The Cracker Barrel

Where else can you go for the best pancakes in the world? Sure, there’s your standard Denny’s, Village Inn, and IHOP. But do any of those places give you your own little bottle of syrup? I say. Nay, nay.

Karyn and I are going out of the norm on this critique and doing a breakfast, not dinner or lunch. Although, if you’d like breakfast for lunch or dinner, I’m sure Cracker Barrel can accommodate. :) I was first introduced to Cracker Barrel by my dear friend Travis—who had a hankering for some grits and biscuits and gravy. And seeing as Cracker Barrel was a Southern restaurant, we patronized it. My fondness for this restaurant has not waned.

I always get pancakes. I love them! It’s such a great food that can be eaten at any time of the day! Ask Karyn. I’d prefer pancakes over a steak! But like I mentioned, this time I actually ate pancakes for breakfast! The pancakes at Cracker Barrel are what some of the old-timers (aka our grandparents) may call griddle cakes or hot cakes. They have this awesome griddle taste, cooked to a slow perfection that has just a bit of crispiness on the outside. And when it comes with its own bottle of syrup, what more could you ask for? And the portions are huge! The breakfast meal that I usually get comes with three delicious pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon. If that’s not home cookin’, I don’t know what is!

Before you first enter the Cracker Barrel, you’re welcomed with a bunch of rocking chairs. What says comfort more than rocking chairs? The inside I could describe as nothing more than rustic charm. With old-fashioned farm tools, posters, advertisements, and memorabilia, it speaks of the South. And in the little souvenir shop, there’s everything from Paula Dean dishes, to John Deere tractor toys, to old-fashioned sodas and candies. It’s the perfect blast from the past! And don’t forget that each dining table is equipped with that little peg game. You know the one…it’s triangle shaped and has about 15 pegs. You’re supposed to take a peg and hop over the next one. The object is to only have one left. Yeah…can’t do it. Karyn had beginner’s luck and was a freakin’ genius! Plus, if you’re feeling kind of dumb like I do when I play that game, there’s always a gigantic sized game of checkers to be played at a designated table.

All around I give Cracker Barrel a 9! Good food, good service, great atmosphere. Just make sure you’re in the mood for some southern style cooking!


Cracker Barrel. What can I say about the CB??? If you're in to the 'old reliable' way of making food, CB is the place to go for Good Country Cookin'!!!

I have to admit to all of you that I am NOT a breakfast person. I could never get the hang of it. Am I supposed to eat a big breakfast? Is breakfast REALLY the most important meal of the day? What's with pancakes? (They don't taste like cake to me!) These questions and more beg an answer I cannot give.

However, planning an event with people who love breakfast will always result in what is called the 'breakfast meeting' which is how we found ourselves at the Cracker Barrel.

Rustic and quaint, the Cracker Barrel welcomes patrons with a warm hug of old time candy and drinks, old fashioned games, and seasonal decor ranging from cookware to clothing. You can find things at Cracker Barrel that were previously though to be lost in time, like maple candy from Vermont and Necco! :) However, beyond the land of reminiscence, is taste bud heaven.

Like I said before, I don't really like breakfast. But, I will totally eat breakfast at the Cracker barrel. My mom raised me on rice and eggs. It wasn't until I moved to the mainland that I was introduced to grits. I LOVE GRITS!!! Sweet or savory, grits are truly the chameleon of the breakfast world. Another champion of the Cracker Barrel Breakfast is the BACON. None of your namby pamby microwaved bacon here. Thick luscious slabs of bacon, cured and smoked to perfection... I'm drooling just thinking about it. :) Oh, and did I forget to mention biscuits and gravy??? I really don't like country gravy, but the country gravy at Cracker Barrel is different... Lighter, tastier... Maybe I just haven't had a GOOD country gravy, but I LOVE CB's. :)

My favorite part of our visit was the "jump all but one" peg game. I got it down to one peg my first time, and have gotten it probably 4 times since then. I even bought one for my desk that I play with when I have a hard time getting the juices flowing... :)

Overall, I rate the Cracker Barrel a 9. Great service... great food, and a great place to eat!!! :)

The Steak & Seafood Company

The Steak & Seafood Co. One of St. George’s best kept restaurant secrets. Tucked away in the East Ridge Plaza (down by Jiffy Lube, Adrians, and the Army Recruiting Place), Steak & Seafood offers delicious food in a delicious environment! I have to say this about Steak & Seafood, they have the best salad I’ve ever had! No white lettuce pieces. Carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, with a yummy honey poppyseed dressing. So delightful—and I’m a picky salad eater! This restaurant has the best tunes! I don’t know what XM radio station it is, but it’s rockin’! The only downside to Steak & Seafood is that it’s only open from dinner, between the hours of 5:30-9ish. I know, ish. But find a night that works, visit the restaurant and take your time about it! The ambiance is romantic with little tea light candles and fresh flowers on the table, a gigantic fish tank near the entrance and cool looking wall hangings. Every time I go, just like everywhere else, I always get the surf and turf. Jumbo shrimp and a steak, with seasoned vegetables and rice. I’m not a vegetable kind of girl, but their vegetables are the only ones I always eat! Steak and Seafood is a little pricey; so if you need to save up, do it! Every time I go, I am never disappointed! I give this place an all around 9.

The Steak and Seafood Company is probably one of the best kept secrets in St. George... Not a lot of people would think to find delicious gourmet food across from a mall... But, alas. It IS there... and it IS delicious! ;)

When you first see this inconspicuous restaurant... well, at least when I first saw it, I thought... somewhere along the lines of a ghetto oriental food place. I know. I was quick to judge. You would think after all my food experiences, I would lay aside the outside appearance and only think on the inner deliciousness, but I was a little uneasy going in. The first thing noticed about this restaurant was the funky art pieces and fish tank. The decor is semi French country with a Utah twist. lol. If that is a style at all. There is a REALLY cool print on the wall that is a zebra AND a penguin... see if you can find it. :D The music they play is AWESOME... like every other song is an awesome jam from the 80's and 90's... and sometimes earlier. This is definitely a place that you can come and have a conversation with someone. It's quiet, and not usually crowded...

I guess you could say I'm adventurous when it comes to food. I try not to eat the same thing twice... unless its SUPER good... I also try to not eat the same thing as anyone I'm eating with. So far at the Steak and Seafood Co., I've had chicken 2 ways and the steak. I haven't been brave enough to eat any of the seafood yet, though I'm sure it's DELICIOUS! :)

This time around, I started with the French onion soup (sorry, no pic) It has to be #1 on the best French onion soups I've ever had-- #2 being the F.O.S. at Mimi's Cafe. Along with F.O.S., I am a connoisseur of sorts of pink lemonades. The pink lemonade here is #3 after In-N-Out (#1) and Olive Garden (#2). lol.

For dinner, I had the Pecan Honey Chicken with steamed veggies and rice. Have you ever eaten something and couldn't stop??? That is how every experience has been for me at the Steak and Seafood Co. The chicken is moist and mouthwatering... the steamed veggies are PERFECTLY seasoned and cooked... and the rice... well, it isn't sticky rice... (that’s how I like it) but It will do! :)

For desert... the French silk pie is a slice of heaven. Some may find it too rich, but i like my French silk like i like my men... dark and rich! lol... jk. ;) Overall, the food is always a homerun for me here at the S&S Co.

It's pretty pricey here... it's definitely not a place to eat when your wallet is looking a little thin. SO, the final score for me is a 4 for prices, a 7.59 for ambience, and a 9 for food taste and quality. Go to Steak and Seafood Company for an upscale meal and a nice place to sit and talk.