I immediately thought the Great One was from Rhode Island….

 [lol] Then why don’t I see him https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_One listed here?

 
Perhaps he’s…The Greatest One!  #canneverhavetomuchhyperbole 

Shouldn’t that be #cannevereverinamillionbillionzillionyearshavetomuchhyperbole?

Buddy

I immediately thought the Great One was from Rhode Island….

[lol] Then why don’t I see him https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_One listed here?

Perhaps he’s…The Greatest One!  #canneverhavetomuchhyperbole 

Maybe a more honest title for this would be “Our-Year-In-Barbecue?” No word about other real Roadffood places, such as, but certainly not limited to, say, Harry’s Place in Colchester, Conn. The list goes on. 

You are a new person on Roadfood, 02sbxstr. Every post I’ve read from you is negative. Every single one. You do not know buffetbuster and you also do not know that this will be an ongoing continuous post about many other places, not just BBQ places. It doesn’t stop here! Have patience. Also, be a little more open-minded as to the way other parts of the country do things.

I immediately thought the Great One was from Rhode Island….

[lol] Then why don’t I see him https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_One listed here?

A few more notes about pie…

* Man, did I screw up while visiting Iowa back in July and it still stings. 

When we were in western Iowa in 2017, we met Mark and Charlene Johnson for dinner.  For those who don’t know, they were the owners of the late, great Farmer’s Caf� in Atlantic, IA and Charlene is a pie baker-extraordinaire.  She was kind enough to deliver a complete sour cream raisin pie to us.  Her SCR pie is still the best pie I have ever had in my life.  But, she also informed us that this would be her last SCR pie.

In 2018, not knowing exactly what our schedule was going to be, I didn’t get ahold of Mark until the day before.  But, luckily they were still able to join us for a dinner of breaded pork tenderloins at https://roadfood.com/restaurants/larsens-pub Larsen’s Pub in Elk Horn.  At dinner, Charlene said that if we had given her more warning, she would have brought a pie with her.  You mean I could have had one of her almost as famous watermelon pies?  When she said she was done making the sour cream raisin pie, I misunderstood it as she was completely done making any pies.  I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever make that mistake again.  Still, we a great time sharing a meal with these wonderful people.

https://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_1378_zpswpq2hz0f.jpg.html

* A big thanks to PieDiva and JRPfeff for not only for meeting us for breakfast at McBob’s while we were in Milwaukee, but also bringing a whole pie with them.  Not only is PieDiva also a world class pie maker, but you can also count on her for unusual and interesting flavors.  Our table got to share an eye catching and delicious salt and vinegar pie.

https://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_1190_zpslvbywxe0.jpg.html

* Both visits to https://roadfood.com/restaurants/hoosier-mama-pie-company Hoosier Mama Pie Company during 2018 were memorable.  During a February visit to the original Ukrainian Village location, my wife and ChiTownDiner actually expected me to share the pie slices. 

https://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_8508_zps7ikey3sn.jpg.html

How disappointing!  How selfish!

In September, we stopped at the Evanston location and we were met by pie-aholic Davidsanders. 

https://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_6889_zpsrnlh6tee.jpg.html

It was never made clear to me if this was prearranged and if we just assumed David would be there.  Now, I’m not saying that he spends a lot of time at Hoosier Mama, but I heard that during his recent http://forums.roadfood.com/December-2018-CSO-European-Pretour-and-Paris-and-London-m878879.aspx tour through Europe with the Chicago symphony, Hoosier Mama was forced to lay off three pie bakers due to his absence.  I am just jealous that has this place so close to home.

I did finally get to meet owner Paula Haney and we posed for a group photo. 

http://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_6860_zpsq9xoikiy.jpg.html

Really nice lady and she sure has a great th,29,878532.001001002003001001002001001002002001003001001001001001001002001001001001001001001001001001001001002001001002001002001001001001001001001001001001003001005001002001001001001001002001,60,9261,67.20.227.15
879183,879128,879128,2019-01-05 08:38:15.380000000,Re: Virginia Beach restaurant raising its structure to prevent future flood damage”

More random notes and stories from the past year…

* What is it with California elevators?  Last year we got stuck in an elevator for 15 minutes in our hotel in El Segundo.  It wasn’t that big of a deal, but we were in there with a young family from Oklahoma returning from the Lakers game and the small kids were getting upset.

This year, it happened again at the https://www.pstramway.com Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. 

https://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_1899_zpst3qrjlpv.jpg.html

We were only stuck for about ten minutes, but Mariton says it was at least a half hour.  She is starting to get leery every time we approach one now.

* https://roadfood.com/restaurants/stans-restaurant-and-country-store Stan’s Country Store and Restaurant in Columbia, TN has a ham hanging over a doorway that is nearly 80 years old. 

https://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_4037_zpskzfbfisj.jpg.html

I’m thinking it should be ready any day now.  Would you try it?

* You know how at many restaurants when you place your order at the counter, they ask you your name, so they can call it out when the food is ready?  At https://roadfood.com/restaurants/keys-fisheries Keys Fisheries in Marathon, FL, they apparently have different themes for this.  On the day of our visit, you gave them the name of a cartoon character instead.

https://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_7152_zpspbr0pqrg.jpg.html

* I am especially fond of places that don’t take themselves too seriously.  We loved our visit to https://roadfood.com/restaurants/indian-gardens-oak-creek-market Indian Gardens Market in Sedona, AZ for many reasons, including the fact that they were handing out free high fives.

https://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_9709_zpsqofdx0bq.jpg.html

* One of the reasons we detoured to the small town of Payson, AZ was to go visit http://www.jerijsindianfrybread.com Jeri J’s Indian Fry Bread.  It is a business on wheels, as she uses a converted school bus and usually can be found parked across the street from the casino.  Unfortunately, she was not parked there and while looking for it, we found the unforgettable school bus

http://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_9889_zpsczrptyx6.jpg.html

sitting in the driveway of a nearby home.  After seeing this bus, now we really want to meet the fry bread lady.  The video of her making fry bread on her website is worthwhile.

* Who doesn’t like a little bit of music with their dinner?  The https://www.facebook.com/LindenhofPeoria Lindenhof is a German social club in Peoria, IL that offers a dinner every Friday night and the general public is welcome.  The food itself was ordinary, but we had a great time listening to the oompah band. 

http://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_2191_zpsfu45plyg.jpg.html

Needless to say, the ChiTownDiner was in mu,29,878532.001001002003001001002001001002002001003001001001001001001002001001001001001001001001001001001001002001001002001002001001001001001001001001001001002,49,129093,69.106.207.30
878906,878818,878895,2018-12-28 12:53:11.080000000,Re: It’s Roast Beef Poor Boy Day”

buffetbuster – 

After a quick plot, I am going to re-think the shape of The World Famous Chicago Pie Triangle….might go Rectangle, might be a surprise for your next visit.  I’ve been undercover scoping things out!  For now, #wfcpt still stands!  

Your assessment of HMPC is spot on.  Between the 2 locations, look at the DAILY rotating selections.  Between them, typically 15 different pies are represented….plus all the savory selections, scones, cookies, muffins, etc.  

Litton’s looks awesome and I love the layering at The Apple Pan.  

I just wish I liked pie….

We need to get you to http://boba-burger.letseat.at/menu Boba Burger next time you visit Chicago.  Located in a bowling alley (how Roadfood is that?), their http://www.trbimg.com/img-576b099e/turbine/ct-cheap-eats-boba-burger-gallery-20160525 Asian influenced Burgers (and http://boba-burger.letseat.at/system/gallery_photos/45549/original/b23df1d4cb20fe59804f.jpg?1427150620 Hot Dogs) are outstanding.  Also, Paradise Pup’s local competition, http://www.americanwildburger.com American Wildburger is worth a visit, if for no other reason than they use Roadhouse Bar-B-Que Sauce on some of their specialty https://tribchicagosbest.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/americanwildburgerwebthumb.png?w=1200 Burgers.  And if it’s http://www.nicegraphics.com/chow/redhot_ranch/ashland/double_cheese.jpg Smashdown Burgers your after, https://www.yelp.com/biz/red-hot-ranch-chicago Red Hot Ranch serves the best in the city.

Mop up the drool and get your butt back out here to the Midwest.

Buddy

CTD–

Yes, that is one of Buddy’s many nicknames.  He picked that one up when he was working as a bouncer at a juke joint outside Kansas City.

Durn tootin’.  About to head down for our annual KC Holiday Bouncer Reunion today.  Plenty of ‘Que, Fried Chicken, Griddle Burgers, and Mexican in our foreseeable future.

Nice to see some familiar neon in this year’s entry.  You snapped that Maple Tree in sign just in time.  https://abc7chicago.com/food/maple-tree-inn-reopening-at-temporary-location-in-blue-island-friday/4745890 The place burned last summer, but reopened in temporary digs in November.  I think they’re planning to rebuild at the original location, but can’t swear to it.

Buddy

Best neon of 2018:
Retina burn!![;)]

Lotta good stuff there….I am always partial to Leon’s….it just explodes as you turn that corner!  

Did you Get It At Porky’s?  

If by IT, you mean college basketball, then yes.  That sign is at http://www.porkandbeanspgh.com Pork & Beans, a bbq restaurant in downtown Pittsburgh.  My buddies and I went there between the afternoon and evening games when the NCAAs were in town.

Mystery solved!

http://s232.photobucket.com/user/JCStrutz/media/Roadfood24/IMG_0891_zpsbwkv2fvh.jpg.html

Does the sign animate like the one in the movie?  Kind’a gives a new meaning to pork butt.[;)]