In my last year+ of travelling with John, we've run into some really good
local (to the city/town) eateries. I know there are horrific ones out there
but we've had good luck with local diners and cafes.

We drove past a place called The Front Page Cafe a couple of times this past
weekend. No matter what time of day the parking lot was always packed. So
on Sunday we decided to try it for lunch.

At first blush, it looked okay. Not a huge lunch menu but your basic
diner-type food. Burgers, pot roast, meat loaf, fried catfish, assortment
of veggies... stuff like that. It appeared to be clean. No screaming
children LOL Noise level was acceptable.

Now I know some folks here don't want their server to do the whole, "Hi, I'm
so and so and I'll be your server today" routine. But I'd at least like the
server to say "hi". This woman approached our table, with something of a
scowl on her face and without uttering another word asked bluntly, "What do
you want to drink?" John and I both looked at her and said, "Hi!" She
didn't say hi, just repeated her question. She took off to get our drinks,
brought them and walked off. Okay.... we weren't ready to order yet.

John noticed something I've never seen on a menu befo "Please don't ask
for a doggy bag." What?! What if you can't finish the food they gave you?
You pay for it but can't take it home with you? I said, "John, that's just
weird."

We sat there about 15 minutes. She still hadn't come back. *Meanwhile*
there was another server running around with a stainless steel cookpot in
her hand, *yelling* something. With her heavy southern U.S. accent it took
us a minute to figure out she was yelling, "White beans with ham!" Yes, her
job for the day was to run around offering people white (great northern)
beans cooked with ham. It's apparently a freebie thing they do. Okay, why
not try some? But we don't have anything to put them in. She grabbed a
couple of small bowls from an empty table and ladeled some up for us then
continued wandering around yelling "White beans! White beans with ham!"
ODD!

A few minutes later another server came around carrying pans of hot rolls,
yelling, "Hot rolls!" She paused by our table. John said, "You aren't
going to throw those at us, are you?" She laughed and said, "No, I'm gonna
fling 'em at you!" Then she threw a roll at him. Luckily he was prepared
and caught it. She threw one at me, too, then resumed her wanderings and
yelling about hot rolls. We didn't have any plates to put the rolls on,
though; had to use our napkins. At least we had napkins. And the butter
was in a plain clear squeeze bottle on the table. Another oddity.

Okay, enough with the gimicks. Where's our server?!

We ate the white beans (they needed salt and he I don't like a lot of salt)
and our rolls. But where's our server?

Another server came by. She noticed we only had those tiny bowls of beans
and a roll apiece. "Hasn't anyone taken your order?", she asked. Not yet.
Oh man, I'm sorry, let me take care of it for you. And she was sincerely
sorry, and pleasant, not scowling like the first server was. She even took
the drinks off our order for us having to wait. Woo hoo! 50 cents off for
iced tea and a coffee! But she was nice to do it.

John ordered a burger and a baked potato. I ordered country fried steak
with turnip greens and green beans. She went off to turn in our order.

A few minutes after that, the original server came by, still looking
disgruntled. She asked, "Don't you have your food yet?" John told her
someone else took our order. She said, "You mean I didn't?" Well DUH! We
were nice about it but come on! Maybe she was having a bad day but she
should have known if she had (or didn't have) our check/ticket in her apron.
She asked who had taken our order; we pointed her out and she stomped over
there.

While we waited for our food, the 'white bean lady' underwent a change of
occupation! Now she was running around with a large stainless bowl yelling,
"Fried okra! Hot fried okra!" LOL

It wouldn't have been so bad if the food had been more than mediocre. His
burger was dry as the Sahara and he practically had to beg [the first
server, who launched a coup and took the table back] for condiments. My
country fried steak was okay; nothing to write home about but the veggies
were canned. We are used to places like this cooking up fresh veggies.

All in all, a sad and strange experience. I don't know why people were
flocking to the place at all hours. They are obviously used paying for
mediocre food, which shouldn't surprise me but somehow it always does.

Jill

In article >, jmcquown
> wrote:


Hmmmmmm. The chaos may be the appeal, like dinner with the in-laws.
I've had "thowed rolls." Don't believe I've ever had "flanged rolls."
Can't say the air-infusion makes much difference.

Our high school used to bus us over to Jonesboro for football games. My
first experience in gang-necking. But it was hard to explain all those
first-cigarette burns in my crew neck sweaters.

Sigh!

Stark wrote:
> In article >, jmcquown
> > wrote:
>
>
> Hmmmmmm. The chaos may be the appeal, like dinner with the in-laws.
> I've had "thowed rolls." Don't believe I've ever had "flanged rolls."
> Can't say the air-infusion makes much difference.
>
LOL Nope, flinging them didn't do much (but they were good rolls,
Parkerhouse-style probably from frozen). All things considered, it was not
an experience we will repeat but it sure was memorable!

John is from Rochester, NY and I'm a military brat. We've both lived in the
south for 30 years... still the most difficult thing for us was trying to
figure out what these *really* southern people were yelling as they walked
around in the restaurant.

> Our high school used to bus us over to Jonesboro for football games.
> My first experience in gang-necking. But it was hard to explain all
> those first-cigarette burns in my crew neck sweaters.
>
> Sigh!

Explain? Heh, you just don't show the sweaters to your mom. "It got hot
and I lost my sweater at the game!"

Did you ever find that boudin stuffed chicken?

Jill

In article >, jmcquown
> wrote:


> John is from Rochester, NY and I'm a military brat. We've both lived in the
> south for 30 years... still the most difficult thing for us was trying to
> figure out what these *really* southern people were yelling as they walked
> around in the restaurant.

My condolences. Southerners don't understand either, but we think we
know what each other means. Must be a code, but one so corrupted over
the years that it's really meaningless. Ever heard of Enigma?
>
> > Our high school used to bus us over to Jonesboro for football games.
> > My first experience in gang-necking. But it was hard to explain all
> > those first-cigarette burns in my crew neck sweaters.
> >
> > Sigh!
>
> Explain? Heh, you just don't show the sweaters to your mom. "It got hot
> and I lost my sweater at the game!"

Didn't lose them; they just developed little holes from all the
"grown-up" puffing while simultaneoulsy trying to gang-neck. Yout how
sad! I may have told the parentos I was attacked by Arkansas moths.
>
> Did you ever find that boudin stuffed chicken?
>

Going to call your Schnucks, see if they still have any; if so, I'll
pack a lunch and head out.

Randall

jmcquown wrote:

> In my last year+ of travelling with John, we've run into some really good
> local (to the city/town) eateries. I know there are horrific ones out there
> but we've had good luck with local diners and cafes.


For next time you visit the Quad Cities:

http://www.rcreader.com/display_arti...x=1&artid=2599

Welcome to the inaugural Quad Cities Dining Guide, published by the
River Cities' Reader.

These 20 pages are meant to answer one deceptively simple question:
What's for dinner?

The fact is that there are many issues tied up in those three words.
What am I hungry for? Does the restaurant have a Web site? Can I get a
vegetarian entrée in a smoke-free environment? Do they deliver? Can I
afford to eat there? Will they take my check? Can I get a martini with
my meal? Do I need a reservation? Do I need to dress up? Is it still
open?

This guide answers all those questions and more. We've compiled
information on roughly 450 places to eat in the Quad Cities area, from
high-test, four-star restaurants to fast-food joints.

Included is:

· Each restaurant's name, address, phone number, Web site, and
kitchen hours;

· Information about the restaurant's ownership, whether it has a
separate bar, whether it offers catering, delivery, and take-out, and
whether it is available for private parties;

· Each restaurant's specialties, and honors it has won; and

· Symbols representing check and credit-card options, prices,
nonsmoking section, alcohol options, quick lunches, and vegetarian
entrées. (A key to the symbols is found on this page and in several
other places throughout the guide.)

We've made every effort to be as comprehensive and accurate as
possible, but mistakes and oversights happen. If you find an error or
omission, contact us at ) with the corrected
information. Please put the words "Dining Guide" in the subject
line.

We're also open to suggestions for improving this guide, which we
plan to publish twice every year in the River Cities' Reader. Send us
a note at ) with your ideas:

http://www.rcreader.com/pdf/2005_Fall_Dining_Guide.pdf

</>

Gregory Morrow wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>
>> In my last year+ of travelling with John, we've run into some really
>> good local (to the city/town) eateries. I know there are horrific
>> ones out there but we've had good luck with local diners and cafes.
>
>
> For next time you visit the Quad Cities:
>
> http://www.rcreader.com/display_arti...x=1&artid=2599
>
Thanks! I downloaded and saved it. We'll be back at Riverssance next year;
since he was the featured artist this year he doesn't have to jury in to do
the show.

Jill