On Willis Avenue, just a few steps north of Old Country Road, two ladies have opened up a new restaurant. Old Country Tavern was started by Judi Bratteson and Catherine MacDonald, who put their knowledge and experience in restaurants to fulfill their dreams of owning their own eatery.

"We talked about it all the time," Catherine said. "And then we just did it."

The two women met four years ago, when Judi was working as the Director of Food Services at Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville. Catherine was taking cooking classes, and Judi was helping her by giving her recipes to try out. The two then found their common bond.

"I thought maybe someone would like to do this with me," Judi said of her idea. Both had restaurant work in their past. Judi had a passion for cooking, and had done "a lot of catering." Catherine started out waitressing, attended a culinary arts school and managed a Manhattan cafe.

"We had strengths in both aspects of the business," Catherine said, though adding that in the beginning she would have been happy owning a small cafe because she "didn't have such great aspirations. Judi convinced me otherwise."

The women also had a theme. They were against the modern idea of restaurants, where "everything now is upscale." They wanted a more down-home appeal.

For six months, they scoured the area for a neighborhood place that was a perfect combination of bar and restaurant. They finally settled on the Mineola site that was formerly occupied by Barrister's.

"We wanted something close to home," Judi said, who along with Catherine, is a resident of nearby Floral Park. "Everything in Floral Park just looked too 'barish'. "This place met all the criteria of what we wanted."

"It just had the right feel," Catherine added.

Then came the next task of hiring a chef. Judi had experience in that area, but needed the time to focus on the restaurant's business aspects, like advertising. They decided to put an ad in Newsday, and tested several applicants. They settled on Clarence Batiste, who Judi said came to the restaurant with "a big bag of credentials."

Since opening June 3, the owners have heard many customers compare the openness and warmness of their restaurant, to the much darker Barrister's.

"They were pleasantly surprised," Judi said. "(It used to be) very dreary. But now customers feel very at home. They also say that its very bright and very clean."

The restaurant also has a very classic American type menu. They serve all the old favorites, like pork chops and pot roast, along with their own unique creations like grilled meat loaf and a stuffed turkey burger. They also also offer homemade pies, cakes and soups, which Judi said are "excellent."

For information or directions, call 747-8488.