at No. 1. She charted eight No. 1 videos on the CMT netwoork and earned nine industry awards, including four wins as Female Vocalist of the Year in 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998. She has also performed on various television shows, including “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Good Morning America.” Her most recent album is “Show Me How.” — For ticket information, call the Plaza Theatre at (270) 361-2101 or visit the theater’s Web site at www.plaza.org. |
| Youth theatre presenting pair of Disney classics Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:16:40 -0500 It will be raining cats and dogs this weekend with the Capitol Arts Youth Theatre’s presentation of Disney classics “101 Dalmatians” and “The Aristocats.” Sponsored by Home Theatre Solutions, Trace Die Cast and Sen. and Mrs. Brett Guthrie, performances will be at 6:30 p.m. tonight through Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Capitol Arts Center. Tickets are $12 for adults, $7 for students and seniors and $5 for children ages 2-7. Besides young actors pretending to be cats and dogs, the Bowling Green-Warren County Humane Society and RePets Animal and Adoption Center will bring cats and dogs available for adoption. The organizations will also collect items needed for their wish lists. Each show, which features actors ages 6 to 13, will be 30 minutes long, Capitol Arts Youth Theatre artistic director Christopher Cherry said. “We wanted to present a full-length night of theater, so we chose two shows that fit well together,” he said. Cherry is excited about “101 Dalmatians,” in which Cruella de Vil attempts to steal Dalmatians to make a black spotted fur coat, and “The Aristocats,” in which a butler abandons his late employer’s cats in the Parisian countryside in an attempt to steal their inheritance. “I’m really a fan of the music. I felt like this was something we could share with families,” he said. “We have 55 actors in these two shows combined. It has gone really well.” Emma Corder and Emily Pride play Narrator Spot and Narrator Dot, respectively. “We’re supposed to be twins, even though we’re not the same height,” Emily said, laughing. “We tell the story of what actually happened.” The girls agreed that the “The Fur Vault” dance - done when de Vil’s henchmen try to take the puppies to the fur vault - is one of many fun things about the production. “The bench (that they perform it on) is long, and we have to get our legs over it,” Emma said. One of the more challenging aspects is waiting for their makeup, which consists of a lot of black spots, to dry. “You can’t touch it,” Emma said - “because it gets all over your costume,” Emily added. Emily said she has enjoyed being part of the cast and the Capitol Arts Youth Theatre. “It gives you something to do in your spare time,” she said. “It makes you feel great about yourself.” — For ticket information, call the Capitol box office at 782-2787. Spaces for School Day Performances, which will be Wednesday through Aug. 21, are available. Teachers who are interested can call the Capitol for more information. RePets Animal and Adoption Center will collect the following items during Capitol Arts Youth Theater’s performance: paper towels, Clorox wipes, copy paper, floor cleaner, dish soap, flea shampoo, hand sanitizer, pine bedding, hamster food, guinea pig food, rabbit food, old blankets and towels, Staples gift cards to purchase office supplies, and gas cards for the RePets van to rescue more animals. The Bowling Green-Warren County Humane Society will collect the following: cat litter, liquid laundry detergent and Clorox wipes. |
| Ducks in waiting as Hines Fest continues Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:16:40 -0500 Ducks, dancing and dessert will take center stage at the remaining events for the 12th annual Duncan Hines Festival. Organized by the Bowling Green Junior Woman’s Club, the festival will continue with a recipe contest at 4:30 p.m. today at the Kentucky Museum, followed by an art awards presentation and silent auction. Artwork from the contest will hang at the museum through Aug. 25. Forms will be available for bidding. The Duck Derby will be from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday at Circus Square Park between College and State streets, followed by performances by Blue Light Special at 6:30 p.m. and Exit 4 at 9 p.m. Concessions will be available. Festival proceeds will benefit Girls Inc., Barren River Area Safe Space and The Dream Factory. “It goes with our mission to help women and children,” Duncan Hines Festival chairwoman Melanie Shy said. Shy said previous events, which included children’s pageants and art and recipe entries held last weekend, have been well attended. “We had a good crowd for the children’s pageants,” she said. “We had good recipes for the recipe contest. They’re always so decadent.” Organizers have plenty of events for Friday’s crowd with the concerts and Duck Derby. In the Duck Derby, people can adopt a duck for $5 for a chance to win $2,500, $1,000 or $500. “Their number is attached to a rubber duck,” Shy said. “We run heats all through the night. Winners of the heats run in the final race.” Those who attend the festival will also get a chance to test out a new Duncan Hines cake flavor - Moist Deluxe Decadent Carrot Cake. “We’re giving out carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for free,” Shy said. “We’re doing a taste test for Duncan Hines. It’s a new product they are coming out with later in the month.” Girls Inc. will also have cupcakes at the festival, but the group is selling them for $1 apiece to raise money for Cupcakes for a Cause - a national campaign to benefit CancerCare for Kids. The sale is part of the Duncan Hines National Bake Sale Contest, which is open to people who host their own bake sales, donate proceeds to CancerCare for Kids and tell the company about the experience for a chance to win prizes. “We’re holding a bake sale and selling Duncan Hines cupcakes,” Girls Inc. executive director Patty Alford said. “The girls are baking 200 cupcakes. They’ll write an essay about what they did for a chance to win $10,000.” Alford said the funding they get from the Duncan Hines Festival will help with Girls Inc. programs and materials. She is also glad that the girls who participate at Girls Inc. are taking part in the event. “I’m happy to have the girls involved,” she said. “They can learn to give back to the community. This is a good lesson for them.” — For more information, call Shy at 991-4253 or visit www.duncanhinesfestival.com. The following is a schedule for the Duncan Hines Festival: Tonight 4:30 p.m.: Recipe contest at the Kentucky Museum 5:30 p.m.: Art awards presentation and silent auction at the Kentucky Museum. Friday 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.: Duck Derby at Circus Square between College and State streets 6:30 p.m.-11 p.m.: Street Dance at Circus Square 6:30 p.m.: Music by “Blue Light Special” 9 p.m.: Music by “Exit 4” |
| ‘Thunder’ a hilariously offensive movie Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:16:41 -0500 Even though there are just over four months left in the year, the award for most offensive film of 2009 may be in the bag - and it goes to the “Tropic Thunder,” which is also one of the year’s funniest movies. Directed by Ben Stiller, the comedy pulls no punches, skewering everything imaginable - and some things you would never consider - providing more laughs than “Meet Dave,” “The Love Guru” and “Hancock” combined. Stiller, who also co-wrote the script, stars as Tugg Speedman, a fading action film star trying to recapture his fame. His box office power is fading, and his attempt to gain critical praise (a film about a mentally challenged person called “Simple Jack”) failed miserably. Speedman has hitched his comeback hopes on “Tropic Thunder,” a big-budget war epic that also stars comedian Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black), a rapper named Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson), unknown actor Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel) and Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.) - an award-winning Australian actor who undergoes a controversial operation to play the platoon’s black leader. It doesn’t take long for the egos to clash, leaving the rookie director (Steve Coogan) desperate to try anything to get his film shot. He decides to drop the five actors into the middle of the Vietnamese jungle to make a more authentic picture. But that plan quickly goes astray, and before long Speedman and the rest of the cast come face-to-face with a real live drug lord and his henchmen. “Tropic Thunder” has to be one of the smartest films of the year about Hollywood and the business, with a script that isn’t afraid to poke fun at itself. Stiller and Justin Theroux’s screenplay satirizes the big-budget, cookie-cutter studio system with a movie that could easily be part of said system - and gleefully lets the audience in on the joke. The sharp script is enhanced with a cast that understands the humor in “Tropic Thunder.” Stiller is perfect in the lead, while Black, Jackson and Baruchel all have some funny moments. There are also some great supporting moments from Danny McBride and Nick Nolte, but it’s Downey Jr. and a pair of big name cameos (Matthew McConaughey and a barely recognizable Tom Cruise) that really give “Thunder” its zip. McConaughey gives probably his best performance in years as Speedman’s clueless agent, while Cruise nearly steals the film as the studio head financing the movie. In any other movie, Cruise would be the story, but he is actually overshadowed by the comic genius of Downey Jr. - who disappears into his absurd role with one of the most memorable performances of the year. Downey is so good, I think his character deserves his own film. If Oscar had a funny bone, Downey would be guaranteed an Academy Award nomination. I will admit, “Thunder” gets most of its laughs from a dark and very un-P.C. place, so there are bound to be some who will find this more disgusting than funny (it makes “Pineapple Express” look like a Disney movie). Still, I think “Tropic Thunder” deserves praise for being a film that isn’t too afraid offend and isn’t afraid to laugh at itself. In an era of too many standard comedies void of laughs, “Tropic Thunder” proves to be a breath of fresh air. DVD dandy of the week This week’s dandy is “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” (B), a period comedy that is quite effective thanks to a charming cast and a solid story - one that manages to have a little more depth than you might expect from a farce set in London in 1939. Frances McDormand plays the title character, a middle-aged governess who has just been fired as a nanny. Penniless and out on the streets, Pettigrew stumbles across a chance to be a social secretary for a dizzy American actress named Delysia Lafosse (Amy Adams). Pettigrew soon finds herself helping Lafosse juggle three potential suitors - a pianist (Lee Pace), a nightclub owner (Mark Strong) and a young millionaire stage producer (Tom Payne) about to announce the lead in his latest production. “Pettigrew” begins as a head-spinning farce, but settles into a film with surprising depth and humanity - especially in scenes involving Pettigrew and a clothing tycoon (Ciaran Hinds), the only two people who seem to realize that a second World War is imminent. McDormand is her usual reliable self, while Adams continues to show her acting chops, delivering a funny, charming performance. “Pettigrew” probably won’t appeal to younger audiences, but it is a nice diversion for a more mature demographic looking for a pleasantly entertaining night in. “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” is rated PG-13 for partial nudity and innuendo and will be available Tuesday on DVD. — Sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton, who’s still mourning the loss of “At the Movies with Ebert and Roeper,” can be reached for comment by e-mailing mcompton@bgdailynews.com. |
| Around town Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:16:42 -0500 What’s going on in the area. Add your event at www.bgdailynews.com/calendar/submit Art The Scottsville Art Guild will have its annual Summer’s End Art Festival from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Allen County-Scottsville Community Center. Refreshments will be served and residents will be able to pick their favorite for The People’s Choice Award. For more information, call (270) 622-8343 or (270) 618-4430. Memphis Marsha’s Art Gallery & Classes will host an exhibition including 16 regional artists’ interpretation of the theme “Sizzle” through Sept. 6. Expected media will include glass, ceramics, mixed media, printmaking, photography, drawing and painting. Artists include Antigone and Jennifer Stone, both of Franklin, Michaele Ann Harper of New Orleans, Mary Crutcher, Nancy Keyser, Matt Lundberg, Nell Peperis, Tom Poole, Delaire Rowe, Andee Rudloff, Rita Rudloff, Kim Soule and Peg Truman, all of Bowling Green, Bill Van Tassel of Aberdeen, Tony Mennite of Hermitage, Tenn., and Davie Reneau of Glasgow. Memphis Marsha’s will be hosting a free card-making workshop from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Visitors ages 3 and up (with an adult) can participate. The cards will be delivered to children patients at The Medical Center at Bowling Green throughout the year. A variety of supplies and techniques will be explored. The gallery is at 524 E 12th Ave. For groups of three or more, reservations must be made at 843-1726; or toll free at (877) 640-7973. The painted constructions of Claude Robertson and the photography of Byron Jorjorian continue through Tuesday in the Houchens Gallery of the Capitol Arts Center. Gayle Novick’s painting, drawings and prints are on exhibit in the Mezzanine Gallery at the Capitol Arts. The Health & Wellness Center at Greenwood Mall is exhibiting the work of Myra Renee Dwyer in the classroom through September. Green River Museum in Woodbury will be open from noon until 4 p.m. Saturdays through September. The museum features exhibits from around Butler County and the Green River. Campus Western Kentucky University Choral Society auditions will be from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Aug. 25 in Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center room 348, Dr. Hondorp’s office. Auditions are for new members only; returning singers need not re-audition. Appointments are not necessary; just show up at the announced time, fill out a form and sing. Nothing should be prepared. The first rehearsal will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 25 in FAC 181, with weekly rehearsals scheduled for the same time and place on subsequent Mondays. Additional rehearsals prior to performances will be announced later. For information about the BGWCS auditions, contact Dr. Paul Hondorp, 745-5923 or visit www.wku.edu/ sing. An exhibition of work from Art of France: Studio Response, a 2008 study abroad course for students and alumni, is on display through Friday 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. today. “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. 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. Music Bobby Baldwin Blues n’ Rock Band is debuting at 6 p.m. Aug. 21 at Public Theatre of Kentucky in the Expression Performing Arts Cafe, Music and Dessert Theatre. For advanced tickets and detailed information, call 746-2988. Skip Bond and the Fugitives will perform in Franklin’s Summer Nights Concert from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday on the courthouse lawn. The Red River Fiddlers will be performing outdoors in Scottsville Arts on Main from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. In case of rain, there is an indoor venue nearby. Plans are under way for the fifth annual Franklin Bluegrass Music Festival on Sept. 5-6. Headliners include Williams and Clark Expedition, Rhonda Vincent, Cherryholmes and others. Tickets for both days are $40 and can be purchased at the festival hotline at (866) 221-5700. 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 is available. A garden table seat with a meal catered by Brickyard Cafe in Franklin is $63. 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. Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra Retro Series single tickets and subscriptions are on sale. “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. Theater Pine Knob Theatre features “Lucy and Ruth’s Diner” on Friday and “Daddy Took the T-Bird Away” on Saturday. Both performances are at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 each or $25 for two. For more information, call (270) 879-8190. Tickets are available for the Franklin-Simpson Arts Council performance of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Goodnight Auditorium. Tickets are $8 each and are available by calling (270) 586-6799 or by e-mail to arts fkln@bellsouth.net. Fountain Square Players will be conducting auditions Monday and Tuesday for “Frankenstein,” a thriller written by Victor Gialanella, based on the novel written by Mary Shelly and directed by Bill Green. Scripts are available for check-out at the Capitol Arts Center. Auditions will be held at the Capitol Arts Center, beginning at 7 p.m. Performances will take place at The Phoenix Theater on Oct. 2-5. 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 Historic Riverview at Hobson Grove is hosting a Restoration Conversation with interior designer Jason Hildabrand at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 21. He will discuss Riverview’s wood graining and faux finishes. For further information, call Riverview at 843-5565. Reservations are required. BiG Cruise for antique cars 25 years or older is Friday and Saturday in Bowling Green. It features live entertainment, vendors, corn hole tournaments and is free and open to the public. Cruise-in from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday at Fairview Plaza and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the corner of Campbell Lane and Nashville Road. The NRA is having its annual fundraising banquet Saturday at the Knights of Columbus. There will be a silent auction, dinner and games. For tickets or times, call 202-5204. There is a free Back to School Bash at St. James United Methodist Church from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. There will be games and free food. The Butler County Chamber of Commerce is having its first Tour of Gardens on Saturday. For more information about participating gardens or times, call the chamber at (270) 526-6827 or Melissa Embry at 999-0800. Chaney’s Dairy Barn will have Ice Cream and a Moovie on Fridays. The schedule for the free event will be Friday, “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. It will be shown a second time at dusk Saturday at Chaney’s 830 Fairview location. That showing will be canceled in case of rain. 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. Tuesday at First Baptist Church, 303 E. Cedar St. in Franklin; from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday at Three Springs Baptist Church, 1440 Three Springs Road; from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 21 at Graves-Gilbert Clinic, 201 Park St.; from 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at Olmstead Elementary School, 1170 Olmstead Road; from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at Warren Central High School, 559 Morgantown Road; from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 26 at Bowling Green High School, 1801 Rockingham Lane; from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 26 at Shop NBC, 4811 Nashville Road; and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 26 at Logan Memorial Hospital, 1625 Nashville Street in Russellville. Kentucky State Parks are offering 10 percent off lodging and camping rates for current and former members of the military. The discount is good for lodge rooms, cottages and campgrounds any time of the year, based on availability. To get the discount, guests will need to show some proof of service such as discharge papers, military ID or VFW member card, at check in. Outdoor author Johnny Molloy will be at the main branch of Warren County Public Library at 6 p.m. today. There will be a drawing for a year’s use of the indoor archery range at Gander Mountain. Santa Fe Restaurant is sponsoring a benefit car show tonight for Shirley Wilson Bailey who is in need of a liver transplant. The show begins at 5 p.m. There will be door prizes, and 10 percent of restaurant sales will be donated toward Bailey’s medical expenses. Guests to Dinosaur World in Cave City can visit any day in August and receive a free ticket to return any day in December, except Christmas Day. 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. Neel Masonic Lodge will auction up to 30 historic theater seats on Saturday. The seats are from either the old Princess Theatre or the Roxy Theatre in downtown Bowling Green and were obtained by the lodge in the 1960s. The auction begins at 6 p.m. at the Boyce Community Center. The community center will serve barbecue beginning at 4:30 p.m. for $6.50 a plate. There also will be a raffle for a rifle or cash and a computer, as well as door prizes. The Wagoners will do a variety show at Boyce Community Center from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Food and drinks will be available and an auction will follow the show. |
| Adventure meets fine dining on dinner train Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:16:42 -0500 "A Moveable Feast” is a book by Ernest Hemingway published after his death. It is a set of memoirs about his time in Paris with a circle of well-known expatriate writers who hung out together. They reflected about times after the war and the human condition. This week, I embarked on my own moveable feast right here in Kentucky with some “peeps” of my own. With family visiting from out of state, 14 of us boarded the My Old Kentucky Dinner Train early one Saturday night. The counter help at the train station was helpful, friendly and made sure we were all able to sit near one another at tables of four, specifically at the far end of one of the three railroad cars so it felt like our own little private party. They did this on their own without prompting from us, which leads me to believe they’ve been doing this a long time and know what people need and like. The trip encompasses the Kentucky landscape, both in places and people. It features homes, barns, bourbon factories, wooded areas and an occasional hand wave, like the kind you get when driving on the back roads. There was an antique bar at the station that served cocktails before our adventure. When we boarded the train, a plate of crisp peppered gourmet crackers, locally made and flavorful Kentucky beer cheese, carrots, grapes and celery was already there to greet us. One more cocktail and we were on our way. The dinner train has four-course meals for dinner, with four different entr/e choices. When you call for reservations, be prepared to give them your entree choice as well. I chose the parmesan-encrusted tilapia, but you can also choose from prime rib, roast loin of pork or basil cream chicken. Before our entrees arrived, we enjoyed the second course, which the dinner train staff endearingly refer to as “Golden Spike” salad. This was a delicious variety of baby green lettuces, veggies and a special house dressing - poppy seed honey mustard. They also have ranch and Italian dressings, but our waitress told me the house dressing is so good they serve it exclusively; the others only on request. I would have to agree - poppy seed blended with honey mustard made it tangy and sweet at the same time. The entire train ride takes about two and a half hours. We embarked on the first part of the trip going one direction, then waited while the conductor moved the engine to the other end of the train and headed back. I tell you this because at some point you will be riding backward. Fortunately, the main course is cleverly served while the engine is changing places. All four entrees were enjoyable, depending on what you like. The tilapia had a flavorful encrusted coating but was a little dry in the middle and was without a sauce. The chicken was basically the same, except the basil cream sauce added both flavor and moisture and was my personal favorite. The pork was a good cut, but again, was slightly dry. The prime rib was completely flavorful and moist, and I watched my sister eat it, enjoying every bite. If you like prime rib, this seems your best bet for a wonderful, high end dining experience. The final course was dessert, with a choice of derby pie, (which I gladly explained to my visiting guests is a Kentucky favorite), strawberry cobbler or an apple dumpling. All were good, but the flaky crust and creamy apple filling of the apple dumpling won the hearts of my group, so much so those who didn’t order it had to share it. Those of us from Kentucky thought this was one of the best derby pies we’d tasted. Travel is a wonderful luxury, fine dining is always a treat and to put the two together, surrounded by those you’ve known all your life, is a delicacy that, like a rich dessert, can only be experienced once in a lifetime. Bon app/tit. — 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. MY OLD KENTUCKY DINNER TRAIN 101 R.J. Corman Drive, Nicholasville |
| WKU Library and Museum hosting 2008 Appraisal Day Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:16:43 -0500 People can find out if their junk is actually hidden treasure during the 2008 Appraisal Day. Professional appraisers will discuss and value items from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Western Kentucky University’s Kentucky Library and Museum. Suggested donation is $5 for the first two items appraised, then $5 for each additional item. The suggested donation from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. is $10 and will include a continental breakfast. Proceeds benefit the museum’s education programs. For more information, call 745-2592. |
| Barnum & Bailey tickets will be available Saturday Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:16:44 -0500 Tickets to the upcoming Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Boom A Ring will be available for purchase beginning Saturday. The performance - which will include a crossbow demonstration, aerialists and animal acts - will be at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sept. 7 and at 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at Western Kentucky University’s E.A. Diddle Arena. Tickets, which range from $12 to $30, are available at the Diddle Arena box office, by calling 745-5222 or online at www.Ringling.com or www.wkusports.com. |
| Richard S. Adcock Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:38:55 -0500 MUNFORDVILLE — Richard S. Adcock, 75, of Bonnieville died at 3:01 a.m. Aug. 13, 2008, at T.J. Samson Community Hospital in Glasgow. He was a retired self-employed mechanic and a member of Landmark Apostolic Church. He was a son of the late James Harvey Adcock and Clara Moppins Adcock. He was preceded in death by a son, Carlos Ray Adcock; and a sister, Dorothy Adcock. Funeral is at 3 p.m. Sunday at Sego Funeral Home, with burial in Munfordville Municipal Cemetery. Visitation is from noon to 9 p.m. Friday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and begins at 11 a.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Survivors include his wife, Joyce; a son, Richard Adcock Jr. and his wife, Bobbi, of Munfordville; four daughters, Patricia Lynn Arnold and her husband, John, of Mammoth Cave, Deborah Lee Tharsher and her husband, Jim, of Louisville, Hazel Marie Davis and her husband, Paul, of Munfordville and Johnetta Rena Emerson and her husband, Tony, of Bonnieville; four brothers, James and Lewis Adcock, both of Louisville, Donnie Adcock of Taylorsville and Eddie Adcock of Upton; four sisters, Hester Vittito and Linda Jewell, both of Mount Washington, Bessie Logsdon of Louisville and Ruth Horton of Munfordville; 19 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. |
| Jim H. Coleman Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:38:55 -0500 FRANKLIN — Jim Harold “Cracker Jack” Coleman, 77, of Russellville died Aug. 12, 2008, at his residence. The Simpson County native was a retired farmer. He was a son of the late Charlie W. Coleman and Bertha Coleman. Graveside service is at 10 a.m. Friday at Pilot Knob Cemetery. Visitation is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today and begins at 6 a.m. Friday at Crafton Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.craftonfuneralhome .com. Survivors include a brother, Charles H. Coleman of Auburn; a sister, Estelle Cartwright of Franklin; caretakers, Steve and Denise Gregory of Russellville; and several nieces and nephews. |
| Wesley J. Denham Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:38:56 -0500 BROWNSVILLE — Wesley Jason “Wes” Denham, 39, of Chalybeate died Aug. 13, 2008, at The Medical Center at Bowling Green. The Edmonson County native was an owner and agent of State Farm Insurance in Brownsville and a member of Bee Spring Missionary Baptist Church. He was a son of Jon C. Denham of Chalybeate, who survives, and the late Brenda Higgs Denham. Funeral arrangements, which are incomplete, are under the direction of Patton Funeral Home, Brownsville chapel. Online condolences may be made at www.pattonfuneralhome.com. Other survivors include his wife, Kristina “Kristi” Kinser Denham; two daughters, Emily Breanne Denham and Callie Elizabeth Denham, both of Chalybeate; a maternal grandmother, Mary Higgs of Windyville; aunts and uncles, Linda Alexander and her husband, Stan, of Windyville and J.C. Higgs of Chalybeate; his mother-in-law, Martha Wood of Bee Spring; and a sister-in-law, Kim Kinser of Louisville. |
| Anne C. Johnson Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:38:56 -0500 FRANKLIN — Anne C. Johnson, 91, of Franklin died at 2:50 a.m. Aug. 13, 2008, at a Bowling Green nursing home. The Simpson County native was a member of Bethel Grove United Methodist Church and Franklin First United Methodist Church. She was a member of American Legion Post No. 62, Ladies Auxiliary and A.A.R.P. She was also the former co-owner of Joe’s Grocery Store. She was a daughter of the late Herbert Allen Carter and Pauline Hayden Carter and the wife of the late Joseph Lawrence Johnson. She was preceded in death by a son and daughter-in-law, William James “Jimmy” and Shaleen Johnson. Funeral is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Booker-Gilbert Funeral Home, with burial in Greenlawn Cemetery. Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and begins at 6 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Survivors include a son, Joe Carter Johnson and his wife, Bonnie, of Ashland; seven grandchildren, Selena House, Darla Oglesby, Daren and Dean Johnson, Katie Lewis, Michael Johnson and Laura Grinstead; and 11 great-grandchildren. |
| Juanita J. Mandevill Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:38:57 -0500 Juanita Johnson Neighbors Mandevill, 81, of Bowling Green died at 8:08 a.m. Aug. 13, 2008, at The Medical Center. The Warren County native was born April 15, 1927. She was a retired cafeteria worker at Bristow School in Bowling Green and a Presbyterian. She was a daughter of the late Roy E. Johnson and Mamie Loafman Johnson and the wife of the late Preston Neighbors. She was preceded in death by a sister, Linda Brooks; a half sister, Katherine Martin; two brothers, Wilkins and J.B. Johnson; and a special niece, Linda Herra. Funeral is at 2 p.m. Friday at J.C. Kirby & Son Funeral Home, Lovers Lane chapel, with burial in Fairview Cemetery No. 2. Visitation is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. today and begins at 9 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Bowling Green-Warren County Humane Society, 1925 Old Louisville Road, Bowling Green, KY 42101. Online condolences may be made at www.jckirbyandson.com. Survivors include two sisters, Frances Rapp and her husband, Frank, of Mendota, Ill., and Jo Ann Roche and her husband, Dewey, of Auburn; two brothers, J.J. Johnson and his wife, Glenda, of Bowling Green and I.E. Johnson of Gainesville, Fla.; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. |
| The Rev. Elmer O. Priddy Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:38:57 -0500 PARK CITY — The Rev. Elmer Orel Priddy, 79, of Park City died Aug. 12, 2008, at The Medical Center at Bowling Green. The Edmonson County native was a retired machine operator for Phillip Morris Tobacco Co., former pastor of several churches in Edmonson and surrounding counties and was current pastor of Short Creek United Missionary Baptist Church. He was also a member of Cub Run Masonic Lodge No. 910 F & AM. He was a son of the late Nathan “Doc” Priddy and Ethel Brown Priddy. Funeral is at 1 p.m. Saturday at Nolin United Baptist Church, where he was a member, with burial in Evergeen Cemetery. Visitation is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today and from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Patton Funeral Home, Park City chapel, and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the church. Online condolences may be made at www.pattonfuneralhome.com. Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Thelma Lucille Demunbrun Priddy; a son, Keith L. Priddy and his wife, Melody, of Park City; two daughters, Brenda Gail Hogan and her husband, Rickey, of Brownsville and Kathy Lee Mosley and her husband, John, of Bowling Green; a brother, Nathan Priddy Jr. and his wife, Carolyn, of Mammoth Cave; four sisters, Thelma Harrison of Brownsville, Geneva Wilson and Christine Childress and her husband, Floyd, all of Mammoth Cave, and Irene Vincent of Louisville; five grandchildren, David Hogan, Brian Priddy, Brandon Priddy, Alecia Meredith and Alan Miller; and three great-grandchildren, Austin Priddy, Dylan Priddy and Caitlin Priddy. |
| Bob Proffitt Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:38:58 -0500 TOMPKINSVILLE — Bob Proffitt, 61, of Tompkinsville died Aug. 12, 2008, at his residence. The Monroe County native was born Dec. 3, 1946. He was a self-employed heating and air conditioning technician and electrician, owner of B & G Electric in Tompkinsville and a Vietnam era Army veteran. He was a son of the late Finley Duncan Proffitt and Clarice McPherson Proffitt. He was preceded in death by a brother, Gary Duncan Proffitt. Funeral is at 2 p.m. Friday at Strode Funeral Home, with burial in Monroe County Memorial Lawn. Visitation begins at 4 p.m. today at the funeral home. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Old Mount Hermon Cemetery. Survivors include two daughters, Julie Nuckols and her husband, Randy, and Laura Jill Proffitt, all of Tompkinsville; two brothers, Jim Proffitt and his wife, Pauletta, of Louisville and Billy Proffitt and his wife, Diana, of Tompkinsville; a sister, Verla Purvis of Franklin; a grandson, Brison Nuckols of Tompkinsville; several nieces and nephews; and a sister-in-law, Betty Proffitt of Tompkinsville. |
| David G. Shipp Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:38:58 -0500 MUNFORDVILLE — David Gregory Shipp, 46, of Munfordville died at 7:31 a.m. Aug. 12, 2008, as a result of injuries suffered in an automobile accident. He was an employee of RR Donnelley & Sons in Glasgow. He was a son of James and Libby Shipp of Munfordville, who survive. Funeral is at 11 a.m. Friday at Cave Hill Baptist Church, where he was a member, with burial in Caswell Cemetery. Visitation is in progress until 9 p.m. today and begins at 9 a.m. Friday at Sego Funeral Home. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Cave Hill Baptist Church of the Caswell Cemetery in care of Sego Funeral Home. Other survivors include his wife, Kammy; a son, Mason Shipp; a sister, Rebecca deWit of Fort Wayne, Ind.; his father- and mother-in-law, Randol and Gerry Carby of Munfordville; four nieces, Wendy, Kala and Kathy Carby and Sarah deWit; and a nephew, Martin deWit. |
| Dallas Snipp Jr. Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:38:59 -0500 MUNFORDVILLE — Dallas Snipp Jr., 64, of Munfordville died at 4:15 a.m. Aug. 10, 2008, at Nortons Hospice Center in Louisville. He was a Navy veteran and a member of St. Helens Catholic Church in Louisville. He was a son of the late Dallas Snipp Sr. and Margie Lyon Snipp. Graveside service is at 10 a.m. Saturday at the family farm, 2350 Broadford Road in Munfordville. There is no visitation. Sego Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Survivors include three sons, David R. Snipp and Joseph P. Snipp, both of Louisville, and Edward D. Snipp of Morehead; a daughter, Shannon Smitheson of Louisville; three sisters, Di Ann Filson of Maine, Vicki Lucas of Louisville and Melissa Willis of Florida; five grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. |
| Paul K. Wilson Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:39:00 -0500 MUNFORDVILLE — Paul Kenneth Wilson, 49, of Munfordville died at 7:31 a.m. Aug. 12, 2008, of injuries suffered in an automobile accident. The Hart County native was born Nov. 13, 1958. He was employed by R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. as an assistant bindery operator. He was a farmer, a construction worker and a member of Cane Run Missionary Baptist Church. He was a son of the late Gloria Reams Wilson and Earl Wilson of Louisville, who survives. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, who raised him, Lester and Nellie Reams. Funeral is at 1 p.m. Saturday at Brooks Funeral Home, with burial in Munfordville City Cemetery. Visitation is in progress until 8 p.m. today, is from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.brooksfuneralhomeky.com. Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Regina Wilson; two daughters, Beth Atkins and her husband, Eric, of Center and Julia Wilson and friend, Tyler Siddens, of Munfordville; a sister, Sally Wilson of Munfordville; a brother, Tony Thompson of Hodgenville; and a special aunt and uncle, Jean and Arnold Wilson of Munfordville. |
| Russia needs to honor the cease-fire Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:33:12 -0500 More diplomatic pressure by the United States and other countries needs to be put on Russia for violating a cease-fire after invading the sovereign country of Georgia. The invasion of Georgia, which has been going on for nearly a week, has escalated dramatically and thousands of people have been killed and uprooted from their homes. What is so troubling about these revelations is that Russia continues to drive into Georgia with heavy armor and troops 12 hours after Georgia’s president accepted a cease-fire plan brokered by France. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday that Russia was halting military action because Georgia had paid enough for its attack Aug. 7 on the pro-Russian breakaway province of South Ossetia. Russia is doing its best to spin the situation, but has not halted military action and the media and witnesses on the ground in the troubled region have exposed the country’s lies and deceit. Russian tanks are moving deeper into Georgia. On Wednesday, Russian tanks rolled into the city of Gori. Georgian officials say that the city was looted and bombed by the Russians. To the west, Abkahzian separatist forces backed by Russian military pushed out Georgian troops and moved into Georgian territory, defiantly planting a flag. Russia’s deputy chief of General Staff Col.-Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn insisted Wednesday that no tanks were in Gori. He said Russians went into the city to implement the truce, but AP reporters and television crews reported Russian tanks in the area and one reporter was told to leave the city because the Russians were about to begin shelling it. The list of other places Russian armor and troops have been goes on and on. This definitely doesn’t sound as if Russia is abiding by the cease-fire. It sounds like troops are acting under orders from the Russian government and thumbing their noses at the sovereign country of Georgia and the United States and the international community as well. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, whose resignation the Russians have demanded, is right when he said, “We have a humanitarian disaster on our hands.” What is going on is wrong and the discrepancies from the Russians and the actual news reports verify that the Russians aren’t telling the truth and their actions amount to a serious international crisis. The question is, what can be done to stop the violence? We believe diplomacy is the answer. France, as leader of the European Union, deserves credit for trying to broker a cease-fire. The United States has made its position clear that we are behind Georgia and that the Russian troops should withdraw immediately. The first U.N. relief flight arrived in Georgia late Wednesday to help the thousands of misplaced citizens. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in the region to work on diplomatic efforts along with diplomats from other countries. We are hopeful that this will bring an immediate halt to this abuse of power by Russia. If it doesn’t cease and desist from its invasion of a sovereign country, it will most certainly pay a cost in international respect. |
| Pizza Hut’s new pastas a cut above the rest Thu, 7 Aug 2008 11:01:40 -0500 Have you seen the recent television advertisements for Pizza Hut? Pizza Hut takes over an Italian restaurant, serves its new pastas to the patrons, who love it, then reveal it’s actually pasta from Pizza Hut. Well I’m just like everyone else, and occasionally I love to have pizza delivered, but if I can also get a pasta that’s a cut above your average pizza parlor pasta, I’m all for that, so I gave it a try. I had hoped to have the same blind experiment with a friend who I invited by, but just like trying to plan the timing for a surprise party, the jig was up when she and the pasta arrived at the same time. It was a warm day and while the driver did not have air conditioning in his car while delivering hot pastas and hot pizzas, he was pleasant, friendly and the pastas arrived 10 minutes before the suggested time. Pizza Hut also delivers wings, breadsticks, cheese sticks, and a twist on the jalapeno popper called Quepapas, which are potato bites with cheese and a hint of jalapeno pepper. What they don’t deliver are salads, which was disappointing because I really need greenery if I carb out - which I did. I tried the creamy chicken Alfredo first. I could taste right away they used not just one cheese, but a tasteful variety of cheeses. Like putting a top-shelf liquor in a drink instead of the well brands, it amped up the flavor enough to make a difference. On my second bite I noticed a hint of what seemed like fresh ground pepper, which created a pleasing overall flavor combination. Next I tried the meaty marinara, thinking that while the Alfredo might be easier to improve upon, it may be harder to elevate the taste of such a classic pasta. I have to admit, though, perhaps because I was paying such close attention to every nuance of taste in each bite, I noticed a hint of sausage flavor in addition to the regular ground beef. “A rhapsody of flavor” was the phrase used by one of my dining companions because you could taste both the sweetness of the marinara with a little kick from the meat. I will say that, in my experience (this one and the ones I’ve had of pasta at fine Italian restaurants), the ad is a bit of a stretch. Pizza Hut uses rotini pasta for both dishes and most notably, pasta at a fine restaurant would certainly be cooked al dente, which in Italian means “to the tooth.” In this way, pasta is cooked so there is more than a hint of resistance in each bite, firm not soft. I do review, however, based on my personal experience that day (which can vary), and by what I believe most patrons expect based on the type of restaurant, be it pizza or fine dining, which in this case was claiming to be both. Well, it’s delivered pasta from a fast food delivery chain, so al dente would be very hard to attain - but the flavors were appetizing and a cut above. What pushed me over the edge to try this experiment were Pizza Hut’s most recent ads at a French bakery serving chocolate-covered dessert sticks. I invited a locally trained pastry chef to help me with this one, since chocolate is my number one comfort food and, try as I might, may not have made the most objective decision (salmon is a comforting close second - I’m odd that way). The Hershey’s chocolate dunkers are baked dessert sticks (aka bread sticks) frosted with milk chocolate and sprinkles of white chocolate. It was agreed and my pastry chef friend noted, the chewy texture gave Pizza Hut away. They really were just bread sticks with chocolate on top and the taste incongruency was clear. I will say, as a chocolate lover, I did enjoy the toppings blend and the chocolate dipping sauce. It was the best delivered pizza parlor dessert I’ve ever had. I know these warm days don’t lend themselves to hot pasta dishes, but if you’re in the mood for something different from pizza delivery, I recommend the new pastas from Pizza Hut. You can even order online and if your cloak and dagger skills are better than mine, you can hide the boxes and make a taste-testing game of it all! — 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. PIZZA HUT DELIVERY 1200 Smallhouse Road, Suite C |
| Verdi specializes in European fare Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:28:35 -0500 The last time I experienced Verdi Restaurant and Bar was an early spring day when my dining companion and I enjoyed a light meal of salads under the cherry blossoms. This week, even though it was summer, Verdi became a shelter from a killer storm with a broad, heavy meal of pasta and German delights. When we entered I noticed the restaurant had been livened up with a rich red wall color that complements the stone arches and deep wood trim. The d/cor is alive with color, yet at the same time is as comforting as home. Comforting too was the wait staff. I wouldn’t say it was the perfect dining experience. The timing of our food was slightly off with salad on top of appetizers, then a long wait for dinner, but it was wickedly busy that night and our waitress was honest, clear and appreciated our patience. I will say we were able to be patient because she kept us informed. (Note to wait staff all over Bowling Green: customers love this). We began with a favorite of mine, and something I hadn’t had in a while, brochette. When I see brochette on a menu, I get a vision of what I believe it to be and I didn’t even bother reading the description. I should know better, because I don’t think I’ve had the same brochette twice. Verdi’s brochette is especially unique, so this is somewhat of a warning for brochette lovers. Not that it was bad, but it was served in a ramekin with mozzarella melted on top and the tomatoes and spices on the bottom, all at room temperature. It looked more like French onion soup than brochette. As I said, the taste was good, but spooning it on pita bread was awkward. Verdi’s entrees do not come with salad, but my dining companion and I ordered one to split. The Greek salad dressing was delicious. At this point in the meal, Verdi was getting high marks for flavor that was inviting and enlivening. Even the pita bread with herbed butter that was served with the salad was a great treat. Those high marks just kept coming when my tilapia with pasta arrived. I don’t usually eat pasta with fish, but the pasta was shaped like little bags of gold and filled with cheese. The sauce was a light tomato/cheese sauce and was perfect with the slightly crispy tilapia. My dining companion opted for the German platter. Did you know you could get German food in Bowling Green? My aunt moved to the U.S. from Germany about 50 years ago, so I have had truly authentic German food from an outstanding cook. Verdi’s was just as good, with the addition of some unique flavorful twists. For instance, the sauerkraut had little slices of green apple. What a great way to enjoy the pungent taste of sauerkraut with just a hint of sweetness. The platter also included bratwurst, asparagus, Vienna schnitzel and, a fun way to round out the meal, one German beer. Both my dining companion and I were unsure about Vienna schnitzel, and it turns out it is actually a slice of veal coated in breadcrumbs. We had not planned to stay for dessert, but by this time the restaurant had become more like a party with guests mingling about than a restaurant. The concert in the park had been rained out and everyone flocked into the downtown eating establishments. The staff handled this so well that everyone just seemed to be going with the flow, so we ordered the tiramisu. Just as we had started the meal with a unique twist on an otherwise obvious appetizer, so was the same with dessert. The tiramisu was also served in a ramekin, making it possible to really saturate the sweet biscuits and cream in rum then dust the top with a thick layer of cocoa and coffee flavorings. Again, the contrast was unique and enjoyable, just not what I expected. In my experience, Verdi was a truly a bevy of new and exciting dishes from Greek to German to Mediterranean and more. I highly recommend a trip around the world without using a drop of gasoline by enjoying a meal at Verdi today. — 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. VERDI RESTAURANT AND BAR 410 Main Ave. |
| Longhorn Steakhouse quick to fix problems Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:51:37 -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 |
| 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” |