Restaurant meme

I saw this over on Carrie’s blog and she invited anyone to play.

Here are the rules:
1. Link to name of person that tagged you.
2. Include state and country you live in.
3. List top 5 favorite local restaurants.
4. Tag 5 other people and let them know they’ve been tagged.

Okay, I live in the cross-roads of America, Indiana and for a city of 50,000 people we have tons of chains.  The newspaper reported at one point that we have the busiest Red Lobster anywhere in the country.  I don’t know if it’s still true, but trying to eat there, Outback, or Olive Garden is nearly impossible on Friday or Saturday evenings.

So, what local restaurants do we have.  Not many.

1. Pino’s – a little Italian place.  Pino was actually from Italy and meet his wife in NYC.  They moved back here (her home town) and opened a restaurant.  He passed away a few years ago and when the wife closed the restaurant, the employees bought it and reopened it.

2. Footer’s Pizza – Pretty good pizza for not being in Buffalo.  It’s also the local game store and where Boy goes to play Magic.  Ray, the owner, just told Hubby how he started the place with $200 a few years ago.  He’s now in his third location and looking to move again into a still larger space.

3. Moggers Eatery and Pub – The food is decent (though we feel that it’s gone downhill in the 8 years we’ve lived here) but the building has character (it’s an old brewery)  and it’s not bad for a relaxed meal out.  The restaurant across the street (Stables) is owned by the same family and is the old stables that the draft horses were kept in.  It’s been beautifully redone, but as a steak house is very expensive.

4. European Grill -  Hubby and I went here once and thought it was great, we haven’t made it back yet.  But I do have to qualify it because my hair dresser and I often discuss restaurants and he and his partner have been here twice and been unhappy.

5. I guess my last choice would be Exotic Thai – It’s my only exposure to Thai food, so I can’t put it in prospective.  But I like the food.

Now, who to tag.

I guess I’ve got to get Frankie, because I’m going to be driving through her home town this summer and want to see it there is any where to eat. (Feel free to go out of your little town to get five – and to wait until you are home to do it.)

On that note, I’ve got to get Contemplator, because I drive through her town when I go see my sister and there has to be some place better than our usual chain for a dinner stop.

And I want to get Andrea because they just moved, so they must be curious what the new local restaurants are.

Adesa tagged me the other day, so I’m getting her back.

And lastly, I’m tagging Kim.  She’s a new friend that I’m meeting IRL next week because we live in the same county.  Maybe she’ll have some thing to recommend that we haven’t tried  yet.

Anyone else who wants to play?  (And Jo, see?  I’m not tagging you.)