Wit and hint of brothel greet visitors to "cowboy chic" eatery

Tag : pickled baby cucumber

Grandma Ursick's fried chicken involved a wing and a bony piecethat looked like, but was not, a breast. The breading was flavorfuland flaky - neither super crisp nor greasy. The meat was moist andwell-seasoned throughout.

Refrigerator pickles were the second-best thing on the plate: fourthick slices of crunchy, peeled cucumber with a sweet-sour-saltytaste that reminded me of my mother's quick pickles.

The clunker? A creamy white gravy so underseasoned, it deadened themashed potatoes and everything else it smothered.

The hot roast beef plate was a cow-pie-shape round of dark, gooeyhash browns; a pile of thinly sliced brisket so smoky, it tastedlike bacon; and well-seasoned brown gravy. Though I found the smokea little aggressive, this still would please any meat-and-potatoeslover.

Desserts ran the gamut. A jasmine rice pudding with goat cheese,honey and champagne-infused dried fruits seemed out of place. Whilefragrant, it was a little too subtle - and cold - to satisfy.

Crisp chocolate-pecan cookies were crisp, as though they'd been onthe trail for a day or two, but perfect for dunking in the milkthat's included.

My favorite was the seasonal fruit cobbler, served in tinycast-iron skillets. Tart, lightly sweetened blackberries andblueberries quivered beneath sugar-crusted mounds of butter-rich dough and melting ice cream.