A Bit British

"All the world's a stage..." wrote English playwright William Shakespeare. At Selma's Tally Ho Restaurant, every table is a stage, meaning guests are treated like royalty.

White tablecloths, candles and crystal set the evening's dining experience in an Old English country atmosphere. Menu items offer an around-the-world experience. Try the local U.S. farm-raised catfish or imported European escargot. How about some Asian crab curry soup? The oysters royale made with garlic, parsley, parmesan cheese, sour cream and onions is an on-the-spot original. Homemade zucchini muffins are a staple. Or, try one of my favorites: chicken and shrimp saute.

Patrons enter this fine-dining establishment through the original log cabin. Previously a private dinner club and hangout for Craig Air Force Base officers, new wings were added, and floor tile salvaged from a building at Old Cahawba, Alabama's first state capital.

Present owner Bob Kelley purchased the restaurant in 1980 and opened it to the public. An Ohio native, Kelley grew up near Paris, France where his parents enrolled in culinary courses during their spare time. Their cooking skills paid off as all four children acquired them too, and Kelley became a connossieur of French wines.

He landed in Selma while doing restaurant consultations on vacation, and even after nearly three decades Kelley continues to improve his menu. He likes to do cooking exchanges as a guest chef in another restaurant, and that chef later visits Selma to create cuisine at the Tally Ho. Among his chef experiences are the Ram's Gate Pub in England as well as restaurants in Pattaya, Thailand; Bonnes, France; and Argentina. He has visited restaurants in a number of other countries.

By the way, there is no item on the Tally Ho menu that the staff has not eaten. When a customer inquires about a dish, his waiter can "testify" to its taste and ingredients.