Cracker Barrel, West Monroe, LA

RESTAURANT: Cracker Barrel, #278

OFFICIAL NAME: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

LOCATION: 309 Constitution Drive, West Monroe, LA

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: January 12, 2005

PRICE RANGE: Reasonable

FAVORITE FOOD: Old Time Breakfast

OTHER GREAT FOODS: The smoked turkey salad with special dressing was good on a night when one of us was feeling guilty about all the eating during the Christmas season. The coffee is always hot and tasty. The tea is always fresh with plenty of lemons. One of us has lemonphilia.

FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: The problem is with us, not Cracker Barrel, that we are spicemouths™. As a result of our need for spiciness, we find the vegetables bland.

SPECIALS: One of the current specials is described at www.CrackerBarrel.com is, “Tender, melt-in-your mouth beef pot roast with potatoes, carrots, onions and tomatoes, all seasoned just right then slow-simmered in a flavorful broth. Served with biscuits or corn muffins.”
APPEARANCE: Cracker Barrel always has plenty of interesting things to look at and buy.

SERVER: Misty

SERVICE: Excellent service as always

UNIQUE FEATURES: Breakfast any time Cracker Barrel is open

COMMENTS: We are always glad when we can eat at Cracker Barrel. We find it necessary to check often to make sure the quality is being controlled.

Tia Maria's, Ruston, LA

RESTAURANT: Tia Maria’s

USP: A Beautiful Downtown Restaurant

LOCATION: 102 North Monroe Street, Ruston, LA 71270

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 1/23/05

PRICE RANGE: Moderate. Sunday lunch entrees are about $8.00.

FAVORITE FOOD: The crawfish enchiladas, stuffed with a generous serving of well-seasoned crawfish tails and covered with a cheese-crawfish sauce, were a tasteful mingling of south Louisiana and Tex-Mex flavors.

OTHER GREAT FOODS: The complimentary salsa served before the meal arrived was a convenient blend of flavors with a slight amount of heat easily cooled by the fresh-tasting iced tea. The cheese chili relleno was delicious.

On a previous occasion we ordered yummy appetizer plates, which were filling enough to be eaten as meals.

FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: The rice was dry and bland, but topping it with salsa solved the problem. We cleaned our plates!

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: Prompt, hassle-free service

SPECIALS: There is a weekday lunch menu.

APPEARANCE: Clean. The restrooms were clean.

SERVICE: Excellent with attention to details

UNIQUE FEATURES: Longtime Ruston residents who sit in Tia Maria’s appreciate the marvelous change that has transformed E. Lee Young’s Auto Parts into a string of trendy boutiques. At the front of the old auto parts store Tia Maria’s is perched in a spacious room. Instead of trying to cover the brick wall, the restaurant has placed clever wall hangings, including hats and colorful blankets.

COMMENTS: The menu gives adequate information about the quantity and quality of food items.

It has delicious Tex-Mex type food with a bayou blend.
Servings were generous, there was enough fresh lemon for the iced tea, and the chips were fresh. The waitress cheerfully supplied a side of jalapeños, which we consider essential, without adding an extra charge.

Burger King, Bastrop, LA

RESTAURANT: Burger King #01729

LOCATION: Bastrop, LA

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 4/23/04 (drive through)

PRICE RANGE: Low

FAVORITE FOOD: The zesty sauce that comes with the onion rings (you may have to ask for it) is some of the best food we’ve ever brought to our lips. It has a hint of horseradish.

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Fish sandwich

FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: French fries

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: Speed

SPECIALS: Coupons are always flying around.

APPEARANCE: Acceptable

SERVICE: Good

Bayou Inn, Minden, LA

RESTAURANT: Bayou Inn

LOCATION: 172 Dorcheat Street, Minden, LA 71055

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 8/8/04

PRICE RANGE: About $15 for fried catfish (all you can eat)

FAVORITE FOOD: Fried catfish fillets

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Slaw, hush puppies, bean soup

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: Service

APPEARANCE: The interior of Bayou Inn is tastefully decorated

SERVICE: Attentive server

COMMENTS: Bayou Inn is one of the most outstanding all-you-can-eat fishing places in its area. Although the fish is tasty, it is quite salty.

Catfish Inn, Quitman, LA

RESTAURANT: Catfish Inn of Quitman
LOCATION: 1650 Arcadia Way, Quitman, LA 712680

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 7/12/04

PRICE RANGE: About $12 per person for seafood buffet, including drinks and desserts

FAVORITE FOOD: All that fried fish and seafood

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Hushpuppies, slaw

APPEARANCE: There were many interesting pictures on the wall. Catfish Inn is beginning to need a facelift.

SERVICE: Cafeteria-style line and helpful server

COMMENTS: Although we liked all the food, we felt guilty about consuming so much fried food.

RESTAURANT: Maxwell's, Ruston, LA

RESTAURANT: Maxwell's, Mo-Sa 6 a.m.—2 p.m. & 5 p.m.—9 p.m.; Su 6 a.m.—3:30 p.m.

LOCATION: (in Ramada Inn) I-20 @ US 167, North Service Rd East, Ruston, LA 71270; 318-255-5901

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 4/11/04

PRICE RANGE: Inexpensive to expensive

FAVORITE FOOD: Hamburgers! One of the best-kept secrets in North Louisiana is the quality of hamburgers at Maxwell’s. The patties are juicy, handmade works of art. The burgers taste the way they did years ago when our parents made and grilled them.

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Maxwell’s has a breakfast menu that is unsurpassed.

FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: The Reuben sandwiches are not always consistent; in fact, they don’t always taste like Reubens.

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: Relaxed, unhurried down-home atmosphere

SPECIALS: During the week there are different specials for each day at the lunch buffet.

APPEARANCE: Maxwell’s is clean. Throughout the year there are tasteful seasonal decorations. The view of the pool through the back window is pleasant.

SERVER: Martha

SERVICE: Often it takes the cooks an inordinate length of time to prepare the food. The pleasant servers make up for the wait by keeping coffee cups and tea glasses full. If the company is good, the wait is worth it.

UNIQUE FEATURES: Maxwell’s has a history of providing live music on the weekends. The banquet facilities and meeting rooms are in constant use.

COMMENTS: With all the new restaurants coming to Ruston, it is easy to find a place to sit in Maxwell’s. The tasty Sunday buffet has been a place where the Ruston community has enjoyed lunch together for years.

RESTAURANT: Luby's Cafeteria, Bossier City, LA

RESTAURANT: Luby’s Cafeteria, #143, Bossier City, LA

LOCATION: Across the street from Pierre Bossier Mall, Bossier City, LA

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 12/23/03

PRICE RANGE: Moderate

FAVORITE FOOD: Grilled fish

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Broccoli with cheese sauce, pecan pie, salads, cabbage

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: Consistent quality nationwide

SPECIALS: Luann platter

APPEARANCE: Neat and clean

SERVICE: While Luby’s is a cafeteria, servers make regular rounds to provide drinks and sauces.

COMMENTS: Luby’s is always good and always clean.

Log Cabin, Ruston, LA

RESTAURANT: Log Cabin Mesquite Grill

LOCATION: 1906 Farmerville Highway, Ruston, LA 71270

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 9/12/04

PRICE RANGE: Moderate

FAVORITE FOOD: Baby back ribs

OTHER GREAT FOODS: The barbecued meats are tasty.

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: the friendly attitude of the owner

APPEARANCE: New sections have been added as the business expands. It is possible to eat in open air.

On the weekends there is live music, which I find slightly loud. I never complain though because I don’t want anyone to think I’m an old fuddy-duddy. Instead, I tear off pieces of my napkin and stuff little paper wads into my ears.

SERVICE: The restaurant is often busy; sometimes the servers are not sure what is happening, but they are usually very pleasant.

UNIQUE FEATURES: The Log Cabin is built around an actual log cabin with its structure still intact within the restaurant.

Old Mexico, Farmerville, LA

RESTAURANT: Old Mexico, Farmerville, LA

LOCATION: 712 North Main Street, Farmerville, LA 71241

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 9/5/04

PRICE RANGE: Moderate

FAVORITE FOOD: Beefsteak fajitas

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Chimichangas, salsa, queso (made with white cheese)

FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: Quesadillas

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: Some of the food is authentic Mexcian style.

APPEARANCE: Old Mexico, Farmerville, appears to be a Western style building redecorated to look Mexican.

SERVICE: Satisfactory

COMMENTS: The Farmerville restaurant has the same food as the Old Mexico in Ruston, but the décor is quite different.

Rabb's, Ruston, LA

RESTAURANT: Rabb’s Steakhouse

LOCATION: 2647 S. Service Road West, Ruston, LA 71270

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 1/8/05

PRICE RANGE: Moderate to pricey

FAVORITE FOOD: Filet mignon, which costs $18.95 for an eight-ounce serving.

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Filet mignon salad, seafood

FOOD WE LIKED LEAST: One of us ordered filet mignon, medium well done. She was disappointed because her steak was butterflied to achieve uniform doneness throughout.


APPEARANCE: Rabb’s is well furnished and decorated. Some of us dislike the amount and the shade of green used in the color scheme.

SERVICE: Good

UNIQUE FEATURES: There are concerts in the back, where there is a stage with professional sound equipment. Celebrities, such as Willie Nelson and Dwight Yokum perform at Rabb’s often.

Wendy's, Hazelhurst, MS

RESTAURANT: Wendy’s #217

LOCATION: 155 Market Place, Hazelhurst, MS 39083

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 1/31/05

PRICE RANGE: Some items are unbelievably inexpensive.

FAVORITE FOOD: Chili (with 3 packs of crackers)

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Frosty, Salads, Baked Potatoes

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE: Wendy’s food always tastes the same, although the service is not consistent in all the restaurants. Wendy’s in Hazelhurst, however, had outstanding service.

SPECIALS: The 99¢ items are numerous enough to allow a person to eat them exclusively.

APPEARANCE: The day we stopped at Wendy’s was rainy and messy. Someone had evidently mopped the floor shortly before we arrived. It was slippery. We wondered whether soap was on it.

SERVICE: As we started into the door, Terria, the manager, was leaving. She realized that there had been a large influx of customers. To prevent the overwhelming of her staff, she turned around with a gracious, non-complaining attitude and took charge of the cash register.

UNIQUE FEATURES: This Wendy’s had a cheerful handicapped worker cleaning the tables.

COMMENTS: We were glad we stopped here Monday to evaluate this restaurant and select some chili and Frosties® to go. The staff blessed our hearts.

Rally's, Metairie, LA

RESTAURANT: Rally’s Hamburgers

LOCATION: 1720 Veteran’s Memorial Boulevard, Metairie, LA 70005

ONE OF THE DATES WE VISITED THE RESTAURANT: 1/29/05

PRICE RANGE: Inexpensive

FAVORITE FOOD: Chicken Strips

OTHER GREAT FOODS: Fish sandwich, fries

OUTSTANDING FEATURES: We enjoyed the atmosphere. We stopped there Saturday night to evaluate it during the Krewe of Caesar carnival season parade, which occurs every year a few days before Mardi Gras. The weather was perfect with a tolerable amount of humidity and enough warmth to be comfortable in light jackets.

The outdoor tables were surrounded by innocent appearing, polite teenagers having a great time.

Another outstanding feature of Rally's is that it is not difficult to find one in the New Orleans area.

SPECIALS: Fish sandwich for 99 cents

APPEARANCE: Acceptable

SERVICE: Quick

COMMENTS: Along with a large group of family and friends, my daughter Christie and I watched her husband Mike, who was wearing his Tiger suit, throw beads from the LSU float in the Krewe of Caesar parade starting at 6 p. m.

Afterwards, Christie and I shopped in the Clearview Mall until 9:00 p.m. We kept our eyes open for a restaurant to evaluate, but we failed to find a place that had the ambiance we were expecting that night.

Then we started driving down the road to look for some other places. This restaurant evaluation business is hot and dirty work, but somebody has to do it. We kept driving until we happened to be near the end of the parade near Bonnabel.

We passed up several places and decided to check out Rally's. We were not at all disappointed by the taste of the food.

It was amazing that no one participating in the parade appeared tired—not even the Clydesdales. By then, I was exhasted.

As we waited and ate our food, we told 15 happy parade watchers/bead catchers that Mike would be throwing beads from float #21 and requested their help to cheer him on. When Mike finally arrived, there was a loud chant, “Mike! Mike! Mike!” Surprised to see Christie again, he showered us and all our new friends with beads.

I felt the exhilaration of seeing how those two adore each other. I’m glad we ate at Rally’s because the food tasted great and because we could grab something delicious and quick. Mike enjoyed the cold hamburger Christie pulled from her purse too.