Blame It On Cain’s (Tulsa Road Trip 9/09, Part 2)

Despite the events below, we swear we really do like to drink good beer sometimes.

Cain’s Ballroom

Shaw: One of the best parts of Cain’s is that they’ll sell you Budwesier a six-pack at a time, plastic rings and all. We walked in and headed straight to the bar to pick a few up.

Good thing, too. The lady working the line told us they only had five six-packs left, so the four of us each bought one. And then just to be safe, we went back and got the last one a couple of minutes later.

Robert: Not only does having a six-pack at the ready mean you don’t have to go back to the bar and miss part of the show, but I imagine this is what it must feel like to walk around a ‘70s beer bust barn party.

Tonight was Elvis Costello’s last night on tour for his country album, Secret, Profane & Sugarcane. The ex-Angry Young Man played a lot of songs from that, as well as treated us to Americana takes on favorites like “Mystery Dance,” “Everyday I Write the Book,” and, of course, “Blame It On Cain.” It was a pretty fantastic show, and “The Carnegie Hall of Western Swing” was the perfect venue for it.

Shaw: With a band that included two guitars, an accordion, stand-up bass, dobro and fiddle, it was like hearing a country-flavored Elvis Costello cover band with the real Elvis Costello singing. Different, but incredible.

Rocking a purple fedora, Mr. Costello looked very dapper -- though at one point, the green cast of the lights plus his hat and the thick frames of his glasses made him look like the Riddler.

Robert: Maybe Elvis Costello really is an International Art Thief after all.

The Soundpony

Shaw: After the show, we decided to grab a quick beer at the next door to regroup and figure out where we should go from there. However, since The Soundpony had $1.50 Natural Light draws and some old school video games, we ended up staying awhile.

Robert: I took honors on Ms. Pac-Man and Moon Patrol, and Ryan dominated us all at Galaga. The Soundpony also has a Donkey Kong machine that even features the option to play the rare Donkey Kong 3.

Jeff, Ryan, Jeremy and I came here when we went to Cain’s to see Wilco last year, stopping in during happy hour, which lasts from 3 to 9 p.m and includes a free hot dog for every $4 you spend. That’s right -- a six-hour happy hour with free hot dogs. KC bars, please take note.

Shaw: The Soundpony is a cool bar. But man, that is a truly awful name.

I'll also give cheers to the music selection, but jeers to the bartenders who used the microphone behind the bar to subject everyone to their painful vocal accompaniment.

QuikTrip

Shaw: We left The Soundpony to go wander around downtown and look for some more substantial eats. But as it was after midnight and most places had stopped serving, we ended up calling a taxi to take us back to the QuikTrip by our hotel.

Robert: Ah, QT -- land of delicious roller-grilled foods. I got a burrito and a chili cheese taquito dog. Seriously, they’ve got to be just spinning a Wheel of Random Ingredients to concoct these new cylindrical delights.

Shaw: I stayed on the less adventurous end with two hot dogs for $2 and a 99¢ bag of Fritos. Without the availability of Chicago dog fixings or sauerkraut, the only proper way for me to have my hot dogs was with mustard and relish. No ketchup shall defile my hot dogs. Nor shall catsup, for all the Hunt’s fans out there.

Robert: I was a little disappointed there wasn’t even a single egg roll to be found on the grills, though. I do love some late-night Chinese food.

Next time on Lunch Blog: What does it take to get a Whatafarm in Tulsa?

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Cain’s Ballroom: 423 North Main Street | Tulsa, OK 74103

The Soundpony: 409 North Main Street | Tulsa, OK 74103

QuikTrip: 229 North Gilcrease Museum Road | Tulsa, OK 74127

Blame It On Cain's (Tulsa Road Trip 9/09, Part 1)

For the record, when listening to Sirius XM's Hair Nation, Jeff can name that tune in four notes or less.

We’d been counting down the minutes to this road trip since May, when Jeff and Ryan told us that Elvis Costello was going to be playing Cain’s Ballroom in September. First stop -- meeting up with the Brothers Pfannenstiel in Topeka.

Taco Tico

Robert: We decided to rendezvous here so we could grab a little bit of lunch. Plus, I’ll take just about any chance I can to get a Taco Tico combo burrito. We also each got a soft flour taco and a crispy flour taco.

Shaw: As soon as I bit into my crispy flour taco, it shattered and sent half the contents falling onto the tray. So basically I started out with a taco and ended up with nachos.

I will say this -- Taco Tico’s sauce bar is pretty fantastic. In order of ascending heat, they’ve got Mild, Green Chile, Hot and Volcano. My favorite is the green chile.

Robert: Please note that Taco Tico’s Volcano Sauce is not to be confused with Taco Bell’s cheese-based Lava Sauce -- even though Volcano Sauce looks more like actual lava than Lava Sauce does. Mind-bending.

The Hunt Club

Shaw: Once we got to Tulsa we checked into the hotel and enjoyed a couple of bottles of Jeff and Ryan’s awesome homebrewed IPA. Then we caught a taxi downtown to The Hunt Club to get some dinner. We’d found out about The Hunt Club on the Cain’s website, and it’s just down the street from Cain’s itself.

Robert: Some Juggalos were milling around the storefront next door, which seemed kind of weird since Insane Clown Posse doesn’t play Cain’s until October.

Shaw: Anyway, we went inside and The Hunt Club turned out to be a cozy little place. Lots of taxidermy on the wall. Our server came over and told us the special was $1 Busch and $1 Choc Beer Waving Wheat.

Robert: Having never heard of Waving Wheat, we asked our server for the scoop. All she could tell us was that it was only a buck because they were, and I quote, “Trying to get rid of it.” So we ordered four Buschs.

Shaw: Checking out the menu, we decided to get a couple of orders of queso sliders and fries, plus a dozen tequila lime wings. We took it as a bold statement that The Hunt Club doesn’t even offer a buffalo option.

Robert: We also ordered another round of beers, but there were only two Buschs left in The Hunt Club, so Ryan and I sucked it up and got Waving Wheats. Turned out to be not half-bad. Kind of spicy.

Couldn’t figure out what was going on in the picture on the label, though. It looked like it was the PC guy from the “I’m a Mac” commercials lost in drunken admiration of his beer, while his Native American traveling companion stood nearby, apparently wearing a straitjacket.

Shaw: Other possible scenarios -- the PC guy is attempting to hide the Native American from a bloodthirsty posse by dressing him in drag.

That’s actually his withered mother, and she’s clearly annoyed with her son's love of beer over the ladies.

Or maybe that’s his wife, sneering disdainfully as he indulges in his only cheerful escape from a loveless, wind-swept prairie marriage.

Robert: Then we actually read the label and found out it was a guy named Pete who was down on his luck and decided to start brewing beer using a recipe borrowed from the local Native American tribe, the Choctaw. Interestingly, I think that’s how Jeff and Ryan got started brewing, too.

Shaw: I like my theories better.

Robert: Our food came out, and for the most part it was fairly blah. The menu said the tequila lime wings were baked, so it wasn’t that I was expecting them to be fried, but they didn’t taste much better than the frozen kind you can get at the grocery store. The fries, also baked, were soggy at best.

Shaw: I can’t for the life of me figure out why The Hunt Club doesn’t have a fryer. Surely it’s not due to health reasons, since the queso sliders are just on the right side of being o-slathered in spicy, cheesy goodness -- making them unsurprisingly the best part of the meal. Really wish I’d tried the Frito Pie.

While we were there, one of the Juggalos came inside and announced, “We mean you no harm,” and did a quick sweep of the bar before leaving.

Robert: Watch out, Juggalos -- next thing you know, you might end up stuffed and mounted on The Hunt Club’s walls.

Next time on Lunch Blog: Elvis Costello, old school video games, and rolling food.

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Taco Tico:

3200 SW Topeka Boulevard | Topeka, KS 66611

The Hunt Club:

224 North Main | Tulsa, OK 74103

KRBT-FM

You're listening to Radio Tallboys. 

Getting ready to drive to Tulsa with Shaw and the Brothers Pfannenstiel to see Elvis Costello at Cain’s Ballroom tonight. I’m sure at some point we’ll hit Whataburger.

Anyway, here’s my road mix, with links to most songs except for a few local and indie things I couldn’t find online. Please dig in, if you like.

1. Submarine Song (The Candy Skins)

2. Slackjawed (The Connells)

3. Come Anytime (Hoodoo Gurus)

4. When My Baby’s Beside Me (Big Star)

5. Sick of Myself (Matthew Sweet)

6. See You (Dinosaur Jr.)

7. Rich Girl (The Virgins)

8. Becky (Be Your Own Pet)

9. Young Adult Friction (The Pains of Being Pure at Heart)

10. And You Think (Cher UK)

11. Hello Friend (Tom Leach)

12. All Used Up (Tobin Sprout)

13. Nothing To Be Done (The Legends)

14. This Time (Baby Charles)

15. Hayfever (Trashcan Sinatras)

16. Cruelty To Animals (Pernice Brothers)

17. Not Too Soon (Throwing Muses)

18. I Missed Again (Phil Collins)

19. The Only One I Know (The Charlatans UK)

20. Crooked Crown (The Anniversary)

21. Is It Like Today? (World Party)

22. Sentimental Bliss (The Creature Comforts)

23. Charlie Got a Haircut (Happy Flowers)

Fuel Pizza & Price’s Chicken Coop (Shaw Goes to Charlotte, Part 2)

Concluding the culinary recap of my trip to see Chris, Michelle, Nora and Hank.


Fuel Pizza
We stopped by Fuel Pizza for some late night eats after hitting downtown Charlotte on Friday night. There are actually a number of these around town, all decorated with scavenged old gas station signs and related paraphernalia.

Fuel Pizza serves it up New York style, and does a solid job. I picked out a slice of pepperoni from the case, and it had just the right amount of double-crisp once it was heated up in the oven. I do love a slice with a good double-crisp.



Price’s Chicken Coop
As mentioned in the first part of this entry, according to Urbanspoon the #1 restaurant in Charlotte is The Penguin. Mac’s Speed Shop BBQ is #2, and although we didn’t have a chance to go, Chris assured me of its quality (he swears by the brisket). But he’d never even heard of #3, Price’s Chicken Coop,* so we headed that way to pick up lunch on Saturday.

Despite warnings of lines stretching around the block, we hit a sweet spot in the traffic and were able to order within minutes. Good thing, too -- the aroma of delicious fried chicken would’ve made the wait unbearable.

Price's Chicken Coop is no nonsense and all business, from the location to the decor to the employees. One of the guys working there even bore a striking resemblance to Colonel Sanders. I like to think it actually was The Colonel, having defected to The Coop to lead a revolt against the blasphemy of Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

Suspecting, and correctly I might add, the cashiers to be the type that expect customers to be ready to order, we made a point to look at a menu ahead of time. We went with a whole mixed chicken (8 pieces, $9.65), an order of hushpuppies ($1.30), a pint of potato salad ($2.25), and tater rounds ($1.20). Then we hustled to a nearby park to enjoy the goods before they got cold.



The chicken itself is incredible, moist without being greasy. Whatever the secret is to perfecting fried chicken, The Coop clearly must’ve discovered it a long time ago. Sides-wise, the hushpuppies and potato rounds were both good -- but the potato salad was the real standout. Mustard-based with a tangy kick.


Reluctantly, I had to leave before I got to try more of the local fare. Special thanks to Chris and Michelle for being great hosts, Mel for hanging out on Saturday, and Andrea for babysitting on Friday so we could hit the town. But the biggest thanks goes to Nora and Hank for being cool-ass kids. Looking forward to seeing you guys again, so hurry up and come see us in KC.

Don't make me publicly shame you guys into visiting -- Lunch Blog has literally tens of readers.

*As of the time of this visit, Price's was in third place but has apparently since been overtaken by Big Daddy's Burger Bar on the Charlotte leaderboard.
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Fuel Pizza:

214 North Tryon Street | Charlotte, NC 28202

Price’s Chicken Coop:

1614 Camden Road | Charlotte, NC 28203

The Penguin (Shaw Goes to Charlotte, Part 1)

To enjoy this post Southern Style, top monitor with chili and cole slaw.

Thanks to a public Facebook shaming about how I never visit, I finally made plans to go and see my good friends Chris and Michelle and their kids Nora and Hank on their home turf of Charlotte, NC. Of course, while I was there I had to check out some of Charlotte’s finest grub -- #1 on my list being The Penguin. Not only is it the top ranked restaurant on Urbanspoon, but it came with a strong recommendation from Chris and Michelle, too.

The Penguin is notably small, with four booths, six tables and about 15 or so stools for lunch and side counter seating. Combine that with the popularity of the establishment and you’ve got yourself a bit of a wait. Everybody from the staff to the patrons handles this in stride, though. No exasperated sighs or snarky comments -- the wait is just part of the experience.

Once we finally got seated, we ordered drinks and hot dogs for Nora and Hank, and then Chris, Michelle and I started drawing up our battle plans. So we could sample a variety of stuff, we settled on splitting fried pickles (half-order for $3.25), buffalo wings ($6.75), and a Small Block Burger topped Southern Style with chili, mustard, onions and cole slaw ($3.25). At Chris and Michelle’s urging, I also had to try the famous Winky-Dinky Dog -- a hot dog loaded with pimento cheese and chili ($2.75).

I’ve had fried pickles before in Kansas City. First, years ago at BJ’s Lounge (now the Lava Room) where they were spear-cut and reminded me of overcooked bananas. The second time was the other week at Tomfooleries, where they were served with an overly thick, bready battered coating. The fried pickles at The Penguin were a completely new and utterly tasty experience.

At The Penguin, the pickles are cut into chips and dipped in a kind of light, flaky batter that made me think of a fish fry. On their own, these fried pickles are tangy and almost buttery without being too greasy. Dip ‘em in a little ranch, and you take it to a whole new level.

The Winky-Dinky Dog was also a new experience, although at first I didn’t think it was going to be a pleasant one. The first couple bites grossed me out a bit, registering as salty, squishy and distinctively processed. Somehow by the end I was convinced it was awesome.

Less impressive but still good, the Southern Style Small Block Burger represented itself well. However, the wings proved to be just okay. The buffalo sauce struck me as spicy without a lot of flavor and almost watery.

The price is definitely right at The Penguin, and the menu is filled with all kinds of national and local diner favorites. With a few brews in me, I could see myself making lots of deliciously bad decisions there. But I don’t care if they are just chicken tenders -- I’m not eating anything called “Penguin Fingers.”

Next time on Lunch Blog: My trip to Charlotte concludes with Fuel Pizza and Price’s Chicken Coop.
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1921 Commonwealth Ave | Charlotte, NC 28205

Burrito King

Lunch Blog's #1 BK. Runners-up: Batman creator Bob Kane, British Knights.

As soon as my college roommate Ben learned a new joint called Burrito King was setting up shop in the restaurant black hole at the corner of 9th & Illinois, he was obsessed. I think he drove by nearly every day to see if it was open yet. And when that day finally came, he showed uncanny restraint -- Ben actually came back to the apartment to pick me up before getting a burrito.

So yeah, the day Burrito King opened for business in the spring of '96, I was there. No big deal. (It's totally a big deal. Man, this post took no time devolving into the "Losing My Edge" of fast food.)

I ended up going back with our other roommate Dorsett for my second BK burrito later that night. Or maybe it was the night after.

I'll go ahead and admit that I may be getting some details mixed up. Not only was this more than a decade ago, it was in the thick of the 951 Arkansas $5 PBR Challenge -- an ongoing contest in which Ben, Dorsett and I competed to see who could get the most change back from a $5 bill when purchasing a twelver of Blue Ribbon. While I was the ultimate champion, that much I'm sure of, I can't remember how much my victory change added up to except that it was eighty-something cents. We may have been single-handedly responsible for driving up the cost of PBR.

Back to Burrito King. Were the burritos good? Yes, they were good -- and after last call, they were fantastic. The foil-wrapped burritos were huge, stuffed with your choice of fajita beef, pork or chicken, rice and/or beans, and lettuce, tomato, sour cream and cheese. We quickly discovered that no matter how you picked up a BK burrito, there was always a sour cream pocket waiting in the bottom right-hand corner.

They also came with a little cup of some seriously tasty red sauce. We'd save the leftover red sauce in the fridge and dip our microwave burritos in it -- burritos of one form or another were a staple of my college diet, the rest consisting almost entirely of Chinese buffets, Jeno's Crisp 'n Tasty Pizzas and Shells & White Cheddar Pasta Roni.

Burrito King was great late night food, yet I was always curious about the breakfast burritos on the menu. Filled with beans, eggs and cheese, plus either ham, bacon, potato or chorizo, they sounded so delicious but were only available from 7 to 10:30 a.m.

At long last I tried a BK breakfast burrito fall semester 1997, en route to KJHK 90.7 FM and needing something to hold me through my Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. shift. The burrito was incredible, and from then on I got one every week before going on the air. My standard was the chorizo, which at the time seemed rather exotic.

Flash forward to 2009. Realizing I've been working in Lawrence since January and hadn't been back to the "Home of the Famous Burrito!," fellow Burrito King enthusiast Kelly L. and first-timer Todd joined me for a trip the other day.

I am ridiculously excited to tell you that the breakfast burritos ($2.79) are now available All. Day. Long. They're as awesome as ever, and so is the red sauce.

The Burrito King building looks the same, too -- which is to say it looks like it could go out of business at any moment. It's still got that '90s dinge, although I can't remember if the sombreroed Jayhawk has always been there.

Much like Gumby's, the Burrito King menu has gotten complicated since I was in school. There are tortas, tostadas and tacos now. And tongue. And barbacoa by the pound. A sign in the window says Burrito King has the "Best Soft Mexican Tacos in Town." Opposed to what other kind of soft tacos, I have no idea.

As the Dark Empire of Chipotle ascended to power during the Great Foil Wars of the early aughts, it laid waste unto many. New York Burrito. Z-Teca. Qdoba Mexican Grill. But even after all this time, Burrito King continues to lead the rebellion, steadfastly holding its ground at the corner of 9th & Illinois. Yub nub, Burrito King! Yub nub!

I think we can all agree it helps that Burrito King is only closed for four hours a day.

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900 Illinois | Lawrence, KS 66044

Fuddruckers

A new Guys' Night record for farthest fall in quality between where we intended to go and where we ended up.

Shaw: Believe it or not, your Lunch Bloggers don't stick exclusively to dives, and for Guys' Night we decided to check out the specials on the bar menu at Sullivan's. Little did we know how hopping Sullivan's would be around 7:00 p.m. on a Thursday evening.

Robert: I swear the last time I was at Sullivan's it was pretty quiet. Now that I think about it, though, that was in the dead of winter. Tonight it was nice out and the windows to the patio were open and everything. When we arrived, there was a bachelorette party piling into a limo, after getting a head start on the night.

Bamf! Next thing I know, we're at Fuddruckers. I have no idea how that happened.

Shaw: We were somewhat dazed after finding Sullivan's packed to the gills. Facing such disappointment, we just halfheartedly threw out suggestions. Nothing sounded as good as the bleu cheese chips we were missing out on. Fuddruckers popped into my head -- I can't believe you and Dorsett went for it.

I walked into Fuddruckers expecting a T.G.I. McGillicutty's-type operation, but was completely thrown by the butcher shop and walk-up order counter. I ended up getting a Fudds Meal Deal with a 1/2 lb. original burger, adding on cheddar cheese ($9.54).

Robert: For a second, I thought about getting the sliders version of the Fudds Meal Deal, but it felt disrespectful to the memory of the White Castle that used to be nearby. Besides, tiny burgers aren't what Fuddruckers is all about. I got a Fudds Meal Deal with a 1/2 lb. burger fixed up with "The Works." That's code for smokehouse bacon, grilled onions and American cheese ($10.79).

Fudds Meal Deals come with a beer, too. I am 100 percent in favor of meal deals that come with a beer. You also get Fudd fries, which made me think of Duff Beer's chief competitor Fudd Beer, which made me wonder how similar Fuddruckers and Krusty Burger might be.

Shaw: The tomatoes, onions, pickles and everything else on the topping bar looked fresh enough. However, I started to feel like a sucker for coughing up the extra 99¢ for cheese when I saw there was cheese sauce on the topping bar for free. Then I tried the cheese sauce on one of my Fudd fries. Turns out it doesn't taste like cheese so much as it tastes like viscous.

Robert: They also have jalapeno cheese sauce, which tastes like viscous, but with a kick.

Shaw: There's a weird atmosphere going on at Fuddruckers. Odd assortment of video and prize games? Check. Bathrooms that look like they were lifted from an old AMC theater? Check. Old photos of rock icons including The Beatles, Elvis and Jim Morrison -- not all intermingled, but in separate, carefully organized sections? Check, with a side of OCD.

Robert: Fuddruckers is like a run-down amusement park -- a place that should be fun but is now permeated with sadness. Before you even get to take a bite, the remorse sets in while you wait for your food.

Shaw: It's as if Fuddruckers is a weird combination of other places. Maybe a TGI-Kingy-Cheese or a Chili-Donalds. With the outdated video games, excessive use of mirrors and extremely organized CCOTW, I'd expect to find Fuddruckers all over Canada.

Robert: Canada?

Shaw: Canada. I wonder if the burgers are part moose meat.

Robert: I'm fairly certain it's just ground beef. I don't think they actually eat moose in Canada.

Shaw: Have you ever been to Canada?

Robert: No. Whatever. Here's the goofy thing -- Fuddruckers is crazy depressing, but my burger wasn't half bad.

Shaw: Not goofy at all. I'd agree -- these guys know what they're doing in the burger department. The Fudd fries are pretty good, too, even if they are heavily seasoned. Plus, the staff and manager seemed really nice, and genuinely interested in making sure you enjoy your Fuddruckers experience.

Again, I suspect Canadian influence.

For the record, according to Wikipedia, Fuddruckers is based in Austin, Tex. I don't know what Shaw's deal with Canada is. --Robert

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8725 Metcalf | Overland Park, KS 66212