Artery-choking slabs of meatloaf flanked by mashed potatoes and gravy. Smiley, crinkly eyed waitresses in monogrammed aprons asking if you need “just a couple more minutes.” Shelves stacked with homemade fudge, big-eyed Victorian dolls and dainty ceramic tea sets.
At Cracker Barrel’s Old Country Store in Pembroke Pines, the cuisine is strictly country and the atmosphere is pure kitsch. Once the staple of interstate rest stops, the folksy, Tennessee-based chain has found a niche here in the ‘burbs of Pembroke Pines, where the microwave and the Egg McMuffin are king.
We knew we were in Cracker Barrel country when we spotted the 20-plus rocking chairs swaying on the restaurant’s front porch. On a recent Sunday night, folks were willing to rock for 30 minutes and longer, just to sample dishes like the fried okra, grilled catfish and strawberry shortcake smothered in vanilla ice cream and whipped cream topping.
Just started a diet? Not fond of veggies? Scoot yourself far from here. This is no place for finicky eaters or the calorie-conscious. The Barrel serves greasy, rib-stickin’ comfort food. Plain and simple. Here, anything that isn’t kicking is breaded, fried and blanketed in gravy.
Nestled in the shadow of a Hampton Inn off Interstate 75, the Pines location can be tricky to reach. Because there is no direct access and few road signs, motorists can easily find themselves speeding on the way to Naples by mistake (as we did). The key is to leave I-75 at Exit 6A or, if coming from the east, find Sheridan Street and head west. Then turn south onto Northwest 146th Avenue and follow the curvy road.
Settling into the boisterous, high-ceilinged dining room, we munched on warm corn muffins and biscuits. We skipped what the menu called the “Salads n’ Such” and greedily zoomed in on the “Fancy Fixin’s.” These featured entrees such as the Chicken Fried Chicken ($8.79) and the meatloaf dinner ($7.19). All come with a choice of at least two vegetables. You can also make your own entree with a choice of chicken, fish or beef and two sides ($6.99).
The meatloaf dinner arrived slathered with ketchup and accompanied by medium portions of mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans. The meatloaf was tangy and generously cut and the potatoes were creamy but nicely textured, with occasional chunks. (Better to avoid the heavy, gelatinous gravy, which is made from roast beef drippings.) The dish was only marred by the green beans, which looked limp and overcooked.
By comparison, the fried chicken tenderloins ($7.99) were delightfully light and crunchy. They came with a side of sweet honey mustard sauce (sweet hot pepper jelly, barbecue and spicy buffalo hot sauce are also available) for dipping and a choice of three vegetables: the thick, crisp steak fries, corn kernels and the deliciously basted, sweet baby carrots all proved excellent choices.
The hickory-smoked Pork Barbecue dish ($6.99) sounded promising but would have benefited from a spicier sauce. Even so, we gobbled it up. When the server returned, the small wooden table was littered with half-empty dishes.
Struggling to find room for dessert, we scanned the walls, which were decorated haphazardly with what appeared to be the flotsam from a hundred garage sales.
Nearby, a group of servers gathered to sing “Happy Birthday” to a delighted elderly woman. A man at another table indulged in a stack of hotcakes for dinner (breakfast is served all day).
Desserts were large and extravagant. The strawberries and whipped cream atop strawberry shortcake ($2.99), were incredibly rich and creamy, although the shortcake seemed heavy and biscuitlike. With its buttery cream cheese frosting and pecan topping, the brick-sized serving of carrot cake ($1.99) was unbelievably crunchy and moist, a winning choice. The sugarless apple pie (99 cents ), accompanied by sweet vanilla ice cream, was also a satisfying finish and a great bargain, which sums up the Cracker Barrel experience: hearty, no-frills family fare at affordable prices.
Jackie Potts is a free-lance writer based in Miami. Please phone in advance to confirm information on hours, prices, menu items and facilities.
