Tag Archives: restaurant

My Movie Moment (guest post)

Today’s post has been submitted by Umalum99. A precious Valentine’s Day tale that reads just like an American Movie Classic.  Thanks for sharing, Umalum99!

Everyone should have their movie moment.  For the romantics, that might be meeting for the first time on top of the Empire States Building on Valentine’s Day.  For the action lovers, it might mean tripping a mugger as he runs off with stolen merchandise, thus saving the day.

Tripping that purse snatcher and saving the day.

Tripping that purse snatcher and saving the day.

For me, it was a comedy…of errors.

The scene: a casual, dimly lit restaurant in Chicago.  For ambiance, each table was illuminated by one to two tea light candles (REAL candles, FYI, not those b.s. battery powered things they try to pass as candles these days).  The only other light emanated from sparsely placed wall sconces around the restaurant and a small track light over the bar area just inside the entrance.

The time: Winter, circa 2009.  Temperatures hovered around 10 degrees Fahrenheit at 7:30 p.m.

The players: me (charming, elegant, and graceful in dark jeans and a figure hugging sweater); my husband (funny, tall, British man donning medium-dye jeans and a button-down Euro-style, long-sleeve shirt); our friend Shteve* ( bird-loving British bloke with a fabulous sense of humor wearing thick, dark denim jeans and a wooly sweater) *Shteve’s name has been changed to protect his privacy, and a waiter (not much to really say here…)

The players (minus the Waiter): Me, the hubs, and *Shteve

The players (minus the Waiter): Me, the hubs, and *Shteve

Action:  We arrived at the restaurant and were seated at a table along the back wall.  Shteve sat on a bench adjacent to the wall directly opposite me.  My husband sat to Shteve’s right.  The waiter passed us our menus for perusal. As we discussed ordering the charcuterie plate to share as an appetizer, I leaned in towards the center of the table to better read the menu.

Reading the menu.

Reading the menu.

I sat in this position for at least a minute while contemplating which pig products to include on our charcuterie when an unfamiliar and unpleasant odor permeated the air.  It smelled like something was burning, and I desperately hoped it was nothing in the kitchen.

As I looked around, inquiringly, I noticed that the restaurant lighting changed.  The restaurant suddenly seemed filled with glowing light bouncing off the walls that did not exist prior to my menu review.  Suddenly, I realized (or perhaps it was brought to my attention by my shrieking husband or petrified friend, Shteve…I really can’t *ahem* recall), I realized that my menu was on fire.  Apparently, when I leaned in to better read my menu, the corner of the menu caught the flame from the tea light.

Not to worry!  I observed we each had a glass of ice-water at the table.  I quickly resolved to handle the situation.  As I reached for my glass to douse the flames, I accidentally knocked it over.

So yeah ...

So yeah … this happened.

Rather than have the effect I sought (putting out the rapidly growing flames), water spilled all over Shteve’s lap (did I mention it was ice water and he was wearing denim?).  At that point, Waiter saves the day by whisking the menu off to the kitchen to be properly extinguished.

While probably not the case for Shteve since he had to wait for the bus outside in 10 degree temperatures with a water-soaked crotch, I consider this a no-take-back. The action unfolded as slapstick and I had my movie moment.

Poor *Shteve

Poor *Shteve

 

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A Quest: Searching For The Best BBQ In Kansas City

I accosted a man on the street just to get some Kansas City BBQ. Correction – the BEST Kansas City BBQ the world had to offer. 

But let me start from the beginning…

Over the years I’ve grown to enjoy a good barbecued meal here or there, though I’ve never considered myself an aficionado by any stretch of the imagination. 

I live in the South. BBQ is like air to these people. I was going to succumb at some point; it was only a matter of when. Why fight it? So I began catching those pit master shows now and again. I learned the difference between Carolina BBQ and Memphis BBQ and Texas BBQ and so on and so forth. I was cultivating a healthy curiosity about smoked and grilled meats, if you will. My favorite BBQ to date has been from The Salt Lick just outside of Austin, Texas. To me, they do it right. And you can bring your own beer. However, I think I’ve found a tough contender for the title of “My Favorite BBQ”.

When Clifford and I found ourselves driving from Atlanta to Colorado last fall, and I realized we would be driving directly through Kansas City, it was a no-brainer. Clifford became hungry in St. Louis. I made him wait – for four hours. He couldn’t understand why just any place in Kansas wouldn’t do to get some good BBQ. He said, “It’s their thing, right?” I tried to explain that to not get Kansas City BBQ when you are actually driving through Kansas City was like sacrilegious. So he starved while I quested for some good  eats. It happens.

The next important thing? I couldn’t just Google “best BBQ in Kansas City”. I needed a local recommendation. So there we were, driving through Kansas City just after a rain storm. It looked deserted to be quite honest even though it was late a Friday afternoon.

“I’m seriously not just driving around for the next hour. You need to figure this shit out,” said my hungry husband. “I’m looking for people. Like street people. I don’t want to go into a building and ask just anyone. I need to find myself a real person of the city, ” I said.

We drove around. A one-way street, then the next. We were doing circles. Suddenly I spotted him. A guy in a purple sweatshirt. He was walking from one crosswalk to the other. “Pull over!!!! Here!!! HERE!!! I want to ask that guy!” I screamed, pointing at the man. Clifford, “ Are you serious?!!! You want me to just pull over in the middle of the street so you can ask that guy about BBQ?!” he screamed back. “Yes!” I said. “This is it; I can feel it!”

Clifford pulled over and I jumped out. I ran up the street to the only man we’d seen walking around in such crappy weather. I think I scared the bejesus out of him. I darted right to him, he jumped. I was thisclose as I asked, “If you had one hour in Kansas City for the best BBQ of your life, where do you go?” Startled at first, the guy answered immediately, “Oklahoma Joe’s.” There were a few locations, but he told me he recommended the original. It would be 20 minutes out of our way, but well worth it, he assured me. He said he it was so good he couldn’t even suggest a backup because nothing else came close to Oklahoma Joe’s.

I was sold just as a car drove through the biggest puddle imaginable drenching us both. The things we go through in the pursuit of the best BBQ (sigh). I thanked Jason (I did ask his name since we had become intimately acquainted after all) and was on my way.

pig sign

Recommended by random Jason on a street corner in downtown Kansas City.

Clifford begrudgingly drove the 20 minutes out of our way because I promised him the Kansas City BBQ of his dreams. We reached our destination and sat in the car staring at a gas station. Seriously?

But then we noticed, there was a line building out the door. This was the place. I looked at him and said, “No take backs, buddy. Let’s eat.”

Oklahoma Joe’s is attached to a gas station. We stood in line to place our order while glancing at the convenience store shelves to the left. It was pretty funny, actually. The place was packed and it was only 3 o’clock in the afternoon. There was a roll of paper towel and a couple of sauces sitting on the tables. That was it. It was a very simple bbq joint. We placed our order and lucked out with a seat.

Standing in line to place our order.

Standing in line to place our order.

The food was amazing! We both got the brisket and ribs dinner. Beer and BBQ – the perfect combination.

Beer and BBQ

Beer, brisket and ribs with some rings and a side of slaw. Perfect for a rainy day. Or ANY day.

The sauce was perfect. The meat was savory and SO tender to the touch. It melted in my mouth.

Libby taking a bite

A rib about to be consumed by yours truly.

Oklahoma Joe’s had to be the best Kansas City BBQ in the state. I was in love. I found out today that Oklahoma Joe’s ranks number 3 on Yelp’s list of ‘Top 100 places to eat’. I can agree with that evaluation. If you are ever within three or four hours of Kansas City, take the detour to Oklahoma Joe’s. You won’t regret it.

Oklahoma Joe's

Oklahoma Joe’s

Thank you, Jason, wherever you are, for letting me accost you at that crosswalk on that rainy day and offering up the best recommendation ever!

 

 

 

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