Genuine Kentucky

Kentucky Pictures, Events, Restaurants

You are here: Home / Archives for Restaurant Reviews / Off the Beaten Path

The Farmhouse in Calhoun, Kentucky

by 2 Comments

The Farmhouse Restaurant in Calhoun, Kentucky
My husband and I were anxious to eat at The Farmhouse in Calhoun, Kentucky.  Knowing they served catfish, it was just a matter of time before I showed up on their doorstep, bib on and fork in hand. I swear, I’m such a catfish fanatic, my motto should be, “A day without catfish is just barely worth getting out of bed for.”When we first walked in, I fell in love with the place. I’m WAY into vintage Hollywood and classics, so the decor floated my boat in a happy direction. I quickly became obsessed with the huge stone fireplace in the center of the restaurant with a big, beautiful cross on the side.  So pretty.

While a restaurant review is, obviously, mainly centered around the food, I always, always, always take note of the surroundings and the servers.  In this case, the surroundings were spotless and exceptionally charming and the servers were as friendly and warm as you could hope for.  The ladies treated us though they’d known us all their lives and, about 5 minutes in, I felt as though we had. In this fast-paced society, do I even have to tell you how uncommon this is?

Michael and I both ordered catfish but we mixed up the sides a little, so we could sample as many things as possible.  He ordered potato salad and coleslaw in addition to beans and I went with onion rings (another obsession of mine) and macaroni and cheese.

  • The coleslaw was one of the two best sides, in my opinion. It had a wonderful flavor, with a hint of sweetness. It wasn’t like most coleslaw – it was way better. If I’d known it was that good, I’d have ordered, like, 12 sides of it.
  • The potato salad tied with the coleslaw for first place in the “sides” category. It was DANG good. In fact, I’d love a plate of it right now.
  • The beans were really, really good – not too soupy, which can be a problem in some restaurants.
  • The onion rings were outstanding.
  • The macaroni and cheese was my least favorite. We just didn’t see eye-to-eye on how mac and cheese should taste. I’m picky with Macaroni and Cheese and the oranger it is, the less inclined I am to have anything nice to say about it. I’m not sure why that is, but there you have it.

The star of the show was the catfish and it was exceptional.  Honestly, it blew my expectations clear out of the water.  The flavor was a knock out and the serving size was generous.  I was also wild about the hush puppies. These little guys were highly original and stood out from most hush puppies I’ve ever had.  Like the catfish, coleslaw, potato salad, and servers, the pups left a wonderful impression.

Some of the menu items include:

  • Cheese Sticks (appetizer)
  • Buffalo Chicken Tenders
  • Chicken Tenders
  • Fried Mushrooms
  • Fried Biscuits & Honey
  • Butterfly Shrimp
  • Baked Potato
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Coleslaw
  • Green Beans
  • Hush puppies
  • Tater Tots
  • Macaroni & Cheese
  • Fries
  • White Beans
  • Hamburger
  • Cheeseburger
  • Frog Legs
  • Club Sandwich
  • BLT Sandwich
  • BBQ Pork Sandwich
  • Salad
  • Homemade Pies

The Kids Menu Includes:

  • Hamburger
  • Hot Dog
  • Chicken Tenders
  • Mac ‘N Cheese
  • Piece Catfish

For dessert, you’ll be blown away by the homemade pies.  I’m a card-carrying chocoholic, so I went with the chocolate pie while my husband ordered the Coconut Cream Pie.  They were both mouthwateringly delicious.  (If mouthwateringly isn’t a word, it should be.)

Not only do I highly recommend eating dinner at The Farmhouse, I’m certain it’d be the perfect place to enjoy a quiet and delicious lunch.

The Farmhouse is located at 220 Main Street (Highway 81) and is open Thursday through Sunday 10:30 am – 8:00 pm. Call (270-273-3845) for any questions. If you love coleslaw, hush puppies, potato salad, beans, onion rings, and catfish so good you make one of those goofy “Ooooh, this is sooooo gooood” faces, trust me, you’ll want to visit The Farmhouse in Calhoun right away, if not sooner.

 

Philly’s in Greenville: A Gorgeous Restaurant with Food That’ll Blow Your Mind

by

Phillys Restaurant, Greenville Kentucky

Doing Kentucky Restaurant Reviews is one of my favorite things to do. Fortunately, Kentucky is covered with outstanding restaurants, so it makes my job even more enjoyable. Some of these restaurants are nationally known chain restaurants and others are little known, locally-owned restaurants. I love all types of restaurants, but these “off the beaten path” Kentucky restaurants are extra special.

{Edit 3/23/2015: Apologies for the pictures in this restaurant review – at the time, I had an iPod Touch that didn’t take the best pictures in the world – to say the least. I will get back to Philly’s soon, however, and get better pictures.]

 

The restaurant reviewed here, Philly’s in Greenville, Kentucky may not be on the “beaten path,” but rest assured, once you’ve been there, you’ll beat a path to get back.

Philly's Coleslaw

The first thing you notice about Philly’s in Greenville is how uncommonly beautiful the restaurant is.  Seriously, some real thought and creativity went into this gorgeous restaurant. The outside, the inside… the decor, the booths… the bathrooms, the landscaping…

Okay, suffice to say EVERYTHING.  You’ll find yourself just looking around, not wanting to miss anything.

Phillys Restaurant, Greenville Kentucky

Small towns in Kentucky never cease to amaze me.  Several times throughout the meal, as I looked around the restaurant, I thought, “This is the sort of restaurant you’d expect to see in Louisville, Lexington, Owensboro, or Bowling Green…”  Yet, here we were in quite, comparatively small Greenville, Kentucky.  Truth be told, any restaurant we’ve ever visited in Greenville has been uncommonly good. What is it with this town?!?!

Philly’s makes me think that the people in Greenville take great pride in what they do and how they do it.

This is one very special restaurant and, quite frankly, I can’t wait to go back.

Phillys Restaurant in Greenville Kentucky

 

My jaw dropped when I saw the beautiful outside of Philly’s, but when we walked in, my knees nearly buckled.  Beautiful just doesn’t seem to cover it.

We were at Philly’s Restaurant at lunchtime, but the restaurant also serves dinner, which no doubt is equally amazing. I can’t wait to go back and order off of their dinner menu.  If it’s half as good as the lunch, you can look forward to many more reviews.

Philly's Restaurant in Greenville, Kentucky

Because of the unseasonal, yet glorious, sunshine we’ve been enjoying in Kentucky the picture above isn’t as clear as I’d like it to be.  This beautiful statue is John Wayne on a horse and it is really amazing.  The likeness was incredible.

All of the decorations were gorgeous.  The time and money spent on this very special restaurant is obvious. Just as I was thinking, “They seem to do EVERYTHING right…” I noticed the bottle of Ketchup on our table, Heinz! If you read my restaurant reviews, you know a pet peeve of mine is nasty ketchup.  If it’s not a brand you’d see in Kroger, guess what – it’s probably a major cheapie and tastes like it.  When I see Heinz ketchup in a restaurant, it tells me that the owners of the restaurant have enough pride in what they do and enough respect for their customers to give them the best.

I appreciate that! As the Onion Ring Queen of the South (a self-given yet very earned title), I use ketchup often and nasty, cheap ketchup makes my toes curl – and not in a good way.

Heinz Ketchup in Philly's Restaurant Greenville, Kentucky

Michael (my husband) did one of his many clever things while ordering – and it’s something you absolutely MUST do when you go. After we placed our order, he asked if we could each have an order of coleslaw before our food was brought out.  At first, I thought, “Coleslaw… eh, well, why not.”  I tend to get about as excited about coleslaw as I do Wednesdays. Sure, it’s okay, but…

That was before I tried Philly’s coleslaw.  Words can’t tell you how extraordinary this coleslaw is.  I can’t for the life of me figure out what they did to it (and I’m an avid cook!).Ã?  It’s the best coleslaw I’ve ever had in my life and if I had the recipe I’d make it every single day for the rest of my life.  It’s not just good, it’s stupid good.  It comes served in a beautiful little dish because.. well, because they do everything right, that’s why.

Notice the crackers are also name brand? Would you expect less?  Something I was somewhat surprised to see (after seeing just how gorgeous everything was) were the prices. They were extremely reasonable. I honestly expected them to be higher.

My husband, Michael, had the Italian Beef and I ordered the Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich. We both had onion rings, which was a great call.  The pulled pork was outstanding. It tasted like pork you’d expect to find in a BBQ restaurant – smokey and mouth-watering delicious.  From the way my husband devoured the Italian Beef, it must have been equal to the pulled pork!

Philly's in Greenville, Kentucky Pork BBQ and Onion Rings

 

Italian Sub and Onion Rings

Unfortunately, we had places we had to be, so we couldn’t just lie down in the booth and wait for supper. So, we had to leave – but I made a solemn promise to The Duke (and to his horse as well) that’d we’d be back soon…..

Philly's Restaurant Greenville, Kentucky

Very, very, very soon.

Directions:


View Larger Map
[toggle state=”closed” title=”Click the arrow for the inside scoop on my Ky Restaurant Reviews!”]When writing Kentucky Restaurant Reviews, I try, very hard, to accentuate the positive, while spending as little time with the negative as possible.Ã?  However, in fairness to my readers, the negative can’t be glossed over or ignored. However, when a “negative” is addressed by a restaurant, I always go back and edit the original post. It’s my pleasure to do so!Ã?  A few of my pet peeves when it comes to restaurants are:

  1. Crummy sides. I hate for a restaurant to rest on the laurels of their meat and/or main dishes. If it’s on your menu, it should be able to stand on it’s own, as if it were the ONLY thing on the menu.
  2. Unfriendly servers. If you read a restaurant review on Genuine Kentucky and the server is not mentioned, rest assured that they either weren’t very friendly or weren’t exactly on the ball. Or both!
  3. Unfriendly hosts and hostesses.Ã?  Hello?!Ã?  You’re paid to be friendly. Your job exists to welcome visitors and make them feel like you’re glad to see them.
  4. Off brand condiments.Ã?  I LOVE to see a restaurant owner who cares enough about his/her guests to serve them Heinz or Hunt’s, Red Gold at the very least.Ã?  Off brand Ketchup is gross.Ã?  It screams “Someone’s cutting corners!!!”
  5. Overcooked fries.Ã?  Come on, take them out before they’re brown.Ã?  Brown fries aren’t cool.
  6. Watery soft drinks. Servers should be taught that if you see the beverage come out of the machine and there is NO fizzle, DO NOT serve it to the guests. Blech.
  7. Servers who “Push the Wrong Button.”Servers charging the wrong price for menu items is becoming an alarming trend. A server can get annoyed with a customer and, bam, “accidentally” hit the wrong button.Ã?  A word to anyone who eats out: Examine your ticket. For example, if the restaurant offers 1/2 off Sushi, make certain your server doesn’t charge you the full price.
  8. I am, by nature, a very friendly guest when I visit restaurants.Ã?  I always, always leave tips.Ã?  When the service is good, I don’t just tip, I over tip! My oldest daughter is the same way. One sweetheart of a server in Olive Garden once got a $10 tip from us for lunch.Ã?  She made us smile, so we wanted to make her smile. It’s really as simple as that.
  9. Real butter is always better than Margarine.
  10. Options, Please.Ã?  As someone with a vegetarian daughter, I love for restaurants to offer completely meatless dishes.Ã?  Bonus points for the restaurants, like Denny’s, with Boca Burgers on their menu.

One final thought: If an owner really wants their restaurant to be the best it can possibly be, he or she should have comment cards on the tables. Guests will tell them what they’re doing right but, more importantly, they’ll tell them where they’re messing up.Ã?  A closed, secure box should be provided for guests to put the cards in. Get the opinions from the people who’s opinions matter most.
[/toggle]

One of Kentucky’s Best Restaurants: The Feed Mill in Morganfield, Kentucky

by Leave a Comment

The Feed Mill Restaurant, Morganfield Kentucky

I’ve put off writing a  Kentucky Restaurant review on The Feed Mill for a while simply because it’s a toughie….

  • At some point, even people who write all day/every day run out of adjectives.
  • Just thinking about The Feed Mill in Morganfield gives me intense cravings – and it’s over 45 minutes away.

I can’t put it off any longer, so here goes.  I’ve warned my brain to prepare for overwhelming cravings and now I’m warning you to prepare for flying adjectives.

We’ve actually eaten at The Feed Mill regularly for several years. As you know, I’m the world’s biggest catfish lover and The Feed Mill has some of the best catfish in the world.  Seriously, I’ve never had better catfish in my life and, if it weren’t for The Willow Pond restaurants (Willow Pond in Aurora and Willow Pond in Calvert City), I’d give The Feed Mill sole possession of Best Catfish in the World.  As it is, I’m sure they don’t mind being in a three-way tie. On a scale of 1-10, their fried catfish is a 500. The same can be said for their Fried Chicken, which is positively outrageous.  It’s crisp and Heavenly on the outside and juicy and delectable inside.  It’s the best fried chicken I’ve ever gotten in a restaurant – ever.

Sole possession of fried chicken bragging rights!

My husband, Michael, got the Prime Rib one night and nearly cried because it was so delicious. He consented to giving me a taste and I nearly fell out of my chair.  It was so unbelievably tender and the flavor was the stuff dreams are made of.  It had to be the best Prime Rib on the planet simply because it wouldn’t be possible for it to taste any better.  Just not possible.

The extraordinary catfish, prime rib, and fried chicken (I’d crawl over rattlesnakes right now for a bite of that chicken.) are so amazing that I haven’t branched out to the other meats… YET. But when I do, they also have the following on their menu:

  • Quail
  • Shrimp
  • Frog Legs
  • Oysters
  • “Taste of Louisiana” cajun items such as gumbo, Jambalaya, Red Beans and Rice and more.

If you’ve read many of my restaurant reviews, you know that I’m a stickler for sides.  Many will disagree with me, but I’m convinced that you can tell more about a restaurant by its sides than you can its meats, bread, or even desserts.  Sides are an area where far too many restaurants just throw anything out and hope no one notices.

They take the approach that if the meat’s good enough, the sides won’t matter.  Ridiculous!  I’m all about the sides and I’m delighted to report that The Feed Mill’s sides are as wonderful as their meats… and that’s saying something, believe me!

The Feed Mill Restaurant, Morganfield Kentucky

Below are the Side Items, and each and every one is a perfect 10:

  • Baked Potato
  • Fries
  • Onion Rings (have mercy)
  • Homemade Baked Beans (a favorite.. they’re spectacular)
  • Coleslaw
  • Potato Salad
  • Green Beans, also excellent
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Steamed Vegetables

You can’t go wrong with any of the sides, but take it from someone who knows, you’ll want to add a side – not that you’ll need it to fill up or anything.  You’ll just want to enjoy as many as you can each trip! Click HERE for The Feed Mill’s impressive menu (be sure to keep scrolling to see the entire menu and the pictures that look so good you can almost taste them).

The Feed Mill serves lunch and dinner, so be sure you plan accordingly. You know, plan to have lunch at The Feed Mill (Perhaps a Po’ Boy and Onion Rings), then entertain yourself in nearby Henderson, Kentucky and return for supper.

Whatever you do, whenever you eat, and whatever you order…. you MUST try the Gourmet Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce. I know, I know, you’ll see the Pecan Pie or the Peanut Butter pie on the menu and want to veer off in a crust-y direction. And while that’s be divine, trust me on this one – the Gourmet Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce is unlike anything you’ve ever tasted or will likely ever taste again. It’s mind-numbing how delicious it is. You won’t be able to get it off of your mind for months. You’ll go around telling perfect strangers about it. All of their desserts are Heavenly, but the Bread Pudding takes you to a whole other level of Heaven.

Believe me, it’s a trip you don’t want to miss. Such flavor!

More advice:

  • If you’re cold-natured (like me), take a sweater or jacket – usually it’s kind of chilly in The Feed Mill… until you start eating, that is. Then all the happy feelings warm you up but good. You can always spy the regulars, they wear long sleeves or jackets!
  • If the hostess tries to sit you at the tiny two-seater table, do all within your power to wait for a larger table. Unfortunately, we got the tiny table on our last visit. By the end of our meal, we were reaching around half a dozen dishes trying to get to our beloved Bread Pudding. I looked, with envy, at the other couples sitting at 4 seat tables…. and some even came in after us! Hold out for a 4 seater if you can because you’ll want to spread out and enjoy your Heavenly meal.
  • The food is made fresh to order which means that, sometimes, it can take a bit. So order an appetizer or an order of onion rings to hold you over. The amount of time it takes kind of varies each trip – it depends mainly on how busy they are.  Besides, ordering an appetizer gives you an opportunity to enjoy even more of their spectacular food!
  • GO! I don’t care how far away you live from Morganfield, Kentucky – make a special trip. It’ll be worth it, I promise. The food, the vibe, the friendly people, the adorable decor.. even the iced tea is superb.

Weekly Specials at The Feed Mill

Monday Night
All-U-Can Eat Cajun

Tuesday Night
All-U-Can Eat Cajun

Thursday Night
Grilled Prime Rib Dinner

Friday Night
All-U-Can Eat Catfish Fiddlers

Saturday Night
Grilled Prime Rib Dinner

The Feed Mill Restaurant & Bar
3541 US Hwy 60 E
Morganfield, KY 42437
Telephone:  270-389-0047

Click HERE for directions to The Feed Mill.


View Larger Map

Bee Bops for Burgers and Daily Specials: We’ve Got it Good in Owensboro Kentucky!

by Leave a Comment

Bee Bops in Owensboro Kentucky- Daily Special, the Manhatan!The Manhatan at Bee Bops in Owensboro, how delicious does that look?!?!

My husband and I ate lunch at Bee Bops in downtown Owensboro this afternoon. Delicious, delicious, delicious! He had the Daily Special, which today was the “Manhattan” (Texas Toast with Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, and Gravy – shown in all of its beauty above) and green beans. He ate it inside of three minutes, yet your’s truly still had the gall to ask, “So. How was it?”

You guessed it, outstanding.

As great as today’s daily special sounded, I HAD to try their Bopper Burger and Onion Rings. I was tempted by their crinkle cut french fries, but you know me and my onion ring obsession. My rule: If onion rings are on the menu, order onion rings. If they’re not on the menu, demand an explanation. So, yeah, I’ve eaten onion rings all over God’s green earth – and I’ve never had any that were any better than the ones in Bee Bops 50’s Diner.

They were excellent. My burger was, too, as a matter of fact. Just thinking about the burger and onion rings right now makes me wish I could go back in time and do it all over again. I know my husband would jump right in the time machine with me.

Although the past might not be THE place to be. After all, tomorrow’s special at Bee Bops is Shrimp Burgers. Oh, man….

If you haven’t been to Bee Bops yet, what in the world are you waiting for. The workers are uncommonly friendly, the food is delicious, the prices are great, the 50’s music and decor is adorable, and the entire experience is a lot of fun.

Bee Bops in Owensboro, Hamburger and Onion Rings

Bee Bops Hamburger and Onion Rings – I’ve never had better onion rings.

Dockers Bayside Grille May Have the Mac Daddy of all Onion Rings

by 2 Comments

Dockers Bayside Grill Turtle Burger

I’ve fallen in love with Docker’s Bayside Grill in Grand Rivers. It was love at first sight, actually, because  I loved the atmosphere immediately.  The decor set the tone beautifully and the workers were very, very friendly.  I loved the fact that many of the diners came in fresh from being out on the water – all red-faced and looking for a tall glass of sweet tea, which was amazing, by the way.

As I’ve said before, when I go to a new restaurant – no matter where it is, how big it is, or what I’m eating – I order their onion rings.  I am obsessed with onion rings (this food obsession curls up cozily beside my coffee, chocolate, Fudge Factory Peanut Butter Fudge, and fried catfish obsessions).  I am, by now, the onion ring queen.  I know my rings!

When we saw the menu, I clicked my heels when I saw Onion Rings on the menu.  Naturally, I ordered a Catfish Sandwich and Onion Rings.  My husband got the grilled salmon sandwich and fries.  He had seen a picture of and read about their famous sink your boat omelet, so that’s what he wanted to order.However, our server said they stopped serving breakfast at 11:30.  Given the fact that – counting my husband – during the 45 minutes we were there, six people tried to order the omelet, they should consider pulling a Cracker Barrel and serve breakfast all day.  Personally, I wouldn’t eat breakfast past 10:00, but apparently lots of people would more than love to.

How many ways do I love Dockers? Let me count them…

  1. Okay, I’ve already established myself as the Onion Ring Queen, right?  I’ve had my favorite side dish in countless places – all over the south of the United States, as far west as Kansas and Iowa and as far north as Minnesota and Northern Indiana.  I can honestly say that I’ve never had better onion rings than the ones I ate at Docker’s Bayside Grill.  They were phenomenal. Fat, flavorful, and even beautiful to behold.  What I wouldn’t give for an order right now! The onion rings at Docker’s Bayside Grill in Grand Rivers, Kentucky are perfection.  You can go ahead and write that down.
  2. My husband ordered fries with his Salmon Sandwich (We aren’t going to talk about the sandwich – it wasn’t anywhere near as good as my sandwich.).  The fries were delicious.  Given my Onion Ring fetish, I don’t eat a lot of fries, but if they all tasted like these, I’d probably order them more often.  These were amazing.
  3. My catfish was as delicious as the Onion Rings – and that’s saying something.  I normally don’t order Catfish sandwiches because I don’t like for the bread to get in between me and my catfish.  However, Docker’s Bayside Grill Catfish Sandwich is more of an “open sandwich” which, in my opinion, is the way a Catfish sandwich should be.  It doesn’t allow the bread steal the show from the star.  I can’t say enough good things about the catfish, it was just remarkable and I wouldn’t change anything about it.
  4. The sweet tea was really, really, really good.  I guess it’s a southern thing, but I LOVE sweet tea – and bad tea makes me wish I’d stayed in bed.
  5. Although we didn’t order them (this time), the turtle burger, Mushroom & Swiss burger, and grilled chicken salad looked heavenly.  So did the desserts – which I WILL try next time. The only reason we didn’t this time was we knew full well our next stop was the nearby Fudge Factory.
  6. The view of the bay is breathtaking.  It’s a beautiful location and you can eat inside or on the screened porch as you enjoy the view.

Click HERE to learn more about the gorgeous Green Turtle Bay Resort and HERE for more information on the Docker’s Bayside Grill.

EDIT (3/30/2015): Ironically, the onion rings now served at Docker’s are different from the ones I talked about in the review above. It isn’t anything the restaurant is doing differently – it’s a “supplier” decision.  They’re still good, mind you, but the fries (in my opinion) are now even better than the onion rings.

Dockers Bayside Restaurant at Green Turtle Bay in Grand Rivers Kentucky

"When reading about a Kentucky event, please be sure you check the date. Old events are not always deleted from the website. If you have an event you'd like to see on Genuine Kentucky or a 'Made in Kentucky' food or product you'd like reviewed, please contact us! " ~ Joi ("Joy")

Flowering Tree in Bowling Green
Fraley Music Festival
Maddox