Ozark, Mo
When I heard that a church that I used to drive by every day when I lived in downtown Ozark, was going to be opening up as a restaurant, I was intrigued. The more information that came out the more curious I was to be able to see what exactly the vision was for the building. How were they going to utilize the entire space? What would the ambiance feel like while dining in what was once a sanctuary of place of worship for so long?
I was able to finally head downtown on a rainy afternoon for lunch. Surprisingly there was only a couple other tables there at noon on a Friday. The main dining area didn't have anyone using it at lunch time so I was able to take a few pictures. The stain glass windows really make the place look great!
We were sat in a smaller area near the bar on the other side of the building. The wait staff were very friendly and gave a full run down on the menu. Its always great to hear how much of the menu is made in house and not frozen from a bag. Everything from the fries to the candied pepper bacon put on the burgers is made in house.
As soon as I seen the appetizer menu, I knew what I wanted. The Duck Confit egg rolls were calling my name. But I was torn, they also have chicken livers as an appetizer that I have heard great things about. Luckily I had some family joining me for lunch, so we indulged and ordered both the egg rolls and the chicken livers!
Lets Start with the egg rolls. Two large Duck Confit Egg Rolls served with blood orange gastrique ran $10. They were served cut in half and on a bed of arugula with the gastrique in a small ramekin. These were fried perfectly, and the flavor was excellent; a drizzle of the gastrique and you have the perfect pairing of savory and sweet.
Next we have the Fried Chicken livers. Now I have had my fair share of chicken livers in my day, everything from home made that my mother in-law is a professional at, to local diners battering and deep frying them. There have been a few crash and burns along the way, a few extra chewy that cant be eaten or more batter than liver. But these.....THESE chicken livers were perfect! I have never had chicken livers fried in cornmeal so I was curious on how it would change the texture from what I am used to.
They were light and crispy from the cornmeal batter. There was no chewiness to the livers, as if they were sous vide for hours until they were perfectly tender. The plate might have been piled high but I'm pretty sure I could make a meal out of them alone. This plate ran $12 and was worth every penny.
For our main courses the three of us all went in different directions. My cousin ordered the 1/2 lb build-a-burger with Swiss cheese and their house made candied pepper bacon paired with the Finley fries, also made in house. The burger ran $13.
My Aunt went with the grilled chicken sandwich that was topped with smoked Gouda and bacon with white truffle aioli. She chose the a pasta salad as her side. Price was $14
I chose the Prime Rib flatbread pizza. A grilled flatbread with horseradish sauce, slow smoked shaved prime rib, grilled onions, jalapenos, and mushrooms for $10.
So in summery, we really were impressed with The Finley. I enjoyed that the menu wasn't overloaded with options and that a lot of them are made in house! If you're looking for a great lunch or dinner, head to Ozark and give it a try!
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