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What's Cooking: Don't judge this place by funky '80s facade

As sunset approaches, this Spring Hill cafe transforms from a roadside diner to a gourmet restaurant.

By LOGAN NEILL
Published August 26, 2005

SPRING HILL - When it comes to restaurants, experienced diners know that outward appearances can often be deceiving.

Think of all the fabulous gourmet fare that comes out of crumbling, run-down establishments in New Orleans' French Quarter or New York's Chinatown. Conversely, there are plenty of smartly appointed places where the culinary appeal doesn't rise above that of a school cafeteria.

All of which is why first-timers to the County Line Cafe & Grille should simply ignore the funky 1980s strip mall facade when they pull off U.S. 19. What goes on inside Kevin Howe's kitchen will more than make up for it.

For the past five years, Kevin and his wife, Karen, have been carving their own friendly little niche at Hernando County's southern edge, offering something that's part roadside diner, part gourmet restaurant. In fact, the place even takes an hour break in the afternoon so the staff can switch gears between the two.

Breakfast, which is offered daily, leans heavily toward traditional griddle fare, while lunch includes an array of on-the-go items - sandwiches, gyros, burgers and pizza - plus lighter food such as salads, wraps and vegetarian dishes.

However, once the sun dips toward the horizon, the County Line Cafe & Grille transforms into a charming little bistro, a place where Howe's considerable cooking talents can go full throttle.

The menu can probably best be described a "catch all," with a number of items derived from Italian and French cuisines. Popular pasta dishes such as alfredos and primaveras, even lasagna, offer reasonbly priced meals for traditional tastes. Howe, who spent more than two decades in some of South Florida's most elegant restaurants before he took the solo plunge, is an admitted adventurer in the kitchen. However, even his sportier creations are far from intimidating.

Just about everything is made from scratch, from yummy, fresh-baked breads and desserts to homemade salad dressings and soups. The Howes even grow many of their own herbs and spices.

I was quite impressed on my recent visit. Despite its rather uninspired exterior, the Howes have managed to make their 40-seat facility quite homey and comfortable with glass-topped tables and linen napkins.

My dining partner and I decided to start off with a cup of "she crab" soup (you should query Howe for the meaning behind the name), a rich, creamy chowder, delightfully flavored with Caribbean spices - so filling that on any other night we both might have been tempted to make a meal of it.

My entree choice was the "special of the day," Mojo Sirloin ($12.95), which consisted of a generous 10-ounce cut of beef, smothered in Jamaican jerk spices and seared to perfection. Thankfully, our attentive server was kind enough to tote an extra glass of water just in case I needed to soothe my burning tongue.

My dining partner decided on the Veal Oscar ($13.95), a favorite of hers that was nicely augmented by a half-dozen shrimp and dolloped with a buttery bearnaise sauce.

For dessert, we both sampled the bread pudding, a house specialty derived from a recipe from Karen Howe's grandmother. Simple and sweet, there's little wonder why it's one of the most popular items on the dessert menu.

It's easy to see why this place maintains a loyal customer base. The food is first-rate and resonably priced. The atmosphere is intimate and friendly. And the serving staff is polite and energetic.

By anyone's standards, that's a great recipe for success.

Logan Neill can be reached at lneill@sptimes.com or 352 848-1435.

The Times publishes a periodic feature called "What's Cooking," a look at some of Hernando County's favorite dining spots. We welcome recommendations from readers. So if you have a place in mind for us to visit, please drop us a line at What's Cooking, Hernando Times, 15365 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613, or e-mail your suggestion to lneill@sptimes.com Be sure to include the name and address of the restaurant and a brief description of what you like about it.

County Line Cafe & Grille

WHERE: 120 Commercial Way, Spring Hill.

HOURS: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday though Saturday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. Dinner hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday though Saturday.

INFORMATION: 688-8899.

[Last modified August 26, 2005, 01:36:21]