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FOOD ON THE RUN:
THE GOOD, BAD, & THE UGLY | |
| When you're working odd hours, with no set times for lunches, dinners or breakfasts, you have to be flexible and make due with what you've got around you. Add in being in a city you know nothing about, and tripping over a great meal is never as easy as it seems. So take a look at just how those per diem dollars got
spent on a daily basis: |
Tio Joe's
By far the best food of the whole trip,
this restaurant, not too far from our hotel, was suggested by the extra hired hand on the team - the hotel's florist. I was initially confused as to where we were going - he told me it was a Mexican place called 'Tia Joe's'. I asked our flamboyant friend if ti should be called Tio Joe's (tio = uncle, tia = aunt). He laughed and quickly delivered the line, "Oh, it just depends what side of the mouth you use."As it went, the food was deluxe - i ordered up some incredible flautas, enjoyed my share of tasty chips
with a decently strong salsa, and everyone walked away from the meal in good spirits. |
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| Cactus Jack's
Laura and I stumbled upon this place while driving through Dallas trying to find a quick, non-chain to eat at. I skipped the burgers (which were recommended by the Austin Statesman's redneck guru John Kelso) and ordered up a couple of hot dogs that were cooked to perfection - butterfly cut and placed on the grill.
We ended up eating there again on Saturday. Gene joined us as the last remnants of the team still in Dallas. I ordered up a greasy, Town Topic-like double cheeseburger while Gene chose sweets over starches and got a shake as side. Laura again delved down the path of the grilled cheese.
While the second experience wasn't as awesome as the first for Laura, I still like the little burger joint and give extra points for knowing how to cook a great hot dog - one of the best grilled hot dogs I've had in a long, long time. |
 
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| THE BAD: | 
McDonald's and Popeye's
(in the same day for chrissakes)
My two most hated Fast Food franchises, pure, unadulterated crap. I was coaxed out of bed early one morning to catch some breakfast due to the uncertainty of when/if lunchtime would arrive. I ended up eating a couple hash browns and an orange juice, and
was harassed the rest of the trip for not liking breakfast. So I don't like eggs, bacon or morning sausage, and would rather sleep an extra fifteen minutes than start my metabolism nine hours too early. And don't get me started on Popeye's and their cajun styled chicken grease. | 
Rothskeller's Sports Bar
This ditty was actually serviceable, they were the last open kitchen at the
hotel. What took away all the ambience and any extra points was the crew of white collar workers assembled around the foosball table a-hootin' and a-hollerin' the entire time. After scoring a goal, they would yell and do that annoying closed fist 'high five' like these white guys were in a street gang or something. I tried guessing their professions, and decided one was a tasteless TV executive in charge of deciding a prime time lineup, and another was the husband of the daughter of the company's owner installed in some b.s. position under the CFO.
Ultra negative: a Lone Star beer was $5.75, or the price of about nine at a convenience store. |
Pappa's BBQ
One of the easiest ways to determine real Texas BBQ from fake Texas BBQ is when the phrase 'New York Style Cheesecake - Mama's Favorite' appears painted on the exterior of the building. The food wasn't horrible,but it
wasn't memorable, and I didn't finish everything, meaning I'd lost interest with what I was eating well before I should have. I'm not sure when Pappa's started or why they ever expanded, but it should've stopped a long time ago.
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QUIK TRIP
When you are on the road, sometimes you do stupid things. Drive too fast past a cop, miss an exit, or just get lost. None of these happened to me on the drive back to Austin, instead, I drove three miles out of my way so we could grab some drinks from Quik Trip, the corporate pride of Belton, Missouri. So in an effort to relive my art school days at KCAI, I ended up scanning the dollar menu (now $1.59 menu) and settled on getting a Dr. Pepper and a hot dog that was probably rolling on the
rollers for weeks. It wasn't good, but it's a hot dog, and as such, always is able to bring some small bit of joy and comfort into everyone's life when they eat one. Even if the roll is stale. |
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