Between the ages of 3 and 10, my family lived in a place called Weatherford, Oklahoma. It's a small, windy town off I-40, about an hour west of Oklahoma City. Naturally, we all ate a lot of beef, and much of it in the form of burgers. This was the mid-70s, and Weatherford was just small enough to not have a McDonald's (in spite of I-40), but we were big enough to have a Sonic, an A&W Drive-In, a Mr. Burger (local chain), and a great diner called Magill's, on Main Street. It was my favorite place ever, the first eatery I remember loving and wanting to have all to myself. We ate cheeseburgers hot off the griddle, french fries, and thick, dreamy malts. It was the place I made my first "sauce"--mayo & ketchup, mixed. And if I was lucky, I got to sit at the counter.
an ode to the lunch counter, and The Company Burger
by-heart mac and cheese
Most of us have a soft spot for good old macaroni and cheese, and personal preference usually depends on what we grew up eating at potlucks, church dinners, or our grandmother's table. Some folks insist on American cheese being the only cheese that can meld with macaroni, and some profess a strong affinity for a crispy breadcrumb topping that crunches up in the oven. Me? I'm a pretty straightforward, white-sauce-meets-pasta kind of gal, though I'll put just about any kind of cheese into the sauce (anything that grates, anyway--no brie or fresh mozzarella). I like an extra layer of cheese over the top, and I've developed a tendency to add a dollop of grainy Creole mustard to the sauce before I stir in the macaroni; it sparks the sauce a little bit, just the way I like it.
3 B's and a C: Butcher, Bud's Broiler, B Side, and Charlie's
Note: The title of this post is not a report card. It's just my attempt at being clever. The report card would be all A's, for real.
It's been a little busy around the Food Orleans household this month, but that doesn't mean we haven't been eating. Here are some photos and brief reviews of places we've checked out over the summer.
B #1: Butcher. Donald Link's Butcher is located next door to his Cajun-oriented Cochon, in the warehouse district. It's a true butcher shop, where you can buy delectable pork cuts, poultry, lamb, beef, foie gras, and housemade sausages of all kinds, but it also has a bar and little tables and fantastic food. Butcher has become one of our must-try places we like to take out-of-town guests to, and everyone loves it. They have a full sandwich board (and the best muffaletta in town--you heard me), but my favorite thing to do is order three or four of their small plates--usually $6 each--and a plate of their boudin with mustard and pickles--only $3. The menu changes constantly, but always includes a couple of options for those who don't eat pig and is always seasonal.
Butcher: boudin-stuffed quail atop braised greens and creamy mustard.
