Great Wall perfect for takeout
You know that feeling you sometimes get when you just want some takeout? A funny kind of craving comes over you and you just have to get something. That was me the other night. I needed some Chinese takeout. But at the same time, takeout might be the only “escape” of the week for families rushing home from work and trying to corral children.

RESTAURANT REVIEW
I love going out for breakfast. It has a kind of special air to it that none of the other meals can approach. There’s also something exceptionally American about a diner, with its greasy smell, piles of eggs waiting to be cracked and batter dripping from the griddle. Diner food has a unique feel that can’t be found in any other kind of eating establishment. Verdi could no more serve food in the same way as Judy’s Castle than vice versa. Yet they both attract customers.

Hog Wild - at least there’s no smoking
This is the second stop on the “Tour d’ BBQ.”

Patrons will likely lose in ‘Overtime’
There’s something about sports bar food that speaks to the most basic of dining experiences. Hanging out with friends, having a beer, munching on some appetizers, playing pool and watching a game - all of these are at the core of the sports bar experience.

Good value and taste in Royal Thai’s dishes
Even the most unsophisticated diner understands the vast range of tastes, flavors and styles among different types of Asian foods. And when broken down into large regions, east Asian foods, such as Japanese, Chinese and Korean cuisine, differ as greatly among themselves as they do from, for example, Southeast Asian foods, such as Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian and Thai cooking.

BBQ tour begins with fine stop at ‘Junction’
Editor’s note: This is the first in a “Tour d’BBQ” - visits to local barbecue joints.

Every town needs a sandwich joint like Griff’s
Legend has it that in the 1700s the Earl of Sandwich invented the dish that bears his name, when he ordered some meat tucked between pieces of bread. True or not, the lowly sandwich has come a long way since then. Now sandwiches are a part of school kids’ lunches, and according to Becky Mercuri, in her book “American Sandwich: Great Eats from All 50 States,” Americans consume 45 billion sandwiches every year. Yeah, that’s 45 billion. Many Americans get that fare at corner delicatessens.

Double Dogs’ burger is top dog
The hamburger stared back at me from the plate, beckoning me to taste. The handmade patty, smothered in gooey Swiss cheese and sauteed mushrooms, sat inside a bun. The entire burger slumped over on the plate, looking a bit greasy. There was nothing fake or pretentious about the presentation. Certainly the burger didn’t look like the impossibly neat menu pictures at a fast food restaurant, nor did it have any of the upper-class airs that some restaurant’s burgers take on. Posers.

The Cabin no better than OK
Every once in a while, traveling to a faraway place can bring a change of perspective. This is as true for dining as for anything else. It was with that in mind that I found myself crossing the State Street bridge and heading for The Cabin Restaurant at the head of Old Louisville Road. While some won’t want to confess to visiting certain nearby establishments, everyone will admit that there is certainly life on the other side of the river. The journey isn’t far, but travelers would be advised to bring their own provisions.

Thai Express a big leap from fast food
As a big fan of Asian food, I was particularly saddened by the demise of Asian Vietnamese Restaurant, which, oddly enough, suffered from an excess of business that overwhelmed the owner who was simultaneously operating the Asian grocery store on Broadway Avenue.

Mary’s old-style flavor a nice treat
As redevelopment inexorably demolishes much of downtown Bowling Green, replacing what’s there with something else, the character of the area between Main Street and the river is also being replaced with something else.

WhaBah’s food delivers - but the servers don’t
Remember that episode of “Seinfeld” when Kramer comes up with the idea of a pizzeria where customers make their own pizzas? Locally owned WhaBah takes that to a different level with a “cook-your-own-steak” offering.

No passing grade for old-school Barnyard
Having breakfast at a diner is a multi-layered experience. You might go for the atmosphere - the smell of frying bacon, griddling pancakes and thick coffee odors spun through with wisps of cigarette smoke.

For true taste, try New Century
There are a half dozen or so Chinese/Asian buffets in Bowling Green, so it’s hard to imagine that this town needs another one. But there isn’t any Chinese restaurant quite like New Century Buffet.

Nashville offers a nice change for dining
It may be an hour away, but Nashville is worlds away and a great place for a weekend getaway. If you’re looking for something a little different this summer, you can venture to Germantown, then over to Hillsboro Village and finally to up-and-coming East Nashville for a few days and nights of delight. Squeeze in a five-mile hike, as I did, and you won’t have to roll yourself back to Bowling Green.

Overtime gives off inviting aura with sports theme
Overtime. For the team coming from behind, it’s a cause for celebration. For the team that was ahead, there is a moan of desperation. In Bowling Green, it’s a time for the commemoration of a new, locally owned sports bar and grill called ... you guessed it, Overtime.

Imagine Cakes, Candies brings creativity to the area
Imagine. It’s engraved on a rock I keep on my desk and one of two words I often use as a password. It’s a good thing this column is anonymous or I may get hacked - but then I trust you.

Applebee’s ‘two fer’ deals give excellent variation
I sincerely tried to make it to a new restaurant in town this week, but due to misinformation, I missed my window of opportunity by minutes, so it will have to wait one more week.

Cheekwood not only bright, but delicious
I promise to come back to Bowling Green and its surrounding towns next week, because I’ve heard there’s a new deli downtown and new eateries in both Glasgow and Franklin, but this week I ventured out again - this time to the Pineapple Room Restaurant at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Art Museum in Nashville.

Distillery cafe serves up bourbon-inspired dishes
I’m a transplant, but to me this feels like one of those classic Kentucky summers that I fell in love with 13 years ago! Something else that’s a time-honored Kentucky classic is Maker’s Mark bourbon. This week I ventured up to the new Toll Gate Cafe in Loretto just outside Bardstown to the Maker’s Mark Distillery for lunch after a tour.