New restaurants offer variety in food, décor

The owners of some of the area's newest restaurants say what they have to offer can't be found anywhere else.

The Station Cafe and Pub

The theme of The Station Cafe and Pub, located at 3322 DD S. Campbell, is trains and train stations. Upon entering the restaurant, the diner's eyes are drawn to the mural of a train station that covers most of the south wall, painted by local artist Farley Lewis.

"Some stations are so elegant while others are rustic," said owner Victoria Wyatt, who opened the restaurant in Sheids Plaza April 29. "They all have such character. It's been kind of fun, too, because everyone who comes in here says they know someone who's worked for the railroad, whether it be their dad, uncle or grandfather."

Wyatt describes her menu as eclectic. Items range from certified Angus beef steaks to the popular Chicken Schnitzel, with an array of salads, sandwiches and appetizers. Beyond the menu, Wyatt said it's the presentation of the food that makes her restaurant unique.

"We take something as simple as a club sandwich, but do something different with it," she said. "For example, with our club car wrap, we use a garlic mayonnaise instead of regular mayonnaise. Then we wrap it in a tomato basil wrap (like a tortilla) as opposed to using bread. It has pretty much the same ingredients as a club sandwich, but we're doing it in a different way."

The Uptown Cafe

After running a restaurant on Scenic for 15 years, Charles Merrill took a trip around the world, spending time in Europe and Australia. Two months ago, he opened the Uptown Cafe at 312 E. Commercial Street because, he said, he needed something to do.

"This restaurant keeps me occupied," he said. "I created my own job, but I don't need to do this to make a living. People enjoy eating here because of the low prices, and the food is served with a smile."

The menu offers American cuisine such as fried chicken, roast beef, sirloin steak and hamburgers and fries.

Amore Pizza

Amore Pizza, located at 4153 S. Scenic, opened June 26. The restaurant is operated by Tamer and Melissa Ibrahim, who moved to Springfield recently from southern California. Melissa Ibrahim said low prices and special ingredients in the pizza sauce will keep people coming back.

"The customers tell us they haven't tasted anything like our pizza before," she said. "The spices ... are different than what's used on other pizzas in this area. Also, the dough is hand-tossed and made from scratch."

In addition to pizza, Amore offers sandwiches, salads and Italian dishes including spaghetti and lasagna. Carryout and dine-in service and free delivery within a three-mile radius of the restaurant is also available.

The Garden Shed Restaurant

At the Garden Shed Restaurant in Nixa, owner Holly Budd is in the process of expanding the back garden area and, therefore, its services.

Operations Manager Kenn Davis said the Garden Shed plans to build a 6-foot waterfall and a gazebo over the existing pond. Patrons will have more room to enjoy Nostalgia and the Chris Albert Trio, live bands that perform Friday and Saturday evenings, "but the main purpose for extending the garden is for people to have weddings and parties out there," Budd said. "We're booking now for September weddings."

To celebrate the extension of the garden and the restaurant's one-year anniversary, Budd is planning an Aug. 5 luau. with a pig roast, Polynesian food, a flame juggler and a working volcano. The restaurant's usual fare includes pastas, nightly steak specials and seafood.

Monthly wine tastings on Mondays, when the restaurant is normally closed, include "a multi-course meal with a different wine served with each course," Davis said. "We target a different country each month, and the wine and food are tailored to that region."

The restaurant is located at 1528 N. Main Street in Nixa, one block south of the intersection of Highway CC and Main Street.

Fried Green T'amadas

Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley or Minnie Pearl may be your server at Fried Green T'amadas. The restaurant, located at the junction of Highway 65 and CC in Ozark, offers wait staff who can sing or juggle a drive-through window, a gift shop and Sweet Row, which sells desserts and candy.

Fried Green T'amadas, open for two months now, does serve fried green tomatoes, as well as with grilled quail, alligator and certified Angus beef steaks.

Rosemary Griffin, the front of the house manager, said the wait staff is learning magic tricks and other things to make the atmosphere fun for adults and children.

"It also makes for a fun atmosphere for the people working here," she said. "Some of the young people here are interested in drama, so this gives them extra exposure. Some of the adults do it just because they love it."

Fried Green T'amadas is owned by five local businesspeople.