Dining & Drink Guide

Latest restaurant inspection scores. Click

MullinsMania entertainment report: Thursdays-Saturdays. Click

The Greener Burger is cooking on Broad Street:

-A 'First Bites' review: Pardon the cliche but it was worth the wait. Michael Landers and his team have delivered a unique restaurant on Broad Street that headlines a different style of hamburger but offers a lot more, too.

-We were the second and third paying patrons at The Greener Burger, 313 Broad St. restaurant, accidentally arriving just before 11 a.m. A few last-minute drills were buzzing while the wait staff was getting some final training tips and a quick meal before the rush.

-The staff: Wearing black pants and white shirts, the waitresses and waiters repeatedly checked in on the order and then the taste. We hadn't had this many people buzzing around us since a Mother's Day visit to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Kennesaw.

-The ambiance: The detailed remodeling of the former Krystal building and its neighbor looks perfect. You could sit on counter stools lining the 313 side of the building or try a booth or table on the 315 side. It had a heavy '50s accent with modern touches as well (including, what else, paper green straws).

-As for the menu: This ain't a burger joint--but you have to come for the burgers, at least the first time. Monday's "green plate special" was beef stroganoff. Each day, The Greener Burger will have a set special.  The soup of the day: western meatball. We didn't try either but the soup tempted us.

-Our orders: A burger platter consisting of a five-ounce fresh patty, fresh bun, tomato, lettuce, onions and a side order. We chose sweet potato wedges. The burger was excellent and don't let the advertised size--five ounces--fool you; it will fill you. Easily. The potatoes were great as well.

-Our son tried the kids' burger served with his favorite: mac and cheese. Again, a winner. His assessment: "The best burger I've ever had in my life." The waitress says the staff is in love with the mac and cheese, and deems it ready for a cooking contest. Paula Deen, beware. Even the lemonade was fresh, almost sweet.

-The only negative was the lettuce. It could have been fresher with just a little brown on the edge.

-One point to share: This isn't a happy meal at Mickey D's, in terms of quality and price. Our bill: one adult, one child and just one drink (lemonade) was $16.04. With a tip, we said good bye to a $20 bill. But with no regrets. The meal, the service, the experience was worth it.

Georgia's Winter Wine Highway weekend set for Dec. 3, 4, 5. Nine Georgia wineries are participating. Details: Click

Latest regional public health restaurant inspection scores:
Each week, the Dining Guide lists the scores for area restaurants as reported by the public health departments in Bartow, Chattooga, Floyd, Gordon and Polk counties. Each county name below is hot linked to a specific county's recent inspection scores. Updated July 29.

-New: View specific reports of restaurants scoring 69 or lower.

Real-time updates for public health restaurant health score

-Local diners can now check the new electronic restaurant inspection reports in real-time before heading out to eat. The Northwest Georgia Public Health office has been working for several years to upgrade all restaurant inspection reports into an electronic, real-time format. The new program is rolling out in all 10 counties in the district--including Floyd, Bartow, Gordon, Polk and Chattooga, says Tim Alle, district environmental manager.

“You will now be able to on our website and search for restaurants by name, address or facility type. It will include all previous reports and the new electronic report will be a complete detail report so you will know exactly what the violations were and how they were corrected,” Alle says. “The entire report will be uploaded as soon as the inspector leaves the restaurant, so it will be in real-time.”

Alle says there will be a transition period to get all of Floyd County’s 275 facilities upgraded to the electronic inspection reports. He estimates it will take approximate six months for all the restaurants to have their electronic inspection online. Each restaurant is inspected every six months.

To see the new electronic reports, visit www.nwgapublichealth.org and click on food scores, search by county, or click each of the following:

Rome's queen of cuisine needs your help to complete Mediterranean trip:

By Natalie Simms

nsimmshh@att.net

Rome’s own “Southern Lady of Cuisine” is at it again and this time Mary Louise Lever needs your help to win. Lever is participating in Sabra’s Food  Intervention competition for a chance at a culinary trip to Turkey and the Mediterranean. In what’s becoming the wave of the future for food contests, Lever is not being judged on her recipe but rather her need for an “intervention” and popularity. “I had to come up with a creative essay as to why I needed a food intervention. And I do need one to expand from my comfortable southern food rut,” she says. Along with her creative essay, Lever also is being judging by how many online votes she receives. “Contests are a challenge and I love challenges. I really appreciate the community’s support,” she says. The deadline for voting is Aug. 1. To vote, visit http://www.sabra.com/sabraintervention/ and click “Browse” and then scroll down to bottom of the page and use the search box to find Lever and other participants. Says her profile: "The kitchen is my playground where I enjoy 'playing' with foods and flavors. I want to broaden my horizons with an actual onsite adventure to learn new and 'foreign' foods to bring to my comfortable Southern cooking style. A Turkish culinary trip would awaken, expand and delight me as well as those sharing my table. Have passport; will travel y'all!"

Free pizza day is Aug. 19: Stevi B’s Second Annual Free Pizza Day is Aug. 19 and while we don't have that rumored store in Rome just yet, the Cartersville shop at the Wal-Mart/Lowe's plaza is taking part. If you're one of the first 100 customers beginning at 6 p.m. Click

Beginning in mid-August, Slope's BBQ off Tennessee Street, Cartersville, will be open Sundays from 11 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. beginning Aug. 8.

-Honeybaked Ham on Martha Berry Highway, Rome, now open Sundays from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Where Kids Eat Free Guide (or at least at a discount)

By Natalie Simms

Sunday

-Buffalo's, kids eat free.

-Gametime, Cartersville: One free child's meal with adult order.

Monday
-Moe’s Southwest Grill, 110 Shorter Ave. Kids eat free on Mondays from 5-9 p.m. Deal is one child’s menu item free with purchase of adult entrée and drink.
-Deano’s Pizza, 1800 Dean Ave. Family night with 20% off the entire menu for the entire family.

Tuesday
-Las Palmas, 246 Shorter Ave. All day on Tuesday, kids 12 and under can eat free. One free kids meal with purchase of adult meal.
-Golden China Chinese Restaurant, 1505 Shorter Ave. One free kids meal with one adult meal. Limit one free meal per family.
-WOW Café & Wingery, 2817 Martha Berry Highway. $1.99 Kids Meal.
-El Nopal in Cedartown offers kids-eat-free on Tuesdays.

Wednesday
-Provino’s Italian Restaurant, 288 Shorter Ave. Kids 12 and under can eat free. One kids meal with purchase of each adult meal. Don’t forget that Provino’s offers a free meal on your birthday- for both kids and adults. You will have to show proof of your birthday.
-Gondolier Pizza Italian Restaurant, 152 Shorter Ave. All day on Wednesday. One free kids meal with purchase of one adult meal.

Thursday
-Fuddruckers, 595 Riverside Parkway. Kids 12 and under can eat free from 5-8 p.m. One kids meal per one adult meal.
-333 on Broad: Kids eat free (one per adult entree)

Also:
- Pasquale's Pizza & Pasta at 4011 Martha Berry Highway: Every night of the week is kids night.  Every day of the week children under 5 eat free with an adult purchase and children under 10 can eat the food bar for a discounted price. 

-Sante Fe Cattle Co. Kids eat for $1.99 all the time. (Thanks, AM)
-Los Amigos, East 12th St. Kids eat free on Saturdays (Thanks JB)