By Robin M. Perry
For the Salisbury Post
CHINA GROVE — Did you know there is a place where you can take your pick from a menu that offers 30 different types of burgers, 26 hot dogs, 21 subs and 15 different chicken sandwiches? Kevin Alley, owner of Alley’s Restaurant at 303 South Main St., had the creative juices flowing as he developed a menu that offers everything from his famous deep fried hotdogs to whacked out chicken sandwich to the Intimidator burger, wings, subs and more.
The China Grove native opened Alley’s a year ago after working in construction and with a restaurant equipment repair business.
“I love to cook and I like to talk to people,” he said. “I want to have good quality food that people will enjoy,” he adds.
He says his steak subs and wings have been the most popular items. He makes all his own sauces for the wings and dressings too. He also loves trying new recipes to get just the right dish.
When we visited, he had just fixed a chicken salad with green apple, cranberry, pecans and marinated grilled chicken. It was very good, light and a nice blend of flavors.
Alley also likes to honor his customers with some of the menu names. Grady Lucas is a regular who really likes their deep fried gizzards and livers. So Alley added them to the menu as “Grady’s Gizzards and Livers, (Made just the way Grady likes em)”.
He says that he is surprised how popular they are.
Another customer wrote on Facebook about the “whacked out chicken sandwich” she just ate at Alley’s, so now it is on the menu as that. It is made of grilled or fried chicken, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, ranch dressing and medium wing sauce ($4.99).
As I mentioned, the choices for burgers and hot dogs are many. For example, you can get a crinkle burger, an all beef patty with cheese, mustard, ketchup and a layer of crinkle cut fries ($4.59, Jr. $3.59) or a Hawaiian burger made with the all beef patty, pineapple, lettuce, mayo, Swiss cheese and a splash of Teriyaki sauce ($5.59, Jr. $4.59) or the Intimidator — four all beef patties, grilled onions, mushrooms and green peppers, chili, pickles, mustard and ketchup on two hoagie rolls ($12.99, Jr. $10.99).The ingredients are on each layer of each patty. The hamburger is fresh ground every day.
The hot dogs are deep fried, and really tasted great. When asked what kind they were, Alley said he couldn’t tell me! You can choose from a lemon pepper dog ($2.39), German dog ($1.99), the spicy redneck ($2.79) or the firehouse dog ($2.39) to name a few.
Another favorite is the wings. They range from mild or honey barbecue to spicy ranch or extreme lava. We tried the garlic parmesan wings, and the flavors blended perfectly. They come boneless or traditional. On Wednesday and Saturday nights, wings are on special — 50 cents each (for 25 or more).
Another best seller is the deluxe steak sub — a nice combination of top shaved sirloin steak grilled with onions, mushrooms and green peppers served on a soft hoagie roll. There are veggie subs, shroomion chicken subs and a buffalo wing sub to name a few. All are $5.79 each.
Alley enjoys talking with customers and supporting community charities. He owns a Harley and has participated in poker runs, with the restaurant being a stop for the bikers as they raise funds for charity. He also likes being a dropoff point for donations for different causes. Alley’s offers a 50 percent discount to police and law enforcement officers.
You can get orders to go, and they will deliver.
Alley’s is open Monday through Saturday from 11 am- 9 pm. On Tuesday nights, he has karaoke. They have a kids menu and take cash only (with an ATM on site). Phone number is 704-855-3924.