This column will be a regular staple of the Carter County Post. Foodie Friday is a celebration of food, whether it is a favorite dish to make at home, to take or eat at a family church or office gathering. It could even be your favorite local or out of town restaurant.
The CCP would like to hear from our readers, what is your favorite dish? At home? At that special event? Or on the road here and yon?
Please email your suggestions to: FoodieFriday.CCP@gmail.com. Please include your phone number, email address, a picture of the food or restaurant, and not only the name of the dish, but why you like it and a description of the food.
My favorite dish this week was Ramsey’s Diner on Zandale Drive in Lexington. I have had many wonderful meals at various Ramsey’s Diners’ locations with friends and family and this week was no different.
My friend had barbecue pork chops with creamed corn and fried green tomatoes. The report on the pork chops was that it they were flavorful, juicy and the red sauce was an excellent addition to the chops. More on the sides later.
My sister had the blt chef salad with home made bleu cheese, with side of fries. It was HUGE! The lettuce was mixed, iceberg and romaine probably. The tomatoes weren’t just pretty, they had good flavor, not common this time of year. Mozzarella cheese was generously added, and the bacon piled on last. The bacon was crisp, not limp, which was perfect.
She asked for onions, and they added several large rings of red onions. The fries were crisp and perfect. She got a traditional hot brown to go, more on that in a minute. Although the two crispy slices of bacon didn’t seem to make it home.
Dessert was a pecan pie. The pies are made by Missy’s Pies in Lexington. . They sell to local restaurants. The piece was huge and dense with pecans. The crust and filling were perfect.
Her spouse got the brownie pie and remarked that she even liked the crust and she usually doesn’t care for crust.
She got the double stacked fried bologna sandwich to bring home. Think it was a childhood memory type thing that caused her to order. She tried a bite and says it was really good. It was pretty and came with fries. She said it had good flavor.
She got their traditional breakfast, but when they asked if there was anything she wanted left off she chose the pancakes and sausage. She later regretted that. She just knew she couldn’t hold it all. She loved the big, chunky hash browns. Said the bacon was crisp perfectly, but she wished there had been more than 3 strips. The scrambled eggs were fluffy and good and the toast wasn’t too hard or soft, it was perfect. She is picky, so she has to really like it to say so.
Everything I have had at Ramsey’s has been great. This week I am building up my iron content for an upcoming regular blood donation (19 gallons and counting) so I opted for the chicken livers with sides of fried green tomatoes and creamed corn.
The huge pile of livers was a deep mahogany in color on the outside yet creamy goodness on the inside. The first side dish were crispy cornmeal out with a tangy firm green tomato inside and went perfectly with the jalapeño infused vinegar that’s kept on the tables. Even though it is the end of January, the creamed corn had a fresh picked taste, and the waitress explained that the corn was just cut off the cob prior to our order.
With four locations in Lexington, Ramsey’s diner is a down home comfort food lovers dream that always hits the mark. With their eclectic decor, mismatched chairs and knowledgeable friendly staff, it is like having a great meal at a cool friend’s house without having to worry about doing the dishes. Ramsey’s never disappoints.