The Huddle House

My 4year old son and I had gone to Lowes yesterday looking for a new grill for our new home. I think my son didn’t comprehend the importance of this purchase. He was more interested in the lawn mowers than he did the shining variable flame thrower. He’ll learn…he will be the first in line to sample Dad’s Rib tips when the weather breaks. Shortly after our grill search and tractor-show we where in search for some grub. Fast!

We found ourselves contemplating our wants for food as we drove down the road. “Chicken?” I exclaimed. “Nope” he answered....”How about Burgers?” I barked…Twisting his shoulder he grunted,”Nah”…… “What about Fish? We haven’t had any fish in awhile” I calmly suggested… He didn’t answer. After what seemed an eternity he mumbled “Grilled cheese please!” He won. He always wins. If I recommended grilled cheese he would have wanted fish. Before I knew it, I was pulling in the parking lot of the Huddle House.

After a series of questions on where we are, who’s in there, and why is that truck blue, we finally made it through the door. No sooner than the first door closed, we where greeted from behind the grill. “How are you guys doing today?” a man shouted. I could see my sons face beaming as he was thinking of himself as one of the ‘guys’. We where told to sit at the booth by the window and someone would clean it off shortly. Before I had his jacket off, the table was scrubbed and a young nice-looking girl was taking our order. I knew she was pretty from the way my son was looking at her.

I ordered a steak melt with fries with some of there chicken wings and ordered the grill cheese sandwich for him. He asked me as she left to get our drinks, if she’s going to cut it like mom does. I casually replied, “We’ll see”. I was prying to the cheese gods that it will be cut like moms. We sat and talked as we drank our beverages, taking in the hustle and bustle of the workers.

The employees had the synchronicity of a well-oiled appliance. They all seemed oddly orchestrated like drunken ballerinas. In a good way! Not sloppy drunk but tipsy. The way they can take multiple orders from customers, relay it back to the grill, pick up newly departed tables, ask one another what they did last night, and at the same time not to trip over everyone’s feet or screw up an order, is poetry in motion. My son and I were so mesmerized by this dance we almost forgot about our food and my cheese-god plea.

My son was soon handed a plate of cheesy goodness and my melt and wings shortly followed. He was so smitten by her he failed to notice the geometry of his sandwich. Phew! Nice! There is nothing like sautéed onions with steak, and the golden fries were going down like popcorn. My melt was a tad bit greasy for my taste but I didn’t seem to mind. I wasn’t there to watch my girlish figure, I was there to eat. I traded my pickles for some of his fries and we shared the wings. I loved the wings. I usually prefer the battered version of these poultry extremities but these were great. The crispy seasoned skin was delightfully tasty but not too hot.

As I was watching the busy customers and admiring the talented workers, my little monster was getting antsy. I grabbed the check since my partner seemed to have left his money at home, and made our way to check out. I exchanged monies and was walking to the door and the same voice from before hollered, “Was everything OK guys?” We replied back words of praise and soon found ourselves back on the road holding our bellies like a couple of ‘guys’.

B.J.’s Bar and Grill

As I walked in the door I was not surprised to be standing, waiting in anticipation for my name to be called. The lobby area, with seats filled to the brim, I found a small plot of floor in which I declared my own, making sure to keep the doors from hitting my backside as eager patrons come and go with a whirl. I'm sure this will be rectified as they move to there new place. After my small victory with the door my name is called.

I was maneuvered through a labyrinth of tables where I was promptly seated by the gracious but frenzied host. Shortly after my swift arrival I was soon drinking a large frosty weizen style glass, full of Sam Adams. Life is good once more.

Not even halfway through my suds, my salad came. There ranch dressing is in a league all its own. I never get over the color. I think of out-dated blue wall paper, you know, the type of blue found on 57’ Chevy Bel Air. The taste of this rich and creamy condiment nicely compliments the cold crisp iceberg lettuce. Nice!

After sopping up the remnants of my salad with club crackers, I was soon breathing in a plateful of goodness, the Blackened Prim Rib. The spices from it opened my sinuses making my beer taste that much better. Another beer please! The dark brown jacket of rub on my prime rib, sealing in all that flavor and juices, immediately ran over onto my lonely baked potato as I cut into it. Who needs the aju sauce? It was seasoned with the right amount everything. Too many times have I eaten blackened cuts of animal protein, only to leave my mouth in flames. Many restaurants use too much Cajun and chili powder, with the black pepper corn as course as gravel. I know there’s going to be purists out there saying, “That’s not the way to eat prime rib… Why ruin a good piece of meat? You can’t taste the meat with all that crap on it?’ If you have a good cut of meat and you enjoy spicy food, as long as it’s seasoned correctly, you can’t go wrong, so I don't want to hear it.

I could talk about my lonely backed potato but a potato is what it is, a starchy side order that goes hand in hand with a good piece of meat. And for vegetables? I didn’t select any for fear it would do my body good.

The service was great. It seemed like every time there was a half-filled glass or empty platter, there was some kid swooshing out of nowhere asking if I needed anything else. The only displeasing spectacle was a young overzealous busboy with his britches lower than I would prefer to see. Over all, I enjoyed my meal. It was exactly what I came to do, drink a couple of beers, eat a great prime rib, and soak in the great atmosphere of B.J.’s Bar and Grill.

Hey buddy, pull up your trousers.

About Me

I’m a food/restaurant reviewer for the Bardstown area. I've been fortunate enough to have spent vast amounts of time in the Bardstown courting my wife, playing music, eating, socializing, and did I mention eating? I do know there is more to this than writing about food masticating experiences so let me tell you about myself.

I'm a storyteller. I enjoy immersing myself around people and their stories. I'm told I'm a great cook. I'm not this guy that fixates over the Food Channel or bakes cakes that look like sneakers. I just enjoy food and enjoy the atmosphere that accompanies it. I've been fortunate to eat Kobe beef at the Tao in NY City and just as privileged to eat Lamb fries at Colonel Hawks in Bardstown.

I have never attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris nor published any top sellers. Heck, I barely passed Home-Ec. I've never worked in a mainstream café or restaurant. I’ve cooked for a B&B in Louisville for a short while helping out my friend. I have no formal journalistic training other than helping my Dan Rather room-mate in collage. I attended Eastern Kentucky University then Jefferson Community Collage for both Computer Electronics and Business Management. I have owned a business for 5 years in the past but presently work for a great technology based company in Louisville as their Manufacturing Director. I’m an avid writer and blogger as well as a painter and active studio musician. I’ll be 40 in November. I have a stunning wife, a corky full throttled 4year old son, and have a little girl on the way…on the way meaning due right now.

This is a small light hearted, unbiased bi-monthly editorial on the restaurant/food scene in Bardstown. I will describe my dinning experiences from Maxine's Restaurant & Lounge to the Old Stable. From the Huddle House, to Xavier's, I would give the reader a personal entertaining observations of the aromas, appearance, and flavors of what Bardstown have to offer. I’m not interested in fame or fortune. Actually I would prefer to be anonymous. Please reply giving me your thoughts on this. Let me know if I'm just crazy or going through a midlife crisis. I'm just looking for another method to express myself.