DANNY BOYS ITALIAN EATERY

Any time it takes more than 15 minutes to pick what you want to eat at a restaurant - and hear other diners around you asking their servers for more time to decide - you know you've hit the menu mother lode. That's exactly what happened the first time my husband Jack and I visited Danny Boys in Boardman.

Truth is, we found it by accident; exiting Mill Creek Park on state Route 224, we crossed to the south side of the road to take a peek in another restaurant we'd planned to review at some point. Then, Jack noticed Danny Boys, a place almost next door he'd never seen before. Since we also were trying to kill 15 minutes or so before the YM Camera store just up the road opened (it was a Sunday, and the store doesn't open till 12:30 p.m.), Jack drove over to Danny Boys for a closer look.

He liked what he saw; so after we stopped at the camera shop and he'd purchased a new neck strap for one of his cameras, he suggested having lunch at Danny Boys even though we'd intended to head straight back home. Never one to turn down an invitation to eat out, I quickly agreed.

As it turns out, there's a good reason we hadn't noticed the place before; as of mid-November, it had been open just four months, our friendly server responded to my question. And, it's a chain; based in Rocky River, Ohio, since 1991, there are other locations in Canton, Chesterland and Sandusky. Along the way have come a number of culinary kudos, the most recent of which (at this writing) are a "Top 10 Best Pizzas" award from Cleveland Magazine and "Best Pizza 2010" from WKYC Channel 3 and Metromix.

As the name implies, this place specializes in Italian food with emphasis on pizza. Catering is available as well, and Danny Boys says that depending on menu choices, the cost per person usually ranges from $6 to $9 and dinners and salads can feed two to three people per portion - not bad if you're hankering to host a party.

First, though, a bit about decor; just about everything here is related to Ol' Blue Eyes. Not only are the walls decorated with old photos, playbills and such; menu items are called "Chairman of the Board," "Lady is a Tramp" and even "Hammy Davis Jr." And most of the soft background music is by - you guessed it - Frank himself.

The number of choices in each category on the menu, from appetizers to sandwiches and calzones to pasta entrees, is impressive (we had a sample menu to peruse before our first visit and even then we had a tough time deciding). As I mentioned before, lmost everything here has an Italian flavor, but the primary emphasis is on that award-winning pizza.

You can, of course, build your own; in fact, that's what Jack did, ordering the basic one-item 10-inch pie for $9.99 and adding pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers to bring the total cost to $13.99. Not in the mood for pizza, I finally decided on the Grilled Classic Club Croissant ($7.99) - sliced ham, turkey, bacon and melted pizza cheese with lettuce, tomato and pesto ranch dressing. It comes with mildly flavored kettle-style chips, but diners can substitute a variety of fries, like the Cajun flavored I tried, for just $1.

Jack really liked the pizza, which had the "regular" thickness of crust as opposed to a few thin-crusts on the menu and the Chicago-style deep dish (both of which we plan on trying sometime down the road). The pizza sauce is very tasty and definitely a cut above other places, so it's easy to see why it's garnered some awards along the way.

My sandwich was absolutely fantastic, and although I really wanted to scarf down the whole thing, the size prevented that from happening and I took nearly half of it home. Those Cajun fries, BTW, are well worth the extra buck.

I should mention that presentation is big here, too; the food is delivered on large red plates with the food in the center and the rims dusted with sprinkle cheese. Very nice! And for another interesting touch, there's a deck of cards on each table so you can play a few hands while you wait.

Needless to say, we shared our great find with a few other folks who promised to keep my upcoming review a secret till publication day, so it came as no surprise when our friends Jerry and Barb said they'd love to try it too. Although we'd warned them about that menu - and showed them a copy while we drove to the restaurant - once again we had to ask for extra time to decide.

This time, it was I who opted for pizza, but I strayed from the traditional and picked one of the new, and intriguing, thin crust pies - this one Cabo Shrimp and Taco, made with lime cilantro olive oil, three-cheese blend, cilantro, chopped red and yellow peppers, black olives, chipotle shrimp, chopped lettuce and cilantro ranch dressing ($9.99). Although our goal is to try four different things to share, the pizza I chose sounded so great that Barb decided to give it a try, too.

Both of us ordered appetizers to pass around as well; Barb's choice was a half-order of the Bada Bing Buffalo Chips ($3.99), those crunchy kettle chips drizzled with mild buffalo sauce and topped with crumbled bleu cheese and a little pizza cheese. I just couldn't pass up the Italian Pigs in a Blanket ($5.99). The chips were quite good, although the add-ins didn't seem to add a whole lot of additional flavor. But my pigs in a blanket? Oh my.

The appetizer consists of two Italian sausage links, each wrapped in a baked crescent roll; cutting each in half to share among the four of us gave us a good taste but also left us wanting more. The sausage, which tasted homemade, was absolutely mouth-watering. Next time, I promised myself, I'd look for something else made with that sausage. And looking at the menu back home, I think I've found it: The Abe Froman "Sausage King of Chicago" sub made with these links, sauteed onions and green peppers and warm pizza sauce covered with melted pizza cheese ($8.99).

Meanwhile, the guys simply rode our coattails on the appetizer thing, heading straight for the main course. Jack's choice was a New Jersey Chicken "Woogie" melt, with Ricotta cheese, grilled chicken, pepperoni, tomatoes, basil, romano and pizza cheese drizzled with house Italian dressing and marinara sauce on the side ($8.99). Jerry finally settled on a Steak & Cheese Ciabatta ($7.99), a grilled beef brisket, mushrooms, hot peppers and pizza cheese topped with tomatoes, onion and Italian pub cheese sauce.

Jack deemed his Woogie Melt delicious and said he wouldn't hesitate to order it again. Jerry was a bit less enthusiastic, noting that his ciabatta was quite good but not "exceptional." As for the thin-crust pizza, the jury's still out.

That's not because it wasn't delicious; it was, and the lime flavor came through loud and clear. But it was extremely rich, so neither of us could eat more than a couple of slices. We also noticed that the thin crust was starting to get soggy by the time we'd downed our two slices (most likely, the thin sauce was contributing to that phenomenon). At any rate, we spent some time trying to decide how best to reheat it back at home. Microwaving pizza is never a good option, and certainly not when the crust is already soggy.

Barb said she planned to scrape off all the topping and refrigerate it, then re-baking the crust in the oven till crispy again, nuking the good stuff and then adding it to the crust. I figured I'd leave mine intact but bake it at a fairly high temperature in the oven in the hopes of crisping up that crust.

In the end, we did neither; an e-mail from Barb told me she'd taken a bite right from the fridge and it was quite good; ironically, I'd been about to head to the kitchen and do exactly that - so I followed suit and agree it tasted almost as good cold as it did when it was hot.

If you go: Danny Boys Italian Eatery
1315 Boardman-Canfield Road
Youngstown, Ohio 44512
(330) 726-3726

www.dannyboyspizza.com

CLEATS CLUB SEAT GRILLE

It's not all that hard to be a "sports bar" these days; just install a working tap with half a dozen beers, hang a few NFL and NHL posters on the walls, tune the TV sets to ESPN and add those words to the restaurant's name. Voila -- a home run!

Except not so fast; a name and a few half-hearted end runs at making the place look or smell like a gym do not a sports bar make. But if you started out as a place dedicated to [ahem] athletic supporters -- and your chicken parts have been designated as the "official chicken wing of the Cleveland Indians" -- I think it's safe to say you qualify.

Such is the case with Cleats Club Seat Grille on Elm Road in Warren, which moved into the building once occupied by another favorite of mine -- the Ground Round. The latter, much to my disappointment, not only left the building but the entire state (well, almost; the restaurant in Toledo was still operating at press time).

My husband Jack and I don't get over to the Cortland side of Warren very often, but when we do, it's most often nowhere lunch time -- and even when we were hungry, we always passed by Cleats to head for Enzo's on up the road or over to Up A Creek Tavern on "old" Route 82 in Howland Township. But we always said we'd have to try the sports bar sometime.

Then, we ran into an old friend at one of the events at the Eastwood Expo Center in Niles, and he -- like many other folks -- asked about our days as "official" restaurant reviewers at The Business Journal. No, we said, that's long gone, but now I'm writing a blog and always looking for good places to go. Turns out he and his wife are "regulars" at Cleats, where she insists the burgers are the best anywhere.

It doesn't take much to motivate us -- and besides, we both love burgers and a sports atmosphere -- so within a couple of weeks we decided to give it a try. First, though, we checked to see if the restaurant has a Web site -- and we got a surprise: Far from a single location, Cleats was founded in 1996 in North Royalton, Ohio, and at last check has 12 locations, all in Ohio and most in the northeast part of the Buckeye State.

Cleats is, the Web site spells out, a "full-service sports-bar/restaurant featuring a comprehensive menu complete with salads, wraps, burgers, sandwiches, ribs, quesadillas" -- and of course those wings (and, I hasten to add, 22 "signature" wing sauces). Inside, there's a fairly large bar section with those high tables; besides that, we spotted something like three other rooms with tables and booths, so this place can accommodate a fairly large crowd. The walls are decorated with sports-related photos and memorabilia, and of course, the requisite big-screen TVs hung in strategic spots.

Perhaps more important, signs told us we could get 23-ounce domestic draft beers for just $2, which we consider a real bargain. There are other beer specials during afternoon pro and college games, but that didn't include now -- those $2 puppies will do just fine almost anytime.

As we perused the menu, I spotted zucchini planks as an appetizer for $4.99 with marinara sauce for dipping. One of my favorites -- probably because they make me think I'm eating healthy even though they're deep fried -- I just had to sample them here. For my main course, I had to try that other special -- wings. For $8.99, I got 12 that we could share, choosing garlic parmesan sauce (which our server confirmed is butter-based -- I don't like buffalo or "red" sauces of any kind).

Ever the burger lover, Jack went for the Varsity Burger, choosing it with Swiss cheese, onion and mushrooms and well done. With it came a side of fries, and the whole wonderful mess cost $8.99.

The zucchini arrived first as it should have -- about six lightly breaded and fairly thick slabs cut lengthwise to make about slices perhaps 8 inches long and 2 inches thick. They weren't kept in the deep fryer long, and the dusting of parmesan cheese was a nice addition. I'd have preferred a different kind of sauce for dipping, perhaps horseradish based, but the marinara was quite tasty.

The wings weren't large as wings can go, but they were tender and that sauce is absolutely delicious. After fully expecting to take some home, we polished off the entire dozen in nothing flat.

Jack's burger was very large and good, although he said it was overcooked almost to the point of being burned. Unfortunately, I reminded him, that's a relatively common reality for those who prefer their meat well done (still, it shouldn't happen). The fries were quite good as well, but the order was huge and we couldn't eat all of them given everything else we'd consumed.

Quite satisfied with the results of our first visit, we ventured back in early afternoon on the Thursday before New Year's Eve day. There was no crowd, although we did see a few parents with young children and the bar side was packed. As soon as I sat down, I noticed the $7.99 Firecracker Burger, with pepper jack cheese, jalapenos and what's called "sweet heat" -- definitely a possibility, I thought, since the burgers are quite good here.

Once again, we decided to splurge on an appetizer, waffling back and forth to find one we'd both like. Finally, we settled on White Cheddar Pints -- deep-fried bite-size Wisconsin white cheddar cheese for $5.99. As we browsed, we noticed that several appetizer items are just $3 on Mondays, a factoid we filed away for later reference (and passing on to the readers of this blog).

Just as I'd almost decided on that spicy burger, I saw that Thursday is rib day; a full slab with cole slaw is just $10.99 (the rest of the time, a full slab goes for $16.99, so this is a really good deal. And for the record, it's available as dine-in or carryout). Perfect, I said -- I've been wanting to try the ribs here, and I'd be sure to have leftovers for another meal.

Not much of a rib lover, Jack chose a Hot Sicilian sandwich -- grilled ham, pepperoni, bacon, provolone, lettuce and tomato on a hoagie bun for $6.99 with one side (he picked fries once again).

I loved the cheese bites, which with the white cheddar taste a bit different than the usual mozzarella sticks. Even Jack, who isn't a big fan of melted cheese inside breading, ate several of them. The basket contained quite a few, and I discovered that they warm up better than back at home than do the mozzarella sticks.

The portions at Cleats are quite large, and Jack's sandwich came in two substantial halves, one of which came home with us (as did more than half that mountain of fries). It was delicious, he said, and proved it by polishing off the other half not too long after we got back home. I tasted the slaw that came with my ribs, which is mayonnaise-based and similar to what I make. It's very good, but since Jack is the real slaw-lover in our family, I gave him most of it, snitching a few of his fries in return.

As for the ribs, they aren't as meaty as some I've had, but they definitely rank among the most delicious -- and that Thursday price deal just can't be beat. The totally fork tender meat is smothered in a rich barbecue sauce that's literally finger lickin' good. We packed up more than half for later, and adding a few breaded deep-fried fantail shrimp gave us a fantastic New Year's Eve dinner for our own personal version of "surf and turf."

Our verdict? Yep, this is a sports bar. And yep, the burgers, ribs and inexpensive beer are almost guaranteed to turn us into regulars as well. Hey, maybe we'll see you there on Super Bowl Sunday!

If you go:

Cleats Club Seat Grille
3701 Elm Road
Warren, Ohio 44483
(330) 372-WNGS

http://www.cleatswings.com

Open seven days a week 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

BIG FAMIILY RESTAURANT

If you read my recent blog on the StoneBridge Grille and Tavern in Boardman Township, Ohio, you'll know that I discovered a fabulous sandwich that immediately landed near the top of my 10 all-time-favorite sandwich list (if you haven't, scroll down the blog to that entry and check it out). Color me amazed, then, to find another sandwich to add to the list just a few weeks thereafter!

Even more interesting is that I found it at the Big Family Restaurant in Girard, Ohio, where my husband Jack and I have had lunches and dinners countless times. But until our latest stop, I'd never given this sandwich a second look, much less a taste. That oversight, I assure you, has come to a screeching halt.

I'll skip over everything else and get right to the good stuff: Partly because we've eaten here so many times (and I wasn't particularly hungry at the time), I decided to try something new and different -- surprising myself by choosing a chicken and greens sandwich consisting of a chicken breast with roasted red peppers, Italian greens and provolone on a roasted ciabatta roll ($7.95). The biggest surprise, though, came when I sank my teeth into it.

At first bite, I rolled my eyes and savored a real "Aha!" moment of pure delight. A second bite followed quickly -- surely, I reasoned, it couldn't be that good -- and after that a third just to be positive before I declared it to be among the best sandwiches I've ever had the pleasure of eating.

With the ciabatta roll cut in half it's fairly substantial in size, I should add -- and especially at lunch time when I'm not ravenous, it's quite unusual for me not to take the second half home. Fat chance here; except for the small bite I allowed Jack to try (after which he agreed it's delicious), I ate every smidge.

I wish I could explain the appeal, but nothing in particular stands out. The grilled flavor is outstanding and the chicken is tender and juicy, but I think it's the melding of the red peppers, greens and cheese flavors that seals the deal here.

That out of the way, let me tell you a bit about the restaurant. It's located where Mikeee's used to be across from St. Rose Catholic Church (Mikeee's, which we used to frequent, now operates a restaurant within the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport). For a time, Big Family had a second location in the Eastwood Mall complex in Niles, but that's gone now (a server explained that the rent there was "too high" to make a go of the place).

I must also note that parking can be a bit of a problem. In past years, parking was available in the St. Rose lot across State Street, but that option has come to an end. There are a few spots at the side of the Big Family restaurant, but otherwise you'll need to try the lot behind the restaurant or a place along one of the streets and walk a block or two.

Not much has changed as for the layout in Girard since Big Family took over; one side has tables and chairs and is the main restaurant, while the other, also spacious, side has several booths and a bar that runs almost the length of the room (we usually prefer to eat here). The rows of booths are separated from the bar by a partition, and each of the bar-side booths that are on the exterior wall has its own small flat-screen TV set. Several other much larger TVs hang above the bar.

The interior color palette ranges from gray to black, but front windows let the sun in and keep it from being overly dark. There's an upstairs outdoor patio-style deck, which we've been told opens at 5 p.m. weather permitting (we fully intend to get up there as soon as the temperatures get warm again).

But back to the food: One of the reasons we've come here many times is that I love pierogies; early on, this place had numerous varieties on the menu, and we never met one we didn't like. More recently, the choices have been pared down to just four -- "regular" potato, potato and cheddar, crab and cream cheese and potato/jalapeno. The latter is a favorite of mine, and they're not so spicy hot that Jack can't eat one or two if I let him. They're priced at $8.95 for a dozen and $4.95 for six (which makes a great appetizer, by the way).

Sandwiches also are a specialty here, and we used to enjoy the lunch combos -- half a sandwich paired with your choice of one side like fries, soup, steamed broccoli and rice pilaf. My preferred side is the wedding soup, which is especially good -- a very tasty broth, plenty of greens, tiny meatballs and other "stuff." Jack, meanwhile, loves the clam chowder -- heavy on the clams and just a few potatoes, just the way he prefers it.

On a recent visit, we both picked a Philly steak half, and Jack had cole slaw as his side. With a vinegar base, celery seed and very finely chopped cabbage it's quite tasty -- Jack was happy -- but I prefer my slaw mayo-based like I make it at home.

As for the sandwich, we'd hate to see a whole one! The thinly sliced beef, melted cheese, mushrooms and onions were piled on a whole hamburger-sized round bun. I added some of the shredded lettuce that came on the side, but not so Jack -- lettuce is for rabbits, he insists!

Alas, like a lunch buffet that included several gourmet pizzas, the lunch combos seem to have vanished from the menu (although you can still get the pizzas, which are outstanding). That's too bad, because not only were they a good bargain, they were quite delicious. Since then, though, we've sampled a couple of specialties from the "Pittsburgh-style" sandwich section, all of which are priced at $6.99 (you can add an egg for 75 cents). My favorite from this list is the hot sausage with cheese (sweet sausage or corned beef are other choices). Everything on the list comes with cole slaw, fries, lettuce and tomato piled on top -- no other sides are necessary.

They really are huge -- two sandwich halves on thick white Italian-style bread. If you're one of those folks who like to keep all the foods on your plate separate (as I tend to be), these sandwiches probably aren't for you; we also noticed that the amount of meat, although delicious, seems way less in proportion to the other add-ins (in some cases, by a country mile). Had we pulled the meat out to eat separately, we wouldn't have had more than three or four bites.

Other excellent sandwiches we've enjoyed include the Buffalo chicken wrap, which has several options. Jack usually chooses grilled, garlic sauce for basting, a white (rather than wheat) wrap and bleu cheese for dipping instead of ranch. At $7.95, it's quite tasty. The grilled chicken club at $7.95 is great as well, with two chicken breasts topped with bacon and provolone on a toasted ciabatta roll with tomato and onion on the side.

One of my favorites is the pepper and egg sandwich, which I can get with hot peppers instead of sweet at no extra charge. It's full of scrambled eggs and peppers all mixed up together and served between two large slices of buttered, grilled Italian bread.

Big Family also offers build-your-own pasta and burgers; the pasta starts at $6.95, and you go from there. Similarly, Jack's burger started at $6.95, and he added cheddar cheese, grilled mushrooms and onions. For his side, he picked linguine marinara.

Several salads are on the menu, as are wings. The latter are excellent ($7.95 for 10), and you can choose from some rather unusual flavors like white ranch, Crazy Creamin' Cajun and Hot Tai. I'm a garlic fan, but not so much Buffalo sauce. Since some restaurants combine the two, I always ask. Here, even the "regular" garlic wings are slightly red, but not so much that I consider them to be "Buffalo" garlic. They also have lots of minced garlic and a bit of a zing, so they pass muster with me.

There are a few entrees that sound wonderful -- Sesame Tuna Steak with one side for $13.95 and Chicken Monterrey for $10.95, for instance. Add in that Ahi tuna wrap with red onions, mandarin oranges and oriental sesame dressing for $8.95, and it looks as if we'll be stopping here a few more times. Hope to see you there!

If you go:

Big Family Restaurant
30 N. State St.
Girard, Ohio 44420
(330) 545-4040

Open 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

CRACKER BARREL OLD COUNTRY STORE

Trying a new chain restaurant can be a real crapshoot -- you never know how you'll like the atmosphere or, more important, the food, until you try it. If it does suit your style and palate, though, the plus is that you can be relatively certain that you'll get that same enjoyment whenever, and wherever, you go.

Such is definitely the case at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, where the cookin' is the stick-to-your-ribs variety and dependably tasty. Headquartered in Lebanon, Tenn., the chain was founded in 1969 and now has 594 restaurants in 42 states, mostly located near interstate highways.

I don't recall the first time my husband and I ate at a Cracker Barrel -- it was many years ago -- but I do remember this: My meal of choice was chicken and dumplings, which came with two sides (my choices were mashed potatoes and gravy and sweet baby carrots). I loved it so much, in fact, that as many times as we've eaten at Cracker Barrel since then, the only time I've ever ordered anything else is if I'm in the mood for breakfast (more on that later).

Of course, along the way I've sampled some of the entrees Jack has ordered -- he's much more adventurous than I am when we eat here -- and everything has been delicious. If I had to guess, I'd say my love of the chicken and dumplings stems in part because I grew up on a farm in southwestern Ohio and had a mother who cooked everything from scratch -- even growing her own chickens. Granted, the large chunks of chicken in Cracker Barrel's meal can't hold a candle to the freshness of Mom's chickens, but they hold their own. The dumplings, if I may be so bold, just may be even better than Mom used to make.

I say that on good authority. Some years ago as my mother's health began to fail, she had a tough time eating much of anything and, at a diminutive 5 feet 2 inches with high heels on, probably weighed 95 pounds soaking wet. On one of our visits, we took her and my Dad for their first visit to a Cracker Barrel, and I recommended the chicken and dumplings. To this day -- several years after she passed away -- I still smile when I recall that she polished off the entire plate in short order -- the most I've ever seen her eat at one sitting.

These days, the dinner with two sides goes for $7.39; if you don't care for carrots (although I recommend them highly), you can choose from many other sides such as whole kernel corn, fried apples, macaroni 'n' cheese, cole slaw, breaded fried okra, turnip greens and more.

Before I ramble on about the great food, though, I should mention that each store is in itself a treat to visit. The walls are covered with old-time country "stuff" -- cooking pots and utensils, old photos and posters and even small tools. Outside, the open front porch is lined with rows of rocking chairs that invite diners to sit a spell if they need to wait for a table (which is quite likely if you go at a mealtime). The rocking chairs are available for sale ($129 each for the natural wood or white painted versions). They're so comfortable, in fact, that we've had one on our front porch for several years now and are thinking about springing for a white one or possibly the bright red one with the Ohio State University logo).

Once inside, guests must pass through an extensive gift shop to get to the restaurant desk (a very effective marketing ploy, by the way). All around, wonderfully scented candles, clothing like shawls, hats and hand-decorated shirts and jackets, "country" dinnerware and old-time brands like Watkins Products catch your eye and make you want to open your pocketbook even before you're had a bite of food.

Many items, like CDs, are exclusive to Cracker Barrel. Last month, for instance, the store began selling Smokey Robinson's new 12-song CD "Now and Then," the first release by an R&B artist in Cracker Barrel's music program that's best known for country and bluegrass. No, we didn't bite at our last visit, but I did find a beautiful embroidered faux suede shirt for me and something for our daughter Chris for Christmas (if you read this, honey, try to pretend you didn't know it was coming). Both were 50% off the sale price and a steal.

I mentioned that many Cracker Barrels are located close to interstate highways. One of the benefits of this decision is that food is served quite quickly, so as to cater to travelers who need to grab a bite and get on their way. On the other hand, the restaurants are popular stops for tour buses -- in fact, the company has a special program for tour groups. So although they typically schedule visits slightly outside peak meal hours, we always turn tail and run somewhere else if we spot more than one in the parking lot.

These high-traffic locations also have prompted something new: Installation of electric vehicle charging stations at several Tennessee locations with plans to roll them out elsewhere. Installation of the DC Fast Charging stations both accommodate and encourage use of the more environmentally friendly vehicles and are a tribute to Cracker Barrel's beginnings -- the first store sold gasoline. “Cracker Barrel was founded along the interstate highways with the traveler in mind and has always tried to anticipate what our guests might want and need as they stop in for some good country cookin’ and to experience genuine Southern hospitality,” Michael A. Woodhouse, chairman and CEO, said in a Nov. 30 news release.

Ultimately, he said, guests will be able to get an 80% charge -- the recommended charge -- in just under a half hour at the locations that will have the DC Fast Charging stations. In essence, guests essentially will be able to "fill ‘er up" in about the same amount of time it takes to order and eat a meal.

Cracker Barrel also has a "Books-on-Audio" program that's geared to travelers as well. If you buy a CD or cassette at any location, you can return it to any other location and get full credit less a per-item $3.49-per-week exchange fee.

It is the food, of course, that brings most folks back to Cracker Barrel. Since breakfast is served all day, as I mentioned earlier, we sometimes choose that option; my favorite, I suppose, is the Country Morning Breakfast: two eggs, grits, two buttermilk biscuits, a cup of sawmill gravy and smoked sausage patties (or bacon). Jack prefers the Old-Timers' Breakfast, two eggs (over easy), bacon and a side -- he loves the fried apples -- for $6.89. Meals come with a choice of fresh-baked biscuits or cornbread; I admit I'm not a big fan of the cornbread here, so we always go with the biscuits.

Describing the chicken and dumplings without using superlatives is hard, but the bottom line is this: three or four good-sized chunks of fork-tender white meat chicken (not breaded), topped with lots of tender dough dumplings swimming in thick white gravy. If you choose mashed potatoes as a side, as I always do, you can get more of the gravy, and the potatoes are real.

Another of Jack's favorites -- and one of only two other entrees I've had here besides breakfast -- is the meatloaf. On Tuesdays, in fact, it's a lunch special, served up with mashed potatoes and your choice of one vegetable. What was the second entree I've sampled, you ask? Another down-home favorite mamma used to make: fried chicken livers. Delicious!

These items are, as you might suspect, only the tip of the iceberg lettuce. The extensive menu lists several salads and sandwiches, "Country" dinner plates with enough food to satisfy Paul Bunyan, sandwiches and four luscious desserts including fruit cobblers (during holiday seasons, many restaurants sell whole pies as well).

Cracker Barrel has a kids' menu as well, and vegans can opt for an all-vegetable plate. Prefer to eat at home? Call ahead to pick up a complete meal for six -- two hours in advance is preferred -- and choose one entree, three sides and either corn muffins or a loaf of sourdough bread. If all that is more than you want, you can order anything off the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus to go.

By now, it should be clear that I love Cracker Barrel. But is there anything here I'm less than pleased with? For starters, the tables and chairs are packed a bit closer together than I prefer -- the servers even have a bit of a challenge navigating in between when their arms are filled with orders to deliver. I'll also warn about that inviting roaring fireplace -- a godsend in winter weather, of course, but hot enough that the devil himself probably wouldn't sit anywhere near it (and I advise you not to, either).

Lastly, I should note that this is just about the only place we've found where servers don't deliver breads (or biscuits or corn muffins) before the meal arrives -- always a bit of an annoyance even though the food arrives quickly enough that it's rarely a real inconvenience. Turns out this is company policy -- an effort to make sure the breads are served as warm as possible and to save money because, as officials claim, breads delivered automatically are often wasted because diners really don't want them. "As competitive as our business has become, every chance to reduce waste helps hold prices down," a company report says, adding that all servers have been instructed to bring bread before the rest of the meal on request.

From a customer service standpoint, I beg to disagree with that philosophy; particularly in this competitive day and age, I do not believe the burden of service, so to speak, should be placed on the shoulders of customers. No, I don't expect water or bread to be delivered automatically -- I agree that would be wasteful and require servers to make an extra trip to the table that isn't necessary.

But in fact, the Cracker Barrel servers always ask what kind of bread diners want when they take the food orders. Surely, if they can be "instructed" to bring bread beforehand on request, they can be taught to ask if diners at the same time if they'd like the bread brought before their meals.

At any rate, now that I -- and all the folks reading this blog -- know to ask, and ask I shall. Forewarned is forearmed!

If you go: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
5600 Interstate Boulevard
Austintown, Ohio 44515-1100
www.crackerbarrel.com

Check the Web site for other area locations. All restaurants are open Sunday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Teaming Up!

This just in: Thanks to Mike Costarella, host of The Valley View, we'll be bringing some of this blog's restaurant reviews to listeners now and again. If you haven't tuned in to this interesting and informative talk radio broadcast that features interviews with "happening" people, now's the time to get in on the action. If you're a Facebook member (and if you're not, sign up -- it's free), enter The Valley View in the search box and add it to your list of friends! Mike will issue a notice each time a new show airs. For the record, Mike says the cute logo was drawn by his daughter.

Similarly, many thanks to Art Byrd and editor/writer Michele Ristich Gatts for promoting this blog in the "A Byrd's Eye View" free e-newsletter! Want to know what's going on in the Mahoning Valley's entertainment scene? Read well-thought-out reviews of movies, TV shows and such? Sign up to get this must-read e-newsletter (did I mention it's free?) by sending an e-mail to artbyrdagain@yahoo.com -- just add "SUBSCRIBE" to the subject line (minus the quotes, of course)! If you'd like to learn more about Art, check out the profile article on the YSU graduate in the Winter 2010 issue of the Youngstown State University Magazine.

But wait, there's more! As I write this (on Feb. 18, 2010), I just finished reading Art's new blog, "A Byrd's Eye View." You won't want to miss this, either -- and while you're there, sign up to follow Art on Twitter!