SELAH RESTAURANT

Trying to pinpoint the type of cuisine at Selah Restaurant is like trying to lump animals in a zoo into a single category. The food at this Struthers, Ohio, eatery might best be described as eclectic -- perhaps reflecting, as least in part, the fact that one owner is Chinese and the other is Italian. But diners here will find many other ethnic influences here, from Mediterranean to French to plain old US of A.

Our first visit came some time ago, when we were delighted to receive a gift certificate -- this is a place we'd been wanting to visit, but since Struthers is a bit out of our usual shopping, errand-running and photography outing territories, we hadn't made a special trip. But now, we had a special reason, so we gathered a couple of friends who were more than willing to tag along. And as it turned out, it was a wonderful experience that would bear repeating.

I will say at the outset that Selah is not inexpensive, especially if you indulge in alcoholic beverages and appetizers; dinner entrees here run in the $9 to $18 range, and very few wines are available by the glass (beer and mixed drinks, though, are quite reasonable). But for those looking for a quiet, relaxing dining experience in interesting surroundings, this is a great place.

The surroundings begin with the building itself; an old bank that's been converted to house restaurant fixin's, the owners have kept brass teller cages, a walk-in vault (with seating) and original photography. There's an onsite bakery that emanates tempting aromas, and dark wood throughout adds a pleasant, comfortable feel to the overall ambience.

When we first visited, I didn't do much information gathering, but I do remember that we shared a couple of appetizers to start, one of which was stuffed grape leaves with feta cheese ($4.75), that were delicious. For entrees, three of us settled on one of the daily specials -- my choice was salmon -- and here, too, we smacked our lips over just about every bite and vowed to make a return trip.

That happened recently, and once again we saved some serious cash by taking advantage of a discount coupon from Groupon.com. If you haven't signed up at Groupon, by the way, it can pay off; the Youngstown area is now represented (although the folks at Groupon seem to think that Grove City and New Castle, Pa., qualify even though they're way too far away for us to consider going there with any regularity whatsoever).

That said, we decided to go to Selah on a Friday night, but we called ahead for a reservation. I doubt reservations would have been necessary; although there was a rather large party in the vault room, only a couple of tables were occupied in the main dining area when we arrived for our 6:30 p.m. "appointment." Still, this is a popular place, so I recommend making reservations if you don't like to wait.

Especially given our discount coupons, we decided to go whole hog, so to speak, ordering two appetizers to share. One was the stuffed grape leaves (now $5) and the other marinated shrimp and avocado with tomato-citrus drizzle for $6.50.

As is the custom when we dine with our friends Jerry and Barb, we each try to order something different so we can sample. Here, we had no problem, since each of us had a difficult time choosing which entree would satisfy most -- just too many tempting items on the menu. In the end, I chose Tilapia Francaise ($12.75), my husband Jack decided on Bourbon Beef Tips ($16.75), Jerry opted for Coq au Vin ($13.50) and Barb's choice was The Devonshire ($17.75). All entrees come with a house salad, one side dish and fresh-baked rolls.

Our salads arrived before the appetizers did, not that we cared a whit. We love the house balsamic dressing, which topped a nice combination of field greens, tomato, black olives and feta -- a very tasty way to start a meal. The appetizers were wonderful as well; we knew we loved the grape leaves from our first visit here, but we were exceptionally pleased with the plate of warm shrimp contrasted by cool slices of avocado (the drizzle, whatever it was, was delicious as well).

Side-dish choices include redskin potatoes with roasted red peppers, slow-cooked wild rice in chicken stock, garlic mashed potatoes with roasted garlic, sweet potato fries and a vegetable of the day. Two of us chose the wild rice, but when our entrees were delivered, our server told us that the rice wasn't fully cooked yet and so they'd given us a temporary substitute of the garlic mashed potatoes (with a promise of delivery of the rice when it was ready).

That was a nice gesture, although personally I'd have preferred to be told that the rice wasn't available up front so I could have canceled my rice order and picked the substitute I wanted to go with my meal (I'd have chosen the redskin potatoes, which I'd almost picked over the rice anyway). The garlic mashed potatoes were good and quite filling, which turned out to be a bit of a problem since the rice wasn't ready until we'd all finished our meals. By then, we had no room left for the rice except for a few bites. It was quite tasty, though, so we took most of it home and definitely will try it again next time we're here.

Still another slight frustration was that we didn't get the fresh rolls as indicated on the menu; however, once we inquired about them, a basket was delivered immediately (with a tub of butter and a wonderful olive tapenade consisting of, if my taste buds are correct, very finely chopped olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil). We polished off all four in short order, and a second basket appeared as if by magic.

The entrees were absolutely wonderful -- not a complaint among us. By way of description, Barb's Devonshire is a seared steak with portobello mushrooms, onions and spinach deglazed with fresh cream -- sounds tantalizing, doesn't it? Jerry's Coq au Vin was chicken with Potrobellos and roasted red peppers finished with a red wine reduction, and it was outstanding.

I'd waffled between the Citrus Pan-Roasted Salmon, seared wild Alaskan Sockeye with a citrus-garlic marinade and the Tilapia Francaise. I loved the tilapia, but I think next time we're here I'll try the salmon. Jack also loved the Bourbon Beef Tips, which are deglazed with Kentucky bourbon sauce. I tried them and agree the flavor is delightful, but since he ordered them in his usual well done style, they were way too overdone and tough for my medium rare taste.

Admittedly, we had no room left for dessert - a disappointment given the choices (I noticed what appeared to be creme brulee in the glass case near the entrance as we went in, a special favorite of mine). For the record, whole cheesecakes and other cakes, cupcakes and tortes are sold at the onsite bakery, as are bags of Selah's own whole bean and ground coffees.

Ah well, there's always next time!

If you go: Selah Restaurant
130 S. Bridge St.
Struthers, Ohio 44471
(330) 755-2759
www.selahrestaurant.com

Open Tuesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday

HARTVILLE KITCHEN

Readers who follow this blog know by now that my early years -- from birth till I left for Kent State University in 1959 -- were spent on a small farm in southwestern Ohio. With a stay-at-home, but hard-working, mother who loved to cook mostly from scratch, the eating was delicious. And, the craving for "down-home" cooking never went away, even as the times changed and eating out became almost more common than spending time whipping up goodies in my own kitchen.

Once in a while, though, I'm able to have it both ways: Eat out and eat good ol' country fare. One of my favorite places to do that is the Hartville Kitchen in Hartville, Ohio -- ironically, not far from the city of Kent, where I spent the first two years of my college life (the rest of the years came after our kids were in school).

The restaurant started in 1966 as a small restaurant, but it's since grown to become a complex of businesses that include a gift shop, home decor gallery, Hartville MarketPlace and Flea Market, a hardware shop and a tool shop (in other words, if you visit, plan to stay awhile). Over all those years, though, the restaurant has remained family owned, and the original Mennonite heritage also remains a constant, as evidenced by the wonderful food.

As you might expect, the menu is quite extensive -- and the waiting lines to get in the dining room can be quite long as well. The restaurant is good-sized, though, so the line usually moves rather quickly; still, I recommend timing your visit at other than peak mealtime hours.

My husband Jack and friends Jerry and Barb did exactly that not long ago, arriving fashionably late for lunch (or early for dinner, take your pick). Even then, there were quite a few ahead of us -- and a tour bus arrived shortly after that. This complex is a popular destination, especially for senior citizens, so it's not unusual to see a bus or two in the parking lot.

In fact, we, too, decided to do a little poking around in the gift shop and looking at all the interesting and unique wall hangings (many of which are for sale) before we got in line. In the process, I found a couple of items I thought would be terrific gifts, so I filed these away to pick up after we ate. If you're interested in gifts as well, be sure to visit the upper level, which has many other possibilities including larger items such as framed paintings and furniture -- all in keeping with the country theme, of course.

Although it's great to buy goodies like whole pies, homemade noodles and breads to take back home, the stick-to-your-ribs food served in the restaurant arguably is the big draw here. Since there were four of us, we decided to make the most of our visit by trying four different things. Three of us opted for sandwiches but added tossed salads, which arrived first -- nicely chopped greens, which I love. In addition, equally finely chopped carrots, tomato and celery are in there, and the dressings -- raspberry sweet 'n' sour and blue cheese were our choices -- were outstanding.

Our friend Jerry also wanted to try some soup, choosing broccoli-cheese (vegetable beef and chicken noodle also are on the everyday menu), getting a cup for $2.35. It was very creamy and -- surprise -- includes noodles, making for a very satisfying meal starter.

Jack's pick was from the Hot Sandwiches list, the roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy for $7.80. I almost went for the creamed chicken with mixed vegetables over biscuits and mashed potatoes, also $7.80; I've had it before and it's quite good. I should mention that these two, plus a roast pork with mashed potatoes and gravy, are available in half-order portions for $6.80. For that matter, all dinners are available a la carte, such as one piece of chicken, a side dish, etc.

Now for the rest of us: I tend to judge down-home cookin' by the quality of the fried chicken, so it was a no-brainer for me. I went big with three pieces of dark, my favorite -- a thigh, wing and drumstick for $10.50. White or wheat rolls come with all entrees, and I could choose three sides. One, of course, was a tossed salad; for the others, I picked mashed potatoes and gravy and cottage cheese. Other notable choices include macaroni and cheese, green beans, cole slaw, applesauce, Jell-O and sweet potato casserole.

The mashed potatoes are very real, and very good, and the fried chicken has a tasty breading that won't break your teeth. Jack's open-face roast beef sandwich was as delicious as he'd remembered from the last time we were here. Both Barb and Jerry looked at the sandwich list, choosing tuna salad ($5.90) and chicken salad ($4.50), respectively. Both were quite satisfied, especially when the salads and soup were factored in.

One of the don't-miss specialties here, though, are the homemade pies -- close to 20 varieties, plus no-sugar-added versions of cherry and apple. Keep in mind all four of us were stuffed to almost overflowing; that three of us ordered pie on top of all that is a testament to how good it is.

All of us did, that is, except Jack; he broke tradition by ordering a warm, gooey hot fudge brownie sundae ($3.49), making us almost sorry we'd picked the pie. For chocolate-lovers, though, this one is a must-try.

Those of us who did go with pie, which is $2.89 per generous slice, went with ice cream added, bumping the cost to $3.89. Not long after we placed our orders with our friendly server, she delivered a piece of coconut cream, black raspberry and vanilla peanut butter.

The crusts buttery and rather dense, but with a good flavor and consistency. The coconut flavor was quite evident but not overwhelming in my cream pie, and Jerry's raspberry filling wasn't overly sweet (yes, we all sampled each other's). Barb's vanilla peanut butter, though, was nothing like we'd expected, with the flavors blended together in a single cream filling. Instead, vanilla and peanut butter creams were layered, and the whole thing was topped with a soft meringue -- nothing short of totally decadent!

Needless to say, we stopped at the bakery to get a couple of whole pies to go -- the most expensive on the list, black raspberry (baked or cream) is $9.99, but most are a reasonable $8.50. And yes, I popped back into the gift shop to buy the treasures I'd found earlier (but until I pass them on to the recipients, exactly what I bought will remain my secret)!

If you go:
Hartville Kitchen
1015 Edison St.
Hartville, Ohio 44632
(330) 877-9353
www.hartvillekitchen.com

Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Closed Wednesday and Sunday.

RICKY'S ENGLISH PUB

Being a cheapskate has its benefits, and never is that more true than when my husband Jack and I are looking for a good place to eat. One day a year or so ago, we'd been on a late-morning photography expedition in Beaver Creek State Park near Lisbon, Ohio, and by the time we were making our way back home, it was way past the usual lunch hour and we were starving.

Nearing Salem, we considered stopping at one of our favorite places, BB Rooners, but on a whim I pulled out the envelope I keep in my purse that's filled with discount coupons for local eateries -- some from that year's Entertainment Book and others I snip from newspapers and advertising supplements. In it was a coupon good for $5 off a $25 purchase at a place we've seen often but never been in -- Ricky's English Pub.

With its latticework on the exterior, it really does remind me of what I'd think an English pub would look like. The reason we've not gone in, I suspect, is we figured it would be a fancy-schmancy (read: expensive), sit-down restaurant that's much more formal than we like, especially for lunch. Our coupon, though, gave us the confidence that even if the prices were a bit on the high side, we'd be able to fill up without emptying the piggy bank.

In fact, the interior is quite homey and comfortable -- and once again, the English pub influence is evident. The tables all have white linen cloths, and there's lots of dark wood and soft lighting. And surprise: The prices are quite reasonable, with several entrees in the $10.99 or less range.

Once we looked at the menu (and realized we wouldn't blow the budget here), Jack decided to sample a cup of lobster bisque ($3.50 at the time but now $4), and because this was our first time here and decision-making is tough, we ordered the appetizer sampler to share. At $7.50, it's loaded with onion rings, breaded mushrooms, mozzarella sticks and olives -- all of which, I hasten to add, are delicious. While we were waiting, we both enjoyed a glass of cold beer (that's Jack at the left).

There's an extensive, and very tempting, list of salads, ranging from simple mixed greens to grilled salmon Caesar to a grilled chicken and strawberry with candied walnuts and feta cheese (the latter is $9.99, but it's got my name written all over it for a later visit). Today, though, we settled on a couple of sandwiches.

The two we picked -- shaved-beef Philly steak with grilled onions, peppers and cheese ($6.95) and the batter-dipped cod "Prince of Whales" fish sandwich at $8.50 (which, trust me, lived up to the name in size) aren't on the latest menu. But I'm guessing the "regular" fish sandwich, also priced at $8.50, is much the same, though perhaps a bit smaller in a nod to the need of most restaurants to cut back a bit on portion side in light of the horrible economy.

Both sandwiches were accompanied by steak fries, which were wonderfully tender and tasty.

We didn't get back to the Salem area for several months, but when we did, the decision to visit Ricky's again was a no-brainer. At about 12:30 p.m. on a weekday it wasn't crowded, but there were several people in there since still lunchtime. The first thing we noticed on table this time is a two-page menu of martinis of all kinds and flavors. I've gone on record before by saying I don't consider anything except gin (or vodka), a touch of vermouth and a lime or onion garnish to be a martini, but all these fruity concoctions sure sounded wonderful whatever they're called.

There's a short list of daily specials, such as a shrimp basket and fries for $7. Once again, we had one of those spend $25, get $5 off coupons, so once again, we needed to get a couple of appetizers to make it past the $25. There are many from which to choose -- some on the more unusual side like breaded Asiago olives for $3.95 and breaded dill pickle spears for $4.25.

Our choices, though, were the jumbo crabmeat-stuffed mushrooms for Jack -- three for $6.95 -- and fried banana peppers with marinara sauce for $5.75 for me. For entrees, we wanted the English flavor, choosing from a list of five distinctly English pub-like specialties like Shepherd's pie ($8.99) and Guinness Fish & Chips ($10.99). Ultimately, I couldn't resist trying Bangers & Mash, or sausage and mashed potatoes, for $7.99. Jack wasn't too hungry (and figured his appetizer would fill him up anyway), so he ordered the Welsh Rarebit, or cheese sauce over toast ($6.95)

Both entrees came with salads, and we chose our favorite ranch and thousand island (me and him, respectively).

The appetizers arrived first, and the first thing we concluded was that Jack was right to stick with a smaller entree. The mushrooms can't be called anything but huge -- 4 to 5 inches in diameter -- and stuffed to overflowing with crabmeat and served with a side of melted butter. My banana peppers, though, were a bit of a surprise; the peppers are lightly breaded and fried, then topped with a huge mound of chunky, slightly sweet marinara sauce.

The peppers are quite delicious, and if I scraped off the sauce, I could taste the zing of heat from them. In a perfect world, I prefer the peppers with sauce on the side (or no sauce at all), but that didn't keep me from scarfing down every single one of these babies.

Our salad bowls were filled with crisp greens plus tomato, cucumber, onion and shredded carrots. Nothing out of the ordinary, mind you, but the dressings were quite tasty and we enjoyed them immensely.

Then came the entrees, which kept us both busy for a while. My bangers turned out to be two very large kielbasa-style sausages (very spicy, just as I like them), and the mashed redskins were served in a ramekin. Given the appetizer I'd consumed earlier, I had room for only one banger, bringing the other and some of the potatoes -- along with one of those huge stuffed mushrooms -- home to eat later.

Meantime, Jack really liked the Welsh Rarebit, making it a point to mention that it should be relatively easy to make back in our own kitchen (with a knowing wink at me, of course). He also made it a point to do his eating English-style, cutting with the fork in his left hand and not transferring it to the right to bring it to his mouth as we do here across the Pond.

If you go: Ricky's English Pub
151 E. State St.
Salem, Ohio 44460
(330) 332-2825

Open Monday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.; closed Sundays.

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.

RED LOBSTER

So much do I love seafood that sometimes I suspect I was born with a few gills. Or, maybe it's because I was born on the cusp between Pisces and Aries and, although the fire sign that officially begins on March 21 wins out overall, I got a healthy dose of the fish as well. Whatever the reason, no matter when or where my husband Jack and I go out to eat, it's likely that my choice will be some kind of seafood. On at least one of our almost annual treks to the North Carolina Outer Banks, for instance, I vowed that every entree I ate on the way, while we were there and on the way home would be seafood -- and I stuck to my guns (we rarely eat breakfast, but I did learn that crab cakes taste pretty good even early in the morning)!

That's one reason we love going anywhere there's lots of water -- and that's where you'll find some of our all-time favorite restaurants: Mulligan's Raw Bar & Grille, Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar and Fisherman's Wharf on the North Carolina Outer Banks, the Crab Claw in St. Michaels, Maryland, The Wharf in Erie, Pa., and Pickle Bill's and Brennan's in Grand River, Ohio.

Of course, nothing beats the freshness that comes from dragging dinner straight from the water to the table; back inland, it's a bit more difficult to find anything that remotely compares (especially since most restaurants tend to cook fish way beyond the point at which it tastes best). One of our favorite places -- Red Lobster -- may come as somewhat of a surprise. Chain restaurants aren't typically our favorite places, but over the years we've found that the fish here tends to be properly cooked and consistently delicious.

Most of the time, we visit the restaurant on the U.S. Route 422 "strip" in Niles, although on occasion we've ventured in to other locations. Such was the case a couple of weeks ago, when Jack and I met up with our son Scott, his wife Lilla, and Lilla's mother Sheila at the Red Lobster in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (that's Lilla and Scott in the photo at the left. The first thing we noticed is that the restaurant layout isn't exactly the same as the Niles location -- lots more dark wood and what appears to be a larger main dining room. Although it isn't listed as such on the Web site, we suspect it's been remodeled as part of the company's new "Bar Harbor" design project in which almost all existing restaurants will be getting a facelift by 2014.

Menus can vary from restaurant to restaurant as well; if you go online to check Red Lobster's Web site (see below), you'll be asked to enter a Zip Code to see what's available at the one you're interested in. Besides that, menu specials change relatively often, so always check what's new before you decide. One that's noteworthy at press time, for instance, is a choice of three "Surf & Turf" combinations for under $20 each -- chardonnay-grilled shrimp, grilled Maine lobster tail or snow crab legs paired with an 8-ounce peppercorn sirloin. Yum!

Red Lobster is, for the record, part of the Darden Restaurants stable that includes the Olive Garden and Bahama Breeze names. The first Red Lobster opened in Lakeland, Florida, in 1968, according to company reports, and today there are somewhere around 700 locations throughout the United States and Canada.

At our Cuyahoga Falls get together, we went whole hog (or more accurately, whole fish). Even though it was lunch time, one of us picked the Ultimate Feast that includes a split Maine lobster tail, steamed snow crab legs, garlic shrimp scampi and Walt's Favorite Shrimp ($24.99). Another picked the broiled seafood platter, with bay scallops, garlic shrimp scampi and stuffed flounder ($13.99).

I must emphasize, however, that one of the things I crave most from Red Lobster isn't seafood at all; it's those wonderful Cheddar Bay biscuits. So popular are these cheesy biscuits that Red Lobster reportedly bakes and serves more than 395 million every year -- making them from scratch and baking them every 15 minutes. The folks at Red Lobster won't divulge the recipe (nor do I blame them), but if you Google "Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits" you'll find some recipes that come pretty darned close to the real thing.

Our most recent visit was for a spur-of-the-moment late lunch on Christmas Eve Day. The stockings were hung, the gifts were wrapped, and we'd be alone for the rest of the evenings since our family get-togethers were on Christmas Day and the day after that -- so I guess we were feeling a little blue and decided a blast of fresh seafood (and a couple of beers) would cheer us up fast.

Here, we usually sit on the relatively small bar side of the restaurant; the tables border on tiny, but for just the two of us, we manage -- and hey, we're right next to the bar. We were armed with a $10 gift card I'd earned at MyPoints.com, a site at which you earn points by viewing (and possibly purchasing) offers that are sent by e-mail. I always cash in my points with restaurant gift cards (most often from Darden Restaurants), and over the past few years I estimate I've earned at least a dozen.

Besides that, earlier that morning we'd cashed a small dividend check from a local bank, and when Jack put on an Ohio State University winter jacket he hadn't worn for at least a year, he found $15 in one of the pockets! Put all that together, and we decided that for once, money was no object.

In mid-afternoon we were seated immediately, although we've never been to a Red Lobster that was devoid of customers at any hour. Happily for me, Blue Moon was one of the draft choices; Jack was less happy to learn they were out of all the Sam Adams brews on tap, but he settled for a Sam Adams Winter Lager in a bottle. I will warn that beer isn't cheap here; his bottle cost $3.99 and my glass (larger) was $4.50.

For starters, we decided to share a Seafood Sampler ($10.75); this large plate was filled with four lobster-crab-seafood stuffed mushrooms, a handful of fried clam strips and a skewer of four bacon-wrapped sea scallops. The scallops, in particular, are mouth-watering; although our initial plan was to divvy up everything equally, offering a sweet smile and batting my baby blues got me three of the scallops in exchange for that fourth stuffed mushroom, a favorite of Jack's.

As we munched, we noticed a number of customers who were picking up what appeared to be party trays -- this was Christmas Eve day, remember -- and we made a mental note that next time we needed to bring something to a party, this could be a great place to go.

For our entrees, Jack stuck with his usual baked stuffed flounder (the same as he'd had in Cuyahoga Falls) at $8.99; his sides of choice were cole slaw and fries with sea salt. It took me a little longer to decide -- I like the "create your own" entree, from which you can choose any two fish items (for lunch, it's $9.50) and the shrimp linguini Alfredo. In the end, though, I opted for the Sailor's Platter, made up of breaded fried shrimp, garlic shrimp scampi and an oven-broiled fish filet for $9.75. For sides, I picked a garden salad and rice pilaf.

I feel compelled to mention that I used to love the Caesar salad here (you have a choice between that and a garden salad as sides), but they've changed the dressing so it's now heavier and gloppy (my word) compared to what it used to be. The garden salad, though, is very good, as is the ranch dressing I picked. The rice pilaf, though, contains wild rice and plenty of flavor, unlike the rice pilaf I've had at other restaurants (to the point that I rarely order it because so much of it has been under-flavored, over-flavored and otherwise virtually inedible).

Only once in the many times we've eaten at a Red Lobster have we had room for dessert -- it was a piece of delicious key lime pie ($4.99) -- but if you can possibly stuff it in, there are plenty of delectables from which to choose. Jack's had his eye on the warm chocolate chip lava cookie for quite some time now -- a warm, thick cookie with a molten chocolate center topped with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce ($5.99). Hopefully, he'll give me a bite or two!

If you go: Red Lobster
5701 Youngstown-Warren Road
Niles, Ohio 44446
(330) 544-1321
http://www.redlobster.com
Open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Check the Web site for hours at other Red Lobster locations.

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.