Pieday: Chocolate Meringue at The Country Rooster.

Folks have been pestering me about heading up to Green Forest for pie at a very unusual little restaurant. The Country Rooster is, after all, not just an eatery. It’s also a little antiques and flea market sort of store.

You can find all sorts of things in its cubbies and aisles — beautiful glassware in almost every color of the rainbow, records from ages and ages of vinyl, canned goods of various sorts, books, memorabilia, furniture, whathaveyou.

Each day there’s also dining… from a little clean kitchen in the back, lunches of some repute. I’ve been told about the legendary lasagna and the meatloaf, said to be some of the best in the county. A plate lunch will run you in the area of $5.50 — but if you spend a little more you can get yourself a drink and dessert, too.

Ah, what I do for you folks. There was this gorgeously decadent cake in the case… layers of delicious delight — and I passed. I passed because this year I am in search of good pie. And every time I ask people on my Facebook fan page about their favorite pie place, The Country Rooster gets mentioned. So instead it was time to consume yet another pie… and the pie of the day was Chocolate Meringue.

Yeah, you hear me complaining (that was sarcasm).

Pie came on a plate served up on a tray that was likely older than I was, an old metal square TV tray with mismatched silverware. I found that charming. I sat down at one of the many mismatched dining room tables and took my pictures. The custard was very firm and thick, and the meringue had a nice browning to it. The meringue was pleasant and not too sweet. The chocolate custard was nicely rich, almost pudding-like. It was a decent slice of pie.

Time and the fact I’d eaten breakfast just an hour earlier prevented me from eating more at that time... the chocolate layer cake still called from the case at me, and I thought I heard the chocolate and butterscotch chip bars giggling. As it was, I had just enough time to look around and ogle some stuff I knew I shouldn’t take home before I was off to the next destination. But I do want to go back.

I have an assignment up in those parts in a few weeks… maybe then I’ll get a chance to try that lasagna. And now, since I’ve been told about it, I have to try the homemade bread, too.

You’ll find The Country Rooster on the square in Green Forest, right on Highway 62. It’s open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday, (870) 438-5710 or check out the website.