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J.D. Legends mixes food and fun

A taste of the South and bowling, too

Fried Green Tomatoes

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By Sue Perine O'Reilly, Contributing Writer Updated 2:13 PM Thursday, March 26, 2009

Fried green tomatoes. Pork chops, barbecued ribs and lemonade...

Think you're a patron reading from a restaurant menu in the South? Well, think again.

According to Charlie Samaan, the general manager of J.D. Legends Restaurant & Strike Zone Lanes, these are the head chef's favorites at the Franklin, Ohio, location.

At J.D. Legends Restaurant, which is part of a unique 50,000 square foot J.D. Legends Entertainment Complex, the menu features American cuisine with a Southern flair.

The other J.D. Legends Restaurant/Complex opened in 1997 in Kentucky, so when J.D. Legends opened in Franklin, Ohio, in 2003, the Southern flair came with it.

This family-oriented restaurant seats 75 year-round. In the summer, however, the large outdoor patio opens to seat an additional 225. It's the largest outdoor patio around.

Indoors, if desired, the kids or kids-at-heart can play in the large arcade or bowling alley that sits adjacent to the restaurant.

This state-of-the-art award-winning restaurant and family fun center focuses on providing smaller communities an entertainment option for the whole family.

According to the website, www.jdlegends.com, it's "Where Food & Fun Come Together Under One Roof."

What an understatement.

J.D. Legends is a full-service restaurant and bar with many TV's — and so much more. Often, there's live entertainment, music and poker tournaments. In the summer, the outdoor patio features three sand volleyball courts with a tiki bar.

But let's get back to the restaurant, now, in the winter.

New to the restaurant is a karaoke contest.

"We just started our karaoke on Friday and Saturday nights. The contest will run for 12 weeks and first prize is $500. Second prize is $250.00," said Samaan.

The food, as well as the fun, draws in the crowd — again and again.

"Cheeseburgers, Barbecue ribs, grilled sizzlin' sirloin or rib eye, plank salmon, Chicken Monterrey, and our signature dish — battered and deep-fried green tomatoes, are the customers' favorites," said Samaan.

The food is reasonably priced and the restaurant offers daily specials throughout the week.

For example, "On Monday night, for a limited time, you can buy one dinner and get one free," said Samaan.

Currently, if patrons register their e-mail addresses at the J.D. Legends' web site, they can get a "Buy one, get one free appetizer coupon or two games of bowling."

New to the complex in March is a concert schedule.

Around April, the restaurant will launch another new project; it's called "On Wheels."

"It will be J.D. Legends On Wheels," said Samaan. "We're taking our restaurant on the road as soon as we can, to area festivals," added Samaan.

How to go

WHAT: J.D. Legends Restaurant & Strike Zone

WHERE: 65 Millard Drive, Franklin, Ohio

WHEN: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Mon. - Thurs., 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fri.,11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sat., closed Sunday

COST: Reasonably priced with many specials. Fried green tomatoes $6.39 (specials $3.99), Half-rack BBQ ribs $13.95, Tuesday night special Wings 40 cents each, Wednesday night special 16-inch pizza $8; dining parties, event planning, catering and carry-out available

MORE INFO: (937) 746-4950 ; www.jdlegends.com, full menu on-line

CHEF'S PICK'S: Fried green tomatoes, Barbecue ribs, grilled sirloin- and rib eye steaks, Chicken Monterey, plank salmon, cheeseburgers

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Maybe I misread but the concert schedule is not new to the complex, I saw Digital Underground there 2 years ago, it was the best! I love this place for concerts, but too far to become my regular bar.

mojo
1:56 PM, 5/21/2009

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This may seem like a nice honest place to hang out and have fun but they are a very dishonest place.... dont enter the kareoke contest it is fixed the winners are friends of the managers they just want you to come in and bring lots of friends to spend money on food and alcohol, they already have the winners picked before it even starts.......

Lana Glascock
4:44 PM, 5/4/2009

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