Taco Mac, Juliana, and How to Keep a Restaurant in Business

Today I did something I can't afford to do on a regular basis. I ate out for two meals, one of them with my family.

At lunch today, I visited Taco Mac on Chastain Rd in Kennesaw. At first, I was a bit concerned. I don't think the hostess was having a very good day. She was a bit emotionless as she led me to my table, and I like a little "hey, I'm glad you're here" even if it isn't true.

After I was seated, my fears were proved unfounded. Juliana came to serve me. She was not just in a good mood. She actually appeared to enjoy her job, and made me feel good about sitting in her section. I ordered the Kenmore burger, 1100 wonderful calories of beef, bacon, mushroom and swiss. The fries overwhelmed the rest of the plate, so I got my money's worth ($10). The combination of good food at a comparitively good price ( a normal lunch in this area runs about $10) and phenomenal service is enough to keep customers streaming in the door.

Tonight, as my family and I rode through town, we saw one restaurant after another that had closed down. Some of the restaurants had at one time been landmarks in the community.

Take note, restauranteurs. Good food isn't enough. Good prices won't do it. Good service can't carry you. If, however, you find a way to combine all of these ingredients, you might be able to compete in today's market.

Go to Taco Mac and hope to get Juliana as your server.

Wes-Man's

Get off I-75 at exit 293. Go northeast on hwy 411 for 1.9 miles and park in the gravel parking lot of Wes-Man's. Thank me later.

It's been said that the best food comes from hole in the wall restaurants. Those sayings get repeated because they are true.

Wes-Man's can be found at 3167 Highway 411 NE, in White, GA. It is right across the road from Old Car City. There is an old panel truck that you can have your name painted on to advertise a special occasion.

Inside, the dining area is very small, but if you have to wait, do yourself a favor. Wait.

The floor and walls are old planks. The decorations are a blend of antique toys and license plates, photos of sports figures, country music stars and local celebrities. Elvis and Nascar dominate the theme (the Bristol Nationwide Series race was playing on the radio for all to hear - Kevin Harvick won).

The kitchen can be seen through a small hole in the wall (I had to call it that, but it was a window). The cooks were hard at work as Courtney ran from table to table to satisfy patrons. A waitress hustling shouldn't surprise you, but the fact that it was 3:45 on a Saturday afternoon should tell you that people will come to Wes-Man's at any time they think they can get a seat.

The menu is simple. You choose a meat and either two or three vegetables. You can get just veggies if you like. For six bucks you can get three veggies and two pork chops. By the way, if you ask Courtney the best type of chops to get, she'll tell you "fried is always better". I got the batter fried pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans, black eyed peas, corn bread, sweet tea and apple cobbler all for under $10.

Go visit Courtney, Cassie and the two guys named Wes. Get your name on the truck. Visit the nearby Tellus Northwest Georgia Science Museum. Take a ride through the countryside. Thank me later.

Five Guy's Burgers and Fries

Last week I visited the Chastain Road, Kennesaw location of Five Guys Burgers and Fries. I don't think a burger and fries meal has ever filled me up quite as well as that meal did.

The only real complaint I have is that they really load the condiments on, and my burger ended up being pretty sloppy. That would be my fault, though, because I asked for too many condiments, and did not instruct as to how much I wanted.

The fries were Cajun-seasoned and delicious! I couldn't finish the serving I was given, but I tried, for sure.

The meal was not cheap, as burgers go, but you get what you pay for. The restaurant was not a romantic date environment, but was more of a quick bite hamburger stand. Fine for a quick work lunch.

Ted's Montana Grill

Ever eat bison? I have. And it was great! Higher in protein and much lower in fat than beef, the taste is just a bit sweeter, and Ted's forms it into a burger that cannot be denied. You really have to try this!

Rodney Tambling is the Kitchen Supervisor at the Cobb Place (Kennesaw) location. We sat together for a few minutes, and Rodney shared the story of Ted's Montana Grill.

The story is that Ted Turner got together with George McKerrow, Jr., who founded Longhorn Steakhouse. Together, they created the Montana-style bar and grill. With it's plank floor dining room, mosaic tile floor around the mahogany bar, the dark mahogany walls and semi-private booths, all you need to see is the enormous bison head on the far wall to complete the turn of the century saloon appearance.

Gene Autry sang through the speakers overhead, my service was great, and the food was wonderful. Give the bison a try. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Read more about Ted's at http://www.tedsmontanagrill.com/

Provino's - March 8

Provino's sits at the corner of Barrett Pkwy and George Busbee Dr in Kennesaw. I like Italian restaurants, and was curious about this one, as it is an anchor to a shopping strip. It has been my experience that strip center restaurants are never mediocre. They are either very good, or very bad.

In the showcase window stood a sign proclaiming that if you dine there on your birthday, your meal is free. Timing being everything, I missed by two days. We went in regardless.

Three or four college age servers were awaiting us as we entered, all clad in the traditional black bottom, white top Italian restaurant attire. We were seated immediately.

The restaurant hides it's size well. Dimly lit and subdivided, a large dining area became very intimate. Along the back wall of our section were private tables for two, complete with curtains that could be drawn for privacy. Down the corridor from our table were other rooms and a banquet area, where a local high school was having a cheerleader dinner.

We all ordered our food, and everyone got something different. Phyllis got the Vegetable Lasagna, Beth got the Chicken and Broccoli Fettuccine, Ward got the Eggplant Parmigiana, and I got Chicken Parmigiana. All meals were under $15, and nobody was dissatisfied. The servings were large and tasty. We got an abundant supply of garlic rolls (with oil), and our glasses stayed full.

All in all, the service was good, the food was great, and the atmosphere was authentic Italian. I very much enjoyed myself, and got away paying less than $80 for four adult evening meals.

Provino's is a chain, but don't let that stop you. This was a good experience as a family, and would be a fine environment for a date. Keep in mind, too, that their lunch menu is about $3 a plate cheaper than the dinner menu.

For more information and a look at their menu, visit their site at http://www.provinos.com/index.htm.

Fuji Hana & Thai Peppers

I couldn't decide where to go.

I needed to go someplace different.

I needed to try a different type of food.

I opted for Fuji Hana, the Japanese part of Fuji Hana & Thai Peppers Restaurant at 2700 Town Center Dr NW # E, Kennesaw, GA.

I sat at the Hibachi grill. The Tepanyaki chef had his back to me, as he was cooking for the other end of the grill. Fifteen minutes later, he turned to cook for our end of the bar. At that point, I saw the large belt buckle with the letters JULIO spelled out. Don't get me wrong, everyone deserves to pursue a career, but I don't feel I got an authentic experience. It would be the same if I was served by a redhead named Mulligan at a Mexican restaurant.

I got the steak and fried rice. The food was good, but the service was slow. Not the right place to go if pressed for time.

Sidelines Kennesaw News

Nikki worked at the Kennesaw sidelines a while back, left to work at another restaurant, then came back. The other restaurant had some good points, but Sidelines is a "family" to her.

If you have been paying attention, you know that the happy servers will draw me back to a restaurant faster than the food. The food at the Kennesaw Sidelines is very good, but an unhappy staff will turn me away in a heartbeat.

I had a chance to chat with Nikki, Michelle and Andy (the GM) just the other day. I showed the girls and Andy my websites, and told them more about this hobby of mine. Before I did that, though, Andy shared some news with me.

I was told that not all Sidelines are owned by the same people. I thought they were all linked, but if they are, it is not through ownership. The Kennesaw Sidelines will soon become Kayson's. There will be some repainting and remodeling, but for the most part, the menu will not change. One structural change is to be the move of the non-smoking area from the side to the front, so that non-smokers never have to walk through the smoking area. There will be a wall and a separate air conditioning unit, so that "all a non-smoker will smell is the food".

Andy assured me that the only major changes will be the building structure and the name on the menu. That is a relief. Andy, Nikki, Michelle and the rest of the team are what makes the place so comfortable.

Great job, Nikki. I can't seem to find a bad server in this place. Thanks for the conversation, everyone. The food was good, and the company was great.

I'll be back to see the changes.

Texas Roadhouse

Are you looking for good food in a fun atmosphere? If so, write down 2475 Barrett Creek Parkway, Marietta, Ga. Google Map it, and when you get close, follow the line of cars.

I took my wife and daughter to Texas Roadhouse this past Friday, after a long wait between paychecks, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We stepped in the door, and were greeted right away. Our timing was great, because we got to sit immediately.

Sometimes a glance around a dining room can tell you if you've made a good choice. A very eclectic group of patrons filled the western decor filled dining area. Kids, college students, young couples and even us older folk were present.

The hostess asked us if we'd like to pick out our steak, which could be seen lining the cooler window. We declined, not sure what we'd order. Krystal, our server, was quick to get us something to drink. I love their glasses ( a year ago, I bought four from them), and Krystal managed to never let them go dry.

To me, two things make a good waitress or waiter. One is the heart to serve. A good server can make me feel as though they are happy I am in their station. The second is a full glass of tea without me having to ask for it. Krystal satisfied both criteria, and never once disappeared into the black hole where servers everywhere seem to hide.

Mark Lupo, the Managing Partner, was obviously paying attention to everything going on in the building. He moved quickly from station to station, making sure that all was well. he's made some good hiring decisions, if he was looking for people who like to serve. All of the staff members seemed happy to be there. All of them sported a smile with the possible exception of the busboy, but he was hustling too much for me to see.

As we sat down, I watched the room and smelled the cooking steaks.

My family is sometimes boring, and Friday was no exception. We did not get an appetizer, but if you do, I recommend trying the Cactus Blossom, which I had tried on another visit. You should also ask for extra bread. Wonderful!

We all ordered the same cut of beef (sirloin), but mixed it up on the sides. We enjoyed conversation of the day, but our salad came quickly, and our dinner almost immediately thereafter. The table got quiet when the steaks arrived!

The room did not get quiet, though. Upbeat country music played overhead, and as soon as the Charlie Daniels song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" came on, the staff lined up to line dance, and even invited a young boy to join in, which he did happily. This is a signature event in this restaurant, and a definite crowd-pleaser.

Okay. The bottom line is this: for less than $60, my family of three got 30+ ounces of good tasting steak, tea glasses that would not go dry, and fun entertainment in an atmosphere that made us feel as though we were in a room full of friends. You tell me if I should go back.