Five favs....
Last night I was privileged to preach at Calvert City, Kentucky. I always consider it a joy to preach and am somewhat amazed when I'm invited back places. Frankly I'd never even heard of Calvert City prior to moving to middle Tennessee. Apparently there are a lot of Willard Collins fans there and shortly after moving in GW I received an invite through my friend Lance Cordle (who is now in his, I think, 19th year there). Well, I've been back getting close to 10 times now. It is a wonderful church.
A visit to Calvert City isn't really complete without a visit to a place called Miss Patti's. Enjoying my
meal there last evening with their youth guy (and good friend) Craig Evans, I had a thought to a quick blog.
Dale's Favorite Five "non-chain" Restaurants (and I'd like to see your list too):
5. Dinelli's: A wonderful pizza restaurant in Hamilton, AL. They have aweso
me dough, wonderful cinnamon sticks and the world's best peach cobbler...plus you
always get to see some of the local's and that's special to me. I like the owner Dwight too. If I'm in Hamilton more than one day I'll eat a
t Dinelli's - if I'm there for only one day - KFC will be where I'll go. It is the best KFC in the world...but it's a chain so it can't make my list).
4. McDougal's Chicken Coop: I absolutely love to scout out new places and then take friends. My bud Scott and I found this place on a side road near the Vandy Campus a few years back. Talk about a place with personality. It has the most ran
dom things hanging on the walls in mass quantities you can imagine. They really only have one thing on the menu, chicken (mostly tenders and wings). They have several fabulous sauces - I get torn between the Honeybee and the Gold. And, yes, they have super sweet tea (just one lump of sugar below Chick-Fil-A), a staple of any good place to eat. Also, McDougal's just opened a second location in Cool Springs.
dom things hanging on the walls in mass quantities you can imagine. They really only have one thing on the menu, chicken (mostly tenders and wings). They have several fabulous sauces - I get torn between the Honeybee and the Gold. And, yes, they have super sweet tea (just one lump of sugar below Chick-Fil-A), a staple of any good place to eat. Also, McDougal's just opened a second location in Cool Springs. 
3. Miss Patti's: This is one well worth the drive! It is about an hour and a half west of Nashville in Grand Rivers, KY. They have a large menu and I've been told a lot of it is really good...but I wouldn't know. I've eaten there maybe 10 or 15 times and every time had the same thing. Pork Chops! They have one or two inch pork chops and a super sauce on them. They bake their bread in a flower pot and have some super strawberry butter. But save some room - they have what they call 7 inch high chocolate pie. It's pretty wonderful.
2. Big Spring's #2: OK - this one is not for the faint of heart. It is a hole in the wall in Huntsville, AL. It has been there forever and it shares the location with a bait and tackle shop (seriously). The place looks nasty from the outside and is unimaginably small (one table and a bar), but look in the parking lot - you'll see everything from Mercedes to old Chevys. You'll want to order at least 4 of their hamburgers - they were small and square before Krystal thought of it. They are the only restaurant (maybe in the world) that serves Double Cola. I have loved Big Springs #2 (not sure if a Big Springs #1 has ever existed) all my life. I remember one sunny Saturday that mom and I drove all the way from Birmingham to Huntsville just for a bag of burgers from Big Springs. Alabama was playing Washington that day - it is a perfect day in my memory bank. They offer a couple of things other than the burgers - but don't waste your time! It'll take 6 months off your life to eat one meal there - but hey - you'll get to heaven quicker. It'd be hard to spend more than 6.00 on a meal here.
1. Brooksie's Barn: Jackson, TN. Cross I-40 going North on 45, turn on Oil Well Road and it is on the right. I eat here one time a year. I have to fast for about a week before and after. I've joked I want to be buried there - and I'll probably have to be since I eat so much there I'll probably stroke out there. It is a little pricey. They have a buffet with about every imaginable meat on it (outstanding fried chicken, barbeque, ribs, etc), they have rolls that you'll want to stuff a few extra in your pocket and pineapple fritters!!! WOW. Hmmm...I could be there in about 2 hours....
So share...what are your favorites. I may have to try one of them.