Longtime restaurateur Judd Byrnes and partner Tommy Chacko combined their culinary visions and resources a few years back to open this eclectic restaurant on the brick streets of downtown Longview. Their co-conspirator is chef Ronald Porter, whose self-description as “small-town chef” belies the 40-some years he spent teaching at the California Culinary Academy in San Francico. Together, the three have created a causal vibe and welcoming atmosphere that would be worthy of the television classic Cheers. Our lunch began with a shared order of crawfish queso, said critters sautéed in butter and spices, immersed in a blend of cheese and cream, and served with house-made tortilla chips. In a cheesy mood, we continued with smoked Gouda soup—tangy and delicious. Our friend went for the highly imaginative pulled-pork sliders with a Cuban spice marinade, pomegranate chipotle, and a brioche roll. Meanwhile, we were happy with the sweet potato quesadilla plate, featuring a buttered flour tortilla filled with roasted sweet potato, corn, black beans, cilantro, garlic, onion, bell pepper, cheese. Our waitress turned down a healthy bribe to reveal the secrets of chef Porter’s blend of spices and herbs. (We tipped her generously anyway.)