Reata Restaurant, Alpine, TX
"The original Reata restaurant, named for the majestic ranch in the 1950s epic motion picture "Giant," was opened in Alpine, Texas in 1995 by CF Ranch owner Al Micallef and Fort Worth businessman Mike Evans. From the very beginning, Reata has been dedicated to providing deliciously simple ranch cooking created by culinary geniuses who feel just as comfortable in their cowboy hats as their chef uniforms. Today, Reata Alpine remains a true destination restaurant, attracting loyal diners from miles beyond the charming converted farmhouse where our legendary Western cuisine was born."
http://www.reata.net/reata_alpine.html

Salt Lick, Driftwood, TX
"Bar-B-Que Like No Other."
"Take a deep breath and inhale the aroma of some of the best BBQ the Hill Country has to offer. You've found "The Salt Lick" so named by owner Hisako Roberts and her husband, the late Thurman Roberts, because "a Salt Lick is something where all the animals congregate. There is something good, something essential about it."
http://www.saltlickbbq.com/

Tendrils Restaurant, Cave B Inn at Sagecliff, Quincy, WA
"Taking seasonal cues from our surrounding Ancient Lakes region and the Columbia Plateau, Team Tendrils presents regional, seasonal fare. Our food represents the best from Washington wine country."
http://www.sagecliffe.com/Tendrils.htm

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8320/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Ummmmm. Salt Lick BBQ. While you're at it don't forget Blacks in Lockhart, TX.

Carine's Fish Grotto - Fort Bragg (Noyo), CA

Family owned bar, fish restaurant, and fish store... Great food (Best Manhattan clam chowder West of the Rockies) because the fish is fresh off the local boats. (Carine's hubby Dominic used to unload the "catch of the day" every afternoon)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++

Superior Dairy Products Company, Hanford, CA

Right across from the old Court House square is this classic soda fountain and ice cream parlor, like a time warp from the 1940s... Pink Naugahyde booths and waitresses in skirts and frilly aprons. And oh boy, the ice cream! Shakes and REAL malts served in the mixing can...and so thick that the waitress can turn the thing over w/o the spoon moving! Real hand made burgers and Ruben sandwiches.....with perfect fries and an a half-sour pickle spear. And of course, lots of ice cream sundaes!

Magnolia's features cuisine a la biere. I once interviewed Garrett Oliver, a noted foodie as well as brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery, when he spoke at a dinner there featuring his beers and amidst his praise of Magnolia's he told me he wished there was a restaurant like this in New York City.

I am going to suggest the quite possibly "middle of nowherest" restaurant on the planet: Daniel Thiebaut's in Kamuela (Waimea), on the Big Island. Since Hawaii is literally in the middle of nowhere, and since Kamuela is in a particularly deserted part of the Big Island, I think this one definitely qualifies.

Oh, and the food is out of this world.




http://www.danielthiebaut.com/

Hitching Post - Casmalia, CA (just north of Vandenberg AFB) - Campy but great steaks cooked over a mesquite fire.

Brookville Hotel - Brookville, KS - some of the finest fried chicken known to mankind.....witih all the fixin's.....just $13.95.

Oh just remembered.... The Wedge in Oklahoma City - sit at the bar in front of the open fire and let them wow you!

That will work but Honolulu need not apply ;)

Double down on Primo. The restaurant is only open nine months a year, everything is either grown on the property or local sourced and well worth the drive. I believe she was also an assistant executive chef at the Greenbriar. Either way, I have reservations on the evening of the 1st of November in case anyone's around for cocktails. ;)

I also agree with the Inn at Little Washington suggestion. Well worth the drive if you don't mind the price tag.

Timothy

Trattoria Molin Vecio outside of Caldogno, Italy (near Vicenza). Local ingredients, down-home but serious...when I was there a few years back most of the restaurant was taken up with a pig-fest -- lots of people at long tables enjoying many courses over a long evening. My companion had to content ourselves with a look at the menu, but our simpler meal was delicious.

Madidi in Clarksdale, MS. Definitely the middle of nowhere. 90 minutes to two hours from Memphis. I don't think there is more in the middle of nowhere than in the middle of the delta in Mississippi

http://www.madidires.com/

The Boma in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

The mapota worms were salty, but quite tasty....

I found the Boma to be fun, but not the tastiest meal in Vic Falls. Like any "theme" restaurant, you're paying for the atmosphere.

Savor in Midlothian, TX
 

With a population of about 10,000, only 7 restaurants listed on TripAdvisor, and being a good 10-20 miles from the outskirts of either Dallas or Fort Worth, Midlothian is pretty much "in the middle of nowhere". It's about the last place I would expect to find a nice restaurant, but Savor is one of the nicest I've ever been to. The food is truly gourmet, the portions are generous, the service is outstanding, and the prices are reasonable!

Not in the Middle of Nowhere but Dubai. The Fresh Fish Restaurant in Deira Dubai. Just up the road from the Sheraton (not the Dubai Creek Sheraton). Only a pavement restaurant but it serves the best value seafood in town. Fish is caught daily and simply cooked. Sea Bream, Squid, Gulf Prawns and Omani Lobster are perfect. A simple salad, a plate of squid and prawns for an appetiser and Omani lobster for mains are amazing value. This is where the locals will go to eat. The times that i have eaten there i have been the only Westerner in the place, well on the pavement anyway. No wine/alcohol, plastic garden furniture for the tables and chairs but at these prices who cares.