A pair of back-to-back roadtrips: KY and PA

   We got back to Henderson shortly before 10 PM, which allowed us just enough time to stop at a local place called the Dairy Bar for ice cream. After that, we called it a night and Louis dropped me off at my motel.

   The next morning, Louis picked me up around 10 AM and we headed off to the famed Bon-Ton Mini Mart in Henderson for the first of several meals that we would partake of throughout the day.

The Bon Ton is very cute inside--I see why it's your second home, Louis.

   The Bon-Ton was scheduled to close its doors for good at the end of June, but it received a last minute reprieve that should keep it open for another five or six months. The place's claim to fame is its delicious spicy fried chicken, but it's also known for its tasty hamburgers. I had both and enjoyed them very much.






Here however is a Bon-Ton specialty that you couldn't pay me to try!

Bob, count me among those who really enjoy your reports--road and food and everything in between!

Carry on, and thank you!

That fried chicken looks fantastic. I'm hoping to get to the Bon Ton later this summer, depending on the $$$ in my spending budget.

And whaddya mean you wouldn't eat pork brains.... Don't you remember the pork brains you ate at the last Smokefest? Or was that the Bratfest? In any case, I remember you scarfed it down and thoroughly enjoyed it! 

It was a little hard to make out on the menu pix but it looked like you could get a 1/2 chicken for only $.90 more then a two piece white. That's a no-brainer (pun intended)

quijote




And whaddya mean you wouldn't eat pork brains.... Don't you remember the pork brains you ate at the last Smokefest? Or was that the Bratfest? In any case, I remember you scarfed it down and thoroughly enjoyed it! 

Me??? I don't think so...

Oh yeah, it was you.  Don't you remember, we all said, "Bob, are you sure you want to eat those pork brains?"  And you said, "Are you kidding, I love 'em, can't get enough pork brains."

We were all a little surprised, but there ya go...

Buddy

Nancypalooza


The Bon Ton is very cute inside--I see why it's your second home, Louis.

Nancy, I don't know what I'd do without it.  Everybody needs to adopt a restaurant.  You gotta have a place to hang out.

   'Fess up Bob, That Brain sandwich photo is there to distract us from the picture at Charlie's.......LEMON wedges? 
        Did you eat something fishy!?     (or teste!)

Dawn, those lemon wedges were for my sweet tea; I didn't ( nor would I ever ) have any "surf" with my "turf". And "teste"? The only thing testy around here is me... the older I get, the meaner I get.

   After the day's first meal at the Bon-Ton ( breakfast? lunch #1? who knows? ), Louis and I headed down to Henderson's south side and Thomason's Barbecue.

   Thomason's is a small Roadfood-reviewed place with some pretty good food. Here's the yet-to-be-devoured half of my barbecued pork sandwich, sided by beans and slaw.




This miniature train circles the restaurant and I call it the "C B & 'Que" ( the railbuffs out there will get that one! )

"This miniature train circles the restaurant and I call it the "C B & 'Que" ( the railbuffs out there will get that one! )" 
 
You don't need to be a railbuff (just old enough to remember it): Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, which became part of Burlington Northern in 1970.  (Yes, I had to Google that last part.)

I'm glad to see what Henderson's was like, since we missed it on our own trip there.

Bobbo -

Several questions...

What is the difference between Lobster Treat and Lobster Dinner?

Did you paint the cave with the name Cullison?

i beleive in adition to buddy's comments, you requested Pork Brain Pie at next year's Smoke Day!

ChiTownDiner


Bobbo -

Several questions...

What is the difference between Lobster Treat and Lobster Dinner?

Did you paint the cave with the name Cullison?

i beleive in adition to buddy's comments, you requested Pork Brain Pie at next year's Smoke Day!

Several answers...

      1. I have no idea

      2. Not likely

      3. Even less likely! 

   Here's a couple of shots of downtown Henderson...







... and here's the bridge that carries the former Louisville & Nashville Railroad ( now CSX ) over the Ohio River.

   The next leg of our Roadfood journey that day took us down US 41 to the small town of Sebree KY and Bell's Drugs.

   Bell's Drugs is an old-fashioned drug store that been part of the Sebree scene since 1946 and features an equally old-fashioned soda fountain. The menu item that has brought Bell's its roadfood fame is their orangeade made from freshly-squeezed oranges.








Our orangeades were very good, even though we both felt that they were a little sweeter than they needed to be. Louis noted that the young lady who prepared them wasn't the regular counter employee, and that probably accounted for the excess sugar content. As you can see, there wasn't much left of my drink when I finally remembered to take a picture.




Here's a couple of shots of downtown Sebree.

Bob, Thomason's gets a lot of props for its bbq mutton. Had you had it before? What did you think?

The town of Sebree looks really sweet. If I ever go that way, it'll be a stop for sure.

   From Sebree, it was north to the tiny community of Waverly KY and Peak Bros. Bar-B-Q, which the Sterns reviewed in 500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late.

   Peak Bros. was the victim of a disastrous fire in 2006, but it was recently rebuilt and reopened. The place is known for barbecued mutton that's spicier than its competitors such as Dee's Diner ( formerly George's Bar-B-Q ) and the Moonlite Bar-B-Q in Owensboro. They also have barbecued pork and beef, and rather than simply ordering sandwiches made from the three "chipped" meats, Louis and I ordered the makings for sandwiches and constructed our own. From left to right: mutton, beef and pork ( sorry about the fuzzy picture. )







I forgot to take photos of the sandwiches, but all three were very good, especially the mutton. In the last couple of years I've become of big fan of barbecued mutton, something that I never thought would happen. At Louis' suggestion, we also got a sample of Peak Bros.' delicious barbecued ham.

quijote


Bob, Thomason's gets a lot of props for its bbq mutton. Had you had it before? What did you think?

 

I didn't have the mutton, just the pork. Next time for sure.

   Okay, that bbq ham photo is goin' on my wall!  


            I have a bit of a problem with lamb/mutton...While it is very near, if not at the tippy-top of my favorite meats, I must wonder why it persists on being so GOSH DARN CUTE while in the pre-eating stage?!   
   I wonder if the "chipped" mutton is the "sliced" mutton all chipped up, or if its Loin for slicin', and all the other bits for chippin' ?  

   
   Yes, I wonder about things like that.  

What kind of bread is that on the platter with the onions and pickles?

 I remember a line from one of the early RF books that said  " The bread purported to be rye, And yet looked to be simply slightly tan colored Wonder Bread, No matter."      

Dawn, the description that you quoted is 100% accurate. They call that stuff rye bread in western KY, but if an urban deli up north tried serving their corned beef sandwiches on it, there would be a full-scale riot.