Cracker Barrel is everything it's cracked up to be

I've been surprised, from time to time, by some of the people who tell me they really like to eat at Cracker Barrel.

I'm talking about people who consider themselves at least a bit gourmet, people whose culinary tastes usually are quite a bit more haute. But they admit, sometimes in lowered voices, that they just really like Cracker Barrel.

My first reaction in walking into the West Valley Cracker Barrel is that there are no flies on these folks. To get to the hostess station, diners must walk through the Cracker Barrel Country Store, a charming, reasonably priced shop that's as crowded and diverse in its offerings as an old-time general store.

It was a bit of a job wrestling all the goods they were clutching out of our children's eager fists, but we finally arrived at the restaurant entrance.

We were quickly seated in a spacious dining room full of family-friendly touches like those wooden-triangle peg games on every table and child-size chairs set up with a checkerboard between them (again, these are some shrewd folks: the peg game, checkers set and teeny wooden rockers all are available to buy in the store).

Cracker Barrel is one of those restaurants that has breakfast all day, which always creates a dilemma for me, because I love breakfast food.

My husband does, as well, but he opted for dinner this time, choosing the Cracker Barrel Sampler, which is supposed to include portions of chicken and dumplings, meatloaf and ham as well as three sides.

The price is under nine bucks, which strikes me as extremely reasonable, provided the food is good.

It was, though he didn't get to try the meatloaf because they'd run out.

Instead, he had a double portion of the sugar-cured ham, a wonderful blend of sweet and salty with a chewy, but not too chewy, texture. The chicken and dumplings was all soft, juicy white chicken pieces and ultra-tender dumplings, gently seasoned and simply presented.

On the side he had mashed potatoes with brown gravy, sweet corn and excellent "fried apples," basically a bowl of good-quality pie filling with firm, flavorful apples.

The kids had house-made mac and cheese and plates of chicken tenders with mashed potatoes, all of which were not just good enough for kids, but actually good.

And me?