While lunching at Black-eyed Pea on Tuesday, Ellie and I surveyed the wide array of choices off the menu. I decided to try the Mom's Meat Loaf ($7.29) off the classics menu. Ellie ordered the Roast Turkey Sandwich served with farm-style bread and a choice of ranch, honey mustard or southwestern dressing ($5.99) and a Garden Dinner Salad ($1.99).

The first thing we noticed was that at high noon the parking lot was full and almost every table in the non-smoking section was full. It also seemed a popular time for both working professionals and seniors to eat there.

"How would you say that," Ellie asked me.

I'd think of something. My own parents are seniors. I don't think they'd mind it, right Mom? Dad?

I noticed a bar on the other side of the restaurant with neon sports signs, likely the smoking section.

The restaurant was spacious even for the amount of people there. The service was friendly, particularly the manager that hour who cheerfully invited us to try out the peach cobbler special.

Craving some greens, I was delighted to see that with my Mom's Meat Loaf came the choice to substitute the two vegetables with either a bowl of soup, dinner salad or Caesar dinner salad. I opted for the Caesar dinner salad.

She ordered a dinner salad with her sandwich. Both salads were fresh and Ellie complimented the croutons. I agreed.

We also were given the option for rolls or cornbread.

We chose the later and found the cornbread particularly pleasing and not too sweet for cornbread.

I was given a choice of tomato sauce or brown gravy for my meat loaf. I chose the brown gravy.

Was it Mom's meat loaf? Almost, but not quite. Hers typically has more onions, which I don't mind. I did enjoy the dish and I finished most of it. Ellie, however, only finished half her sandwich and went back to finishing the salad, saying she didn't fancy the sandwich as much as the side choices of salad and cornbread.

Chicken fried steak is a big menu item, as are a small selection of spuds. Black-eyed Pea offers the traditional appetizers found and several salad options. Grilled items as well as the classics - and burgers as well as veggies - are served at any time.

The salad selections, like the newest Oriental Chicken Salad or the Fiesta Salad, would bring me back. Or the Famous Banana Pudding.

Anna Maria Basquez is the arts and entertainment reporter at the Coloradoan. Reach her at AnnaBasquez@coloradoan.com.