People who want to try some of Paula Deen's creations have a choice of locations - Savannah for The Lady & Sons or in Pigeon Forge at Paula Deen's Family Kitchen. On a recent excursion to Pigeon Forge, my family and I dined at Paula Deen's Family Kitchen which is located by the entrance at The Island.
The restaurant itself is located above the shop that sells Paula Deen branded merchandise. To get to the restaurant, diners ride an escalator which is right past the check-in. Call ahead seating may be available one hour before arrival.
The meal is served "family style," meaning that dishes are brought to the table and shared amongst the diners.
Instead of a typical bread basket, the meal is started off with servings of hoecakes and savory biscuits.
For dinner, the guests at the table select 3 entrees to be shared. We selected Best Ever Southern Fried Chicken, Beef Pot Roast, and Spare Ribs. Other entrees on the menu are Chicken & Dumplings, Cheesy Meatloaf, Chicken-Fried Pork Chop, and Georgia Fried Catfish.
The table also selects four side dishes to share. Our selections were Green Beans, Poppyseed Tossed Salad, Black Eyed Peas, and Mac and Cheese. Other sides dishes include Corn Casserole, Fresh Candied Yams, Succotash, Creamed Potatoes, Collard Greens, Squash Casserole, Buttered White Rice, and Creamed Corn.
While diners cannot bring home a doggy bag or any leftovers, they are welcome to eat all that they like. They will be happy to refill your selections should you run out and want more.
Poppyseed Tossed Salad
Best Ever Southern Fried Chicken
Once diners have had their fill of the main course, they can select individual desserts to complete their dining experience. Choices include Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, Paula's Seasonal Cobbler, and Banana Pudding.
Banana Pudding
Honestly, I was surprised to see that the banana pudding was topped with a generous portion of whipped cream. The pudding itself was okay and the topping by itself was fine, but please - banana pudding should be topped with meringue.
Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
I selected the Ooey Gooey Butter Cake for dessert. When it arrived at our table, it looked just like the Cream Cheese Squares that my husband has been making for years. It tasted just like them, too. (I'll be sharing my take on this tasty dessert later this week!)
About Paula Deen's Family Kitchen
Hours
Prices
Breakfast: Adults $14.99 per person, Kids (5-10) $8.99 per person
Lunch: $17.99 per person for 2 Down Home Dishes and $19.99 per adult for 3 Down Home Dishes, Kids (5 - 10) $9.99 per person
Dinner: $21.99 per person for 2 Down Home Dishes and $22.99 per adult for 3 Down Home Dishes, Kids (5-10) $10.99 per person
(Drinks are not included in the price of the meal.)
Location
Paula Deen's Family Kitchen is located at 131 The Island Drive, Suite 8101, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863.
Can you share your husband's Cream Cheese Squares recipe. I would love to try his version. I recently had Paula Deen's Okey Gooey Bars in her restaurant and I loved the crust. It was thinner and lighter, more like a Graham cracker crust than the traditional recipes that use cake mix for the crust. Thanks!
The recipe is on Southern Kissed and is called Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. The recipe does use cake mix for the crust and was very similar to the cake we had at her restaurant.