The flowing streams of the Smoky Mountains have been powering mills for hundreds of years. The old mill in Pigeon Forge, along the Little Pigeon River , has been in constant use since it was built in 1830. Today the mill grinds corn, wheat, rye and b ... more

The flowing streams of the Smoky Mountains have been powering mills for hundreds of years. The old mill in Pigeon Forge, along the Little Pigeon River , has been in constant use since it was built in 1830. Today the mill grinds corn, wheat, rye and buckwheat. Some of the bags of flour and grits are indeed for the tourist trade, however, some of the mill products are used in the preparation of the adjacent Old Mill Restaurant’s menu selections. By stairs or elevator, you go up one floor to visit the restaurant’s main floor with additional dining room seating another floor up . When entering, the open, immaculate kitchen is immediately apparent. The staff is busily at work preparing meals. Huge, rough hewn timbers brace the building and give a rustic appearance to the restaurant, a Smoky Mountain charm. Dining room windows overlook the Little Pigeon River, the dam and millrace of the mill. A party of five, we were able to sample a variety of the restaurant’s offerings. While we scanned the menu, we sampled the fritters served with ample portions of creamy whipped butter. Presumably made with wheat flour ground in the old mill, they were fried crispy brown and quite delicious without being oily. When the basket ran low, it was quickly replaced by the food server. Most of the dinner selections include a salad and the restaurant’s signature corn chowder. The salad is a small plate of mixed green and cherry tomatoes. Dressing is served on the side so you can add as much as you like. The corn chowder is quite good. The broth, rich with chicken broth and cream, carried the corn, onion and sweet peppers well. Were I to be making this dish at home, I would probably omit the crumbled oyster crackers. I wasn’t fond of the mouth-feel of wet bread along side the texture of the corn and potatoes. One of our party selected the Southern Fried Catfish. The large, golden brown fried filets were served with coleslaw and a side of French fries. She said the fish filets were prepared well, the batter crispy over tender fish inside and the filets had good flavor. The coleslaw was made with crisp cabbage and the dressing was light, flavorful but not overpowering to the cabbage. She was satisfied with her meal. It was a night out for dinner and perhaps a bit of splurging. One of us ordered prime rib, medium-rare. It was a half-pound serving of prime rib cooked to order. The meat was tender and moist, juicy with additional juice served on the side. As with all of the dinner meals, the entree is served alone on its platter. The potato and vegetable side dishes are served family-style, from a serving bowl placed on the table. Mashed potatoes as well as French fries are offered as well as the signature green beans. Two of us ordered the chicken fried steak. Two large cuts of meat with a savory white gravy nearly filled the plate. The cube steaks were lean without any gristle often found in processed steak. The breading coated well and was well seasoned and it complimented the mild flavor of the meat. All of the meals were very ample in portion. Most of the diners had to take some home, unable to finish it at the restaurant. Large servings of good food is always a plus. The meals come with dessert. I selected the pecan pie. A bit different than most, it feature chopped nuts rather than the pecan halves you usually see. It was a good honest pecan pie . It was sweet and the filling was very tasty. We had a good time chatting over the meal. Drinks and food were served in a timely manner and the serving staff were always busy but never too busy to stop by and deliver a refill soft drink or to ask if there was anything else that we required. Featuring breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, lots of rustic charm and (lots of) good food with dinner entrees costing 14 to 20 dollars, The Old Mill Restaurant ranks high on out list of places to revisit for a good meal. less

Compass Rose Café - Fantasy of Flight What could be better than combining two of my favorite things? Good food and flying machines! In rural Florida, just off Interstate 4, near Polk City, Herman Weeks’ Fantasy of Flight offers both in unmatched ... more

Compass Rose Café - Fantasy of Flight What could be better than combining two of my favorite things? Good food and flying machines! In rural Florida, just off Interstate 4, near Polk City, Herman Weeks’ Fantasy of Flight offers both in unmatched abundance. While on other errands in the area one afternoon, we decided to stop by and see if there had been any changes since our last visit. Fantasy of Flight is one of the preeminent collections of aircraft spanning the era of human flight. The look is a 1950's airline terminal, from design of the building to the furnishings. It is a step back in time to when air travel was becoming the predominate way to cross the country. Gleaming stainless steel accents the Compass Rose Café. It looks as new as it did during our fist visit perhaps ten years ago. On previous visits the attraction was the airplane collection and we did not avail ourselves of the opportunity to try the food in the café. That was a mistake, one we wont make again. The café is open limited hours, 11:00 am until 3:00 pm as a result, the menu features luncheon fare. There are salads, chef, chicken, tuna and garden, from $3.75 to $6.95. There are Buffalo-style and fried chicken strip luncheon plates, $6.96 to $7.25. There is a wide variety of sandwiches, from grilled cheese and hot dogs, BLTs, tuna salad, grilled and fried chicken and burgers. Chicken sandwiches and burgers at $5.95 to $6.95, come with lettuce, onion and tomato and your choice of French fries or cole slaw. The three of us had different things in mind for lunch so we ended up with a good sampling of the café’s offerings. The wife ordered a fried chicken sandwich and fries. Father-in-law ordered a tuna salad sandwich. I ordered the Fantasy burger, featuring mushrooms, bacon and my choice of Swiss cheese. All of the sandwiches came with generous portions of nice crispy French fries. We all opted for sodas. They are served in large glasses and not loaded down with ice. The waitress came round to see if we wanted refills. All of the sandwiches were well prepared, of good proportion and presented well. They were flavorful and would probably be ordered again on our next trip to Fantasy of Flight. Aside form the wonderful tour of the aircraft and aviation displays, the café experience was enjoyable, one that we will partake of again. The café operates for limited hours, during the busiest tour time, and is quite busy. Even so, the wait was actually quite short before we were seated at a spacious booth. When full, the café is quite noisy even with the high ceiling. As the patrons thin out, the noise level drops rapidly. The staff was courteous, gracious and prompt, their attention contributed greatly to our appreciation of our visit. If you ever in the area, drop in and visit Fantasy of Flight. Enjoy a step back in time as you lunch in the Compass Rose Café and enjoy a tour of the hangars and marvel at the aircraft that gave us the golden age of flight. less

Kissin’ Cuzzins - St. Petersburg, Florida My first visit to the 34th Street Kissin’ Cussins was almost 15 years ago. Even back then, it was already a tradition with my wife’s family, an occasional family ritual, a breakfast out at Kissin’ Cu ... more

Kissin’ Cuzzins - St. Petersburg, Florida My first visit to the 34th Street Kissin’ Cussins was almost 15 years ago. Even back then, it was already a tradition with my wife’s family, an occasional family ritual, a breakfast out at Kissin’ Cuzzins. I can’t think of a single visit over the years to the in-laws that hasn’t featured a visit to Cuszzins. Opened in 1961, Cuzzins was seemingly a regular place to stop for all the old timers. Business was good and the family opened two other Cuzzins, one on 4th Street and the other in Clearwater. The two new restaurants soon became victim to land prices. The cost of the land in growing Pimellas County became too great for a single business. Only the original Cuzzins on 34th Street remains. And that has met some challenges that may do it in. The neighborhood has changed. The old timers are fewer and stop by less often. There are now fast food outlet all along the street that siphon off customers. As a result, the Cuzzins has cut back hours. It is open for breakfast and lunch, closing at 2:00pm weekdays and 3:pm weekends. The food is just as good as it was back then and the dinner entrees are available for lunch. The food is good. Certainly not the very best I’ve ever had but it is more than good enough to come back for. It is cooked well, served in a pleasing manner, and in adequate portions. But after you have been there once or twice you will find that the atmosphere is the thing. The staff quickly gets to know you by sight, and then your name. On the next visit for lunch, you will feel right at home, just like you belonged there. My wife’s particular favorite is the chocolate chip pancakes. Pancakes with a bit of buckwheat flour, I believe, and the chocolate chips placed on top after cooking, melting and gooey from the heat of the pancake, not burnt on the hot griddle. It is served topped with swirls of whipped cream. Creature of habit that I am, I usually get the same thing, eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast. I love the hash browns. Nice and crispy, golden brown on the outside and creamy smooth on the inside. The fry cooks in the back do a good job and eggs are cooked right to order, over medium, hard or scrambled. On one occasion I had the chicken fried steak. It was a nice cut of cube steak, battered and fried. It was not at all greasy and the meat was tender with good flavor. The gravy was excellent. Prices are moderate, $12.99 for a rib-eye steak and eggs combination is tops while most breakfast combinations are $6 or $7. The staff is friendly and courteous and most of them have been on the job for years, just waiting to greet you. less

Sonny’s Barbecue has been a Florida institution for a long time. Sonny and Lucile Tillman had a vison of what barbecue should be. They followed that dream and opened their first restaurant in Gainesville, Florida in 1968. Their venture struck a pos ... more

Sonny’s Barbecue has been a Florida institution for a long time. Sonny and Lucile Tillman had a vison of what barbecue should be. They followed that dream and opened their first restaurant in Gainesville, Florida in 1968. Their venture struck a positive chord the public’s attention and they prospered, opening more stores and franchising. In 1991, Sonny retired and sold his chain to owners of one of his franchises. Bob and Jeff Yarmuth. They continued the positive policies of Sonny and the chain grew and expanded to become the largest barbecue chain in the United States. It now boasts of over 150 stores in nine southeastern states. The Tyrone Blvd. Store was the most convenient to where I was staying. I had the opportunity to sample the restaurants offerings on two different occasions. On the first visit I chose the pulled pork sandwich. On the lunch menu, the sandwich comes with your choice of two of the ten side dishes offered. I chose the fries and barbecued beans. Later, I decided that the coleslaw would have been a better choice to round out the lunch. The portions were ample and provided more than enough to eat. The meat was moist, tender and very flavorful. Any of the table-side barbecue sauces that I added were quickly swallowed up by the meat. On that visit I didn’t get a real feel for the five Carolina-style sauces offered. There was mild, sweet, sizzlin’ sweet, smokin’ and mustard sauces. I promised myself, that should the opportunity arise, I would spent more time with the sauces on the next visit. That next opportunity was to be a bit more than a year later. This time I chose the barbecued sliced beef. I also opted for the salad bar. Most salad bars use small plates as portion control. At Sonny’s, it was a big plate and the salad bar had many selections to choose from. In addition to the lettuce salad and fixin’s, there were potato, macaroni, coleslaw and crab (well, surimi crab) salad. All of the items in the salad bar looked fresh, the lettuce crisp without browning and there was fresh ice all around and the area was neat and well tended. It was an enjoyable sampler salad while I waited for the entree. It was a full platter, a half pound or more I would guess, of neatly layered slices of beautifully smoked meat. Lean, evenly colored through, it was haloed with a distinctive smoked meat red ring. It was served on a platter with a goodly portion of fries and a slice of garlic bread. I was now in that conundrum that faces all who delight in barbecue. With sauce or without and with which sauce? I tried several slices of the beef without sauce to have a starting point. Delicious. Firm, tender beef with a rich smoky flavor. Then I tried each of the sauces in turn. Over the years, barbecuing at home, I have developed a fondness for the sweet and savory Kansas City style sauces, not unlike the Southern California Loves Barbecue chain where I first acquired a taste for barbecue. Except for Sonny’s, I have had no experience with the vinegar based Carolina-style sauces. Remembering back to the pulled pork, the sauce made a good seasoning condiment. With the sliced beef, however, it seemed to detract from the already abundant flavor of the smoked beef. The sauces weren’t bad, it just that I think they do better elsewhere. Had I any of the sliced barbecued beef to take home, I would have tried it with a splash of KC masterpiece, just to see. The restaurant was busy, understandably, it has a large number of regular customers. It is well suited for a family outing for dinner or just a quick lunch of barbecue. The decor is homey rural and looked well used but well cared for and clean. The serving staff was quick and courteous. They were considerate when answering questions and describing the menu selections. So far I have been there twice and I am sure I’ll be there again to try something new from their menu. less

Arguably Phoenix’s most popular Mexican restaurant, it is a fact that Macayo’s has grown from a small mom and pop operation with a counter and six tables in the mid-forties to today’s thriving multiple-store chain with more than a dozen facilit ... more

Arguably Phoenix’s most popular Mexican restaurant, it is a fact that Macayo’s has grown from a small mom and pop operation with a counter and six tables in the mid-forties to today’s thriving multiple-store chain with more than a dozen facilities in Arizona. To do that you have to do more than just sell a few tacos. The chain has developed a positive corporate culture and the employees seem to take their image seriously and are motivated to maintain that impression. On this occasion, a long over due visit with my daughter and new grandson, we went to the Central Avenue facility. It is best to call ahead for reservations. The lobby was crowded with drop-ins like us. We added our name to the list. It was about a half hour wait but that gave us an opportunity to observe front operation. The staff apparently has a lot of experience dealing with large numbers of waiting people. Every one was taken care of tactfully, and quite quickly, I thought, considering the number of waiting diners. We were first led to a booth. When we asked for a booster seat for the 2-year old, we learned that they only have highchairs for use at the tables only. We were quickly escorted to a table and a highchair soon arrived. A liability issue I’m sure, a highchair in the aisle at the end of a booth, but I do wonder why no booster chair. On the other hand, the restaurant is family friendly and has a children’s menu and the “color me” place mat come wrapped around some crayons. The menu is very complete. It has all the offerings you would associate with an upscale Mexican-themed restaurant. Dinners range in price from $8 to $14. If you buy a Senor Bob or a Cha Cha Margarita mug, bring it with you on your next visit, you will get your Margaritas for a reduced price (sorry, a limit of 2 Margaritas per customer). Grandson Russell selected the grilled cheese with French fries from the children’s menu. He found it to be “finger lickin’ good. Daughter Christina ordered the chicken flauta. Almost at once, she divided the food on the plate in two. She explained with a wave of exaggeration that she would take half home where and it would feed her for a week (well, maybe the rest of the night). She likes the meal and it is her usual Macayo’s order. Son-in-law Russell Sr. was at a loss - what to order. At my suggestion, he tried the chimichanga. He wasn’t too sure about a deep-fried burrito at first. After a first timid bite or two he warmed to the idea and at meals end he had nothing left for a take-home doggie bag. My benchmark selection for a first time order at a Southwestern restaurant is fajitas. I opted for the less traditional chicken fajitas. The order comes with a “sizzlin” fajita pan piled high with chicken peppers and onions. An additional large platter comes with refritos, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo sauce. It would certainly get my fill that night. The chicken was tender and loaded with that smoky, grilled fajita flavor. The fajitas were as good as any that I have sampled. Macayo’s is a busy restaurant. The staff is quick and efficient and the routine is smooth and polished. The floors, walls and furnishings are well decorated with the Mexican/Southwestern theme. Unfortunately, the facility shares a fault with many other modern-day eateries. The ceiling is unfinished - with the “we’re really in a factory” look. The echo of the serving, the clatter of dishes and even the quiet conversation of the patrons reverberates back and forth among the rafters and suspended air conditioning ducts. A normal conversation is difficult at best. Aside from the ambient noise level, I rate Macayo’s very highly and recommend their food offerings. Buen apetito! less

Mel’s Diner - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Before the freeways and the Interstate system, there were highways. The highways went through the center of every city, small town and berg. You would count the stop lights to get an idea how large the town wa ... more

Mel’s Diner - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Before the freeways and the Interstate system, there were highways. The highways went through the center of every city, small town and berg. You would count the stop lights to get an idea how large the town was. Between the cities, it was the now proverbial “open road.” If the road was good and the traffic light, the speed limit was often a speedy 55 miles per hour. Travel by automobile was slower then. There were service stations, auto repair garages, motels and cafes to cater to the traveling public. You drove as far as you could during the day and towards evening sought out a convenient diner and motel, to eat a good meal and have a good night’s sleep for the next day’s travel. A truism of the day advised that a café where the truckers and the state trooper ate was a good one. Quite often that café was stainless steel, railroad car-style diner complete with lots of red neon tubes. It is a bit sad that today’s automotive traveler doesn’t have the opportunity to come across the truck stop diner. Today the freeway ramps have clusters of service stations and name brand eateries and snack shops. It is pull off the freeway for a quick fuel up and pick up a Styrofoam encased burger or a 6-inch sub, usually to eat on the go. Sadly, we don’t usually venture off the freeway until we reach our destination and we therefore miss the opportunity to find a diner and have a sit-down meal. The diner, a symbol of American-style comfort foods, has been a backdrop in many movies and has become an icon, the image immediately recognizable. We were going to be in the Pigeon Forge area for several days to visit with family. When I saw the stainless steel and red neon diner, I knew I was going to have at least 1 meal there before we continued our travels. It was to be breakfast the very next day. The diner has been at its present location for several years. Outside the stainless steel is polisher, the neon tubes glow brightly and it just looks spiffy, almost brand new. Inside it is all spit and polish. A lot of effort goes into cleaning and upkeep of that diner. The serving staff is constantly on the go. For a long and narrow diner, it sears a surprisingly large number of people. Our server was polite and attentive to our requests. Although this is surely not the Mel’s diner of the sitcom, the lady wore a t-shirt that proclaimed, “Kiss my grits!” After we ordered, we took in the surroundings. The decor is right from the fifties and there is a juke box loaded with rock and roll records. It doesn’t take much imagination to go back a few years and savor a few memories of the good ol’ days. It is also surprising, that with all the hard surface inside the diner, that the noise level is low and conversation is possible in normal tones (well, sometimes the juke box was a bit loud, but that’s how it was). The menu feature a good selection of traditional breakfast dishes, hot and cold sandwiches for lunch, and dinner dishes like meatloaf! For a tourist Mecca location, the prices are moderate. The food is tasty and well prepared and the portions adequate. When the food is placed before you, you are ready to dig in. The wife ordered pancakes, bacon and eggs. There were 2 large, golden brown pancakes, slices of crisp fried bacon, and her eggs over medium as ordered. She said the food was cooked well and had good flavor. I ordered my usual, eggs over medium, hash browns and sausage. All was cooked as ordered and it was tasty. It certainly was what I would have expected from a good diner. The coffee was fresh and the cups were kept filled by any of the servers passing by. It was an enjoyable breakfast and out is a good mood fro the rest of the day’s activities. The next time we are in Pigeon Forge, we shall stop by Mel’s Diner for another nostalgic meal. less

Parkway, Highway 441, is the main street through Pigeon Forge, the home of Dollywood. For miles the highway is lined with glitz - there are games and amusements galore, many dinner shows, pizza parlors and fast food restaurants of every description. ... more

Parkway, Highway 441, is the main street through Pigeon Forge, the home of Dollywood. For miles the highway is lined with glitz - there are games and amusements galore, many dinner shows, pizza parlors and fast food restaurants of every description. It is the tourist Mecca in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, just a few miles from Tennessee Tuxedo’s favorite big city of Gatlinburg.. We drove down the busy, tourist thronged steet looking for a place to have breakfast out. We selected the Hearthside because it stood out by not garishly standing out. Of dark wood and brick, the folksy building blended with the hills and the trees. It didn’t have chrome and stainless steel, flourescent plastic and yards of neon tubing. It would have been more at home a few miles down the road in a more rustic setting. The building has window walls on three sides. It made for a light and airy interior. A English-cottage ceiling with suspended lights in hurricane chimneys lent a rustic charm. The tables and chairs were wood with Colonial chairs, all befitting a pastoral Tennessee. We were quickly seated although the restaurant was near capacity, a busy place. Looking around, one could see the furnishings and decor were of age but clean and well maintained. The first item on the menu caught my eye. The Today’s Special, a country buffet breakfast that featurd a long list; scrambled eggs, buttermilk pancakes, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, grits, has browns, cooked apples, French toast sticks, doughnuts and a fresh fruit bar. Being more trencherman than gourmet, I opted for the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. The food at the buffet was cafeteria style. In steam trays and iced bowls, it was basic food, what you would expect from a cafeteria offering, but it was well prepared and with small containers, kept fresh with frequent refills. I filled my plate and headed back to the table. On the way I noticed that the buffet seemed to be the most popular choice. Of those dishes noted ordered from the menu, the presentation was good, the food looked wholesome and appetizing and I suspect prepared with care. The food I chose was tasty and I was happy with my selection. The waitress kept the coffee cups filled and offered clean plates for a refill run at the buffet. She gave quick and courteous service even though she was ever busy with a constant stream of new diners. So, to recap, pleasant surrounding, good basic food, courteous service at reasonable prices. That rates a thumbs up from me anytime. It wasn’t until I went to the cashier to pay the bill that I found there was even more to the story - something not apparent until you were told. I asked for a take-home menu as I usually do to remind me of prices and selections. The cashier told me they didn’t have any but offered one of the service menus instead. I offered to pay for the menu but she said that wouldn’t be necessary. You see, today was the Hearthside’s last day. After 20 years in business, the restaurant was closing. New owners were coming and would someday open a store but that was quite a bi in the future. I asked about the employees. She said that they would all be unemployed at the end of the business day. I thanked he for our pleasant meal and wished he and the others well. Clutching my souvenir menu as I left, I reflected on what amazed me more. Here was a restaurant full of soon to be unemployed workers. They were without the usual incentives, a continuing job, chance for advancement or pay increase. But they were there doing their jobs in a courteous and professional manner. It made our breakfast an even more satisfying meal. The Hearthside employees demonstrated a great deal of personal integrity. I have great respect for those people and surely wish them well. To the new owners of the Hearthside, if an applicant lists previous employment with Hearthside, consider it a hearty and well deserved recommendation. less

Gigi’s Italian Restaurant - South Pasadena, Florida 11/16/06 Gigi’s is a family owned restaurant that has been handed down through several generations. It first opened its doors in 1967. More modest then at present, it was soon discovered by, am ... more

Gigi’s Italian Restaurant - South Pasadena, Florida 11/16/06 Gigi’s is a family owned restaurant that has been handed down through several generations. It first opened its doors in 1967. More modest then at present, it was soon discovered by, among others, the local high school set and its popularity spread rapidly. Many of those who were among the first to “discover” Gigi’s way back then, including my wife, still frequent the familiar and comfortable surroundings. Over the years good food and a good reputation has allowed Gigi’s to expand. It has more than doubled its seating capacity in the original South Pasadena store and it has opened two other venues. One is in Treasure Island and the other in St. Pete Beach. The lighting is dim, a strived for “candle lit atmosphere” without the need for candles. Even in the dim light one can see a neat, clean and orderly dining room with a low noise level. The center aisle tables have freshly laundered deep-red tablecloths. Although he booths along the walls do not have the tablecloths, they share the red lined napkins with the rest of the restaurant. In the quiet hours you can stroll through the dining room and choose your own table. The substantial menu features complete dinners ranging in price from 12 to 20 dollars. Fresh seafood from Tampa Bay and the Gulf are also featured. The back page has a nice selection of pizzas and optional toppings. An Early Bird menu, 4 to 6pm, is also featured with a nice selection of entrees , your choice, $7.99. Early Bird specials come with soup or salad and bread. It was an early dinner so we ordered from the Early Bird menu. My father-in-law ordered manicotti and meatballs, the same thing he always orders when he comes here. The wife ordered the grilled chicken and rice pilaf. My favorite is lasagna and it is also the benchmark I use for comparison on my first visit to a new Italian restaurant. The salad was ample in quantity. The chosen dressing is served on the side so you can add as you like it. The bed of mixed salad greens was mixed with slices of celery, ripe and green olives, and delicate mandolin-cut rings of red onion. A wedge of tomato and a pepperoncini completed the salad. The lettuce was fresh and crisp. The tomato ripe and firm. The manicotti and meatballs was, as usual, good and in an unusual display of appetite, my father-in-law completed his meal and there wasn’t any doggie-bag for the dogs. The wife was satisfied with her chicken and rice pilaf. The lasagna was oven baked and after the obligatory warnings about a hot dish, I was able to sample the lasagna. The sauce was savory but not overpowering and rich with meat. The noodles were cooked through and the cheese stuffing tasty. All in all, I would rate it as one of the better lasagnas I have sampled over the years. The entree was served with Italian-style bread, cut in slices, buttered and lightly toasted. It was the perfect accompaniment to the entrees. The young lady who was our server was polite, efficient and made frequent, unobtrusive stops by the table to access our needs and satisfaction. We never had need to call for her, she was just there when you needed her. She added to the dining pleasure that evening. Gigi’s has been a favorite of my in-laws over the years and after my initial visit, I believe it will become one of my favorites too. less

Outback Steakhouse - Anchorage, Alaska This was my first visit to an example of this particular “theme steak house.” I went with friends who had been there before and that was a good sign, they wanted to go back. The menu featured items familiar ... more

Outback Steakhouse - Anchorage, Alaska This was my first visit to an example of this particular “theme steak house.” I went with friends who had been there before and that was a good sign, they wanted to go back. The menu featured items familiar to almost all steakhouses but with a whimsical “G’day, Mate!” twist. An advantage of going with friends, aside form the recommendation in this case, is you get to see and sample a variety of the restaurant’s offerings. My choice was the Boomerang Shrimp with an added house salad, but I was also able to see grilled shrimp on No Rules Pasta and Ribs On The Barbie. The grilled shrimp were quite spicy as is the rage theses days but the menu doesn’t give a hint. The shrimp were not “flame-hot” but in this case they were spicier than preferred by that friend. The fettuccine was al dente and the Alfredo sauce tasty. The ribs were tender and the meat came off the bone easily. My friend called them good and he said he would order them again. My salad was a treat. It was not a skimpy, unimaginative saucer of wilted leaves as is often the case with a house salad. This was an ample salad with crisp chunks of lettuce, slices of cucumber and many slices of tomato. The dressing was ample. The salad looked good and tasted good and set me in a good mood for the food to follow. The platter of breaded and fried shrimp was served with french fries, Aussie Chips, and portions of tartar sauce and Aboriginal Fire Sauce. The French fries are whole potato fries and had lots of small, odd shaped pieces, some with peel. Most of the fries are cooked just right but there are, as noted, a lot of hard, slightly overcooked pieces that detracted from the appeal and appearance. The shrimp portion was ample and cooked just right. The coating was slightly spicy but did not overpower the shrimp. The tartar sauce was mild and tasty and a nice compliment to the shrimp. The Aboriginal fire sauce seemed to be a sweet and sour sauce. It was a pleasant tasting sauce but not spicy-hot although I couldn’t really appreciate any sour in the sauce. It my favored of the two sauces. The dining experience at Outback was a pleasurable one. The food was good and in ample portions. The service staff was prompt, courteous and quick; they added positively to the dining experience. Aside from the fries that I think need a little improving and perhaps a note on the menu about the spice level of the entrees, the Outback experience was favorable. Would I recommend Outback? Lets just say I look forward to going back sometime soon to sample other items on their interesting menu. less

Bella Vista in Peters Creek, Alaska Recently reopened after renovations, we went to Bella Vista with some friends. Over the years we have been to this restaurant several time. On a frontage road paralleling the Glenn Highway, in the almost community ... more

Bella Vista in Peters Creek, Alaska Recently reopened after renovations, we went to Bella Vista with some friends. Over the years we have been to this restaurant several time. On a frontage road paralleling the Glenn Highway, in the almost community of Peters Creek, Bella Vista relies on word-of-mouth and repeat business because drive-by customers are minimal. Over the years, the food and the service we received at Bella Vista has succeeded in bringing us back many times. Unfortunately this was not one of the better visits. Perhaps the late hour, perhaps the pounding rain and wicked thunderstorms (while we were in the restaurant, the lightening strikes did cause a power failure in half the state of Alaska that lasted for hours) or perhaps even the vagaries of restarting the kitchen after a shutdown were all causes. Not that it was bad, it just wasn’t as good as it usually would have been. Our guests ordered fried oysters as an appetizer. They were nice tasty, crispy fried, breaded oysters with a side of snappy cocktail sauce. They disappeared quickly after our friends offered to share. I ordered the salad. Everyone else ordered the soup, clam chowder. Dinner table conversation was accented by the clack of spoons as the clam chowder, good as usual, disappeared. My salad was the most basic antipasto, a small salad made of some lettuce, a slice of cucumber and a cherry tomato. I was proud of my self for eating my greens but I secretly wished that I too had ordered the soup. Our guests ordered scampi marinara and egg plant parmigiana. The plates were attractive and appeared well cooked and by reports, was tasty and well prepared. My wife ordered the cannelloni instead of her usual small pizza. (They make Lombardi-style pizzas with a thin and crisp crust but offer a large selection of toppings.) The cannelloni was tasty and well prepared, ample in portion. A bit of the cannelloni was taken home in a box. My lasagna, alas, was a different matter. They serve the portions in ramekins and heat them in an oven or salamander. The cheese on my lasagna had gone way past melted and golden brown. Although it didn’t taste of burnt cheese (it tasted quite good, in fact), it did limit my appreciation for my Bella Vista favorite. In mid meal, when the power went out, other patrons hurried and soon the restaurant was nearly empty. All the while the staff was attentive but didn’t hurry us and we finish our meal at leisure. It was a good meal at a familiar and comfortable setting, in the company of close friends. Even though I would have desired a larger and more interesting salad and wished my lasagna had been removed form the oven a bit sooner, I enjoyed the meal and yes, we will make other trips to Bella Vista, Mile 21 ½ on the Old Glenn Highway in Peters Creek, Alaska. less