Lovelady’s Courthouse Café: A Great Lunch Just around the corner

Lovelady’s Courthouse Café: A Great Lunch Just around the corner

The Dining Duo visit new local eatery

Location: 100 Washington St., Marion Rating: 3 1/2 POWs (and I’m sure it’s a 4 with coffee and dessert!) Don’t tell Cat, but “Alfred” and I slipped out of the Batcave and had lunch without her. I’m supposed to be banned from picking the next two Dining Duo outings. I originally planned to go with “Alfred” to West Memphis for lunch, but I’ve heard a lot about a new sandwich and coffee place in Marion that I thought would hit the spot. I promise you though, I do have a list of places to try in West Memphis. So West Memphis, you are next.

If there is one thing that Marion desperately needs it’s more places to grab a sandwich and soup, and a good place to meet up for coffee. Nothing against Subway or Lenny’s. I personally love Lenny’s. But I like a good sandwich that you just can’t get at a chain.

Lovelady’s Courthouse Café fits the bill nicely. Located on Washington Street adjacent to the courthouse, Lovelady’s is a nice new addition to Marion that serves up breakfast, fresh coffee, and even has an espresso bar, which is guaranteed to please the morning coffee crowd. I’m not a coffee or espresso drinker, so you will have to try those on your own.

The menu has a wide selection of sandwiches with names like Big Pappy’s Muffuletta (tavern ham, Genoa salami, Provologne, olive spread, spicy mustard, onions, lettuce, tomato on a Muffaletta roll); Big Al’s Ham and Cheese (tavern ham, choice of cheddar, Swiss, Povologne or smoked Gouda on white or wheat hoagie); Harvey (tavern ham, Genoa salami, oven roasted turkey, Mozarella on a white or wheat hoagie), and Miller (top Round Roast beef, onions, bell peppers, Mozarella cheese), to the more traditional roast beef, turkey, corned beef, and Reuben sandwiches.

They also have a soup of the day (3.95 cup or $5.95 bowl), everything from chicken tortilla, loaded baked potato, vegetable beef, tomato basil, and chili. And for those of you watching your waistline or just health conscious, the menu also has Chef, Italian and Garden salads.

This was actually the fourth time “Alfred” has eaten at Lovelady’s. He’s usually gotten a grilled cheese sandwich and coffee, but decided to try something new. “Alfred” ordered the Hoagie ($9.00) which comes with tavern ham, Genoa salami, Mozzarella, lettuce and tomato on your choice of white or wheat hoagie. He also ordered the soup of the day which was a cup of Tomato Basil. The sandwich comes with a bag of chips and “Alfred” added an unsweet Tea. “Alfred” thought the sandwich was good and filled him up, but is a bit on the pricey side. He also enjoyed the soup.

I ordered the Corned Beef ($8.00) on marble rye with spicy mustard, and also got a cup of the Tomato Basil soup. The sandwich was excellent. The marble rye tasted like it had been freshly baked. While it had a pretty good amount of Corned Beef on it, I thought it should have had a little more meat. But it filled me up and tasted good. One thing I like about Lovelady’s is that they use Boar’s Head meat, which in my opinion, is the best deli meat you can get.

I was really looking forward to the soup, but sadly, I did not care for it. The Tomato Basil soup tasted to me like it was just heated spaghetti sauce. Now, maybe that’s the way Tomato Basil soup is supposed to taste like. I was expecting more of a bisque I guess. But that won’t stop me from going back and trying their other soups. I love chicken tortilla and loaded baked potato soup.

Overall, I liked Lovelady’s. I’m glad it’s there. Alfred and I both agree that a café like this is exactly what Marion needed in its downtown. The place seats about 30 and has a nice outdoor patio which I’m sure will have tables for outdoor dining when the weather gets nice. And I love what they have done with the inside.

Its got plenty of seating, is well lit, and has a really relaxing rustic décor with the exposed brick walls.

Our bill came to $32 without the tip, which may seem a bit highfor a sandwich and soup for two people. But honesty, the prices are exactly in-line with what you will pay at other sandwich shops, and may even be cheaper on some!

The food is served made to order and is fresh. The Boar’s Head meat is a definite plus for me, and you can tell the offerings are made with quality ingredients. And oh yeah, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that they have desserts!

Alfred and I came away full and satisfied with the food. Alfred commented that “It’s a good place to meet your friends for lunch and has the chance to be a real place for the community to hang out and enjoy a nice leisurely cup of coffee in the morning or to grab a soup and sandwich in the afternoon. I would like to see them succeed because it’s perfect for the downtown.”

I wholeheartedly concur and will be back…maybe even with “Cat,” if, that is, she doesn’t scratch me and throw a hissing fit that I did a “Dining Duo” without her.