My son & I, from time to time, really enjoy going to California Pizza Kitchen. Usually he indulges in a thin crust cheese pizza with tomatoes but every once and a while he joins me in a big bowl of pasta. This time, it was the Asparagus and Spinach Spaghetti (his had shrimp). So yummy!
CPK Asparagus Spinach Spaghetti
Every other Saturday I have lunch with my ex and our son. I don’t mean this in a mean way but if I really enjoyed the guys company then he wouldn’t be an ex so the food I have must be tasty. Our last outing was to Max & Erma’s. We had a little wait and then were seated at a smallish table by the opening to the mall. Great, I thought, I’ll be able to people watch.
Our waitress came to gather our orders but I could not comply until she answered one little question for me: Could I get fried chicken on my salad instead of grilled? It’s not that I don’t understand the health benefits of grilled, I just really enjoy how fried chicken plays against the crisp cool greens of a salad. The young lady said sure and that was just what I wanted to hear. After a few minutes this tasty salad of fresh greens, crisp apples, cranberries and glazed pecans topped with tasty fried chicken arrived. Talk about good! Every bite was a lovely blend of taste that distracted me from my reality and I was a little sorry to see it end. I will definitely order this salad again.
After running around all week, I decided it was time to sit down and actually eat lunch for lunch (really rare for me). Lunch approached and I did not know where I was going until I remembered my My Panera card.
I arrived thoroughly convinced that I would have the Steak and White Cheddar but when the young lady behind the counter asked what I would like I said the Pick Two with the Tomato Mozzarella Panini and the Thai Chopped Chicken Salad. Everything was so yummy I was able to go on and finish the week right.
The first job worked out of high school was a waitress position in a small local restaurant. The pay was deplorable and the hours were crazy. (Some days I was scheduled to work from 10 AM to 2 PM and 5 PM to close on the same day and I didn’t have my own transportation so I was stuck.) The only good thing I remember is that the subs here were really tasty.
On Sunday, my family decided that cooking was out of the question and that we should visit the namesake of the restaurant I worked for, so long ago. My mouth was set for a sub treat. I ordered the hamburger sub, which is the love child of a traditional burger and a submarine sandwich. Our food arrived and my mouth was almost watering for the taste sensation that awaited me. It looked tasty; burger, tomato, lettuce, onions, and mayo on a toasty sub roll. I picked up my sandwich and bit into it expecting a tasty trip down memory lane and was greeted with a hamburger patty that tasted like it had never met a seasoning, let alone salt or pepper. I know that over-seasoning can ruin a burger, but come on. Give me something. I tried to eat it but the disappointment was too great. On the flip side, the french fries, which, when I ordered them, I had little expectation for, were awesome. When the waitress returned, I told her of my plight and she graciously took the offending burger off of my bill. Next time, I’ll get what my son ordered. That looked and tested delicious.
When you cram too many task into one lunch hour something is bound to be cut back. Running around town for myself, my company, and my lunch I had no plan whatsoever. I had no idea where lunch was coming from until I was driving down the road and my stomach growled. As I recovered from the rumbling, low and behold, I was near my Micky D’s. I swung into the parking lot, parked the car, and headed inside. I didn’t know what I wanted until the lady in front of me ordered a chicken sandwich. Three strips and the rumbling was gone.
I grew up in a small town. Think Mayberry in the 70’s. There was a pharmacy where my grandparents picked-up their many prescriptions and, during the summer, I was brought along. This pharmacy had a lunch counter inside where any number of tasty items could be purchased. My favorite was the hot dogs and fries.
Today, for lunch, I found myself ordering the hot dog and regular fries from 5 Guys Burgers & Fries. I asked for it to go due to the time and waited for my lunch.
The young man behind the counter had no idea that by handing me that slightly greasy paper bag he would send me back in time. I was briefly hurled back to a summer day in that pharmacy, sitting across from my protective and supportive grandmother. The scent of French fries, thick and crisp, reminded me of her and our summers. But lunch can’t last forever, can it?