So Long For Now...

I Love Road Food and I Love Doing this Blog...

...That's Why I have Decided to Close it Down!

This is only the seventh post but already I am struggling. Oh, not necessarily with the subject matter. I still love roadfood (I went to the Jane and Michael approved Homemade Pie and Ice Cream Kitchen last Saturday Night and had Raspberry Chocolate Cheesecake Ice Cream ---Yum!)

No, it's the blog itself that is giving me trouble.

I started my Internet Marketing Business (such as it is) in January and one of the first things I did was to start several blogs in areas I am passionate about. Travel and eating on the road -- road food -- was one of them.

The passion is still there but this was a REALLY bad time to start this blog. With two new businesses (one is offline) to tend to, thousands of new things to learn in each and a 14 year old son, I really have had no time whatsoever to travel -- and little time to eat.

So I have decided to close down this blog for now (actually it will stay up as long as blogger keeps it, but I won't update it.)

But I won't give up the idea so it is really more of a break. Probably a LONG break, but still a break.

As I said, I still love good diner fare and I will continue to collect stories and recipes -- and soon I will return -- when I have more time to do it right.

To those of you who have enjoyed my writing thank you for your time and for reading the Roadfood Blog. Be sure to visit my other sites at MyEverydayLife.net and keep an eye out for the Roadfood Blog's Return.

See you soon.

Mark

Good Eats with Truck Parking

By Suzanne Roquemore

When you are a trucker, you often find the only place you can count on a sit-down meal is at one of the many truck stops out there. Petro has the Iron Skillet, TA has the Country Pride, Flying J has the Country Market. But the same-old, same-old leaves you longing for more every now and then.

The problem is that a big rig can be 75 feet long or longer. We can't just pull into a Chili's parking lot, toot our horns, and say "We're here." Our choices are often limited by the size of our vehicles. Over the years, though, I have found quite a few places to park my rig that make my tummy glad.

The Beef House

In Covington, Indiana, on I 74 at exit 4, there is a Pilot truck stop. Right across the street, is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. It's called The Beef House. They are open for lunch or dinner. A good steak dinner for two will set you back about $40 or $50 depending on what you order. I go for the petite filet mignon- and I promise you, it's worth every penny. There's not a bit of fat on it, it's wrapped in bacon and aged. I've never tried it but I imagine you could cut it with your fork, it's so tender. They have a meat counter and you can buy from them and take it with you to grill later, too. They have a fresh salad bar that comes with your meal and wonderful soups (also included). Their service is top rate. Plenty of folks dine wearing suits and dresses, but you can wear a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt if you so choose, and you won't feel out of place. There are two buildings- a banquet hall and the restaurant. Be sure to go to the restaurant (not the banquet hall)- it's the building further west. They have room for several trucks to park in the gravel areas of their lot, but, for the less adventurous, you can park at the Pilot. It's within walking distance.
(765) 793-3947

Nick's Catfish and BBQ

In Carlisle, Arkansas, on I 40 at exit 183, there is a little restaurant that doesn't look like much on the outside. Come to think of it, it doesn't look like much on the inside either, but what comes out of the kitchen is worth stopping for. I've never had the BBQ but I have friends who have ordered it and been very happy with it. The catfish is some of the best stuff I've ever had. It's not a place to dine if you're on a diet, but if you're looking for a good meal, it's a sure bet. They have limited truck and rv parking on their dirt lot. They are just a little ways south of I 40 on state route 13.
(870) 552-3887 or (870) 552-7845

Spires

In Carson, California, on the 405 freeway at the Wilmington Ave exit, there is a diner with food that will rival your favorite "chain" restaurant. There is only legal parking for 2 or 3 trucks on the street (unless you're bobtail- then you can fit in the lot). The spots are marked 1-hour truck parking and are just long enough for a big rig. I can't even begin to delve into their menu offerings- meatloaf, pot roast, stir fry, salads... I've never heard of anyone being dissatisfied with their choice. The wait staff has been top notch anytime I've eaten there. I know of drivers' who have parked their rigs a mile away in no parking zones and walked to Spires to get a good meal. It's definitely worth a trip around the block to get a truck parking spot.
(310) 830-8170

Casa De Fruta

Just outside of Hollister, California, on route 152 (between Gilroy and Santa Nella) thre is a diner with a twist. The food isn't the main attraction here, though it's a very pleasant change from a truck stop restaurant. This place is an entire casa de EVENTS- there is a wine shop and wine tastings (not before you drive, please), a sweet shop, and a fruit and nut shop. I had never stopped there other than for a quick meal or a place to sleep until recently when a friend of mine told me about the train. I had no idea there was more than fruit and food there. From the map of the place you can see they have a little train, a zoo, and a gaggle of peacocks walking around. The restaurant is 24-hours and has a variety of options. I've only had breakfast there, but it was very good.

Sam's

In Fairfield, Texas, on I 45 at exit 197, there is a restaurant good enough to make Sam Houston proud. Another driver suggested dinner at Sam's, and, to be honest, at first glance I didn't expect much. The outside of the building looks like any truck stop along the I 45 corridor, but what's inside those walls will surprise you. This place has a little gift shop with all kinds of cute nick-knacks to browse- though I've never had to wait for a table. It's not too fancy but it's very nice. They have a nice salad bar, fantastic catfish and great BBQ. They are located just east of I 45 and have a dirt lot for truck parking. Don't mistake it for the truck stop on the west side of the freeway.

(903) 389-SAMS

Boomtown
(currently truck parking/truck stop is closed for construction of Cabella's and a new truck facility)

In Verdi, Nevada, at exit 3, there is a Casino and truck stop called Boomtown. Truckers can park at the truck stop and take the free shuttle to the main casino. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, the buffet's main attraction is the all-you-can-eat lobster. It's not like what you might expect up in Maine, but it is a nice change from your typical truck stop fare. It will set you back $24 per person ($19.99 each if you show your Player's Club card). The lobsters are on the small side, but it is, after all, all-you-can-eat, so who's complaining? Other than that, it is a typical casino buffet.
(775) 345-8699

Jubitz

In Oregon on I 5 at exit 307 (don't miss the exit because you can't just flip around at the next exit (the two overlap and there is no ramp when you get back on the freeway) is a poorly marked truck stop called the Jubitz- follow the small signs along the route marked "Jubitz." I wanted to stay away from truck stops, but this is one that deserves mention. The Cascade Grill restaurant inside the main building is top rate and they also have a bar that boasts live entertainment. It's a nice change from the traditional truck stop with all the services a truck stop provides (diesel, tires, showers, laundry, etc.). Definitely worth stopping by.
(503) 283-1111 or (800) 523-1193

Other places I have had recommended to me but have not tried:

The Big Texan

In Amarillo, Texas. This place is known for the 72 oz steak you get free if you eat it in one hour. Other than that, I hear their "regular" steaks are out of this world.
(800) 657-7177

Rainbow Casino Steak House

In Wendover, Nevada. Reservations are recommended. There is plenty of truck parking and a free shuttle (although, the casino is right across the street and safe to walk to). I have heard that their filet mignon and jumbo prawns combo is better than hitting a jackpot.
(800) 537-0207

CoopsAreOpen.com is the only comprehensive online resource for over 1100 truck weigh stations and scales as well as state DOT weight regulations and policies. Knowledge of the varying policies and the ability to manage or avoid most weigh stations can save truckers thousands of dollars in ticket fines.

For further information, contact Suzanne at information@coopsareopen.com or view Truck Weigh Station, Scales and State DOT Information at http://www.coopsareopen.com/

If you Love to Eat -- Have We Got the Blog for YOU!

Dear Friends,

We want to thank you.

We at MyEverydayLife have been overwhelmed by the amount of interest in our websites. We've had a great beginning and now we just want to say Thank You to all of our readers.

So starting tomorrow and continuing for EVERY SINGLE DAY in March The Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes Blog will be running our "March to Recipes Celebration".

Okay, that's a hokey name but it's really a great celebration.

Every single day in March The Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes Blog will feature at least one new restaurant recipe (many days more than one) and also give away a FREE downloadable cookbook to EVERYONE that visits.

Everyday -- All Month -- 31+ Restaurant Recipes -- 31 FREE Downloadable Cookbooks

If you've enjoyed The Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes Blog so far, you are going to love it when we go to a daily schedule. We will now be bringing you the best make-at-home restaurant favorites (including those you requested by your comments and our poll) EVERYDAY!

And in addition to the great tasting dishes from Olive Garden, Applebee's, Red Lobster and More, for 31 days you can download a new cookbook every single day.

31 FREE Downloadable Cookbooks

Now, to be honest, it wasn't possible for us to put together 31 Copycat Restaurant Recipes Cookbooks (we wish we could have done that for you) but these are some very nice cookbooks with some delicious recipes. Many of them have 100+ pages and 100's of recipes. They are the same ones selling all over the internet for up to $19, $29 even $49+! And they are your's completely free just because you have the good taste to read The Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes Blog.

We are very excited about this and just to get you a little bit more excited here are just a few of the titles that will be yours for free next month:

• Starbucks Recipes


• Recipes from South of the Border (247 pages!)


• Camping & Outdoor Recipes


• Sandwich Recipes (439 pages!)


• Pizzeria Recipes


• The Ultimate Chicken Wing Cookbook


• Coffee Recipes


• Blue Ribbon Winning Recipes (505 pages!)


• The Appetizer Collection


• ...and 24 more.

And don't forget -- It all starts tomorrow over at The Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes.

And if you're not interested in the cookbooks, you can still get the best in Copycat Restaurant Recipes everyday in March.

Visit The Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes Blog tomorrow, follow the instructions and get your free cookbook. Not to mention all of the best in restaurant favorites that you have come to expect from The Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes Blog.

Mark

#3 In-N-Out Burger - Southern California

I had wanted to try an In-N-Out Burger for quite some time. I first read about them in the very first Top Secret Recipes book several years ago. The very talented author, Todd Wilbur, calls it the "best hamburger in the world."

On a recent family vacation to Southern California, I finally got my chance.

The first impression I had upon entering the In-N-Out Burger at 500 Mile of Cars Way, National City (just south of San Diego) was, "is this it?" It is nothing but a modern version of a "burger joint." The menu, such as it is, consists of about 5 items. If I remember correctly they are: Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers, Fries, Sodas and Shakes. That's it. Having become accustomed to the "everything under one roof" approach taken by most restaurants today (including formerly good burger joints) I was quite surprised. How can this be restaurant command so much devotion with just 5 items.

But it turns out, that is exactly why. They are a throwback to an era when restaurants did just a few things but did them exceptionally well. This is the burger joint that McDonald’s was when the McDonald Brothers invented the idea of a burger joint and the way it was when Ray Kroc began to franchise it … six years after In-N-Out opened in 1948

I ordered a couple of burgers, some fries and a shake.

Everything is fresh made when you order it. The burgers are made from fresh, never frozen beef. The shakes are made from real ice cream, not a mix. And the fries are hand cut in the store. Read that again. Hand cut! I watched them.

Was it good? OH YEAH!! The burgers are not huge but they are nice and juicy with lettuce, tomato, and 1000 Island dressing.

It is one of the few chains that Jane and Micheal bother to detail on Roadfood and one of the few that are worth it. I will eat at In-N-Out as often as I can.

In-N-Out appears on the Roadfood Website

In-N-Out website

A very comprehensive and interesting piece about In-N-Out appears on Wikipedia

Mark

Oh, one more thing that makes In-N-Out Rule! It is probably the only restaurant with a "stealth menu". The stealth menu is only for those in the know (which is you, now!)

Here's the deal -- there are several dozen variations on the traditional menu that you can order if you know the name. They do not appear anywhere in the restaurant, you just have to know them.

Here is a site with a few examples with photos -- In-N-Out Secret Menu

There are others scattered around that I will let you have the fun of finding.

But there is one other "secret" I have to tell you about. You can order a "Blank by Blank" Burger. The first blank is the number of patties and the second is the slices of cheese. So a "4x4" burger would have 4 patties and 4 slices of cheese. So you can theoretically order as big a burger as you want, right? Actually it's not a theory. You can!

You just KNOW I've got an example for you. don't you? Well even if you think you are ready for it, this is gonna knock your socks off.

Get ready for the now-famous -- 100x100 Burger -- Yes, with Photos.

BIG NEWS for Roadfood Blog

BIG NEWS!

At least it's big to me...

Roadfood Blog is now part of the MyEverydayLife.net Family of websites.

It has been my hope since I started working on the web to build sites that people can use. Sites that would make their lives better in some small way. MyEverydayLife is my attempt to pull these websites together in one place so that we can learn from each other. Everyone involved hopes to offer tips and tricks, advice and commentary to help make our normal days easier and more fun.

So far I have included several of my sites as well as the sites of some other talented individuals on the home site and I have several more that may join us in the near future.

Besides Roadfood Blog, my sites include:

Everyday Internet Marketing - A blog of my journey as I try to learn the internet marketing game.
The Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes - Clones of you favorite restaurants like Applebees, Outback Steakhouse and Red Lobster that you can make at home.
Internet Marketing for FREE - The best resources on the web of free information, reports, audio and ebooks about internet marketing. Trust me, you'll be surprised at the amount and quality of the free information available.
1000 Places to See Blog - My attempt to see the 1000 places mentioned in the book, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die.

Along with BBQ Master, Jamie Clark of Derby City Sauces I have:

The Weekend Grillers - A site dedicated to bringing the Tips and Tricks of the BBQ and Grilling Masters to the Weekend Griller in all of us.

We have more sites devoted to health, travel, music and other everyday things. And more will be added everyweek.

Check out MyEverydayLife.net today!

#2 Charlie Vergos Rendezvous - Memphis, TN

When I learned that the company I worked for would be sending me to Memphis, TN for two weeks of training one thought popped into my mind before any other -- BARBEQUE!

I'm not kidding. Ask my old boss.

The first thing I did is go to the internet and look up the location of my hotel (the Marriott) which proved to be downtown. This gave me a reference for my next stop -- Roadfood.com!

I printed out all of the restaurants that J&M recommended that were within walking distance of the Marriott (I wouldn't have a car) and started to dream of 'Que. The trip was still four months away.

Finally we headed to Memphis and the first night I hit Charlie Vergos Rendezvous along with 5 of my new friends.

Jane and Micheal were right as usual -- it was some of the best ribs I had ever had.

I wasn't as impressed with the service as they were though.

I wrote this review as soon as I came back for my Barbeque and Grilling site The Weekend Grillers.

The first thing you notice when approaching Charlie Vergo's Rendezvous is, like all good BBQ restaurants, the aroma of charcoal-cooking meat that wafts to meet you. The next thing is the large number of people waiting in the alley to be seated. Yes, you enter the restaurant from an alley. How can you not love a barbeque joint that has its front door in an alley?

I had flown down to Memphis for a week of management training in a former job. Truthfully, I didn't give one whit about the training but knew that I had to eat the famous Memphis barbecue as often as possible.

The first day I told some of my classmates that I was going to eat barbeque that night and they were welcome to join me. Five of my new friends did.

The restaurant is in the basement of the building. Legend has it that the restaurant was started in 1948 when Charles Vergos discovered a coal chute in the basement of his diner. The chute acted as a vent, enabling him to set up a grill. After he perfected his BBQ the diner closed up and almost sixty years later the barbeque is still smoking. The alley and restaurant were packed on this Tuesday night so we enjoyed beers and that wonderful bbq smell in the bar upstairs for about 45 minutes until we were seated.

The decor can best be described as cluttered, with historical political and entertainment relics spread throughout the rooms. The guests were a mixture of obviously locals and obviously tourists. Most of the waiters looked like they had been around since the restaurant opened.

I would like to tell you that we tried everything on the menu like you should if you are reviewing a restaurant. But I can't. We all had the ribs. How could we not? Five half slabs and one full slab. Me, of course.

I was not surprised when the ribs arrived without sauce as I know this restaurant is famous for its dry ribs, but I did wonder how I would like them. I'm definitely a barbeque sauce guy. I love bbq sauce so much that I don't just save it for actual bbq, I slather it on most every meat.

I needn't have worried. The pork ribs were delicious. Smokey sweet with a hint of pepper. The thick rub turns to a sauce as soon as you start to chew and release the juices of the meat. A cold beer helps this, too. The full slab of ribs was the size of a skateboard and cooked perfectly.

The side of vinegary cole slaw was good but barely more than a spoonful. Minisule side dishes, I would discover, are apparently a Memphis tradition. The star is the BBQ and side dishes afterthoughts.

The only bad part of the night was the attitude of our waiter. He started off surly and I assumed that it was just local flavor (like the waiters at Mike Linnings in my hometown of Louisville) or an act (as at Ed Debevic's in Chicago). But no, unfortunately, he was just plain rude. And he got worse as the meal went on. This was surprising to me since every review I had read prior to visiting had praised the wait staff. It was a sad sour note to an otherwise wonderful meal.

The service notwithstanding, the ribs carried the night into BBQ heaven and I rate Charlie Vergo's Rendezvous...

As Good as I've Ever Had

This review can be found along with many more on the Restaurants Page of The Weekend Grillers.

I must try the BBQ Nachos next time I go.

There will be a next time -- trust me!

Mark

Charlie Vergos Rendezvous website - http://www.hogsfly.com/


Rendezvous is featured on the Roadfood.com Website

#1 Mike Linnig's - Louisville, KY

Let's start this list off with on of my all time favorite restaurants, Mike Linnig's in my hometown.

My Uncle Dude, a real character in every way, loved Mike Linnig's so much that we would have to go with him every time he came to Louisville to visit us. Not that I minded. I loved Mike Linnig's too. Some of my earliest memories of eating out are in a back room in the restaurant or being called from the swings outside when the food arrived.

Uncle Dude was so fond of the seafood that he would sometimes fly his small private airplane from his home in Franklin, Ky up to Louisville, a trip of about 125 miles, and rent a car at the airport just to drive to Mike Linnig's for supper and then fly home again. He would always call and ask if we wanted to meet him there.

I've grown up now and sadly Uncle Dude is no longer with us, but I still love going to Mike Linnig's.

When I first bought the Roadfood books, long before the website was created, I was shocked to not see Mike's included. Thankfully the Sterns have since been and are able to share this wonderful old fashioned "fish camp" with the world.

A few words of advice:

Go in the summer and sit outside (when I was a kid it was closed in the winter).

If you don't like fried seafood, don't go. Oh, I guess they might serve something that isn't fried, but I've never bothered to look. Get the Seafood Plate or Frog Legs. Get plenty of Tartar Sauce. Get the sweet tea. And enjoy life.

And tell'em Uncle Dude sent ya.

Mark


Mike Linnigs Website - http://www.mikelinnigsrestaurant.com/
Listen to J&M talk about Mike Linnings here - http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/whereweeat/stern_linnigs.html
A review by Marty Rosen of the Courier Journal - http://www.realpagessites.com/linnigsmike/page2.html


Mike Linnigs appeared on the Roadfood.com Website

PS Mike Linnigs is a "Fish Camp". Fish Camps were popular many years ago and there were hundreds of the lining the backroads of America. Mike Linnigs is one of only a handful remaining. If you know of one for us to try please leave a comment.

Thanks.