Myra Jean's

Myra Jean’s Cakes and Restaurant
2669 Crawfordville Hwy, Crawfordville, Florida
http://www.myrajeanscakes.com/


I had a lunch date with a young friend in Crawfordville this week. We were trying to decide where to go and I ran down the list of local possibilities. I mentioned Myra Jean’s and my friend’s eyes lit up and she exclaimed, “Myra Jean’s! That sounds perfect!”

If you have never been to Myra Jean’s, imagine this, “diner meets Whistle Stop Café.” And yes, that is Whistle Stop Café, as in the Georgia restaurant featured in the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes”. Now, I have never had a fried green tomato at Myra Jean’s…although I imagine the kitchen could put out a decent version if they had a mind to do so.

At Myra Jean’s, the service is as sweet as the iced tea. When you enter this brightly lit establishment, you will be greeted with a smile and swiftly seated by a friendly server. Younger patrons will enjoy the train that winds it away around the wall mounted track. My six year old nephew Aidan loves to mash the restart button when the train stops. When he was a wee bit smaller, he would usually find a teenaged female server who was willing to pick him up to press that button, too.

I hadn’t visited Myra Jean’s in a few months and some changes had taken place in my absence. The former bakery area adjacent to the restaurant now includes a few tables with white linen tablecloths. It looks like local groups might be able to reserve that area for meetings or events?

The main restaurant still features baked goods and a freezer case with ice cream. Although the bakery and cake business seems to have taken a hit due to the economic downturn, you can still special order those yummy cupcakes and famous specialty cakes. Anyone need a birthday or wedding cake? Myra Jean’s offers delicious varieties. I recommend the carrot cake.

On my most recent visit, my lunch partner and I were in the mood for sandwiches. Myra Jean’s menu is fairly extensive and ranges from salads and sandwiches to various hot entrees. Specials are always featured on the white board by the kitchen. Myra Jean’s also offers breakfast daily, including a buffet on the weekends.

I chose a reuben on rye with a side of crispy crinkle cut fries. My standard reuben order involves substituting turkey for the more traditional corned beef. Reuben purists, please forgive me, I just prefer them that way. Myra Jean’s kitchen always happily makes that substitution for me. My friend ordered turkey on a sub roll. I am not sure where Myra Jean’s is getting their rolls, but that hoagie roll looked very fresh!

We also sampled an appetizer item that I hadn’t previously seen on the menu: buffalo parmesan pita chips with a side of dressing for dipping. This dish involved several pitas that had been baked and coated with tangy buffalo sauce, then sprinkled with parmesan cheese. We asked for ranch and bleu cheese dressing to accompany the chips. These so-called chips really require a fork! In fact, we used a fork and a knife to cut the large “chips” into bite size pieces to dip into our salad dressings. I should mention that I don’t think Myra Jean’s has homemade salad dressing, expect the bottled stuff here.

People tell me that Myra Jean’s offers a mean meatloaf that will rival your grandma’s cooking. I haven’t tested out that bit of local lore for myself yet but what great testimony from faithful fans!

Other tasty dining options at Myra Jean’s include the club sandwich and the buffalo chicken wrap. Expect your meal with a smile and a generous side of Southern hospitality. Before you leave, treat yourself to an old-fashioned ice cream sundae or order a cake for that next special occasion.