Loop 202 at Dobson Road
At the end of a long day, have you ever thought “I just want some good, old fashioned home cookin’ for dinner”? Have you ever wondered where you can find the candies that you loved as a child? Both desires are amply filled at Cracker Barrel Restaurant and Store.
The restaurant portion is like eating in an old farmhouse, complete with a fireplace and pictures of people you don’t know hanging on the wall. It’s quaint and cozy, but “Mom and Pop” don’t exactly run the tightest ship in terms of prompt service.
The menu at Cracker Barrel contains all your home-style favorites: meatloaf, fried chicken, dumplings, macaroni and cheese, fried okra, and more. Everything is served with their buttermilk biscuits and cornbread muffins. The cornbread is too dry and flaky, but the biscuits are light and fluffy.
My personal favorite is the chicken fried chicken. It is both thick and tender, and comes smothered in a delectable white gravy. The gravy also covers a side portion of mashed potatoes and puts any brown gravy to shame.
Chicken and Dumplings are something that has always confused me. Something deep within me says that I should like them, but they never meet my expectations. Cracker Barrel’s chicken and dumplings are no exception. Maybe it is the nature of dumplings to be bland and completely flavorless and, if that is the case, then these ones fit the bill. I just need to accept that there are no good dumplings out there.
One of Cracker Barrel’s strengths is their choices of side dishes. Mashed potatoes, green beans, macaroni and cheese, cinnamon apples, and fried okra are just a few of their offerings. Most are passable and only one is great. The cinnamon apples are good enough to serve as dessert. And, for me, they usually do. The cinnamon is cooked down to a caramel sauce that is unbeatable.
The country store portion of Cracker Barrel is part nostalgic candy store and part general store. The old timey candies and snacks are great reminders of simpler times, but the clothes and home décor remind us all why we are thankful for shopping malls.
Overall, Cracker Barrel gets 4 stars (out of 5) and an enthusiastic return visit.
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