By Staff
HAVE SOME PIE – For Martha Ann Alford, owner of Binke's Restaurant, the opening her own restaurant was a dream come true. Binke's recently moved to 414 39th Ave. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Penny Randall / staff writer
Aug. 14, 2002
At the age of 7, Martha Ann Alford was already preparing meals alongside her mother and grandmother and getting raves from family.
Today, Alford has realized her dream: She owns and operates Binke's Restaurant, a popular Meridian restaurant where she offers her customers authentic, Southern, home-style meals.
Alford opened the restaurant in July 2000 off Eighth Street. She recently moved to a new location at 414 39th Ave. near College Park.
The new location has more dinning space, a longer serving line and a banquet room.
Restaurant gets name
The restaurant was named after Alford's son, James. Alford said "Binke" was his nickname when he was a child.
The food choices at Binke's are many and Alford serves up something different each day.
Customers can choose from nine vegetables a day, including butter beans, cabbage, broccoli, potatoes, corn, egg plant, candied yams and field peas.
They also can choose from baked chicken, neck bone, pig's feet, lasagna, country fried steak, fried pork chops and beef tips over rice.
And to satisfy that sweet tooth, Alford offers several desserts that include peach cobbler, banana pudding, egg custard and Binke's Special Creation Chocolate and Coconut Pie.
Alford serves specials
Alford also offers customers a lunchtime special that changes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday but remains the same every week on Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
On Thursday, the special is ox tail and potatoes. On Friday, it's fried catfish, coleslaw, potato salad and stuffed eggs. On Sunday, it's chicken and dressing.
The restaurant has six employees, with two of them in the kitchen creating the meals alongside Alford. She taught them her way of preparing the food, but she doesn't give out all her secrets.
Alford's other interests
Alford is a retired registered nurse who worked 13 years at Meridian hospitals.
She is heavily involved in the Order of the Eastern Star serving as president and grand matron of the statewide organization. She recently served a three-year term as the president of the United States, Canada and foreign jurisdictions for the organization.
But her heart remains in cooking.
Alford even has plans for the future.
Binke's Special Creation
Chocolate and Coconut Pie
5 eggs
11/4 cups sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavor
1/2 teaspoon lemon flavor
Whip eggs. Add in sugar, flavoring and butter. Stir in the remaining ingredients and pour into a pie shell. Bake at 325 degrees until firm or about 40 minutes.