The Incredible Disappearing Restaurant 22/03/2005 (This article forms part of the Journal that I am writing to describe my impressions of America since arrival in September, 2004. To begin reading this Journal from the beginning, click here.)One of the virtues of staying in a motel is that decisions have to be made on where to eat each night. In America, where friendly and well-informed motel receptionists are standard issue, it is good policy to listen carefully to advice from such receptacles of local knowledge. And it was through such an excellent strategy that we found ourselves searching for a place called Charlie's (not its real name) on a damp evening in Vicksburg.The address supplied directed us to the heart of the old town where restaurants were many and diverse in their trumpeted attractions. Yet, though we tramped up and down in both directions, there seemed to be no Charlie's in the area. We settled in the end for an Italian alternative, a place that looked the part but was slightly disappointing in that the food did not quite equal the decor. I am English and so hesitant to complain of food quality and, besides, it was edible enough. And I took amusement rather than offence from the fact that the five-times-ordered bread rolls did not arrive until we had finished our meal. We put it down to the staff being new to the game.The next day, we renewed our search for Charlie's and, in a back alley, found a car park clearly designated as belonging to that hallowed institution. Fanning out from this point, we examined all the likely buildings but still failed to find any sign of the recommended restaurant. Our later cross examination of the receptionist revealed that the famous Charlie's had burned down a few weeks before and that the establishment was now housed in temporary accommodation in the same street but farther from the center of the town than we had suspected. That evening we set out with fresh determination to achieve our goal.The sudden increase in parked cars on the outskirts of town should have alerted us to the fact that we were close to the target, but we still succeeded in driving past the place before noticing, at the last moment, the sign announcing arrival at our intended destination. A quick trip around the block gave us another bite at the cherry and we found a parking spot right outside the elusive establishment. Charlie's, in all its glory, beckoned to us.Inside we found that the place was full and that we would have to wait our turn before being seated. This is not unusual in America, the most popular eating places often being over-subscribed, and so we settled to bide our time for the advised twenty minutes or so. We amused ourselves by observing the proceedings in the sparsely-furnished and decorated room (understandable in view of the recent conflagration suffered in the restaurant's original home).Something interesting was happening at a table near us. A young man was filming while a trio sat and talked over their desserts. Most striking of the three diners was a large handsome man of expertly-managed coiffure and the plastic complexion and tan of a movie star. He said little, seemingly content to bestow his beauty upon the assembly, while his female companion (of far more interesting appearance) chattered away happily with the third member of the trio, a very ordinary-looking man that we presumed was the director or producer of the film.Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the tableau was that the cameraman showed no interest in filming the human participants. He was concentrating on the desserts, at one point even moving a particularly fanciful concoction to the seat of a chair and then zooming in on it with true devotion to his task. We presumed that they were in the last moments of making a commercial to announce to the world the delights of eating at Charlie's.After a while the filming came to an end and the party packed up and left, leaving us with little to do but gaze at menus as periodically we shuffled closer to the front of the line. Deciding that I had time for a little diversion, I stepped outside and lit a cigarette.I was barely halfway through satisfying my nicotine craving when the others came bundling outside and headed for the car. "Ridge saw the cook handling the food without gloves," explained Kathy.And so our visit to Charlie's was brought to an untimely end. The restaurant had succeeded in becoming invisible to us yet again. Now we were confronted with the task of finding an alternative place to eat. Various possibilities were mentioned but I had a hankering to return to the restaurant we had tried when we first arrived in Vicksburg. This was Maxwell's, an establishment some distance from town but with excellent food and prices no higher than Charlie's. There was also a good chance that we might have the services of Herman again.Now, Herman is one of the strongest reasons for this upcoming recommendation that you eat at Maxwell's, if ever you find yourself hungry in Vicksburg. Herman is a server of distinctive originality, a man truly to be respected in his refusal to pander to the expected norms of his profession. He is neither obsequious nor overly friendly and he makes no concession to the fact that you are the customer. This is his restaurant after all and it is your good fortune to have found the place at all. Here you will be fed the best food in Mississippi. Herman knows this and is happy to assist in your choice if required, but do not expect to order him around as if he were some menial in a fast food joint. He serves you because he chooses to do so and there is no shame in that.On our first visit, Herman proved to be helpful, if somewhat aloof, and I had warmed to his style as the meal progressed. The quality of the food was such that I recognized and concurred with his obvious feeling that we were privileged to be customers of such a fine establishment. I was pleased, therefore, when my quiet suggestion of "Maxwell's again" was favorably received by all in the car.For some inexplicable reason, Maxwell's does not suffer from the overcrowding evident in so many of the restaurants in Vicksburg. We found ourselves to be only the third party to descend upon the place that night. This meant that we did not have to stand in line and were ushered immediately to a table. And Herman proved to be our server again.This time, Herman accepted us from the start. In returning, we had proved ourselves people of good taste and discernment and so were allowed into Herman's good graces. That night we shared many a good laugh with him and the occasion was one of excellent food and fine company. Once again, I can only suggest that you sample the delights of Maxwell's if ever you get the chance. And hope that you get Herman to honor you with his services. You'll not regret it.Oh, and when we asked for more bread, Herman supplied it readily with a quip and a huge grin...(to go directly to the next entry in the Journal, click here)
Clive
Mad Heh! That's my style of service! Sadly it knackers your tip average though... Date Added: 22/03/2005
Gone Away Oh, Herman got a good tip, don't you worry. A pleasure to be served by a man of such character. :D Date Added: 22/03/2005
Ned I am not one who frequents restaurants often (I am not counting fast food or pizza establishments in the category of restaurants). When I do get that rare opportunity to eat out, I am likely to choose the "same old, same old" rather than any new establishment or even menu choice. There is something comforting about knowing the quality of the food you will be served and once I have a favorite restaurant and order it is unlikely to change. I suppose I am not adventurous at all in the area of food, especially if I am hungy... I hate to be disappointed. How lucky for you that you found a restaurant worth a repeat visit. And the servers who are like Herman are likely to be the best ones. They are going to do their job, not like those who only pander for a better tip, being more friendly than actually helpful. But, if I were hungry, then a search for an elusive restaurant that recently burned down would be more than I could bear. I stand in front of the microwave and tap my feet in impatience. How cool and calm you English types are. Date Added: 22/03/2005
Palinurus Nice piece on some of my favorite subjects: travel, food, the American South. Maxwell's sounds great, but as a fond reader of "food" writing, MFK Fisher, eg, I really want to hear more. What did you have? Your companions? Other options besides what you had? I'd love to read more. On the other hand, maybe it is enough to imagine...... Date Added: 22/03/2005
Gone Away I, too, am unlikely to be found in a restaurant unless on vacation, Ned. But please note that it was my willingness to go for "same old same old" that gave me the courage to suggest a repeat visit to Maxwell's. Had I not done so, I doubt that any of my companions would have thought of it, all of them being American and therefore subject to the constant need for the new and untried. It is my Englishness that enables me to accept the known and to appreciate the security of tried and tested. It is likely that this article will form part of the Journal and, if so, I intend to expand upon the inestimable character of Herman. He made the experience seem like we were guests of an venerable Southern mansion being attended to by an old and trusted retainer of the family. Servers such as Herman are rare and precious gems. But as for patience, in an Englishman it is more likely to be long suffering. ;) Date Added: 22/03/2005
Gone Away Thank you for the kind comments, Palinurus. Let me see if I can tax my old memory to recall some of the details required by you. The company is easy: it consisted of my wife, Kathy, her sister, Margie, and Margie's husband, Ridge. As to the food, on my first visit I ordered a steak, done rare, as is my preference, and Ridge had the same. I have eaten steak in Kansas City where, Kathy informs me, the steaks are the best in the world and I can testify to the fact that there is some truth in that assertion. Incredibly, however, Maxwell's steaks are even better. When they first arrived, we wondered whether we had been a little too brave in asking that they be rare; both appeared to have had only a nodding acquaintance with the fire. But we need not have worried. That was the most succulent and tender steak I have ever encountered and the taste was superb. The clue to the quality of the steak is given in the menu, where it states that "no responsibility is taken by the management for steaks ordered well done", this being clear evidence that they understand that too much cooking will ruin a good steak. In addition to the main course, one is invited to help oneself to the salads and soups on offer. I did not sample the soups but Ridge avowed that they were excellent on both occasions. The salads proved fresh and with a considerable variety available. It did my English heart good to see that there were freshly cut radishes included. There were the usual choices of salad dressings, of course. For the life of me, I cannot recall what I ordered on our second visit; only that I enjoyed it, whatever it was. This might be because Kathy expressed the opinion that the hush puppies that formed a part of her meal were a tad overcooked. Now, I am no great fan of cornbread, considering it to be pretty tasteless, but I tried the offending hush puppies and found them to be full of flavor and pleasantly crunchy (it was the crunchiness to which Kathy objected). In my humble opinion and not having tried hush puppies before, I would guess that Maxwell's does them that way because they have found that it makes cornbread just a little bit more palatable. ;) Date Added: 22/03/2005
Way Since I eschew any form of health food, and since cornbread has a similar quality as coffee, and that being the smell generally outdoes the flavor, I’ll let go a little secret I discovered that makes my mouth pretty happy. If you desire to live longer eating bland diets, read no further. The smell of cornbread cooking causes my mouth to salivate heartily, but to bite into such absorbent material causes me to choke; something akin to swallowing a desert. What pleasantly melds the first impression with a more pleasing response is this: Add enough oil/grease/lard to cover the bottom of a baking pan, and preheat. It must be hot enough to cause the batter to sizzle, when poured into the pan. Then return to the oven and bake. Afterwards, if you need to add butter for taste, you are worse off than me. Date Added: 22/03/2005
Josh Poor, Poor Way. You have not yet discovered the secret to the best cornbread ever. I grew up in NC, so I learned this early on -- and as I hold no allegiance to that region, I will divulge. Add a can of creamed corn to the mix. Voila. ;-) Date Added: 22/03/2005
Ned I have to admit to liking cornbread, or what my grandmother sometimes called johnnycake. I like the dry, choking effect and the texture. But Way has a good idea there... I have done something similiar myself, but it mostly came about from lacking a wide variety of cooking pans and the cornbread coming out way too thin and crusty. But if you don't make cornbread, what are you going to use to sop up the liquid from your home-baked beans? And yes, you still have to slap a generous slab of butter on it. Date Added: 22/03/2005
Gone Away Very interesting, Way. You know, I think that's what they did with the hush puppies... Date Added: 23/03/2005
Gone Away And another interesting idea from Josh. I had no idea I was getting into areas of secret concern for Southern cooking in this... Date Added: 23/03/2005
Gone Away And even Ned, the New Englander, gets in on the act! There is something meaningful here for the American heritage, I'm convinced of it! P.S. Good old plain, wheat bread was invented for the purpose of mopping up all extraneous liquids, Ned. :) Date Added: 23/03/2005
Ned Corn was one of the first things the Native Americans taught the early settlers to grow. Isn't all bread made from wheat? What are hush puppies anyway? Date Added: 23/03/2005
Gone Away Corn or maize or (as we call it in Africa) mealies is a native of America, just as you say, Ned. And all real bread is made from wheat - I described it as wheat bread merely to distinguish it from the variation called cornbread. Hush puppies are small balls of cornbread, covered in breadcrumbs and fried. In consultation with Kathy, I have managed to deduce the secret of their tastiness over plain cornbread; onion is added to them and this provides the flavor that I discovered in them. She also advises me that "those damn Yankees" add sugar to their cornbread. Apparently this is anathema in the South. ;) Date Added: 23/03/2005
palinurus Gone Away, this is a Five Star post, with wonderful comments. Just excellent from first to last. I'd make some cornbread right now, if I had some corn meal, if I had some lard. Date Added: 23/03/2005
Gone Away Well, thank you, Palinurus. And I have learned a great deal about cornbread through the comments. Indeed, there are times when I feel like cornbread, soaking up the juices of this strange and wonderful American culture at every turn. :D Date Added: 23/03/2005
Josh Hush puppies might be the finest fried food on the planet. I think yankees would call them corn fritters. If you add a little diced onion, they take the ketchup even better. Put a hod dog in the middle? Watchout, now. Date Added: 23/03/2005
Ned I don't think I have ever had corn fritters but they sound like an entirely different animal than cornbread, more like on the idea of home fries. Date Added: 23/03/2005
Gone Away .oO(Maybe I should start a food blog...) Date Added: 23/03/2005
Way Without a mention of grits, Gone? How can you visit the south, eat in a restaurant, and avoid them? Date Added: 23/03/2005
Gone Away Grits were on offer if you wanted them, Way. However, I have tried them before and (whisper it) avoiding is exactly how I treat them now... ;) Date Added: 23/03/2005
Way Just giving ya a hard time, mate. A preference for grits, like vegemite, certain music or some religions, tends to bring on howls of protest from all corners of the globe. But did you enhale magnolias at all, or were you too early for those? Date Added: 23/03/2005
Gone Away Too early for the magnolias to be blooming, Way, but saw the biggest magnolia tree ever. Had to be at least 200 years old. Date Added: 23/03/2005
Jodie Cornbread just isn't right unless you've put jalapenos in it. :) And grits are wonderful with a little real maple syrup and butter. Oh dear. I wish I could go home and cook, right now. Gone, I know why you came to America. It was the food, wasn't it? I've eaten in England, so I KNOW. :D Date Added: 23/03/2005
Gone Away LOL Jodie, you have found me out! ;) Regarding your recipe for grits, however, have you ever heard the story Stone Soup? :D Date Added: 23/03/2005
Way LOL...or seen Fandango? Date Added: 23/03/2005
Gone Away Fandango? Musta missed that one... Date Added: 23/03/2005
Jodie LOL Gone, yes I've read Stone Soup. And you're right, maybe anything you put real maple syrup and a little butter on would be wonderful. Except for tripe, a food no person should ever be made to eat, even if it's been Frenchified with a nice sauce -- yes, there's a trauma there. :D Date Added: 23/03/2005
Josh Oh dear. Jalapenos in cornbread is one of those texmex abstractions. For some reason, San Antonio types think that adding Liquid Smoke to stuff makes it taste better. Date Added: 24/03/2005
Gone Away Married to a Rexan, Josh. I have to get used to that kinda thing. ;) Date Added: 24/03/2005
Gone Away Ooops, Texan. :D Date Added: 24/03/2005
Melanie This takes me back. I briefly worked at Maxwell's in the Eighties as a waitress. Mr Frank Maxwell, the owner, used to call me "movie star", I never knew why, as I was very shy, not even remotely diva-ish. His daughter was recently returned from school in, I think, Switzerland, and that was very fascinating to me. It was my first inkling of the "other world" that the wealthy in Mississippi inhabit. There are still wealthy families, especially in the Delta, who live in a world that I didn't know even still existed these days. I'm from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where the wealth is more "nouveau riche" and obvious, more about impressing your neighbors. The wealthy families in the Delta, OTOH, seem to go to greater lengths to preserve their exclusivity, except amongst each other. Their very discretion makes it all very intriguing :) Date Added: 19/04/2008
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