It's time to start the third part of my trip through Pikeville. This time, I will be covering the part of Pikeville that covers the central business district, what I'll be calling 'east central," as I will be going fairly far east of the main downtown. Click here for the link to see how I am organizing these posts. Onto the food stops.
- [Pizza place next to Subway, ?: Many restaurants opened about the same time my store, Booknotes, did. This pizza place was one of them. It opened the same time as Subway. I think they went around to various businesses to advertise their opening. I know we thought about going there, but I can't remember if we actually did. I think it had "Roma" as part of its name, but I can't be sure. The pizza place didn't stay around too long, and Subway expanded into their section of the building. Subway has recently remodeled that area again. Note: pretty sure I've never eaten at this Subway.]
- Lunch counter at Hobbs department store, DI: In the mid-80s, or so, my mom started to get very tired about my picky eating and stopping at LJS so much. As a compromise, we would sometimes stop here for a bite. More so for me than her. After shopping for toys upstairs, we went to the lunch counter, and I had a grilled cheese sandwich, maybe with some fries. I would put some of the ketchup on my sandwich for a flavor boost. We didn't do this too many times, before the store closed off the counter as part of their slow decline to going out of business. By the 90s, Hobbs was gone, and a bank took up the entire corner space. That bank has since closed this branch, and it is rumored that the hospital is looking to buy the space. ( While Hobbs is gone, its warehouse on Route 122 in Robinson Creek is still standing, with its logo still visible.) [I still eat ketchup occasionally with grilled cheese, but it is rare as I usually have it for breakfast some days. And I make them with hot dog buns. Also, I prefer toasted cheese sandwiches, sometimes with mozzarella and spaghetti sauce instead of American slices. I know. Really weird, but least fat from added butter.]
- Hardee's, TO, ⭐️: Strangely enough, I never really ate here until the 2000s. Sure, my mom stoped here for coffee a few times, and I think we went through the drive-thru to get me some fries once before driving on to someplace else, but that was it. It was never part of the rotation of restaurants that we went through. I didn't really eat here until after my store opened, and they developed the 'Angus Thickburger.' I tried and kind of liked it, so Hardee's entered the rotation. I usually had a signature burger, although I would also have the chicken strips. They were always just a little overcooked compared to other places. There were also the occasional limited offers, but I always felt the food was just not quite to my tastes. Then, the Thickburger left. In fact, most of the few things I really liked were taken off the menu. I'm not sure was happening. During my most recent visit last year, they were out of all fountain drinks and were giving out cans of Coke and Sprite instead. The ice machine part of the fountain still worked. I also heard them say that they were out of the special patties for some of their signature burgers. Over the past few years, they have also been out of condiments (but not the Duke mayonnaise which I don't like), cup carriers, half-and-half, and even napkins. I don't know what is going on here, but I bet my mom will still try and get her coffee and my ice here when she can.
- Chirico's Ristorante, previous/current locations, TO/DEL: This was another restaurant that opened up about the same time as Booknotes. They too went around promoting their opening, but we definitely ate here. I tried a calzone from here, and it had possibly the best pizza crust I ever had. Honest. It was a little pricey to have often, but I tried to have it as much as I could. I even had one delivered to the store when a plan to get Stromboli at Hoebert's in P-burg had to be cancelled when there was an accident on the road near them. Chirico's had to move from its original location at the Pinson hotel when the building was torn down to make way for Pikeville's third county courthouse (!) , (and second in thirty years) to the historic McCoy House (!?). I would usually order a calzone on Halloween, enabling me to hand out candy without worrying about too much cooking. Unfortunately, I had to stop going there when prices started to go up. I haven't eaten there in over a decade. While I didn't order a wide variety of things there, I still would like to go back.
- Dorsey's Diary Bar, TO, previous owner: Dorsey's was one of the places we tried eating at during the early period of my store. I got a burger, maybe onion rings, and a drink. Within the hour, I was sick in the bathroom, the only time I can ever remember having problems so soon after eating out. While that alone might not prevent me from going back, I do have some more sour grapes to mention. About eight/nine years ago, I had book signing event with bestselling author Adrianna Trigiani for her second time back. We contacted various media outlets about the event, including WYMT-Hazard. Although smaller than the original event, we still had a good turnout. We didn't have much media coverage though. That night, I was watching Hazard news, when it ran an item about how the community had come out to repaint Dorsey's and fix up a few things. We were just down the road a half mile and they couldn't show up for our event?! Sure, maybe the thing at Dorsey's was over with before our event at two, but they still could have stayed around. It is a just as business oriented. They show up at Hazard's book store for the smallest excuse, but not for us that day. As I said, sour grapes. Regardless, I am not planning at eating here again.
- [Double Kwik, TO: I have gotten ice here a few times. Nothing fresh made. Just some packaged things a few times. I also used to get the Saturday Lexington newspaper here when it was still published.]
- Mona's Catering, TO: I haven't actually ate here, although I have sampled a few desserts my mom has gotten when she has gone here. Not really my style.
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