AROUND TOWN DINING
by Don Napier
Over the last 20+ years, I have written about many restaurants, both local and regional, and along the way, have made strong friendships with a lot of the business owners and operators. I love having lunch and being served by people I know, and they know me.
It is not always about the food. Sometimes it is about the friendship. I am getting to know the owners of Casa Granda Mexican Restaurant because they have become advertisers in Crossville Life and because of their support for me, naturally I want to support them. That is how it works for me. I want to do business with people who do business with me.
I told Casa Grande owner Porfirio Jaimes Delgado, just a few days ago, that I was inexperienced when it came to choosing Mexican dishes. I am used to ordering the same thing, Shrimp Fajitas, because it has been excellent each time I have ordered it. I knew I needed to branch out, so on a business lunch there recently with an associate, I decided to be bold and try something new. I ordered a T-Bone steak with grilled shrimp.
Steak from a Mexican restaurant? You better believe it! It was cooked just like I ordered, and it was served hot and juicy, an excellent cut of meat, which is a must have if your steak is to be any good.
I must confess, I really am enjoying trying new dishes at Casa Grande. I have to watch portion control, because after you eat their chips and salsa and bean dip, there is not always a lot of room left for the main dish.
Porfirio and his wife Cristina are very visible in the restaurant. He works behind the cash register, and she as a waitress and occasional cashier.
Weekly & Daily Specials
Casa Grande has weekly specials that never change. They feature a special each day of the week. On Mondays, they offer 99 cent enchiladas (all day), chicken, beef or cheese, which can be ordered with flour or corn wrappers. On Tuesday, they have 99 cent tacos all day. They repeat their 99 cent enchiladas on Friday. They also have a Daily Special that is displayed on the check-out counter. You can get that info from your waitress or waiter.
Porfirio and his staff have done an excellent job in remodeling the building. It is very handsomely decorated, and their booths are new with good seats. The restaurant is a real asset to Crossville.
BB’s Deli still cranking out the homemade hot deli sandwiches on fresh baked bread
Brenda and Tony King, owners of BB’s Deli continue to be encouraged by the growth of their business. “We are now in our third year,” Tony said, “and things continue to go well for us.” I love mom and pop operations. There is something very homey and comfortable about BB’s. Go by and give them a try, and I’ll bet you will agree. They talk to you when you are ordering and you can see the food being prepared right in front of your face. I like that.
The day I went in to talk to Tony about the deli, all of the tables were occupied and people were ordering, at the cash register. They gave me one of their new menus which features their sandwich line-up: The Rachel, Cuban, Porketta, Ultimate Club, Philly Cheese Steak, Italian Meatball, Ultimate BLT and Italian. Not on the menu is a new sandwich, The Jillian. If you don’t like one of these, you can build your own.
They also make a very good homemade chicken salad, tuna salad, a pulled pork BBQ sandwich and an 8 oz. fresh patty burger. You don’t have to wait until the county fair starts, you can have a Frito Bandito, but they call their’s a BB Bandito. One of their newest items is lettuce wraps.
One of their best sellers, and my personal favorite, is their homemade soups and chili. Brenda’s mom makes the vegetable beef, which has never disappointed me.
BB’s Deli is open Monday thru Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call ahead to carry out, 931-210-5222.
It’s all about the soup
I love soup. I would eat it everyday if it was possible. I eat lunch pretty regularly at Forte’s just hoping that Chef John Forte’ will have one of his homemade soups made without cream. I am lactose intolerant and cannot have milk. I don’t even have to tell the waitresses, they know, and will tell me if the soup is legal or not.
Forte’s best soup is their french onion. It is everything that french onion should be and that includes hot. Generally prepared only on the weekends, I did get a serving by begging for it one day when the soup of the day had cream in it.
State Park
The restaurant at the Cumberland Mountain State Park traditionally has some really good vegetable beef soup on their soup and salad bar. It is often overlooked because of the immense hot bar that attracts most of your attention. Next time you are at the state park restaurant, try their soup. You will not be disappointed.
Hibachi Super Buffet opens second restaurant
In the former location of Mandarin Palace, Cookeville has a new restaurant, Hibachi Super Buffet & Grill. The ownership of the restaurant by the same name in Crossville, announced recently that they had bought out the Cookeville restaurant and planned to give it the same name as their Crossville business.
The Cookeville restaurant serves chinese, japanese, asian, sushi and seafood on their hot bars. Crossville manager Wesley Jiang takes great pride in keeping his food fresh regardless of when you decide to eat. There are buffets in which the food can get old if you decide to eat in the middle of the afternoon, but not at Hibachi Super Buffet.
“It will be my goal to have that same fresh food approach for our location in Cookeville. One of the best things about the Hibachi Super Buffet restaurant is their sushi, considered the best in Crossville. They also have a great hibachi grill chef and it is included in the price of the buffet.
The Cookeville restaurant is located at 791 South Jefferson Avenue, just 1/8th mile from I-40. There will always be a 10% discount for Senior Citizens and 10% off for those in the military. They are open 7 days a week.
