Friday, November 30, 2012

A fun place for ladies who lunch

Earlier this week, my friend Deberah and I were in LaGrange and decided to have lunch at a restaurant whose name I hadn't heard in years, A Taste of Lemon. It's housed in the old Second Methodist Episcopal Church, which was moved to this location and has now been a restaurant for 32 years, according to the lovely young woman who served us. (Go here and scroll down to the bottom of the page if you wish to see an earlier view of the building.)

Inside, this was our view from our seat near the platform or pulpit area of the church.

And when we checked out, this is the view looking back toward our seats. I had actually been to this restaurant about 20 years ago and only recently learned it was still in business. There had been a fire in a neighboring building some years ago, and I guess I assumed A Taste of Lemon was no more, but happily it is still there and apparently thriving.

For my lunch, I chose the sweet tea (of course!) along with the ham and cheese quiche, okra, green beans, and what I'm told is a popular vegetable substitution, the pineapple casserole. The meal came with cornbread, and though I find most restaurant cornbread to be very dry, this was perfect, quite moist and ungreasy. I really, really enjoy good cornbread and can pretty much eat just a slice or two of that for supper and be satisfied. (Is that a southern thing? Any northern or western cornbread fans out there?)

But back to that amazing pineapple casserole … what a great, old-fashioned recipe this was! Chunks of pineapple, cheese, a buttery Ritz cracker topping—yum! My whole meal was very tasty and not at all greasy as some southern cooking can be.

Deberah ordered the vegetable plate, which included a sampling of all 10 vegetables, and she too substituted the pineapple casserole for one. She said this is just about the best vegetable plate she has ever had—and this is a woman who knows, and loves, her veggies! We both agreed that in warmer weather, we want to return and try the salad plate, which comes with a heap of things including chicken salad, pasta salad, congealed salad, a frozen salad, maybe a broccoli salad. It was so much I can't remember it all!

I couldn't help asking our server if A Taste of Lemon ever has teas. They don't, but the facility is rented out for other events such as luncheons and parties, so I suppose it's possible some individuals have hosted teatime there. Wouldn't this be ideal for a tea room, though? Obviously a restaurant that's been in business so long is doing quite well and doesn't need input from outsiders, but I can certainly dream that one day they'll branch out into the tea business!

11 comments:

  1. Hi Angela

    I wanted to let you know I received my beautiful tea book and tea cup! I have not had a chance to blog or brag about it yet. My life has been so hectic lately.
    But it is lovely and so very generous of you,

    Susan

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  2. This is my kind of food, and the pineapple dish sounds so good. As for cornbread, I bake it often and serve when company is over. I've perfected my recipe over the years and sometimes substitute honey for the sugar.
    Thanks for sharing your luncheon, the transformed church is very nice inside.
    Judith

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  3. I ate there in September for the first time and was able to meet the lovely lady who is the original owner. She was delightful, and, as you noted, the food was fabulous. I can't wait to go back.

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  4. A Taste of Lemon looks like a great place to eat. I like the look of that yummy southern food. Cornbread was something I hadn't tried till we moved to GA, and I really enjoy it too.

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  5. Yes, I'm a northerner who loves my cornbread! I use my Grandmother's recipe which was passed down from her mother. She copied recipes into a notepad when she "set up housekeeping". That old brown notepad was worn and filled with recipes from "home". I am so happy I have the memory of that afternoon with her, she pulled out that notepad and explained "After you melt the butter in the pan, leave a little in the pan. That is what makes the nice crispy edge."
    Sips and Smiles,
    Teresa

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  6. Just made a big pot of chili which is always served with cornbread at our house.

    I agree, the old church setting would be a lovely setting for a tea especially during the coming holiday season.

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  7. Here in Colorado we love our cornbread too! Everyone has their favorite version, but we love it cooked in a cast-iron dutch oven.

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  8. What a neat restaurant. That pineapple casserole is always a hit. We even had it at Thanksgiving. I love hot cornbread.

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  9. What a hearty plate!Lovely environment, good food and friends sounds like a blessing for sure!

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  10. This would be a perfect place for teas. I am surprised they haven't had any there. What a southern lunch with okra. My husband grew up in Oklahoma and he loves southern foods.

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  11. Hello Angela, this restaurant looks like one to try - this is the first I've heard of it. I love cornbread: the best I've ever had were 'hoe-cakes,' made in an old cast iron pan at Fort McPherson.

    The sweetest lady would come visit the soldiers at Thanksgiving and Christmas - she brought her own cast iron pan and she would make those delicious 'hoe-cakes!' I can still remember how great they tasted, hot & fresh out of the pan! And I remember her sweet smile too - what a nice lady!

    Thank you so much for the review and for providing the link, Joanie

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