Austin Ramblings #2

Dr. Birthday seems to visit me earlier each year. Yesterday was his 58th visit! As a celebration, I wanted to sample some of Texas'  finest food. Having spent half an hour looking here I decided to forgo the French restaurants with their plates of escargots and plump instead for a  real Texican barbecue. This place came highly recommended. Much against my better judgement, assisted by a glass of Shiners' beer, I chose the "Rib King Platter" Six beef ribs cooked in barbecue sauce, with beans, potato salad and coleslaw. You can read the menu here (pdf).

Genuinely no-one   really expected what arrived. The plate was the size of a serving plate large enough to take a christmas turkey-with the roast spuds. It was so large that it could not fit longways in front of me. When it arrived, one of my friends started singing  "The Flintstones" theme. And, yes it did remind me of those brontosaurus ribs that were so weighty they tipped over Fred's car at the drive-through! 

There was no way I was ever going to finish the monster, but I was told I could take the uneaten portion home for later consumption. I managed three of the ribs, and even that gave me a wonderful feeling of satisfaction.
I'm not one of those who take their cameras to restaurants, so I'm afraid I can't give you an impression of the size of the six ribs, plate and salads, but did photograph the 50% I took home, that I jokingly suggested I would eat with a poached egg garnish for breakfast.

50% of a County Line King Rib Platter-Rambler's Breakfast!

Now bring on the industrial strength Alka Selzer.

Comments

[APL]

TH: "Genuinely no-one really expected what arrived." Not even Americans, some of whome might have dined in similar establishments previouly?

Yep, there is obviouly too much food in the USA, but wait what is this? A BBC whinge about too little food. Poor old USA, they just can't seem to get it right.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6198007.stm

Tony, now is your chance, go out buy as many of those obscenely large rib portions and distribute them to all the poor hungry folk in the BBC report.

Still, I have no doubt those large portions are the fault of Bush. That devil!

Rambler replies:
Thanks APL. I've held my companions' feet to the fire, well not exactly to the fire, but I used large and hungry dogs followed by "waterboarding", and they confirm their story. So no more arguing over the truth eh?
Seriously though, the BBC report shows just how shocking the disparity of incomes is here.
It's now much colder and even raining just like back home!
Happy Yule!
t

[Carl Lundquist]

Well for corn sakes Tony, you ordered something intended for 20-something working folks, not superannuated lawyers. Surely they had a menu for the Medicare eligible: something like a Senior Citizens Menu or an Old Farts Grub list. (Citizenship not required.)

However, I see Austin is treating you well. Have you hit the clubs down on 6th street to catch a few tunes? Can't miss that old buddy.

Regards,

Carl L/LA

[APL]

TH: "So no more arguing over the truth eh?"

My experience of American portions is that they are large large large by UK, possibly european standards. My American aquaintances often complained about (1) the diminutive size of the meat servings they recieved in UK resturants (2) the disproportinate cost of the meat servings they recieved in the UK.

Then in New York I have seen some huge people, in my opinion, they could hardly have achieved such stature by eating small portions or dining exclusively in McDonnalds. So, no arguments we will simply have to disagree.

Anyway, I hope, bearing in mind your concern for global warming, you have already planted, Oh! forrests and forrests after your long transatlantic flight and your enjoyment of that wicked wicked air conditioning?

TH: "the BBC report shows just how shocking the disparity of incomes is here."

Of course the BBC in its usual warped manner, omits to tell you that those poor folk were several orders of magnitude poorer in their countries of origin. That travelling to the US was their only hope of actually bettering their circumstances. And that having *insufficient* food was significantly better circumstances in the US than having no food at all in their home country of origin.

Far easier to focus on the 'terrible' disparity in incomes in the US than focus on the terrible conditions in their countries of origin.

You also seem blind to the fact that immigrants are often low skilled and ill educated (another fault of their country of origin), and that by and large low skilled ill educated people tend only to be able to secure low paid employment.

TH: "happy yule"

Happy Christmas.

[Tony]

Apl,
The BBC are addressing an audience,like your goodself, who probably are aware that the GDP of Mexico is a wee bit short of that of the USA.
Ilegal immigration must be quite a problem for those states bordering Mexico. Never mind I guess a wall would be a good idea.
t