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Where Can you Find a Great Breakfast in Grand Rivers, Kentucky?

March 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Dockers Bayside Grill Breakfast OmeletYum! Omelet at Docker’s Bayside Grill at Green Turtle Bay in Grand Rivers, Kentucky

 

First of all, let me say this: I LOVE hearing from all of ya’ll in my e-mail!  They’re like little visits with friends and family, so keep them coming.  I get a lot of ideas for posts from these wonderful e-mails, including the one you’re reading now.

I got an e-mail recently from a very friendly lady who also happens to be a fellow fan of Grand Rivers, Kentucky and Grand Rivers Variety.  In fact, if I’m not mistaken she, too, saw the recent Johnny Cash show at the Badgett Playhouse.

She and her husband stay in the area when they visit and she raved about the friendly people in Grand Rivers.  They are, almost without exception, extremely friendly and warm.  Apparently Patty’s is a favorite place for the couple to dine when they’re in Grand Rivers, but she wanted to know if there was anyplace in the area where they could get a good breakfast.  My husband and I put our heads together and the following suggestions came to mind.  Not all are in the city limits of Grand Rivers but they’re very, very close and well worth the drive.

Docker’s Bayside Grill at Green Turtle Bay: Home of the Famous Sink Your Boat Omelet!

When I started thinking of where I’d eat breakfast if I were in Grand Rivers in the early hours, the first place to spring to mind was Docker’s Bayside Grill at Green Turtle Bay Resort & Marina.  You don’t have to be a registered guest at Green Turtle Bay to eat at Docker’s – you only have to be hungry!  We have never actually eaten at Docker’s in the morning, we’re normally in the area around lunchtime.  You see, I have a bit of an obsession with their onion rings.  I dream about them, I write poetry for them, I hold every other onion ring in the world up to them….

Although we haven’t yet (I know we will soon – once the hubby sees the omelet pictured at the top) had breakfast at Docker’s, we HAVE heard about and read about their outstanding breakfasts.

One thing in particular keeps the locals smiling: The Sink Your Boat Omelet.  Apparently it’s a monster… and I mean that in a good way.

If the lunch food is any indication, their breakfasts are extraordinary.  These people know what they’re doing.  What’s more, the view is breathtaking – just absolutely gorgeous.

Visit Green Turtle Bay’s website for directions and hours of operation.

Cracker Barrel in Calvert City, Kentucky

When I asked my husband for other restaurants in the area where a lovely couple could find a good breakfast (truth be told, once I started thinking about Docker’s onion rings, my brain was worthless), the first thing out of his mouth was Cracker Barrel in Calvert City.  Michael and our oldest daughter Emily are ALL about Cracker Barrel’s breakfast menu, so I shouldn’t have been surprised.  They even eat off the breakfast menu for supper half the time!

Calvert City’s Cracker Barrel is located at 314 Kennedy Avenue.  This Cracker Barrel is about 6 – 7 miles from Grand Rivers (a little less than 10 minutes driving time).  Click HERE for the map, courtesy of Cracker Barrel.com.

Waffle House in Calvert City, Kentucky

Calvert City (incidentally, home to an outstanding Willow Pond Catfish Restaurant) also has a Waffle House. It’s at 468 Kennedy Lane (about 6.8 miles from Grand Rivers).

There’s also a Waffle House in Benton, Kentucky at 397 Ash Street, which is about 12 – 13 miles from Grand Rivers.  If you visit Waffle House’s website and click on Restaurant Locator, you’ll have the opportunity to enter the city of your choice.  They’ll then give you a very detailed map to the Waffle House of your choice.

Lake Barkley Lodge’s Windows on the Water Restaurant

I saved this one for last simply because Kentucky State Parks have a special place in our hearts.  We always encourage anyone and everyone to visit Kentucky’s beautiful, very special state parks and state resort parks every chance they get.  We’re very lucky to have these parks and we should support them all year long. The state resort parks have wonderful restaurants with outstanding food and there’s always something to do, see, and enjoy.  I’d just love to see more Kentuckians (as well as our friends from out of state) supporting these special places and the special people who run them.

Okay, I’ll step down off the soap box now!

The Windows on the Water Restaurant in the gorgeous lodge (3500 State Park Road, Cadiz) at Lake Barkley State Resort Park serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. What’s more, it’s a very, very short drive from Grand Rivers.

From Parks.ky.gov:

This glass walled 331 seat restaurant allows guests to have panoramic and scenic views from any seat in the house. With Chef Hattie Cheatham’s specialty of good old country cooking like meatloaf, fried chicken, catfish & hushpuppies, with real mashed potatoes, the restaurant has earned a long-time and well-deserved reputation for the best home cooking in western Kentucky. As a supporter of Kentucky Proud program we utilize locally grown meats and produce when available.

Restaurant Hours

Breakfast 7:00a.m. – 10:00a.m.

Lunch 11:00a.m. – 3:00p.m.

Dinner 4:00p.m. – 8:00p.m.

Please click HERE for more information.

You can also find more information about dining (and just about everything else!) at Grand Rivers.org.

If anyone has any other breakfast suggestions, please tell us about them in the comments!

Filed Under: Benton, Blog, Calvert City, Featured, Food, Grand Rivers Tagged With: , , , ,

Main Street Java: Where to Have Lunch in Benton, Kentucky

August 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

My husband and I were in the Land Between the Lakes region around lunchtime recently and we knew exactly where we wanted to eat: Main Street Java in Benton, Kentucky. We’ve been there for supper numerous times but had never had the opportunity to have lunch with them.

Opportunity knocked and we answered with fork in hand.

When our server asked what we’d like to order, my husband told her that we we’re thinking about ordering a little bit of everything.

And then we did.

First of all, we hadn’t had lunch at Main Street Java before, so we wanted to find out what several different menu items were like. Second of all, we were starving!

I ordered the California Pizza and it was love at first sight, even before I took my first bite. Fresh, premium ingredients (olive oil, spinach, artichoke, roasted red pepper, red onion, black olive, Italian seasoning, cheese) on flat bread pizza? Words can’t even describe how fresh, healthy, outstanding, and delicious this pizza is. You honestly have to make a point of driving to Main Street Java in Benton Kentucky just for the California Pizza alone.

It’s unbelievable and it has been on my mind ever since.

My husband ordered chili and a panini. I couldn’t pull myself away from the California pizza to become very familiar with the panini but it looked amazing. The chili and I did get acquainted. In fact, I pulled it away from my husband with one swift ninja move.

The chili was super special – it had large meat chunks in it that were mind-blowingly delicious.

We also tried some of their outstanding Macaroni and Cheese with jalapeno peppers in it – their Macaroni and cheese isn’t just good, it’s beyond good.

It’s so good, in fact, that it comes with its own menu. You can add any of the following to the original Macaroni and cheese for just a tiny bit more:

  • Bacon
  • Asiago Cheese
  • Tomato
  • Red Onion
  • Black Olives
  • Bread Crumbs
  • Red Pepper
  • Chili Pepper
  • Jalapeno Pepper

Click the following link for Main Street Java’s menu.  Better yet, GO! You won’t regret a single bite.

For other Genuine Kentucky reviews of Main Street Java, see:

Main Street Java In Benton, Kentucky Home to the Best Steak in Kentucky – Possibly the World

Returning to Main Street Java in Benton Kentucky!

Filed Under: Benton, Food, Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, LBL, Restaurant Reviews, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Returning to Main Street Java in Benton Kentucky!

June 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Such a dirty rotten job I have here at Genuine Kentucky.  I have to sit at my computer in my home – with my overweight cat Alexa and my overly-filled coffee cup nearby… one on each side.  I have to write, play with pictures and videos, chit chat people up in e-mail and on Twitter.  I have to travel to ridiculously beautiful places within our ridiculously beautiful state and I have to eat at restaurants with food so Heavenly you expect Gabriel to carry it out.

Somebody pinch me.

My husband and I returned to the scene of a culinary crime (at least it ought to be against the law for a steak to taste so good):  Main Street Java.  Click the link I’m about to drop in your lap for my original review of  Main Street Java in Benton, Kentucky.

Our server this time was a beautiful young girl who was as sweet as you’d expect a southern girl to be. Her name was Jocelyn and she reminded me of a very young Jennifer Love Hewitt (one of the loveliest actresses of all time in my opinion).  We ordered the Spinach Artichoke dip for an appetizer this time.  Doing so is always a risk.  Why?  I’m a cook.  Okay, you twisted my arm, I’ll admit it – I’m a great cook.  I love cooking and have been honing my craft for many years.

Guess what one of my best dishes happens to be:  Spinach Artichoke Dip.  Which is why I have trouble reviewing Spinach Artichoke Dip – I happen to be so totally in love with my own (it’s taken a few years of tweaking, testing different cheeses, different amounts of garlic, and so on to get it to the amazing dish it is today) that other’s attempts sometimes make me go, “Blah.”

I’m thrilled to report that I loved Main Street Java’s Spinach Artichoke Dip.  I loved that it’s served with toast points too.  This dip was very creamy and the toast points make a perfect chariot.

I ordered the steak, green beans, and mashed potatoes.  I wanted to branch out and try something different, but these green beans are so ridiculously delicious I couldn’t bring myself to say anything else.  My husband, however, did mix things up.  He had the mixed vegetables and Chicken with “Swamp Sauce.”

The mixed vegetables were exceptional.  Many times, in a restaurant, you’ll get mixed vegetables that taste like you just strolled out to the garden on a hot summer day and picked a few carrots along with a couple of bites of cauliflower and broccoli.  Now, I love vegetables as much as the next person, but I don’t necessarily always want the garden harvest type of flavor.

Main Street Java’s mixed vegetables taste like you picked the vegetables in your garden then gave them to a chef off of The Food Network to prepare for you.   They’re so good, I’d even consider stepping away from my green beans on the next trip.

Maybe. (Try the green beans and you’ll understand their mojo.)

We also got the Chocolate Eruption for dessert – yes, again.  I’m not even going to apologize for it either.  I’m the world’s biggest chocoholic, what in the world do you expect?!

Instead of coffee, this time, I got another HUGE addiction of mine: Chai Tea Latte.  Yeah, baby!  Delicious. I noticed on the menu that Main Street Java uses Tazo tea.. just like my beloved Starbucks.  Great call. No wonder their iced tea is so exceptional and no wonder I was left wondering if I could fit my head into my cup of Chai Tea Latte long enough to lick the walls.

I decided that was a NO.

On this trip, we also found out that Main Street Java also serves breakfast and lunch.  Good news!

If you’re looking for a great place to eat in the Land Between the Lakes area, consider yourself armed with the answer and pointed in the direction.  Tell them the chocoholic from Genuine Kentucky sent you.

Alexa and I just put together the slide show below to pay tribute to Main Street Java.  Normally, my husband does the slide shows and handles the audio but his job has led him to spend the day in Paducah.   Hopefully, he won’t come home and find a million and one things I did wrong with this video.

The pictures for the slide show are from Main Street Java’s Website and the audio is from an MP3 I had my husband had featuring a medley of the outstanding musicians at Grand Rivers Variety (I just love them!).   You’ll have to click PLAY to make the audio play – Alexa and I can’t for the life of us figure out how to make it automatically start up.  She had a couple of ideas but they didn’t pan out.

Enjoy!

[slidepress gallery='main-street-java']

Filed Under: Benton, Blog, Downtown Kentucky, Restaurant Reviews, Reviews Tagged With: , ,

Beautiful Florist and Nursery in Benton, Kentucky

June 5, 2010 By 1 Comment

One of my greatest passions is gardening. When I’m in my herb bed or one of my flower gardens (working alongside my beloved cats as the birds serenade us with the most beautiful music on earth), all’s right in my colorful world.

I get most of my plants, seeds, seedlings, and so forth here in Owensboro, Kentucky. My favorite Kroger has really been on its game this season, offering some truly outstanding plants. My husband would say that I’ve rewarded them by buying every single one they put out, but I don’t know if I’d go that far.

Okay, maybe.

We were in the Lakes region a few days ago (on route from Aurora, Kentucky to Grand Rivers, Kentucky) and happened to drive past what looked like a beautiful, locally-owned florist.  We’re both all about supporting locally owned businesses and I’m all about shopping, so we stopped.  Besides, I needed some fresh chives for my herb bed and I’m always on the lookout for red salvia or geraniums to attract hummingbirds. The little guys are drawn to red like I am to chocolate.

The name of the beautiful nursery and florist was Gateway Nursery & Florist and they have an incredible selection of plants, flowers, trees, shrubs, and other lovelies for your garden, yard, and home.  The people were extra-friendly (especially a lady who was outside watering the plants at the time – she had that small-town Kentucky charm that makes you proud to be a Kentuckian) and the prices were uncommonly fair.

Gateway Nursery & Florist is located at 960 US Highway 68E in Benton, Kentucky, just east of the Purchase Parkway’s Exit 47 in Draffenville.  They are closed on Sundays – as their website says, “Closed Sundays – See you in church!”

I just fell in love with them a little more.

Visit their website (http://www.gatewaynursery.com) for more information and be sure to stop in to say “Hi” and grab some loveliness for your world.

Filed Under: Benton, Blog, Featured, Gardening, LBL, Reviews, Shop, Springtime in Kentucky Tagged With: , , , ,

Main Street Java In Benton, Kentucky Home to the Best Steak in Kentucky – Possibly the World

May 7, 2010 By 3 Comments

If you’ve never listened to me before, I’m begging you to listen to me now.

There’s is a restaurant that you simply MUST visit.  I don’t care how long you have to drive to get there… get there!  Main Street Java in Benton Kentucky is waiting for you and, believe me, they’re really something extra special.

Here’s the low down.  My husband (Michael) and I were in the Land Between the Lakes area.  He was visiting an architect on business and I was along for the beautiful ride and, let’s be honest, dinner.  We’d planned on eating at The Majestic Steakhouse in Draffenville (outrageously good food), but a lady in the arhitect’s office asked my husband if we’d ever eaten at Main Street Java in Benton, Kentucky.  Since Michael and I had only seen it from a distance – and always assumed it was a coffee house – he told her that we had not. She highly recommended it and off we went.

I write and publish 16 different websites and one of my favorite tasks is one I perform for Genuine Kentucky:  Restaurant reviews.  I particularly DELIGHT in visiting new restaurants, so I was completely psyched.  However, when we approached the door, I secretly wondered if my husband had heard the woman correctly.  I would have sworn (from the outside) that we were about to walk into a little coffee house.  Now, you know me, I’m the biggest coffee addict in the world but, by this time, I was starving and knew I wanted more than coffee and biscotti.

When we walked through the door, my jaw landed on the tops of my sandals.  Wow.  The restaurant is larger than you’d guess and looks like a restaurant you’d expect in downtown Louisville.  One of the friendliest servers we’ve ever had – anywhere (saying something since we eat all over the place) – came over to seat us and introduce himself.  Kyle was the sort of server I’d want if I owned a restaurant – a perfect ambassador.  Neat, friendly, helpful, happy, and knowledgeable.

My husband ordered steak and was trying to decide how he wanted it cooked. Kyle made a suggestion and, when the steak came, Michael said it was exactly as Kyle said it’d be and exactly how he wanted it.  I, personally, ordered fish (which was as perfect at what it did for a living as Kyle was at his job), mashed potatoes, and green beans.  The mashed potatoes were creamy and delicious and the green beans were sensational.  They were cooked exactly how I like – crunchy and elegant.  Yes, elegant.

Like O’Chalreys, Main Street Java keeps you supplied with a basket of bread and real butter.  Heavenly.

Back to the steak.  Michael shared a few bites with me, and I returned the favor with my excellent fish. Understand this, we travel a great deal.  Not just within our home state of Kentucky, but to plenty of other states as well.  In fact, Nashville is a frequent destination (remembering them in our prayers, incidentally).  The steak we got at Main Street Java was the best steak I’ve eaten out.  Ever.  Anyplace.

This is a big, bold statement, so I’m going to repeat it.  The steak at Main Street Java was the best steak I’ve ever gotten at any restaurant.  Any time.  Anyplace.

There was a certain special flavor and quality that set it apart – way apart.  My husband has always teased me about my fetish with steak sauce.  I don’t care if we’re in an Outback or one of the most swanky restaurants in a particularly swanky town – I always ask for a bottle of A1 or Heinz 57 – whichever one I’m in the mood for.  I always try one bite of a steak first, but I, invariably, still want my beloved sauce.

Not. This. Time.  I would not have dared to mess this steak up with a steak sauce.

I was convinced that we’d float away from there talking mainly about the veggies and steak, but then the husband shows off those skills that remind me why I love him so very much:  He ordered – - – not just dessert—— dessert with chocolate on its mind.

That’s my boy!

This dessert was called Chocolate Eruption and it was STUPID GOOD.   It proved that we weren’t just dealing with Svengalis of steak here in Benton Kentucky – they also possess some serious (SERIOUS) dessert skills.  If Chocolate Eruption were a girl, it’s theme song would be “Brick House.”

She’s a brick—-HOUSE…
Mighty mighty, just lettin’ it all hang out
She’s a brick—-HOUSE
The lady’s stacked and that’s a fact,
Ain’t holding nothing back.

She’s a brick—-HOUSE
She’s the one, the only one,
who’s built like a amazon
We’re together everybody knows,
and here’s how the story goes.

Break it down now! …

She knows she got everything
a woman needs to get a man, yeah.
How can she use, the things she use
36-24-36, what a winning hand!

The “clothes” Chocolate Eruption wears are chocolate and her “sexy ways” are cheesecake.  Her foundation is a delicious brownie.  From there, she branches out into a Chocolate Mousse (have mercy…), then she tops it all off with chocolate drizzles and Heavenly goodness.  Oh, did I mention the chunks of cheesecake throughout the entire production.  That’s just her showing off her “sexy ways.”  Shake a bom shake a bom shake a bom bom.

While we’re shaking bom boms, I have to point out that the coffee is extra exceptional too. Strong, delicious, smooth, with a bit of a sweet undercurrent. I live for sweet undercurrents, so I couldn’t have been happier. I also live in a town (Owensboro, Kentucky) with 3 Starbucks that I keep in business, so I know my java. This was extremely wonderful.

Here’s my Motto. Never Postpone…

  • Happiness
  • A kiss from your spouse
  • A hug from your children
  • A chance to rub your cat
  • An opportunity to pray
  • Great coffee
  • Chocolate
  • The best steak you’ll ever eat

Oh yeah… you know what to do next.  Here’s your map.  Tell Chocolate Eruption I’ll be seeing her again very soon.  Although Kyle mentioned that the Banana’s Foster was “on par” with Chocolate Eruption.  Hmmm, I’ll order one and Michael can order the other.  That works.

Photo Credit: Main Street Java - Please visit their website and take a gander at the pictures of the inside of their remarkable restaurant.  You’ll also want to read more about them and check out some of  their menu items!  I have to warn you, though, the pictures just don’t do the food justice.

Filed Under: Benton, Blog, Featured, LBL, Restaurant Reviews, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,