Rural Missouri - February 2013 - (Page 16)

O U T A T H E W A Y E A T S by Heather Berry hberry@ruralmissouri.coop few miles west of Cape Girardeau on Highway 25 sits Gordonville, population 392. Once a bustling railroad stop, the village now holds one of the best kept secrets in the area — the Gordonville Grill. It all began in 2006 when owners Andy and Amy Hancock purchased a restaurant housed in an old weatherbeaten Join editor Jim McCarty on brick his visit to Gordonville Grill building. in the online edition at The next www.ruralmissouri.coop. year, they opened an eatery that has people driving in from nearby states for a meal. But it’s become a favorite for locals, too. “We have folks that come in straight off the tractor for lunch to grab one of our home-cooked meals,” says Andy. He and his wife share a background in corporate restaurants and know exactly what they want to offer their patrons — comfort foods at a fair price. “Whether you’re spending $5 or $50, we want everyone who eats here to feel like they got a great value for what they paid,” Andy says. Described as a “casual, family dining experience” by Andy, Gordonville Grill has an ambiance that’s hard to beat. Exposed brick from the 1912 building and tin ceilings set the mood while soft blues music plays as the staff attentively waits on customers. Staffers shirts read, “Gordonville Grill Family,” on the back, and that’s exactly the feeling you get. One draw is the homemade daily lunch specials. Choose among fried chicken, meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, chicken fried chicken, baby back ribs and the local favorite, kettle beef, a slow-cooked roast simmered in brown gravy and served with a side of mashed potatoes. Sunday lunch specials include popular weekday dishes of fried chicken, kettle beef or chicken and dumplings. Whether eating lunch or dinner, start with one of Gordonville Grill’s popular appetizers, such as ﬁre-grilled shrimp, spicy crab cakes, chicken wings or ultimate nachos. You’d be remiss not to try the Gouda and cheddar potato cakes. These lightly fried, melt-in-your-mouth cakes combine cheese and mashed potatoes and are served with a tangy dipping sauce. For those who crave lighter fare, there are entrée salads, such as the classic garden salad with chicken or the hefty Cobb Salad. Homemade soups vary, but the popular Paul’s Homemade Chili, a recipe created by 16 O F Andy Hancock, owner of Gordonville Grill, offers many of the comfort foods we all remember growing up, such as Andy’s favorite — beef stroganoff — pictured here. Gordonville Grill A little eatery off the beaten path offering the comfort foods of home Gordonville Grill Specialties: Daily lunch specials, such as kettle beef or chicken and dumplings; catﬁsh; beef stroganoff. End with homemade amaretto bread pudding. Gordonville • Price: Lunch options start at $5.99; dinner entrées from $7.99 to $19.99. Cash, checks, major credit cards accepted. Details: Open Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Seats 200; private dining space available. Smoking allowed in separate bar space. Catering available. Directions: Located at 829 State Highway Z in Gordonville. Contact: 573-243-0101; www.gordonvillegrill.com WWW.RURALMISSOURI.COOP Andy’s father, is always available. Burger fans can delight with one of the grill’s half-pound steak burgers or quarter-pound cheeseburgers grilled to perfection and loaded with all the trimmings. While the classic Reuben, grilled chicken and club sandwiches are available, give the famous catﬁsh or prime rib sandwiches a try. Stir up childhood memories by ordering a sloppy Joe. According to the menu, “It’s better than your momma made!” Entrée choices are plentiful and can be ordered all day. On weekends, slowly oven-roasted prime rib is a staple, as are certiﬁed Angus beef hand-cut rib-eyes, tenderloin ﬁlets and ﬂat iron steaks. “We’ll give you A.1. sauce if you want it, but you won’t need it,” says Andy. Add a glass of wine from the restaurant’s full bar to round out your dinner selection. Pork steaks come in hefty 12-ounce servings and are served with homemade barbecue sauce that the staff has been perfecting for a year. Sesame garlic chicken or the Brazil-inspired rosemary garlicseared chicken are two main dishes that are favorites and come in generous 10-ounce portions. While you wouldn’t expect it from such a remote stop, you can enjoy daily ﬁsh options of mahi mahi, shrimp or Gordonville Grill’s famous breaded and fried catﬁsh. While Andy says the chicken or shrimp Alfredo and the chicken veggie Parmesan pastas are wonderful, it’s another pasta dish that he considers his personal favorite. “Typically, after my last shift for the week, I go for the beef stroganoff,” says the restaurateur. “I remember it growing up. It’s one of my comfort foods.” For a sweet ending to the meal, try the homemade amaretto bread pudding topped with cream cheese amaretto sauce, or build your own dessert with homemade vanilla ice cream and freshly baked brownies topped with caramel or chocolate sauce, candied pecans or whipped cream — all made in-house. A special kid’s menu offers fried catﬁsh nuggets, lil’ burgers, chicken ﬁngers, grilled cheese and the standard favorite, homemade macaroni and cheese. Eat at Gordonville Grill on Tuesday nights and the restaurant gives 10 percent of all sales — even gift certiﬁcates — to area non-proﬁt organizations. Last year, even in a tough economy, the eatery donated roughly $12,000 to local causes. So the next time you’re headed to southeast Missouri, make a point to take a detour off the main highway to Gordonville — you won’t be disappointed. http://www.gordonvillegrill.com http://WWW.RURALMISSOURI.COOP

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - February 2013

Rural Missouri - February 2013
Table of Contents
Comments
Columns
A lasting tribute
Preparing for the worst
Whittling wildlife
Outdoors
Out of the Way Eats
Our history with Missouri’s future leaders
Hearth and Home
The cowboy way of life
Co-ops care
Around Missouri
Marketplace
Neighbors
Just4Kids

Rural Missouri - February 2013