Last week, we had lunch with my best old ex-teaching buddy Mabel. It's something we usually do just before Christmas, to exchange gifts and Chex Mix and homemade chocolate covered cherries. This year, the schedule was tight, and we didn't get together until after Christmas. In past years, we went to Mabel's beautiful house, but lately we've just been meeting at a restaurant in her town, because of my knees not liking to get in and out of a car multiple times.
We meet at 11:00, because Hick likes to have breakfast for lunch.
This was two eggs, hash browns, bacon, and biscuits and gravy. Hick heartily enjoyed it.
Mabel loves the burgers. She contemplates something else, but goes with her favorite.
That's the basic burger, with the fixin's on the side. In the background is Mr. Mabel, who chose chicken strips and fries for both his sides.
I was in a quandary. I like the chicken quesadillas. And the burgers. And the pretzel sticks with burnt end mustard sauce. And the grilled chicken sandwich. I'd thought about having a pork sandwich. Not the BBQ pulled pork, but the pounded-out fried patty kind of pork. But then I learned that the special that day was BBQ pork steak, with two sides. Which meant I could have fries AND slaw. So that's what I chose.
The slaw was delicous, and plentiful. The fries are always good. Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. At first bite, the pork steak was good. I even declared that it was tasty. But upon subsequent sampling, it was not what I had anticipated. Rather than a nice fatty juicy pork steak, such as we grill at home... this was more akin to a pork CHOP. The meat was tender enough, but more dry. Well, the meat that I could access!
We chatted and caught up with happenings and not much gossip this time. Hick ate his entire plate, but the other three of us asked for take-out containers. Of course I finished my slaw, but took some of the pork steak home, along with a few fries. I wasn't so full that I couldn't continue, but I don't like eating once everybody else is done.
When I got out my leftovers for supper, I was further dissatisfied with my BBQ pork steak.
It was mostly BONE! I buy pork steaks for grilling. Some have the big bone, some have a small bone, and some have no bone. I told Hick, I'm sure that's the reason for the "special." They serve the good pork steaks on other days, to people who order it. But on the day for the special, they get rid of the bony pieces. That's my theory, and I'm stickin' to it! I won't order this special again.
Meanwhile, today as I type this, it is REUBEN DAY at the Senior Center. Hick is gone on a monthly buying trip for his SUS2.5 (Storage Unit Store 2.5). Even though he's had the January menu since December, he had to pick this specific day of the month to buy his goods.
NO REUBEN FOR VAL!
That's a shame.
Your theory about the bony chops is spot on I'd say. But I beg to differ with your statement about Hick's meal having two eggs, I count three! And they look delicious.
ReplyDeleteI didn't hear Hick order, and I didn't look at the breakfast menu. I don't eat fried eggs, and still I only see two elongated fried eggs. But Hick could easily have eaten three if that was the breakfast plate he chose.
DeleteI thought that was a third egg on the other side of the plate, could that be the biscuit and white gravy? We call that white sauce. Gravy is brown, cheese sauce is white or yellow depending on what type of cheese, spaghetti sauce is red.
DeleteSorry you didn't get the Reuben today Val. Thanks for showing the lunches that you, your friends and Hick had last week. I love to eat breakfasts out just like Hick. I never order breakfast for lunch though unless I'm at a restaurant known for pancakes, eggs, sausages and hash browns. Just writing that last sentence makes me want a breakfast out:) Probably because I don't take the time to make myself good breakfasts like those I can get at restaurants.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely missing my Reuben. Now it will be another month before it's on the menu again. The last time I had breakfast out was at a casino in Oklahoma several years ago, when I had chicken and waffles.
DeleteAnything before 1 pm at a Jersey diner is 2 eggs, bacon, home fries and rye toast...after 1 it is a BLT and fries. Hicks meal looks good.
ReplyDeleteHick would be fine with that. He loves breakfast any time of day.
DeleteThis definitely looks like a porkchop I get from the Chinese grocery - more meaty but the bone makes for tough eating. Not a pork steak at all! I cannot believe Hick did this to you on Reuben day :(
ReplyDeleteI know! Of all the days to take for his monthly trip, Hick chose REUBEN DAY! The next day, I knew he ate at the Senior Center, and I asked how the people liked their Reuben. Hick said he didn't know. But that day he had Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes and "baby cabbages," and it was really good. How fortunate for Hick that it wasn't Salisbury steak day that he missed!
DeleteAs for my pork steak, it was actually DRY, more like a pork chop than a pork steak.
The bone looks like a chop vs a steak to me, a shame because yes they can easily be dry.
Deletejj,
ReplyDeleteThe only success I have with pork chops is to use Shake N Bake, which leaves them tender and juicy.
River,
ReplyDeleteThat is indeed a biscuit covered in gravy that Hick is digging into. It was obvious in person, but I can see how it looks like a fried egg in the picture. Especially since Hick added pepper to them. White sauce is what we call Alfredo sauce, or the sauce in something like a tuna and noodle casserole.
I am so sad you were denied your Reuben! Pork steak is never in the stores here. Just pork chops. Our favorite is the cowboy pork chops. That is what they call them. They are cut quite thick, about an inch and a half. But tender and juicy. The Man usually grills them. It was pouring rain last week and I got a nice iron skillet out and got a nice sear on both sides of the chops, then I covered the pan with foil and put them in the oven. I was afraid they might be dry and tough, but they were tender and juicy.
ReplyDeleteThank you for feeling my Reuben-pain. Pork steaks might be a Missouri thing. I'm glad you have a solution for dry pork chops!
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