Cherokee Cattle Company

Phyllis and I visited this restaurant recently.We were driving around, looking for a place we hadn't tried before, and ended up in their parking lot. These are the same folks, by the way, who bring us Marietta Diner, Marietta Fish Market and Pasta Bella.

Let me tell you, this is a man's man restaurant! The decor is cowhand inspired, for sure. Texas license plates and old tin ad signs adorn the walls. The lighting is by antler chandeliers, the floor and walls are like barn boards. The building is divided into several dining areas. Don't ask me how many, every turn seemed to yield another set of tables.

We both ordered one of the early bird specials (you have to arrive between 4 and 6pm), which goes for $13.99. I ordered the 12 oz NY Strip with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Phyllis got the same strip with a Baked Potato. The dinner comes with a salad and a piece of cheese bread.

Our steaks were thick, and cooked to perfection. No sauce needed here. The portions were large (the baked potato was normal), and that includes the sweet tea.

Our server, Tony, took good care of us. He was attentive without being overbearing.

If you go to their website at www.cherokeecattlecompany.com, you can view their menu. They have a good lunch menu with the occasional $5.99 special. This is a good place for people with a good appetite.

Zucca Bar & Pizzeria

I finally got a chance to eat at Zucca the other day. I was going to go earlier in the month, but thought I had overdone the Italian food. Tuesday, I went ahead anyway. After all, isn't this my opportunity to try places that serve food I like?

The entrance to the restaurant is very reminiscent of old time neighborhood bars, with the nondescript front and the milky glassed door window that has the bar name in simple gold lettering. The hallway and dining room were tall and dark. The dining room was small, but there was also a patio dining area for those who like a brighter, more al fresco feel.

Mat, my server, showed me to a booth. The booth was very private, with exceptionally high seats. I ordered a coke and looked at the menu. At first glance I could see why the place wasn't packed for lunch. The prices are a little bit higher here than at most other lunch spots.

I ordered the Mama Mia Calzone, which was made up primarily of Italian Sausage, Pepperoni and Ham. I was light on cash, and it was one of the lower priced meals. I was pleasantly surprised when it came, because the thing was as long as a football! It was very good, too!

Mat took good care of me, kept my glass full, and the food was very good. I will probably return, but it may be on date night, when I expect to spend a little more than the normal pizza joint prices.

Marlow's - Kennesaw

Just a mile up the road from work, at the corner of Busbee and Chastain, sits Marlow's Tavern. I have wanted to visit for about a month, but not when it was crowded. Today was my chance. This place is comfortable! Just like any other grown-up haunt, the room is of dark decor, with a bar that runs the length of the dining room. There is a patio that will be more inviting in the warmer months.

I've read the reviews, and everyone seems to like the food. I enjoyed a delicious hamburger and fries, and some very good sweet tea, but if you know me, you know I am all about the experience.

The waitress was very good. She was very attentive, and seemed happy to be there. That is integral to a restaurant's success. A thousand places can make a decent hamburger, but the service will seal the deal with me. If the team is treated well and they enjoy their work, it will be reflected in the way they treat the patrons.

I met the General Manager and the Beverage Manager, and both were excited about what they do. They had both been checking out online reviews, and had looked at UrbanSpoon. They were excited about talking about what drives people in to eat. My hope is that they discover what I saw in my waitress. So long as the food is good, repeat business is created by satisfying a need for comfort.

If everyone feels as comfortable as I did today, Marlow's will have no trouble keeping their tables full.

Sunday Afternoon at the Coffee Shop

I came in to Cuppy's this afternoon to get a few things done in a nice, relaxing atmosphere.

The college guy sat at his table, doing his work. A young lady sat in the back corner, sipping her drink and reading her book. Matt worked the counter, and Amanda sold me my cupcake and coke. I sat down where I could find a plug for my laptop. Two high school girls came in, got their order and sat on one of the sofas near the front window. They leaned back and chatted about whatever came up as they shared their cheesecake. A couple fresh off their motorcycle came in for a break and sat at the table next to me. The man said something funny to the woman, and she threw her head back as she laughed.

Phyllis came in on her way home, we made dinner plans and she left, coca-cola in hand. Brittany came to work and Amanda went home. Couples and families came in, trading places with the few who left. Wayland Garrett came in and started playing his guitar, singing soft songs suitable for an easy Sunday afternoon. The sun descended below the pines, and gave up the amber glow that completed the scene.

This is the Sunday afternoon we refer to in our old age, when we reflect on the good days we had
here at the coffee shop, our cup in hand, and a troubadour in the corner.

Barbecue Street - Cartersville

Now, the big question here is, can a good thing duplicate itself? In this case, yes. The decor is more modern (yet still countrified), the feeling a tad bit more uptown, and the newness has yet to wear off, but the food was just as good as that of it's older sibling.

The restaurant sits at 650 Henderson Drive in Cartersville. The West End Commons Shopping Center has scored a coup, hosting Fox's Den Pizza, Hearth and Harvest, and Barbecue Street restaurants. With those three, the shopping center has something for everyone.

On this visit to Barbecue Street, I ordered the Pork Plate, with pork, fries, coleslaw, beans and Texas toast. Tea to drink, of course, and fried pickles as an appetizer. By the way, around here, if it can hold batter, it can be fried. You really should try the fried pickles. My daughter talked me into them, and I am glad she did.

The only thing I would change with my meal would be the fries. I like mine a bit crispy and theirs are not. I usually order baked potato, and will again next time. As in Kennesaw, the restaurant offers a variety of sauces, and I had my usual mix.

The service was excellent, the food at or above the bar set by Kennesaw, and the setting was very nice.

We will return.

Barbecue Street - Kennesaw

Way back when, this restaurant was Bell's Barbecue. It was a landmark in Kennesaw because of the fire truck that sat on the property. It was equally famous for it's food.

For the first few years after moving to the Wade Green Rd area, my family visited Bell's frequently. It was the restaurant of choice on a weekend night when we just didn't want to eat at home. Inexpensive and family friendly (no smoking or beer), we made the place our alternate dinner table.

Then, suddenly, and with little warning, the Bell's decided to sell. We were heartsick with fear that our family dinner refuge would no longer be the same. Malcolm, the new owner of Bell's Barbecue Street (the name Bell's was dropped as soon as people got used to Barbecue Street), put us at ease, somewhat, when he visited our table one night.

My wife expressed, in no uncertain terms, her dislike of change. Malcolm assured her that there would be very little change, and gave her an old Bell's menu as a keepsake.

There have been a few changes, here and there, but nearly a decade later, we can't see very many. One of the few changes we did soon see was the addition of catfish to the menu. As far as my wife was concerned, that was a very positive move.

The food at Barbecue Street has been consistent over the years. A family favorite is the Pork Stuffed Tater - a baked potato spread wide open and stuffed with barbecued pork. Get a side of slaw and all you have to do is pick your favorite from four or five sauces and you have a full meal.
My favorite sauce is the Georgia Red Onion. It's sweet and tasty, and I like to put a few drops of the Hot BBQ sauce in with it to add a kick. Here's a tip: if you like the taste of the meat as is, ask for the sauce that they baste it with and the server will bring you a cup of it. That's my wife's favorite sauce.

We've seen a lot of servers come and go, but have yet to have a bad experience with one. They all seem happy and helpful, which tends to lead to good patron experiences.

Give Barbecue Street a try. The only drawback is getting in and out of the parking lot (it sits at the intersection of Cherokee St and Jiles Rd in Kennesaw), but that doesn't seem to stop folks. Just look at the lot at about 6pm on a Saturday.

Doug's Place

I grew up in Maine. The way I feel about Red Lobster after having so many good Maine seafood options must be the way true Southerners feel about Cracker Barrel when a restaurant like Doug's Place is available to them.

The building is an old side of the road restaurant, a throwback to the days of no interstates. It's the kind of place your dad used to take you on Saturday morning, and you would just happen to meet up with two thirds of his friends.

The waitresses are attentive, pretty and quick. My waitress was Hope. She never let my tea glass go empty, and she, as well as the other waitresses, was constantly working the room, conversing with patrons and watching for service opportunities. Every waitress seemed to know everyone in there.

The manager, Melissa Ferguson, was a friendly woman who acted like a mom. She spoke of how busy it would get in there, but times are more lean now(as we all know).

My food was very tasty. I ordered pork chops and gravy with mashed potatoes and cole slaw. I had a piece of corn bread, iced tea to drink and apple cobbler for dessert. The regulars were fun to listen to. They ordered menu items by number and letter code. Maybe I'll get that good one day.

The menu changes daily, and typically offers a half dozen meat choices, more than a dozen vegetables, desserts and grill items. There are daily supper specials as well: Strip Steak on Wednesday, Fried Shrimp on Thursday, and 1/2 Rack Ribs on Friday.

You can hear the day's menu by calling 770-382-8069. Where else can you get that ?

The business hours for Doug's Place are:

Breakfast
Mon - Fri 6am-11am
Sat 7am-2pm

Lunch
Mon - Sat 10:30am-2pm
Sun 11am-3pm

Supper
Mon - Fri 4:30-9pm

Visit Doug's Place at 696 Highway 293, Emerson, GA 30137.

J Christopher's

I had a bad feeling from the start. I stepped inside the restaurant, which was not large but open with a high ceiling. The wall paint was a very decisively Floridian coral and blue, but the wall art was an equally indecisive eclectic mix of pop art, Cuban and Americana.

I waited at the front for the host or hostess, and soon a server came and seated me at a booth along the wall. I ordered the Santa Fe Chicken Grille with roasted potatoes. The Santa Fe is on the menu as a "blackened chicken chicken sandwich all soothed with ranch dressing and avocado". My sandwich tasted good, but was not blackened by any means. The highlight of the meal was the serving of roasted potatoes.

The service was adequate, and the food tasted good (even though I felt duped by the term blackened). At $11 plus tip, a little much for not getting what I expected.