An Unexpected Dinner…

Sometimes a meal on the road can truly be a gamble.  It is even more likely when you’re in a small town with limited offerings available.  

Years ago while visiting Valentine Nebraska, I’d asked our host at the local motel where she’d recommend we go for dinner…and she sent us to the local VFW Hall.  We joined for the night, ($1.00 each), and we enjoyed a good old fashioned potluck!

On this occasion we were staying at the Cambridge Inn in Cambridge Nebraska.  The town of Cambridge has a population of only around 1,000 people so we were a bit dubious about our dining chances...

The Cambridge Inn itself provided very nice accommodations as well as a fine breakfast in the morning.  I wrote about this top quality bed and breakfast operation in an earlier posting.  You can check it out at http://bigdaddydavesbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/2014/09/cambridge-inn-bed-and-breakfast.html.  Website: http://www.cambridge-bb.com/.

Our host at the Cambridge Inn didn’t hesitate when it came to a restaurant recommendation for dinner… She sent us to the Town Talk Restaurant in downtown Cambridge.  The restaurant was only a couple of blocks from the Inn.  

The interior of the Town Talk Restaurant was pretty simple and straightforward… It felt like a big dining room in a farmhouse.  There was a bar and despite the fact that it was a weekday, the bar and the restaurant were both busy.  Needless to say, almost everyone in the restaurant knew each other.  There was lots of table hopping and local chatter…

We ordered a drink and then started studying the menu.  It was much more expansive then we’d expected…

The seafood section of the menu included such items as Walleye, Catfish, Trout, Shrimp, Salmon, Mahi Mahi, Tilapia and Orange Roughy.  Wow!  That kind of variety was completely unexpected!  Prices of the seafood entrees ranged from $13.95 - $16.95.  

Laurie ordered the Walleye dinner. ($16.95)  This huge hand-breaded filet was deep fried to a golden brown.  It can also be charbroiled…but this style was recommended.  Laurie’s meal was accompanied by a side salad, rolls and rice pilaf.  Laurie’s dinner was excellent.  The walleye was terrific!  I was glad that it was huge; otherwise I wouldn’t of even gotten a bite of it.

Since Laurie had chosen the seafood menu, I focused on the beef, chicken entrees for my dinner.  As you can see, I opted for the Pork Chops, two 6 oz. chops breaded and fried. ($12.95) In addition to my roll and house salad, my entrée came with applesauce and my choice of potato…in this case, hash browns.  The pork chops were moist and flavorful and the hashbrowns were perfectly cooked!  For our meals, the Town Talk Restaurant scored 2 for 2!!

The beef portion of the menu offers a 14 oz. ribeye for $17.95 and a 20 oz. ribeye for only $22.95, definitely not big city prices!  Liver and Onions ($11.95) and Steak au Poivre ($19.95) were also featured.  I almost ordered the latter item…

We would highly recommend the food at the Town Talk Restaurant.  The food was very good/excellent plus the service was good and the dining atmosphere was friendly indeed.  Town Talk Restaurant, Banquet and Bar is located at 606 Patterson in Cambridge Nebraska.  Phone: 308-695-6100.  Check out the menu at http://www.musthavemenus.com/places/town-talk-restaurant-banquet-and-bar-cambridge-ne-69022-1800#.   For a review of this restaurant in Nebraska Rural Living, plus more photos, just go to http://www.nebraskaruralliving.com/foodies/town_talk.asp.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave