2009 GLEE CLUB Memphis Meet-Up

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (Louis)

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 22:31:27 GMT

Gee, I need to tell the people who run the Bon Ton Mini Mart. They serve their country fried steak with white gravy. So do most other places around here in western Kentucky. Good grief! No wonder I'm confused. No consistency anywhere!

Thanks, WJ, for giving me a good explanation for one of the conumdrums that have perplexed me for years. That's one reason I've come to this site several times a day for the last nine years. So many knowledgeable people.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (susanll)

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:30:31 GMT

Shoot. When you were at Coletta's you were about 5 miles from my house. That is my 'hood' Oddly, we never go there. Further east on Hwy 64 (about a mile) is a great Italian joint called Mimi's. No barbecue pizza but the pasta is wonderful.

And I agree, Chicken Fried is white gravy/Country Fried is brown gravy.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (wanderingjew)

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:42:32 GMT

Louis

I'm not sure about the rest of the South, but in the upper South it's hard to find "chicken fried steak." Everywhere you look, it's called "country fried steak." It's the same thing as far as I'm concerned. Beats me, why it's called one and not the other; maybe "country fried steak" doesn't have chicken in it. Who knows?

There is a definite difference. I also used to be confused, but I believe it was adjudicator who clarified the difference.

Chicken Fried Steak is common in Texas, and Oklahoma and Kansas- It's breaded, fried and served with white gravy...

Here is an example from the Avalon Diner in Houston TX

Country Fried Steak popular in the mid south, is floured, possibly fried then baked and served with brown gravy- and no it's not salisbury steak- doesn't taste anything like it

Here's an example of it from Swett's in Nashville

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (carolina bob)

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:16:46 GMT

I might me wrong ( usually am! ), but isn't 'chicken-fried steak' more of a Texas term than a southern term? Same thing as a country-fried steak, I guess.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (Louis)

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:06:39 GMT

I'm not sure about the rest of the South, but in the upper South it's hard to find "chicken fried steak." Everywhere you look, it's called "country fried steak." It's the same thing as far as I'm concerned. Beats me, why it's called one and not the other; maybe "country fried steak" doesn't have chicken in it. Who knows?

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (carolina bob)

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 16:58:17 GMT

wanderingjew, that's a great photo of Maurie and Flaurie, and I'm glad to know that they're occupying a "place of honor' in your home. Now I've got to go back to Superdawg and get a statuette for myself ( sure was difficult to give that one up! )

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (Nancypalooza)

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 16:02:09 GMT

I'm glad you clarified--it kinda looked like pecans on that pizza and I was really confused for a minute.

I can't speak for TN but around here you probably hear the terms 'country fried steak' and 'chicken fried steak' used interchangeably. And I would imagine 'country fried steak' used more often.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (Poverty Pete)

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 12:57:23 GMT

The toasted raviolis were horrible, but the bbq pizza was good enough that the last few slices I had for dinner that night were still good.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (wanderingjew)

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 11:47:56 GMT

Saturday February 14 cont

Believe it or not, I never finished my part of the report. The remaining report was actually supposed to be photos to supplement other reports so it may seem incomplete due to my lack of photos....

After checking into my hotel, I met up with Poverty Pete at the Flying Saucer Beer Emporium Downtown.

On the way to the bar, I ran across this place

Been there, done that

I also ran across this really cool antique car

I don't remember the name of the beer although it was brewed in Memphis and was somewhat unmemorable. I left Poverty for a while to try and find a decent cup of coffee, of course, since I was downtown, Starbucks was all I could find. I decided to take a stroll to Dyers to see if any of the crew was there. When I arrived, I happened to run into Ayersian who later joined us back at the Flying Saucer.

We left The Flying Saucer and arrived at Leonards. Adding photos would be pointless, and basically my sentiments match everyone elses. It was a disappointment, or at least the buffet. As usual, my timing was impeccable, every time I got to the buffetline, they were down to the bottom or completely out of what I was looking for...

I wil add my lame attempt to construct a dry - blah- pork sandwich

After dinner Sundancer and Iwannago drove me back to my hotel. I took the trolley back into town and met up with some of the crew on Beale Street, but everyone bailed quickly and after a brief walk through and a couple of sombreros later, playing security guard, I escorted The Travelin Man back to his hotel and he drove me back to mine.

Sunday February 15

Poverty Pete picked me up at my hotel and after checking out, we stopped at High Point Coffee, near my hotel, a small local chain out of Oxford Tennessee. We then drove to The Arcade, to meet up with the remaining crew, Buffetbuster and Cousin Johnny, Chitown Diner, Ayersian and NoCarolina. It was a decade earlier when I last visited The Arcade

I had the Sweet Potato Pancakes- faintly sweet, they were good, but didn't "blow me away". These were acompanied by eggs, bacon and a side of grits.

Someone else had a shake (cousin johnny?)

And someone else had biscuits and gravy

and here's a first- it was listed as "country fried steak on the menu"but when served, looked a helluva lot more like "chicken fried steak"

Unfortunately 2 months after the fact, my memory is fading. There are many other photos out there somewhere, including the feast for a "cast of thousands" that Chi Town Diner ordered.

We said our goodbyes to Carolina Bob and Ayersian and it was now down to the five of us. At the last moment we (Poverty Pete and I) decided to make one more stop before leaving Memphis.

Collettas. Home of the first BBQ Pizza

After stopping at the seedy location in town and finding out it was closed, we went to the polished suburban location..

(there's Poverty Pete walking towards the entrance)

We started off with some fresh yeasty Italian Style rolls

Moved on to some really nasty Toasted Raviolis which don't even deserve a photo
(that's why I rarely eat something that's not indigenous to the region)

After almost 2 decades of curiousity, the Pizza arrived.
Liberally loaded with Shredded BBQ Pork, the sauce was alot milder than I expected, I was expecting a tangier bbq style sauce.

After our last minute stop, Poverty Pete and I drove back to Nashville. We had a couple of hours to kill before my flight left, and we stopped at the Blackstone Brewery for a couple of brews.

I don't remember what I had, but it was good.

We drove back to the airport, and my last meal was a peanut butter goo-goo cluster at the airport- (sorry, no photos)

Overall this was a great trip, and I always have this memento to remind me- from
NoCarolina- at the Gift Exchange that took place at Leonards.

Currently residing in the bookcase located in my spare bedroom (aka office, guestroom, den)

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (carolina bob)

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:13:10 GMT

Louis, originally I had planned on having dinner at the Smokehouse in Lafayette, but I got a late start out of Owensboro, plus the US 231 route took longer than I thought it would. When it became apparent that I wouldn't reach Lafayette until well after closing time, I started "exploring other options" ( and how did THAT work out for you, Bob??? ) Oh well... better than starvation.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (Louis)

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 10:38:04 GMT

I remember when we visited that I mentioned Bob try the South Street Smokehouse in Lafayette, Indiana, mainly because, as he was traveling north, he would encounter it around dinner time, and I thought it would also give him enough time to digest before his next meal.

http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=2250

But Al's right. There are some good Amish restaurants around U.S. 231. If you are ever driving in Indiana, south of Indianapolis, and want to sample the Amish cuisine, the Gasthof Amish Village in Montgomery, Indiana, just west of U.S. 231 near Loogootee, Indiana is about as good as any place I can think of. Not spectacular, but well-presented and good hearty food for the weary traveler. And it's interesting simply to tour the facility after your meal and relax.

http://www.gasthofamishvillage.com/

And if you want to visit an upscale German restaurant, you can't do much better than the Schnitzelbank in Jasper, Indiana. Take their website's virtual tour to get an idea of the restaurant. You can get a 360-degree view of each of the restaurant's rooms.

http://www.schnitzelbank.com/

And, of course, the Chicken Place, just four miles away in Ireland on Indiana highway 56, discussed elsewhere on this site, is a great alternative. Here is some discussion about it from three years ago.

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/tm.aspx?m=213293&mpage=

There are lots of places all through Indiana, even in small towns, to visit. You just have to snoop around a bit.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (mayor al)

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:24:58 GMT

Bob

We didn't know about your run up 231! Lots of good Amish food near that road in Southern Indiana. (near the 231-US 50/150 intersection!)
You covered your travels quite well in your report. Glad you could join the fun.
AL

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (carolina bob)

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:19:50 GMT

After Louis and I said our goodbyes at the Bon-Ton, I headed back to Owensboro for lunch #2: barbequed mutton and burgoo at George's BBQ. It was a very good meal, even though I have to admit that the burgoo didn't do that much for me; it wasn't bad, just not as exciting flavor-wise as I had anticipated. I had eaten the mutton at George's before, so I knew what to expect. However, I was surprised by the difference between George's and the mutton from Peak Bros.; both are quite good, but Peak's has more of a tangy/spicy flavor. Now loaded down with chicken n' que, I crossed the Ohio River into Indiana and headed north on US 231 towards home. By the time it had gotten dark, I was hungry again and started looking for a place to eat. To spare myself embarrassment , however, I'm not saying where I had dinner. Let's just say that some small Indiana towns have nothing but national chain restaurants and leave it at that. :~( Less than three hours after finishing my "wonderful" dinner, I was back in my apartment, tired as hell and glad to be home. Overall, it was a great trip; most of the food was really good, but even better was the company. I couldn't have asked for a nicer bunch of dining companions. Well, that's it - I've survived my first trip report!

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (carolina bob)

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:02:05 GMT

Thanks, Ann. It's not quite over though ( remember, I haven't left Kentucky yet, but I will this evening! )

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (ann peeples)

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:51:24 GMT

Excellent report.I have been lurking for awhile to see the outcome.Glad to see all had a great time.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (mayor al)

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:18:37 GMT

BB
When I tell them you are coming, they run to the door with wagging tales!

Duff did drag Janet into the guest room and made her move his storage of old chewed bones from under the pillow, where he and TTM had hidden them !

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (buffetbuster)

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:07:10 GMT

mayor al

BB, we'll leave a light on for ya !

Very much looking forward to it. Just promise me Demi and Duffy will be well fed before I arrive and I will do my best to not show up smelling of pork chops!

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (Louis)

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:59:02 GMT

I agree about Waffle House. While not my first choice, it comes in handy in a pinch when you want a quick, no-frills meal that has some flavor. It is what it is, nothing more, nothing less. I like their hashbrowns, particularly with hot peppers and onions.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (carolina bob)

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:54:18 GMT

pogophiles - No, it wasn't Martin. According to my TN map, Martin is about a half hour west of US 79, which is the highway I was on. From looking at the map, I'm guessing that the town in question was either Paris or McKenzie. Louis - You're right about my life savings! I don't want to tell you how much I've spent in the past couple of months to replace my tired old VHS collection with nice new DVDs. susanll - I agree with you about Waffle House ( at least when it comes to breakfast. ) Besides having great country ham and hash browns, WH is the only chain that captures the feel of a traditional roadside diner.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (pogophiles)

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:08:47 GMT

Was that KN Root Beer place in Martin, TN? If so, it used to be an A&W that was bought out and taken over by a local many many years ago. We tried it once after it changed over, but that was all. I'm shocked that it could survive this many years, if indeed that was the place...

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (Louis)

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:36:08 GMT

You were great company, Bob! (And since then, folks, I've found all sorts of video venues for him to happily spend his life-savings--as he will attest.)

I'll add that it was his intention to take a photo of the Bon Ton, but our conversation got so involved that we forgot all about it until we were both half-way down the road, going in our separate directions.

Anyway, if anyone ever wants to eat at the Bon Ton before they close for good in July (due to the owner's retirement), let me know ahead of time and I'll be happy to be your host.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (susanll)

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:27:55 GMT

I think Waffle House is a RF spot. It is as close to a diner you can get on the roadway. And no annoying gift shop. Just the jukebox, which can be loud sometimes.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (carolina bob)

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:35:38 GMT

Monday the 16th ( day #4 ) started out with what many of you would consider roadfood heresy; breakfast at the Waffle House in Owensboro. Yeah, it's a big chain but I can't help it - I love WH breakfasts. So sue me. From there I headed west to Henderson KY to meet up with fellow roadfooder Louis Hatchett at the Bon-Ton Mini-Mart, a famed roadfood restaurant that, unfortunately, is living on borrowed time. Me being me, I got completely lost in Henderson trying to find the Bon-Ton, and I got there about twenty minutes late. Louis was still there waiting for me, though, and we proceeded to dig in to some great spicy fried chicken, along with about two hours of lively conversation about roadfood and other topics. Turns out Louis and I have a lot in common besides eating; we both love 1950s television and John Wayne movies. Louis was gracious enough to bring me a couple of barbequed mutton sandwiches from Peak Bros. BBQ, saying that I might find their mutton to be an interesting variation of what's served at George's BBQ back in Owensboro ( scheduled to be my #2 lunch destination of the day. ) More later....

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (Louis)

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:04:01 GMT

Keep on going, NC, I know what's coming, too.

Re:2009 GLEE CLUB Memphis Meet-Up (carolina bob)

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:52:19 GMT

Nancy, my disappointment wasn't in Owensboro; far from it. Both of the meals I had on Monday in O-town were very good. It was that crummy KN drive-in in Tennessee that let me down so bad. The burger and fries there were so awful that I ended up dumping about half of it. I've Googled KN Root Beer and apparently they have a few other locations in TN, but I really wonder how they stay in business serving junk like that. Same with Dyer's in Memphis; I was expecting a real treat there, and instead I got a burger that made McDonald's start looking good to me ( scary, huh? ) Except for breakfast at the Arcade, Sunday was a really lousy food day.

Re:2009 GLEE CLUB Memphis Meet-Up (wanderingjew)

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:01:09 GMT

Bob

I'm reading too....In fact I still need to add the final days adventures too.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (Nancypalooza)

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:53:32 GMT

Oh I'm checking back too Bob. I've never been there myself but my dad used to have to visit Owensboro about once a year or every other for work, and he'd always end up at some shindig catered by a local BBQ joint that he just raved about, so my picture of Owensboro is good food. Sorry to hear it disappointed you.

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (mayor al)

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:47:38 GMT

N C

We're reading of your exploits...Keep those posts coming. Sorry to hear of the lack of 'good finds' that Sunday.

BB, we'll leave a light on for ya !

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (susanll)

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:43:08 GMT

Visiting where?

Re:2009 Presidents' Day Weekend Meet-Up Discussion (buffetbuster)

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:24:54 GMT

NC-
Since I know what is coming up (and with who) and that I am just a month away from visiting there myself, I am reading with keen interest. You are doing a terrific job!