A taste of Branson: Andy Williams serves it up just like mom used to make w/ Andy Williams interview and additional recipes

By Dave Woods

dwoods@joplinglobe.com

BRANSON, Mo. — When you think cities known for their great restaurants, good food, fine wines ... what comes to mind? New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Branson?

Wait, Branson?

If a handful of creative and committed culinary professionals get their way, Branson will soon be a city everyone thinks of when it comes to treating your tastebuds to a night on the town.

And why not? After a long day of shopping, shows and sightseeing, what better way to recharge your batteries than with a great meal and a cold beverage at one of Branson’s growing list of new eateries.

Up on Highway 76, music icon and veteran Branson entertainer Andy Williams recently spent more than $1.5 million to turn a financially failing sports bar into a one-of-a-kind restaurant experience featuring old family recipes, top-notch service and a pop-art collection. And down on the new Branson Landing, nearly a dozen dining destinations have opened their doors to offer tourists and locals alike a wide variety of places to break bread.

Andy’s favorites

They’re listed on the Moon River Grill menu as “Andy’s favorites.”

Williams admits it was the recipes he remembers his mother whipping up in the kitchen that provided much of the inspiration for the menu.

“I used my mother’s recipes for the chicken vegetable soup, for the rhubarb shortcake, for the spaghetti and meatballs, and for the meatloaf,” he said. “Pot roast, chicken pot pie, mac and cheese, and catfish are all things that I really liked. They’re what you call comfort foods.”

Although he designed and decorated the grill himself, he said he had a little help when it came to putting the menu together and perfecting the old family favorites for mass production.

“Mainly I used my brother, Don, who is the cook in the family,” Williams said. “He kept the recipes of my mother’s. He spent about two days in the kitchen with my chefs on the things that just weren’t turning out the way we wanted them to.”

Hours of work were spent on perfecting menu favorites such as the chicken pot pie, for example.

“We finally got it the way we wanted, which was with a lot of carrots and not too stiff,” he explained. “It should be creamy.”