Odell's Pizza & Pasta



Odell's Downtown Winona



This month my taste buds have led to to the small town of Winona, were I found Odell’s Pizza. This small and cozy Italian restaurant has been on my radar for some time now, needless to say I was very excited to review this hidden treasure.




Owner Harry Jones could not have picked a better place for this restaurant, an old main street brick building has been the home of Odell’s since 1996. Upon entry my senses were overwhelmed with the smell of fresh baked bread, italian herbs, and the smooth sounds of classic jazz. Covering the walls is an eclectic collection of hand painted artwork from local artists. With ten table tops and a small bar area the restaurant seats around fifty people very comfortably .





Odell’s menu is comprised of italian favorites such as Lasagna, Spaghetti, and hand made Pizza Pie. You will also find a fabulous selection of salads and sandwiches. The Dessert menu has such treats as Tiramisu, Cappuccino pie, and my absolute all time favorite Italian Cream Cake. Odell’s is BYOB and has Wine glasses on hand for the perfect Vino to complement your meal.

Alright let’s get down to business, I started off my meal with an order of Pimento Cheese Sticks for the appetizer and let me just say WOW. As I sat eating this cheesy dish I could not bring forth the words to describe it, so I will just say woo hoo and move on to the Entrée.

All the Entrée’s are served with a side salad and delicious homemade toasted garlic bread. With my salad I went with the house dressing which is a spicy apple vinaigrette, it was an amazing blend of sweet, tangy, and spice, I can honestly say I could write an entire article on the dressing.



The Dining Room and Artwork, And Brooke.



Now its no secret that I love Italian ccoking so making a decision was very difficult, but after talking to Harry he had the perfect dish in mind. His choice for me was a delicious Spicy Italian Sausage Primavera with fresh sliced mushrooms, red peppers and olives. The Handmade Fettuccini Noodles were cooked to perfection complementing the robust sauce and vegetables. The enormous pieces of sausage exploded with juicy flavor and spices. Unfortunately I was unable to finish the the dish due to the heaping portion size, seriously it was enough to feed two or three adults. I also had the pleasure of sampling one of Odell’s signature Pizza Pies, the Spicy Italian. What a treat, this hand tossed masterpeice blended pineapple, jalapenos, peperoni, and italian sausage smothered in a blanket of melty mozzarella.

Even though I couldn’t finish my entrée I had to try the Italian cream cake, my Mother makes me one every year for my Birthday and after eating this one I have to say Mom I’m sorry but Odell’s Cream Cake is the best I have ever had. It was so moist and creamy with the perfect amount of Walnuts. A must have with every meal.

Odell’s was absolutely wonderful from its friendly staff and fabulous food, to the comfortable atmosphere. I would recommend eating here to anyone , anytime. Whether you are coming from Shreveport, DFW, or anywhere in between it’s well worth the drive. A++ Great Job Guys!! Until next time Happy Eating!!

Odell’s Pizza

119 South Main Street

Winona, TX 75492

903-877-4488

300 Forks Restaurant

From Right to Left: Owners Darcy and Linda Burton,
Me and My Fiance Brooke.




 

Hello food fans, and welcome to another exciting adventure in eating. This month I picked a special place for a very special reason, and that led me to 300 Forks in between Gilmer and Longview. On this trip I invited my Mother Melanie, and her Boyfriend Jim to join me and my girlfriend and travel companion Brooke, now Brooke always accompanies me on my journeys but this time I had news to share.

From the moment we arrived at 300 Forks I knew we were in for a magical evening, the restaurant sit amidst rolling hills and was perched overlooking a beautiful and picturesque lake. As we got closer to the door we noticed the subtle smell of cinnamon and spice, as we got closer it got stronger and more enticing. As we walked inside the first thing we noticed was the patio overlooking the lake and the magnificent stone fireplace. Soulful Jazz joined the cinnamon spice and warmed the air around us. I knew I had picked the perfect place to announce my engagement to Brooke.

The Stone Fireplace, and Dinning Room.

Owners Darcy and Linda Burton opened 300 Forks in November of 2009 and have been going strong since. With a perfect location, friendly atmosphere and excellent menu they are sure to be around for a long time.

Alright on to the good stuff, we finally sit at our table after taking pictures and overlooking the property. The waitress Sarah was prompt and polite as she brought us menus and took our drink orders. I quickly ordered the Mango Tea and a Spinach and Artichoke dip as an appetizer for the table. We exchanged conversation back and forth while perusing the menu trying to decide what to try. It was a very tough decision between Blackened Catfish, Chicken Fettuccine, and the 12oz Rib-Eye. After careful deliberation and several minutes I decided to ask the Chef and Owner Linda for her recommendation, I was very pleased with her suggestion of the 12oz Rib-Eye Sautéed Green Beans, and Potatoes Au Gratin, Mmm Mmm.

Captivating views from the Patio.

With great conversation and the Spinach and Artichoke dip time flew by and it was time for the Caesar salad that preempted the Entrée. The salad was superb, nice crisp lettuce and the homemade Caesar dressing was excellently robust and you could really taste the Anchovy, topped of with parmesan and fresh ground pepper it was a wonderful starter.

Shortly after the salads the Rib-Eyes followed as our waitress placed them on the table they were still sizzling, and the aroma overwhelmed my senses. As I cut in to the steak for the first bite juices flowed and the meat just fell apart, this was probably the tenderest steak I have ever eaten. The charbroiled flavor and spices ran throughout every bite leaving me craving the next. Served with the steak were crisp and flavorful sautéed Green Beans and rich creamy Au Gratin Potatoes. All together an excellent set up by any standards.

Juicy, Tender, Delicious.

After the Entrée we ordered a Chocolate Mousse and Linda’s special Bread Pudding. While we were waiting we decided to step out on the patio and enjoy the cool fall breeze and moonlight kissed lake views. After ten minutes or so we noticed the waitress had brought the desserts, we returned with amazement to the size of these dishes and began to try them. I started with the Bread Pudding, it was so warm and delicious the Rum Glaze was just dripping off the sides it was just amazing. Now on to the Chocolate Mousse, at first bite I immediately noticed the real Cocoa, this was so decadent and rich, a chocolate lovers dream.

This experience was amazing Darcy and Linda and the rest of the staff were so warm and inviting, it felt as if we were having dinner at a friend’s house. 300 Forks was just great and will always hold a very special place in my heart. AA+ Superb job!!!

Well that’s it for this month; remember good food is always worth the drive.

Happy Eating,

Justin Thomas

300 Forks Restaurant

3800 Flamingo Drive @ Hwy 300 North

Flying Feathers Ranch

Gilmer, TX 75644

903.734.1724

www.300forks.com

Be sure and send your requests, and comments to:

thegourmethunter@suddenlink.net

300 Forks Restaurant

Hello food fans, and welcome to another exciting adventure in eating. This month I picked a special place for a very special reason, and that led me to 300 Forks in between Gilmer and Longview. On this trip I invited my Mother Melanie, and her Boyfriend Jim to join me and my girlfriend and travel companion Brooke, now Brooke always accompanies me on my journeys but this time I had news to share.
From the moment we arrived at 300 Forks I knew we were in for a magical evening, the restaurant sit amidst rolling hills and was perched overlooking a beautiful and picturesque lake. As we got closer to the door we noticed the subtle smell of cinnamon and spice, as we got closer it got stronger and more enticing. As we walked inside the first thing we noticed was the patio overlooking the lake and the magnificent stone fireplace. Soulful Jazz joined the cinnamon spice and warmed the air around us. I knew I had picked the perfect place to announce my engagement to Brooke.
Owners Darcy and Linda Burton opened 300 Forks in November of 2009 and have been going strong since. With a perfect location, friendly atmosphere and excellent menu they are sure to be around for a long time.
Alright on to the good stuff, we finally sit at our table after taking pictures and overlooking the property. The waitress Sarah was prompt and polite as she brought us menus and took our drink orders. I quickly ordered the Mango Tea and a Spinach and Artichoke dip as an appetizer for the table. We exchanged conversation back and forth while perusing the menu trying to decide what to try. It was a very tough decision between Blackened Catfish, Chicken Fettuccine, and the 12oz Rib-Eye. After careful deliberation and several minutes I decided to ask the Chef and Owner Linda for her recommendation, I was very pleased with her suggestion of the 12oz Rib-Eye Sautéed Green Beans, and Potatoes Au Gratin, Mmm Mmm.
With great conversation and the Spinach and Artichoke dip time flew by and it was time for the Caesar salad that preempted the Entrée. The salad was superb, nice crisp lettuce and the homemade Caesar dressing was excellently robust and you could really taste the Anchovy, topped of with parmesan and fresh ground pepper it was a wonderful starter.
Shortly after the salads the Rib-Eyes followed as our waitress placed them on the table they were still sizzling, and the aroma overwhelmed my senses. As I cut in to the steak for the first bite juices flowed and the meat just fell apart, this was probably the tenderest steak I have ever eaten. The charbroiled flavor and spices ran throughout every bite leaving me craving the next. Served with the steak were crisp and flavorful sautéed Green Beans and rich creamy Au Gratin Potatoes. All together an excellent set up by any standards.
After the Entrée we ordered a Chocolate Mousse and Linda’s special Bread Pudding. While we were waiting we decided to step out on the patio and enjoy the cool fall breeze and moonlight kissed lake views. After ten minutes or so we noticed the waitress had brought the desserts, we returned with amazement to the size of these dishes and began to try them. I started with the Bread Pudding, it was so warm and delicious the Rum Glaze was just dripping off the sides it was just amazing. Now on to the Chocolate Mousse, at first bite I immediately noticed the real Cocoa, this was so decadent and rich, a chocolate lovers dream.
This experience was amazing Darcy and Linda and the rest of the staff were so warm and inviting, it felt as if we were having dinner at a friend’s house. 300 Forks was just great and will always hold a very special place in my heart. AA+ Superb job!!!
Well that’s it for this month; remember good food is always worth the drive.
Happy Eating,
Justin Thomas


300 Forks Restaurant
3800 Flamingo Drive @ Hwy 300 North
Flying Feathers Ranch
Gilmer, TX 75644
903.734.1724
www.300forks.com

Be sure and send your requests, and comments to:
thegourmethunter@suddenlink.net