The Cookie Jar

This place has always puzzled me, at least as long as I have worked in this area.  Walnut Lane is a lovely house converted to a Bed and Breakfast.  However, I can’t help but wonder, who in their right mind would stay in a B&B in Lyman, SC??  The grounds and facilities look very inviting, but then it’s sitting right in the middle of…well…Lyman.

Talk about hidden gems.  Anyway, I think the owner has decided that his establishment is a bit too hidden, because he has branched out to offer lunch.   The Cookie Jar is basically the kitchen and dining areas of Walnut Lane set up as a restaurant.

Atmosphere

The setting is quite relaxing elegance, with antiques and rich colors everywhere.  It might be a bit froufrou for an everyday lunch experience, but was overall pleasant.  Non-descript New Age music played in the background, further adding to the relaxation effect.

Menu

I’ve been told that the menu changes weekly.  This week it featured several sandwiches and a couple of salads.  All of the meals range from five to seven dollars, which is quite reasonable for such a nice lunch setting.

Food

I had the Monte Cristo sandwich, and Rick had the French Dip sandwich.  Both were superb.  The Monte Cristo was lightly breaded, and came with raspberry jam.  I had forgotten how sweet these things could be, so I had no trouble declining the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake that was offered for dessert.  The French Dip drew rave reviews not only from Rick but from several of our office colleagues who had visited yesterday.

Service

Our waitress attended to our needs…almost too much.  There was almost no one else in the place, so we had her full attention.  Our glasses of tea were not allowed to drop a half-inch from full before being refilled.  It almost got to be too disruptive to stop our conversation and to be polite and thank her each time.   Mind you, I’m not against good service, but didn’t need quite that much.  The place has only been open since March 1, so I’m sure it will only be a matter of time before there are others to share her attention.

Conclusion

I think I would feel uncomfortable coming here with my iPod and book to read during lunch.  Nonetheless, the food is great, and I think it would be an excellent option when Laura drops by my office for lunch.  I’ll be curious to see what they offer next week.