Opal Mae’s Cafe & Catering

Opal Mae’s was a pleasant discovery for a couple that have been traveling for a few weeks. There were multiple vegetable choices (and all delicious), which makes it a good healthy meal. Too many restaurants now smother all vegetables in cheese and meats. The dessert was very good as well. This is what I imagine Sunday lunch at a local grandmas house would be like.

So many big cities launch «urban renewal» programs in hopes of converting their ghettoes into a model of something lost to time. The goal is to return to the big city a feel of the old «Main Street.» Opal Mae’s captures what most of those big cities never can: how it feels to be in downtown without being downtrodden. Every day for lunch, and weekend evenings, Opal Mae’s chef Dennis serves simple southern food in the heart of old downtown Russellville.
Rather than beginning with the typically depressing dinner salad, patrons at Opal Mae’s are invited to peruse the salad bar and grab what looks good. There is a somewhat limited set of options available at lunch and at dinner, and this is not particularly healthy food. That reservation aside, my meal was great. It was the first time in my life that someone succeeded in making Chicken Fried Steak taste like fine dining. The sides – rice pilaf and a generous slice of bread topped with a light sprinkling of rosemary and garlic – were perfect accompaniments. I’ll be back as often as my cardiologist will permit.