If you have ever thought about visiting Kentucky let me give you the perfect reason to come – DiFabio’s Casapela Restaurant in Madisonville – one of the best dining experiences you will ever have. Our hotel recommended them to us and it was the highlight of our trip.

The décor is simple and casual with walls covered in sketches and photos. The owners, Peter and Laura DiFabio, have that warm congenial style that you only find in a family- owned restaurant, which made the experience even better.

And then came the meals. Delicious stuffed mushrooms and fried olives were the appetizers that had us raving even before the main courses arrived. The Dijon Horseradish Grouper that I had was so good that I sopped up the last of the sauce with bread to get every last drop of flavor.

George’s Mediterranean Pasta was so fresh and well seasoned he grinned through the whole meal. And the sweet Marsala wine used to make the sauce for the Veal Marsala had Bill humming between bites. And to top off the meal there was an array of deserts Laura makes herself, including the best Tiramisu I have ever tasted.

So if you ever get down near the Kentucky border, take Hwy 41 to Madisonville and treat yourself to one of the best meals you’ll ever have.

Oh, and we had a gig, too…

This was our Christmas gig and we had brushed up all the “Last Month of the Year” songs to sprinkle in with our regular material. It was loads of fun (when haven’t we had fun at a gig?) and Rob Reider was there to get it on tape just so we could laugh at ourselves later on.

Max Schwartz showed up backstage, too, and brought the 1929 Vega banjo that he had picked up on E-Bay for a steal.

After the concert, we stopped back in at DiFabio’s and had a few drinks to toast the night, good friends and good food.