Betty Maradik was raised in Fairhope and has been working in restaurants since she was thirteen years old. Her restaurant experience fostered her love of cooking and provided her with a solid front of the house foundation in restaurant hospitality. Maradik was also able to explore the business side of the industry after obtaining a degree in Accounting. Several years ago, Betty and her husband, David, decided that they needed something to do upon retirement. On the weekends they began working on a project on a piece of property that they owned. The couple devoted their time and energy into a building that now houses the new COUNTRY QUEEN CAFE. This past January, after all the finishing touches were put on the building, Betty got everything in order to make her cafe a reality. Betty knew that she wanted to provide the area with good home cooking and that is whats on the menu at the Country Queen Cafe. Breakfast from the hen house is served starting at 7am. Eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, sausage, grits, biscuits & gravy – all made from scratch. The lunch menu changes daily but you will find featured entrees such as beef tips, roasted pork, baked chicken, hamburger steak, meat loaf, chicken & dumplings and fried fish. Vegetables such as butter beans & okra, corn casserole, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, lima beans, field peas and squash are just a few of the options you might find to choose from. The Country Queen does have a few lunch items that are always available. Her signature sandwich is the Drip Beef Sandwich which is already making a name for itself. Slow cooked roast beef served on a warm crunchy bun with peperoncinos and melted cheese. Other sandwiches include a burger and a grilled pimento cheese sandwich. There is also a daily dessert. Some of the featured options will be a gooey butter cake, coconut cake, chocolate cake, rice pudding and different flavored cobblers. The Country Queen Cafe is open Monday through Friday. breakfast is served from 7am until 10am and lunch is served from 11am until 2pm. Country Queen Cafe, 19548 Boothe Road, Fairhope (251) 928-0500 • Facebook “Country Queen Cafe”
Lunch
Mother Daughter Duo do it again – so you don’t have to!
Jessica Guthrie and her mother Nancy Dupre left East Texas and headed to Fairhope a little over a year ago. They were familiar with the area because they formerly owned a restaurant in Seaside, Florida and also have good friends in the area. Nancy knew that she eventually wanted to end up in Fairhope so they sold their operation in Texas and headed East.
After five previous startups, the girls had this formula down pat. They found a unique location, pulled out the paintbrushes and got busy painting, decking and outfitting their new kitchen in a fun and eclectic fashion that is warm, inviting and surprisingly quite spacious.
The premise of Rae’s SOUTHERN KITCHEN & CATERING COMPANY is grab and go! It is simple home cooked food for folks that don’t want to or either can’t find the time to prepare meals themselves. They have a fully stocked cooler at all times filled with casseroles ranging in size from small to extra large. No preservatives are used – only fresh ingredients – and they freeze, thaw and reheat beautifully. Rae’s Southern Kitchen always has five or six different dishes to choose from which can include Beef Stroganoff, King Ranch Chicken, Mexican Lasagna, Chicken Artichoke, Shrimp & Crawfish Pie, Breakfast Casserole, Chicken Spaghetti – and the list goes on! If you have a specific item in mind just give them a call, if they don’t have what you are looking for on hand they can always whip one up on request.
Also available are appetizers and snacks, which vary in size as well, that are perfect for any type gathering. Try their Alabama Caviar, Sweet Ham & Poppy Sliders, Hot Crab Dip, Praline Baked Brie, Monterey Jack Salsa, Corn Relish Dip, Cowboy Sushi, Bama Bruschetta, Artichoke Bacon Dip, Chicken Salad, Pimento Cheese, English Crab Toast, Jalapeno Bacon Cheese Ball, Mexican Tuna, Marinated Shrimp and more.
If you are planning a special event, Rae’s Southern Kitchen & Catering Company can also assist. From sandwiches, to meats & cheeses, fruit, vegetables, savory bites, seafood, etc. You can even enlist them for dinner party duty. They have a menu that can be customized and even tweaked for certain dietary restrictions. In addition to all of the cooler prep and catering, the ladies also offer a fabulous daily lunch menu of soup, sandwiches, wraps and salads.
“Old Faithfuls” equate to Chicken Salad, Pimento Cheese, Mexican Tuna, Turkey BLT with Avocado or Turkey Swiss sandwiches. Warm up with their “Specialties” including Meatloaf, Tuna Melt, the Mallory Melt (turkey, bacon, avocado, brie and jalapeno jelly on a soft oat nut bread) and Ham & Mac (ham, homemade mac & cheese, bacon, and swiss on grilled oat nut bread)
All of their sandwiches are boxed with chips and their homemade house pickles – Grandma’s recipe. And not to worry, there’s always something sweet available, cookies, brownies, PIE! Although they are not a restaurant, they do have limited indoor and outdoor seating along with canned beverages if you would like to enjoy your lunch while you decide on what you would like to take home. Rae’s Southern Kitchen & Catering Company is open Monday through Friday from 10am until 5pm and Saturday from 10am until 3pm.
Rae’s Southern Kitchen & Catering Company, 460 N. Section St, Fairhope (251) 210-6135 • Facebook “Rae’s Southern Kitchen & Catering Co.” • http://www.RaesKitchenandCatering.com
Eat Beat 