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!
My oldest daughter, Emily, and I ate lunch at Olive Garden this afternoon. That’s actually pretty much a given. Owensboro’s Olive Garden is one of our favorite places to have lunch. Sometimes one or both of my other daughters (Brittany or Stephany) will join us. Their dad (aka the husband) always has to work… poor guy…. so he never partakes of the Lunch at the Garden.
Emily and I, like clockwork, order the Soup and Salad lunch. It’s so good, I can’t even describe it. First of all, Olive Garden’s salad is super special – fresh, crisp, light, delicious. The bread sticks? Forget about it – nothing should be that wonderful. I always, always, always get the Chicken & Gnocchi soup (A creamy soup with roasted chicken, Italian dumplings and spinach.) – it’s just the most wonderful soup. It’s stupid good. Emily loves the Zuppa Toscana (Spicy sausage, russet potatoes and cavolo greens in a creamy broth). I think she just likes showing off the way the name rolls off her tongue.
Needless to say, Olive Garden is freaking amazing for dinner as well as lunch – what with beef, seafood, spaghetti, lasagna, and a whole arsenal of other delectable meals. Maybe if we ate lunch somewhere else we’d have enough room left for dinner.
Just a thought.
Our servers at Olive Garden – as well as the hosts and hostesses – are always extremely professional and friendly. The manager of this particular Olive Garden is completely on their game. The restaurant is always impeccably clean and beautiful and the staff can’t be beaten.
However. Our server today just raised the bar. Alex was his name and he was simply outstanding. On the drive home, I put my finger on what made him extra-special. He made you feel like you were a guest at a relative’s house rather than a customer in a restaurant. He was very warm and friendly. What’s more, he brought us everything we needed before we even asked. Our drink refills came before our first ones ran out (it feels like 150 degrees outside, Alex must’ve known we were parched), he brought our soup along with our salad (sometimes we have to request the soup), and he even brought us a second bowl of soup without our having to ask for it.
We loved this guy.
He was so on his game that I wasn’t surprised he passed the final “server’s test” with flying colors. As a gal with an incredible sweet tooth, I HATE when servers bring your check without even asking if you’d like dessert. It’s a small thing, but I can’t tell you how many times I was planning on getting dessert but didn’t because I didn’t want them to have to add it to the bill after they’d already rang it up.
Alex asked before even thinking about bringing the bill. Bonus points!
The next time you’re looking for a remarkable place to eat – promise me you’ll go to Olive Garden in Owensboro, Kentucky. It’s gorgeous, the food can’t be beaten, and everyone who works there seems to love their job. They’re special people in a special place. What’s not to love?
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One of my favorite places to eat in Owensboro, Kentucky also happens to be one of my ALL TIME favorite restaurants. Ninki’s Japanese Restaurant is one in a billion.
The decor is beautiful and the atmosphere is so relaxing you never want to leave. The staff at Ninki’s is one of the most friendly and helpful staffs in any restaurant I’ve ever visited. Everyone is totally and completely on their toes.
As for the food.. well, it’s just out of this world, that’s all. The edamame is something I enjoy every single time I dine at Ninki’s (which, let’s be honest, is quite often). If you’ve never tried edamame, give it a try when you visit Ninki’s. Addictive!
If the weather’s a little on the cool side, I have a bowl of their extraordinary Clear Soup (more about this VERY special soup in a minute). If the weather’s warm (and I don’t succumb to ordering the soup anyway!), I go with a salad. The dressing has this delicious, exotic flavor that you WILL NOT find anywhere else.
I’ve looked.
Another menu item I consistently order is the Kentucky Sushi Roll – my favorite of their many, many Sushi Rolls. Ninki’s has the most beautiful and delicious Sushi Rolls anywhere. What’s more, the price is a lot lower than you’d expect. Truth be told, everything at Ninki’s is lower than most Japanese restaurants. Japanese restaurants often have a reputation for flattening your wallet and making your purse tremble. Ninki’s is the exception.
I also order the fried rice whenever i go – it’s ridiculously good. They offer an exceptional, tangy “Yum Yum” sauce that simply makes time stand still.
I’ve never been disappointed with anything I’ve gotten at Ninki’s Japanese Restaurant in Owensboro. Even their tea is amazing!
Now. Back to the Clear Soup. It’s one of the most inexpensive things you can get in any restaurant but it’s so full of flavor that it boggles the mind.
Here’s the thing: I cook a great deal. Love cooking! I even have a food blog where I celebrate this favorite pastime. I have, over the years, achieved a great knack for tasting food served in restaurants and, then, being able to recreate the dish at home. Ninki’s Clear Soup has me stumped. I’ve tried COUNTLESS times to come up with a soup even close to their Clear Soup, but it simply can’t be done.
I’ve deduced that they have a large sack of magic in their kitchen and that magic is the secret ingredient.
Well played, Ninki’s. Well played.
My family members know that:
- If anyone is going to Ninki’s, they must, first of all, give me the opportunity to accompany them. If for some reason I can’t go (flu, ice storm, bronchitis, broken ankle..) they know the drill:
- They must bring me a large container of Clear Soup. If they fail to do so, I’ll cry for days. True story.
Ninki’s Sushi Rolls, Fried Rice, Hibachi grill, salad, steak, chicken, Clear Soup, edamame, tea, and service are all extraordinary and you MUST treat yourself to the experience. It may be your first time but I guarantee it won’t be your last.
I might just see you there.
What you need to know:
Ninki’s Japanese Steakhouse is located at 3500 Villa Pt Ste 103.
Directions: Go out Highway 54, past Walgreen’s and just past Kohl’s. Ninki’s is located next to the old Quizzno’s (miss them…sigh). Map.
Phone: (270) 685-9913
If you’ve been in business since 1951, you must be doing something right. In the case of Belew’s Dairy Bar in Aurora, Kentucky, they’re doing at least one thing deliciously right – burgers! My husband, Michael, and I stopped at Belews for lunch on a recent trip to Kentucky Lake. We had hamburgers and onion rings, but the burgers were so outstanding that we nearly forgot about the onion rings.
There are few things quite as impressive as a remarkable hamburger. If you echo this mouth-watering sentiment, you MUST stop by Belew’s Dairy Bar on your next trip to Lake Barkley, Kentucky Lake, or anywhere in the Land Between the Lakes area. It’s located on US Highway 62 East, just a little past Aurora BBQ – Home of the Winking Pig (Outstanding BBQ!).
I truthfully loved everything about Belew’s Dairy Bar and can’t wait to visit again and try their other sandwiches, sides, and dairy treats. It will be, however, hard not to order their hamburger though – sheer perfection. I also loved the “feel” of Belew’s – it’s a throwback to a simpler time: Carhops, milkshakes, Coke with crushed ice, and hamburgers so big and delicious you’re certain you’re in Burger Heaven.
I’ll see you there – I’ll be the smiling brunette with a melting ice cream cone in one hand and a half-eaten burger in the other.
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!
The Hitching Post in Aurora Kentucky
We were in Aurora, Kentucky recently – visiting the wonderful Hitching Post and it’s remarkably friendly people and grabbing hot dogs so sensational you have to see them to believe them and taste them to truly experience a hot dog. They’re called Dixie Dogs and you only think you’ve had a true hot dog before.
Aurora Bar-B-Que in Aurora Kentucky
While we were in town, I wish we had eaten at Aurora Bar-B-Q (delicious!), but we were anxious to try another barbecue restaurant in the Land Between the Lakes region.
Big mistake. The service was decidedly unfriendly (as cold as ice cream) and the food wasn’t fit to write about. Literally – since I don’t do negative food reviews on Genuine Kentucky. If we have outstanding food and service, I write about it on Genuine Kentucky – if it’s the pits…. I pretend it never happened. A throwback to, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all!”
See, mom, I was paying attention.
Honestly, if you want the best bar-b-que in and around the Land Between the Lakes region, you simply have to make your way to Aurora and the home of the winking pig. Trust me. We’ve had bar-b-que from just about everywhere in the Lake’s region and Aurora’s home to the absolute best. The workers are friendly, the service is wonderful, and the food is outstanding.
I’ve said it in other posts on this site before, but I’ll say it again (after all, when I’m truly impressed with people and/or food, I’ll sing their praises for the rest of my life – I’m nothing if not loyal): You have to spend some time in Aurora, Kentucky. It’s one of my favorite places on earth. The town is very small, quiet, and unassuming. It’s also extremely charming, friendly, warm, and fun.
Dixie Dogs in front of the Hitching Post in Aurora, Kentucky
What makes Aurora Kentucky so special?
- The people couldn’t be nicer if you paid them to be. Not once have I come across an unfriendly person Aurora.
- In my personal opinion, the Willow Pond Catfish restaurant in Aurora is the best of all the Willow Pond restaurants. They’re all outstanding, mind you, but the one in Aurora Kentucky is just a little better. The servers are a little friendlier and the hushpuppies are a little better. Maybe more than a little.
- The Hitching Post is one of the most outrageously cool and fun places you could hope to spend an afternoon in. The new owners have made the Hitching Post such a wonderful place to visit that it’s a wonder they don’t charge admission. They obviously have a great passion for what they do and a great love for their guests. The Hitching Post is, at once, the funnest and coolest gift shop you could ever conceive AND a remarkable little “Step Back in Time” museum. They have put a great deal of time, money, and work into renovating a little country store beside the Hitching Post’s main shop. They proudly display some truly remarkable things from the distant past – it’s simply outstanding. I’ve seen (and paid) admission required for far less fascinating exhibits.
- Right out front of the Hitching Post is Dixie Dogs (click the link for my other review of this deliciousness)! After browsing around the Country Store and gift shop (be sure to grab a bottle of pop), you’ll want to walk out to the Dixie Dogs stand and introduce your taste buds to the most remarkable hot dog they’ve ever met.
- Another of my favorite places on earth to visit is the gorgeous nearby Elk and Bison Prairie. I’m the biggest animal lover in the world and these majestic animals just take my breath away every single time. We once had the pleasure of having our vehicle completely surrounded by peaceful bison. They’re a favorite animal of mine, so I literally had tears in my eyes. It’s moving to be so close to such amazing animals as elk and bison.
- The nearby Nature Station and the Bison Range are also great experiences and provide wonderful photo ops along with memories for a lifetime.
- Kentucky Lake! Kentucky Lake is one of the largest man-made lakes and is a beautifully relaxing way to spend a family vacation. Over 160,000 acres of water and 2,064 miles of shoreline are populated with over 100 species of fish, including catfish, crappie, bluegill, stripes any more. Talk about an outstanding fishing vacation.
- Kenlake Lodge is a quiet, charming, understated, and wonderful place to stay and/or eat. I often call it the best kept secret in the Land Between the Lakes. Click the link to see what makes Kenlake State Resort Park so special.
Kenlake State Resort Park
Do yourself and your family (of all ages!) a huge favor and spend a weekend or a week in Aurora Kentucky on your next vacation. While there’s something to be said for keeping our dollars in Kentucky, it wouldn’t be worth it if there weren’t extraordinary places to see, visit, and stay. Fortunately, Kentucky is full of remarkable places and Aurora, Kentucky is one of them.
The Land Between the Lakes is an outstanding place for people of all ages and will provide fun memories that’ll last forever. When the vacation comes to an end, your only question will be, “How soon can we come back?!?!”
This, I promise.
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.
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.
Friday night, my Husband (Michael) and I took his brother and his wife to Badgett Playhouse in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. We see shows at Badgett on a regular basis and wanted them to see what they were missing out on. Some of our favorite Badgett Playhouse shows have been (you can click each title for my review)…..
- The Fabulous 50′s Show
- Bus Stop (I still smile when I think about this one – outrageously good)
- The Variety! Show Christmas Spectacular
- The Greater Tuna Shows (only for people who want to laugh so much their sides ache)
- The Variety! Music, Memories & More Show
- It’s a Wonderful Life (loved it!)
I’m certain I have other reviews floating around the site (along with the standard praises for catfish at Willow Pond and our State Park system). What can I say, we love to smile, laugh, and have a great time. We also love (make that LOVE) the concept of supporting fellow Kentuckians and businesses in our beautiful state. Why take our hard-earned money to other states on a regular basis?
Outrageous!
The fact that there are so many wonderful places to eat, smile, and laugh within the Bluegrass helps our cause considerably. The men and women at Badgett Playhouse 
take a great deal of pride in the shows they produce and the building in which they perform them. You can tell in each and every detail that there is a great level of pride and integrity. From the musicians, singers and dancers to the uncommonly friendly women at the ticket office, the usher, and concession stand workers… each individual obviously has one goal: To make this particular night one that each guest will remember with a smile on his or her face.
Like my car driving to Starbucks, they hit their mark every time.
Here’s just a tiny illustration. After the four of us sat down Friday night, we were looking around – taking in the beauty of the theater and the decorations. An older (I mean, older, older, older) gentleman came through a side door. The usher went directly to him to help him find his seat. That might be kind of expected, but then he offered to let the little guy hold onto his arm. I thought that was very considerate, very friendly, very Kentucky.
I have to tell you this quick little story: As the usher and the little old (old, old, old) man were passing in front of us, I caught the older gentleman’s’ eye and gave him my biggest, “By gosh, you’re cute!” smile. He returned it. Then, he stopped in front of me and my husband and said in a voice that started off faint, then rose at the end, “Whoever said these were the golden years…. didn’t know what the hell he was talking about!”
Some things, I’m convinced, only happen within the state borders of Kentucky.
Something else I’m convinced of – If you have never been to a show at Badgett Playhouse, you MUST head directly to their website, view their schedule and order your tickets right away. If the trip is one you can make in a day, go early and eat at one of the spectacular nearby restaurants. Another one of my favorite things about having Genuine Kentucky is that I get do a lot of restaurant reviews. If you click the link, you can find plenty of restaurants in the vicinity – I have pages of restaurants reviewed, so you’re sure to find one you’ll love.
If you can make it to one of the Always, Patsy Cline shows, you won’t be disappointed. The story is a beautiful and emotional one and the two ladies (Erica Delkou as Patsy Cline and Sara Minihan as Louise) who make up the cast do a wonderful job – they’ll make you sing along, laugh, smile, cry, and leave with a heart filled with wonderful memories.
You can read my original review of the Always, Patsy Cline show at Badgett Playhouse in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. The only things that have changed between that particular show and this one was the singer portraying Patsy Cline (Patsy is now brought to life by Erica Delkou – pictured on the left) and the wonderful addition of Eddie Dunlap on the steel guitar (he did an outstanding job and I hope he’ll be featured in many upcoming shows).
Sara Minihan (pictured above – on the right) was outrageously hilarious, as always, but don’t let her comic talents take attention away from her voice. She has an outstanding singing voice. In Always, Patsy Cline you only get a hint of this talent, so you’ll have to grab tickets for some of the other shows as well! She’ll blow you away in the Variety! Music, Memories, and More Show, Pickin’ and Grinnin’, as well as The Fabulous 50′s Show with her singing and dancing. If you ever get a chance to see her in Bus Stop, you won’t want to miss that either. I know there are only so many shows they can put on at the Badgett Playhouse, so I’ll try to ease up with my campaigns for more Greater Tuna shows and the return of Bus Stop. (Do you think the airplane banners, megaphones, and Goodyear blimp were overkill?) One of my other absolute favorites, The Fabulous 50′s Show, is featured prominently on the schedule. You can’t miss this one.
Something else that’s fascinating about Sara…get this, the lady makes the gorgeous costumes that you see in these shows. No wonder she dances as well as she does, with that much talent coursing through your body, it must be hard to stand still.
I was also very impressed with the singer portraying Patsy Cline – native Texan Erica Delkou. Erica has a beautiful voice and I would absolutely love to hear her sing more. She made the Patsy Cline classics seem contemporary, like you could hear them on the radio today. Walkin’ After Midnight and Stupid Cupid were a few of my favorites, though they were all memorable and beautiful.
The band -Thomas Michael, Eddie Hall, Scott Durham, and Eddie Dunlap – made the evening complete. I wish I had a cd of the evening right now to listen to, actually!
Always Patsy Cline will be running through March 20. Pickin’ and Grinnin’ will run from March 27 – May 1. Click the link for more information on Pickin’ and Grinnin’.
I’ll keep you informed on upcoming shows and announcements. I do know there are upcoming dates for The Big Band Show, The Fabulous 50′s Show, Pickin’ and Grinnin’, and the Variety! Memories, & More Show. Smoke on the Mountain will be back in September. Also, at the risk of getting way ahead of myself, It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play will return in November and, yes as a matter of fact, I’m already looking forward to it. It’s another CAN’T MISS show.
As you know, we absolutely love Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, Grand Rivers, Aurora, the Willow Pond restaurants and all things that fall under the heading Land Between the Lakes. (Especially when they fall under the heading and answer to the name catfish.)
A while back, I wrote a review about the Aurora Landing Restaurant at Kenlake Lodge. Everything about it was beyond spectacular and I couldn’t wait to share the experience with our readers.
Not long ago, we found ourselves in the area again. When it came time to eat, we nearly drove to Aurora Landing without even discussing it. However, we hadn’t eaten in the beautiful restaurant in the Lake Barkley Lodge – very appropriately named Windows on the Water Restaurant - in a while and we were anxious to visit Lake Barkley Lodge. Besides, variety is the spice of life, right? The windows in this gorgeous restaurant afford you a breathtaking view of Lake Barkley with an endless parade of sailboats and beautiful birds. The restaurant is a real beauty, itself. Windows on the Water is always decorated spectacularly, celebrating whatever season or holiday the calendar shows.
Naturally, if the food or service didn’t back up the beautiful surroundings, this would be a short review… something to the tune of, “Go, take a look around, then go eat somewhere else.” Fortunately, I won’t have to say anything like that because the food was out of this world and the server couldn’t have treated us any better if we were her family.
I actually ventured away from my beloved catfish to try something new: a Kentucky Hot Brown. Here’s how it was described in the menu: Toast points with baked country ham, roasted turkey, smothered in cheese sauce, topped with tomato, bacon and cheddar cheese. Baked until steaming hot…
Here’s how I personally describe this Kentucky Hot Brown: Good, gracious God in Heaven, when’s the soonest I can have a Kentucky Hot Brown from the Windows on the Water Restaurant again?!?! My dear reader friend, I am at a loss for words here. This was one of the most remarkable dishes I’ve ever enjoyed – it was spectacular. When I took my first bite, I was stupified. My husband saw the stupification and simply (without saying a word) visited my plate with his fork…. His and Her stupification!
I’d tell you what Michael ordered, but I can’t for the life of me recall. All I remember is the delicious bread, the perfect sweet tea, the outstanding onion rings and the Kentucky Hot Brown that I’ve been fantasizing about since.
The next time you’re around the Land Between the Lakes, promise me you’ll eat at the Windows on the Water Restaurant. Oh, scratch that… don’t wait for the next time you’re in the area – just go! Kentucky State Parks.gov has all the information you’ll need about the Lake Barkley Lodge and I have all the information you’ll need about the Windows on the Water Restaurant… 20 stupifying stars out of 10.
