[fatnotlazy]

Can't stand Olive Garden — way too much salt/sodium. Cracker Barrel is decent.

I don't mind some chains, but when I travel, I tend to look for local restaurants. Most are very affordable and I like to sample the local cuisine. I figure I can go to Applebees or Red Lobster at home.

A couple of years ago, I was in Raleigh and tried a local joint called Big Ed's. The best homestyle southern cooking anywhere. Plus I had enough food left over for 2 more meals.

[cyclotic]

My son had to fast for about 26 hours before a medical test this week. I took him for a big Cracker Barrel breakfast an hour before he had to stop eating.

Sadly, the test showed he has Crohn’s disease. He’s still in the hospital.

[MamaB]

There is a small Southern home cooking restaurant that we love. It has all the good southern style food-—black eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato casserole, meat loaf, pot roast, fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, fried catfish, peach cobbler, etc. This is making me hungry. Will have to go there soon. : )

[rhoda_penmark]

Big Ed’s was actually a chain of 2. They were family owned by the Watsons for many years. They are both under different ownership now but the downtown one still has great food and the waitresses still call you Honey. But it’s a tourist place mostly now.