Family meals made easy

photo Servers Karyn Louwagie, Joy Baker and Tracy Gray, from left

At this time of year, when moms and dads are rushing to and from work, school, sporting events and errands, Countryside offers an easy solution for recapturing family mealtime.

"Whether you're meeting your family here or getting your family dinners to-go, it's just about the time together and how important that is for the family structure," says Marlene Geren, who owns and operates the restaurant with her husband, Ponder, and the help of their sons, David and Daniel.

"We have been in the restaurant business and our kids have been in our restaurant business for years. We all met here for family meals. It's so important to have that family time. You manage it around whatever hectic schedule you have to find that normalcy."

photo Roast Beef and gravy from Countryside Cafe

Countryside guests who want a larger table to accommodate extra family members can sit at one of the family tables. The restaurant has two dining rooms that provide everyone enough elbow and fork room. Not only is there plenty of space for everyone from grandparents to toddlers, Countryside's menu offers enough diversity so that every generation can find something they love to eat.

Parents can enjoy Southern-style dishes like chicken and dressing, meatloaf, fried catfish, collard greens and other mealtime favorites while their kids partake in chicken tenders, hot dogs, hamburgers or macaroni and cheese. Everything is prepared from scratch every day - Geren says all the staff members have spent time sitting on crates in the back peeling potatoes.

The restaurant continues to work with local farms and providers to offer the freshest vegetables around. "You can just about come in and eat faster than you would go home and cook," Geren says. "They may have a time frame after work and before sports or school events. People are always rushed for time and this is a great way to pack in a family atmosphere and family meal within their time restraints."

photo Broasted Chicken from Countryside Cafe

For those whose schedules don't include a night out, it's just as easy to call ahead orders and pick them up at Countryside's to-go window. Any of the restaurant's specials can be prepared in family portions for four, eight or 12 people. A varied assortment of delicious sides like cornbread and seasonal vegetables along with a sweet variety of desserts make for the perfect complement to any meal, even if it's a slow-cooked roast waiting at home in the set-and-forget Crock Pot.

The restaurant's family focus doesn't end with the menu. "The guests are our extended family," Geren says. "You get close to people and they expect us to be here. We know them by name. We know what they want to drink before they sit down and what table they want to sit at. They know a lot about us too."

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