Family and Bar-B-Que Too!

Continuing with our road trip to visit family in both St. Louis Missouri and Omaha Nebraska...

Bill and Bonnie's grandchildren are heavily into sports and parents as well as grandparents attend games as well as many practice session.  Softball, soccer, baseball, acrobatics, volleyball and hockey are among the sports the extended family is involved in.

So...as part of this St. Louis family tour de force, we accompanied Bonnie and Bill to watch hockey practice for one of their granddaughters.  At the right of the photo and sporting those black and white socks is 9 year old Charley.  She is the only girl on a championship boys hockey team.  Charlie's mom Kasey is Bill and Bonnie's daughter... 

A Photo of the Girls Hockey team... Charlie is in front, second from the right.

Isn't she sweet looking?  This is Charley when she recently celebrated her 9th birthday.  Don't let her looks fool you!  On the ice she is fierce...doing most of her team's scoring and 'taking no prisoners... FYI, she is also on a winning all girls hockey team.

We also stopped at Kyle and Melissa's home for a visit.  Kyle is Bonnie and Bill's son.  Kyle has worked for law enforcement agencies or companies that train law enforcement agencies for his entire career.  Melissa is a teacher.  From left to right, the grandchildren are Keaton and Collin.  Keaton is a soccer player and Collin is a top notch and enthusiastic baseball player.  The furry critter attempting to get Kyle's attention is named Lincoln.  

Next...it was time for dinner!

Laurie and I seem to have a trend underway.  We recently had quality Indian cuisine in a gas station in Lenoir City Tennessee.  In this case, it was all about a Bar-B-Cue destination located in a gas station, convenience store and car wash!  

Jim and John O'Brien are well known in St. Louis.  They've operated O.B. Clark's sports bar in Brentwood Missouri for decades.  The brothers enlisted John Maness, pitmaster for the world famous "The Salt Lick BBQ" in Driftwood Texas, to convert a small takeout counter in this gas station into a St. Louis BBQ destination.

As is appropriate for a Bar-B-Que joint, the decor is simple and straightforward.  Customers order at the counter and then the food is delivered to your table when its ready.  They did quite a bit of take out business while we were in the restaurant.  There is a drive-in window and outdoor seating as well.

Here is the menu at O.B'Que's but there also are printed menus that patrons can peruse.  Bar-B-Que options include chicken, turkey, pulled pork, beef brisket, pork ribs, burnt ends, tacos, wings and a number of flatbreads.  Note the second special on the lower left...smoked prime rib.  I've only had smoked prime rib once and I loved it.  Too bad we were there on the wrong day for prime rib!

The ladies shared as usual and other than my meal, I'm not sure who ate which BBQ items.  Pictured above was the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich Plate. ($12.50) The pulled pork was a winner but the coleslaw, vinegar based in this case, received mixed reviews from our group.  A lot of tasting/sampling went on at the table.  Creamy coleslaw is available but I do like the vinegar based version.

This was a Burnt Ends Plate...sided with corn bread and baked beans. ($17.95) The burnt ends were tasty, the best I've had in recent years.  Every one that tried the beans liked them...except yours truly.  I'm difficult.  Two different sauces were sampled with the burnt ends.

This was the first time I'd ever seen Burnt Ends Flatbread, an interesting concept.  Personally I prefer my burnt ends 'straight up' but the table decided that this offering was a winner.  I don't know what the price of this unusual offering was...but it's not on the on-line take out menu...or at least I didn't see it.

So what did I order?  I just had to try the pork ribs... Consequently I ordered the Half Rack Rib Plate with the baked beans and the vinegar based coleslaw.  As you can see, I'd devoured 2 ribs before I remembered to take a photo.  I did ask for a 'hotter' BBQ sauce and it was perfect.  The ribs were very good indeed...meaty and very well seasoned.  They had a little 'chew' which we prefer...vs falling off the bone pork ribs.  FYI, the best baked beans I've ever had were at 'Jack Stacks' in Kansas City.

Note: There was no way we could finish all of this food.  Consequently Bill had plenty of leftovers to enjoy over the next few days.

We would recommend O.B Que's to anyone seeking quality BBQ in the St. Louis area...but then again there are a plethora of BBQ options in the area that we haven't sampled.  O B. Que's is located at 158 Long Road in Chesterfield Missouri.  They are open daily but can run out of some items early.  Website: https://www.obques.com/. 

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit...and a little BBQ!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Local ‘Stuff’ and Food

…taking a break from last September’s road trip exploring the Delmarva Peninsula.  This post is about happenings next door and in our yard, as well as a bit of dining out, and of course, leftovers.

Fellow blogger Larry recently had a meal at the Countryside Restaurant in Vonore Tennessee.  We had it on our list of places to check out, mainly because there had been a change in management or ownership.  The new operator had managed another restaurant locally that we had enjoyed.

In any case, our neighbors Sue and Steve joined us when we went for dinner just the other night.  Steve ordered the Brisket Hoagie…beef brisket on a hoagie roll with lettuce, tomato and pickles, and a side of Countryside’s Bistro sauce.  For his side, he chose the seasoned French Fries.  It was a lot of food…and plenty of beef for $13.00.  Personally, I prefer my brisket a little more moist but Steve seemed happy.

I looked over the menu and decided to take a chance.  I love pork and I love pork chops, but most restaurants overcook them and they tend to be dry.  But, I’m always hopeful… Countryside’s center cut Boneless Pork Chops are seasoned and grilled.  Normally, they are topped with cinnamon apples but I don’t like mixing savory and sweet so the apples were served in a dish.  This meal comes with 2 sides so I chose the pinto beans and the seasoned French Fries.  Price - $13.00.  Once again it was a lot of food for the money.

Best of all was the fact that the pork chops were flavorful, moist and tender too!  The seasoned French fries and the pinto beans were both very nice…with the only negative being the corn bread muffin.  It just didn’t measure up to local East Tennessee cornbread standards…

Both Sue and Laurie chose the Fried Catfish Dinner…two big filets accompanied by hushpuppies, the seasoned French fries and some very credible coleslaw.  Price - $13.00!  Both ladies raved over the catfish…and as noted with the other meals we ordered, the amount of good food for the money was impressive.

Even better, I couldn’t finish both pork chops and Laurie was only able to finish one of the catfish filets.  Great for me as Laurie generally doesn’t eat leftovers so I frequently have something in the refrigerator that I can use for breakfast, lunch or a snack.

We feel very positive about Countryside Restaurant.  The food was good, the price was right and our server was very nice as well as efficient.  To learn more, go to Vonore, TN Restaurant | Home | Countryside Restaurant.

I didn’t wait long to make my breakfast using Laurie’s leftover catfish filet!  I just heated it in a frying pan with a bit of butter, adding some pepper and a little garlic powder.  There was too much fish for my 2 over-easy eggs to cover so I put the rest of the fish on a toasted hamburger bun.  Yum! 

Laurie spotted these Lenten roses peering up from the leaf litter under our big oak tree. They are a definite harbinger of out upcoming spring season.  It was in the mid-20s here last night but it’s now in the mid-50s!  We are looking forward for nature’s rebirth as well as our ‘spring forward’ to daylight savings time.

We’ve lived in our neighborhood here in East Tennessee for more than 14 years at this point.  When we moved in, there weren’t very many homes or neighbors…but in the last couple of years, growth has expanded exponentially.  Even the tree covered lot behind us has now fallen victim to ‘progress’.  First the trees were taken down, then we had a truly muddy lot.  Note the small pond between our back yard/common area and the area that was built up for the new home.  After that, the footings for the new house were poured.

Then they poured the slab so they could start construction.  Note the first delivery of wood…in this case the trusses.  I wonder if ponding on the slab indicates that it isn’t level…  See the big rock or rocks at the lower left of the newly prepared lot.  It is in a sinkhole.  I wonder if that will be a problem at some point?

Back to food…  As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I do like a nice pork chop.  Not too long ago, my bride breaded a couple of chops and baked them…serving them with mashed potatoes and gravy.  A really nice meal!  ‘Sadly’ she couldn’t finish her chop so I ‘had to’ heat it up, place it on a piece of toast and then cover it with an egg.  Ensuring that leftovers are not wasted is a responsibility and I am definitely a ‘responsible’ person…

Thanks to the Pioneer Woman (Pawhuska OK), we now have a recipe for sausage gravy that is superior to almost any other we’ve tried.  It surpasses a locally famous version that our neighbors rave about.  We made this batch with ‘regular’, not spicy sausage…so I had to sprinkle a little Tabasco on my serving.

As a final note, we have lived in our home for over 14 years and the carpeting dates back to 1999 when the house was built.  Even I acknowledged that new carpet was required.  The challenge then is that everything that we can move has to come out of the rooms being carpeted.  The carpet installation crew will move the heavy furniture…

In any case, I’ve always been ‘into taking photos’ of family, trips, scenery, etc.  Nowadays, everything is in the ‘cloud’ but until the last few years, we printed a plethora of photos and put them in albums.  I did the math on this stack of 41 albums.  220 photos per album times 41 = 9,020 photos!  Looking around and adding in the other albums as well as stacks of photos not in albums, I am estimating that we easily have 20,000 to 22,000 photos that will have to be dealt with at some point!  We wish our son lots of luck with that project!

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

The Last Few Miles to Owensboro plus Dinner

As we neared our overnight stop in Owensboro Kentucky, I still had a few items on my list of historic places that I wanted to check out…

The first spot dates back to the 1930s when Americans were truly beginning to expand their exploration of the USA despite the ongoing Great Depression.

This is Wigwam Village #2 in Cave City Kentucky.  It was built in 1937 to offer travelers a fun/different sleeping experience during their visits to nearby Mammoth Cave National Park.  Initially, Wigwam Village #2 featured a gas station as well as a lunch counter…both long gone since the 1970s. 

These Wigwam Motels aka “Wigwam Villages” was a motel chain with 7 locations that were built between 1933 and 1949.  Originally, there were 2 locations in Kentucky with one each in Alabama, Florida, Arizona, Louisiana and California.  Of these locations only 3 have survived.  In addition to this one, the other 2 are in Holbrook Arizona (#6) and near San Bernardino California. (#7)

Wigwam Village No. 2 has 15-wigwam units for travelers.  The concrete structures/rooms were built in the form of tipis, mistakenly referred to as wigwams.  Each wigwam has all the modern conveniences one would expect including private bathrooms, air conditioning, coffee pots, free Wi-Fi and cable television.  Located on 4 grassy, tree-lined acres, the property includes 2 large fire pits where guests can gather in the evening, plus a ‘retro’ playground, cooking grills and a covered lighted picnic pavilion with tables.

There are 2 styles of wigwams or tipis for guests to choose from.  A single sleeps 2 and a double sleeps 4.  The wigwams feature the original hickory bed frames, caned chairs, night stands and vanities that were created 84 years ago in Indiana.  In addition, the bathroom’s red and white graphic tile is also original.

At the moment, part of Wigwam Village No. 2 is undergoing extensive renovation to bring all aspects of the facility back to its 1930s original appearance.  Ongoing patronage helps pay for the restoration effort.  The Village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  To learn more about the rates and to see photos of the interior of these tipis, you can go to Wigwam Village No. 2 – Authentic Americana Since 1937 (historicwigwamvillage.com).

The old Brownsville Deposit Bank was not on my list of places to check out…but it looked old and historic to me so Laurie took this photo for me.  The bank itself was apparently founded in 1899 and it ceased doing business in 2006.  Note the exterior deposit slot. 

The building appears to have been renamed as the Washington Meredith Memorial Building at some point in time.  It was named after Washington A. “Watt” Meredith. (1862 – 1931) He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and served as a Master of the Brownsville Lodge.  As a matter of fact, the Lodge is now designated as Washington Meredith Lodge #355.

The Meredith family seems to have been prominent in the town and the surrounding area for many, many years.  A “Meredith” is currently serving as the Mayor.  The Brownsville City Hall may also share this space.  Laurie found a history for the Meredith that really is very interesting.  Check it out at https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Meredith-2143.

Our next photo opportunity in Brownsville Kentucky was the Reed-Dossey House.  This unusually large vernacular late Victorian style home is well preserved both on the outside and the inside.  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was built ca. 1890.  It was built by or for entrepreneur J.P. Reed who was reputed to be connected with the steamboat traffic on the Green River.  The home was purchased by the Dossey family ca. 1910 and the family occupied the property, sometimes as a boarding house, until the 1980s.  This impressive home sits on a shelf of a ridge overlooking the town.

Once again, curiosity got the best of me.  Steamboat traffic on the Green River?  The river itself is 384 miles long rising from Lincoln County in south central Kentucky.  It eventually empties into the Ohio River near Henderson Kentucky.  I learned that way back in 1842, the river and its tributary, the Barren River, were canalized with a series of locks and dams creating a navigable channel all the way to the city of Bowling Green.  In 1901, two additional locks and dams were opened on the Green River, allowing river traffic to Brownsville and Mammoth Cave.  All of the dams and locks either eventually failed or have been removed...

Our next stop was in Fordsville Kentucky, population 446.  The former Louisville, Henderson and St. Louis Railroad Depot was built in 1916.  This concrete-block, tile-roofed building has architectural elements most closely related to the Prairie School style.  The first railroad feeder line was the Owensboro, Falls of Rough and Green River Railroad which reached the town in 1889. 

This depot replaced the first one which had been built in 1890.  Like most depots in the south in those days, the current depot had 2 waiting rooms, one for whites and one for blacks.  The ticket office was in the middle between the waiting rooms.  There were actually 2 rail lines serving Fordsville, the other being the Madisonville, Hartford and Eastern Railroad.  It was completed in 1910.

As we moved further north along KY Hwy 54 toward our destination for the day, we ‘had to stop’ to take a photo of a critter that one doesn’t see too often in the eastern USA except in zoos.  There were at least 3 buffalo, aka bison in this field along the road. 

It is estimated that there are between 400,000 to 500,000 bison on ranches and farms across North America while only about 31,000 are considered to be wild…although about half of that number are fenced in/contained.  In the late 1700s, there were an estimated 60,000,000 bison roaming across North America…included the eastern portion of what is now the USA.  Due to slaughter for food, blankets and robes, as well as a means of subduing Native American tribes, by 1889, only 541 bison remained.

On to food!  We had researched and discussed where we wanted to have our dinner in Owensboro.  On a couple of work related trips (A Montgomery Ward’s ill-fated “Electric Avenue Store”), I had eaten at the Moonlight Bar-b-q Inn.  I liked it so much that Laurie and I have also eaten there on 2 or 3 other occasions.  Website: Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn - Kentucky BBQ Restaurant.  

When we checked TripAdvisor, Moonlite Bar-b-q Inn was still listed as number 1, but Old Hickory Bar-B-Que had a higher rating.  They only had about half of the reviews that Moonlite had.  We decided that it was time for a change and the reviews were very positive, so we chose to eat dinner at Old Hickory…

The inside of the restaurant was straight-forward and fairly basic, just what one would expect from a relatively ‘upscale’ BBQ restaurant. 

To quote from the restaurant’s website, “Old Hickory Bar-B-Que is a locally owned and family-operated restaurant that has been proudly serving families in Owensboro, KY since 1918.  Our bar-b-que is legendary and has been featured in many magazines and TV shows.”  1918 is when Charles “Pappy” Foreman began barbequing mutton.  The operation was given the Old Hickory Bar-B-Que name in 1954.

This is the menu at Old Hickory Bar-B-Que for purchases by the pound for take-out.  The big difference between this menu and most other barbeque restaurants across the USA is the inclusion of BBQ mutton options.

We perused the dining room menu for our options.  There are sections for plates, sandwiches, soups/salads/sides as well as for desserts and drinks.  Fortunately, our waitress gave us some valuable guidance when it came to ordering…  

We decided that we’d go for ‘plates’ instead of sandwiches.  I was looking at the Mutton Plate ($16.45) and Laurie was torn between the Brisket Plate ($15.89), or the Pork Ribs Plate ($16.25).  Then our waitress stepped in and suggested that we should order and share the Combination Plate…which comes with our choice of 3 different meats and 2 sides. ($17.49) She said that it would be plenty of food for both of us.

So…we ordered the mutton, pork ribs and brisket with French fries and beans for dinner…and, as promised there was plenty to eat for both of us.  The problem was we didn’t like most of what we were served.  Ranked from best to worst, the sliced mutton was best, the brisket was second and the ribs were the worst.  The brisket was kind of chopped up and lacked flavor and the ribs looked and tasted like they’d been overdone or cooked a day earlier.  The baked beans were mediocre at best.  Even the watery bbq sauces were almost flavorless.  The whole meal was a disappointment!

Many thanks to our waitress!  She kept us from wasting another $15.00 or so!  Of course, BBQ is a personal thing and Old Hickory Bar-B-Que is well rated, so maybe it was just us…or the pit master had a bad day.  If you’re in the Owensboro area, check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.  Website: BBQ Restaurant | Old Hickory Bar-B-Que | Owensboro, KY.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

A Late Summer Road Trip to the ‘North Country’

Finally…a substantial road trip to an area we haven’t visited in many years.  We headed north to Michigan, my home state.  Plans included a lot of sightseeing, a number of museums and a couple of visits with family.  I tracked the mileage and from beginning to end we drove 2,316 miles.  Post trip, looking back on our itinerary, I should have allowed 2 additional days for this adventure.  It has been quite a bit of time since I’ve planned a longer road trip…that’s my excuse for my planning faux pas.  

As we progressed north through Kentucky…along US Hwy I-75…I didn’t need gas yet but then I saw something we’d never seen before and we had to check it out.  It was a BUC-EE’S! 

This is a relatively new location for a chain of gas stations and ‘convenience’ stores based in Texas.  BUC-EE’S had just recently opened their 50^th location over in Crossville Tennessee but we hadn’t visited it yet.  At this point, the company has locations in Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee.

As you can see, even from a distance, these stores are very large and the gas pumps go on ‘forever’!  Interestingly, commercial trucks and truckers aren’t welcome at BUC-EE’S.  Reportedly, other locations are under development in Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.

I talked Laurie into posing with BUC-EE, a 5’ tall sculpture of the company’s mascot, in front of the store.  The company was founded by Arch “Beaver” Aplin back in 1982.  Where did the name BUC-EE come from?  “Beaver” Alpin formed the name by combining his childhood nickname with the name of his Labrador retriever “Buck” plus the appeal of the old Ipana Toothpaste’s animated mascot, Bucky the beaver.

BUC-EE’S is not your typical travel center!  These ‘convenience stores’ are huge…basically the size of many discount stores across the country.  At 68,000 square feet, the company’s location in New Braunfels is the largest convenience store in the world.  It features 120 fueling locations, 1,000 parking spots, 64 ice freezers, 83 toilets, 31 cash registers, 4 “Icee” machines and 80 fountain dispensers. 

FYI, the restrooms at BUC-EE’S are exceptional.  Not only are there lots of them but the stalls are truly private from floor to ceiling and there is a crew on duty that continuously cleans and patrols them looking for issues or needs.

Laurie and I do like beef jerky… Well, BUC-EE’S has a jerky bar that offers about 37 varieties of this popular snack food!  Did you know that the dried meat/snack business in the USA realizes $2.8 billion a year in sales?  We did buy a package of nice peppered beef jerky.

Not in the mood for jerky?  How about a plethora of baked goods?!  Sweet and savory abound in these display cases.  Haven’t had a kolache in a long time?  You can get them at BUC-EE’S…

Then there is the Texas Round Up counter with brisket, pulled pork, turkey and much more!  Sausage on a stick, fish tacos, pastrami Ruben, Texas cheesesteak burrito, Texas hot dog/smothered with a Frito Pie, club sandwiches, a mammoth chicken fajita Taco…the options go on and on.  BUC-EE’S also offers breakfast tacos, spicy saltines (great with cheese), a variety of sausages and, of course cheese.  I won’t even try to list the sweets one can pick up at BUC-EE’S, but the fudge is highly rated by visitors and the ‘Beaver Nuggets’ are allegedly addictive.  Looking for something healthier?  They even offer dried fruits and vegetables…

Customers shouldn’t have to wait too long to fuel up at any BUC-EE’S location.  The number of fueling positions ranges from 80 to 120.  We filled up but I didn't count the number of fueling stations.  Some locations offer Ethanol Free and DEF fuels.  FYI, DEF stands for Diesel Exhaust Fluid… Yes, Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, even super-charging stations are installed or being installed at many BUC-EE’S locations.

FYI…the World’s Largest Car Wash is located at BUC-EE’S in Katy Texas.  It is 225 feet long! 

The Richmond Kentucky BUC-EE’S Store along Interstate 75 opened in April of 2022.  To learn more about BUC-EE’S, you can just go to https://buc-ees.com/.  The Internet is loaded with food reviews and commentaries all related to the growing chain of huge travel service centers.  One other item of interest, you can order some of BUC-EE'S most popular snacks and other goodies on-line! 

Now on to Michigan!

We headed toward my hometown of Jackson Michigan via MI Hwy 50.  Along the way, we passed through Tecumseh.  I last reported on this old depot back in 2010 and I was glad to see that it has been well taken care of over the past 12 years.  The depot was originally located at ‘Tecumseh Junction’, just south of downtown Tecumseh.  It was the crossing of the north-south Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Jackson branch and the west-east Detroit, Toledo and Milwaukee Railroad.  The latter railroad’s trackage was also used by the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad. 

This pretty little depot was built in 1895 and it’s a reminder of Tecumseh’s railroad heyday.  Originally there were 2 depots in town… This depot was closed to passenger and freight traffic by 1930 and changed hands a few times before being moved to its current location on MI Hwy M-50 near the center of town. 

I couldn’t find any specific information on this handsome commercial building…other than the name of the ‘block’/building and the date it was built…this being the ‘Mills Block’ that was built in 1891.  A two block long commercial historic district, comprised primarily of Italianate style buildings, is listed the National Register of Historic Places but for some reason the detailed application isn’t available on-line via the National Register’s website.  A residential historic district has also been established in Tecumseh.

Today, Tecumseh has a population of about 8,680 residents and it is a pretty town...  The first settlement here was made in May of 1824.  The settlers, 15 men, 11 women and 6 children, all came from Jefferson County New York.  By 1824, Tecumseh had been designated as the Lenawee County Seat.  The city was named after the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh.

Tecumseh (ca. 1768 – 1813) was a chief and warrior who pressed for resistance to American expansion into Native American lands.  A gifted orator, he traveled among the various tribes and was able to form a Native American Confederacy…promoting intertribal unity.  Even though he sided with the British in the War of 1812 in order to stop the westward flow of pioneers, he became an iconic folk hero in Indigenous, Canadian and American popular history.  To learn more about this great leader, you can go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tecumseh.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Omaha – Food – Family

…returning to our road trip last May which was focused on visiting our families in Omaha Nebraska and the St. Louis Missouri area.

As I’d previously mentioned, part of our visit to the Omaha area was negatively impacted by rainy weather…but such is life.  At least we had a good chance to spend time with David II, his better half Amy and our grandsons, David III and Emmett Lee.

But…we did eat out quite a bit.  In this case we had a late breakfast at Tavern 18o, a polished modern venue with flair and color, warming and updating that industrial look that is so popular these days. 

Note the color coordinated bottles behind the bar.  Televisions in the bar are the norm these days.  In the photo showing the booths for diners, you can see wine bottles in the wall.  It sure doesn’t look like a breakfast venue!  It turns out that there are 2 dining/drinking opportunities under the same roof…with variations on the name Tavern 180. 

We actually dined in “T180”, a section of the operation that is open and serving breakfast/brunch from 7 AM until 2 PM Monday thru Friday and from 7 AM until 4 PM on Saturday and Sunday.  

Standard breakfasts are available from the limited menu.  I’ve chosen to only feature the 2 meals that were a bit different…not the ‘usual’.  Our server, Regan, helped us understand the menu and what the popular items were...

This is the Smoked Shoulder Bacon Eggs Benedict. ($13.00) Two poached eggs are served with house made hollandaise sauce over pecan wood smoked shoulder bacon on a toasted English muffin.  Normally it is served with chives and Spanish pimento.  Note the small fruit cup and fried potatoes as sides.

Other options include: Ice Cream Battered French Toast with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and powdered sugar ($13.00), and; Avocado Toast with fresh guacamole, marinated wild wonder tomato and a choice of fried, poached or scrambled egg. ($10.00)

This breakfast was quite inventive and definitely something that we’d never seen on a menu… This is T180 Oven Baked Starters Breakfast Flatbread. ($12.00) Diners have 2 different options with the flatbread.  One is queso sauce, scrambled eggs, jalapeno bacon, mozzarella, cilantro and fried onions.  The second choice would be savory house made gravy, scrambled eggs, smoked shoulder bacon and mozzarella.

Tavern 180’s dinner menu looks quite interesting as well…and it’s very expansive as compared to the breakfast/lunch version.  Tavern 180 has 4 locations in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.  This location can be found at 203 North 180^th Street in Omaha Nebraska.  Phone: 402-905-0153.  Website: Tavern 180 | Restaurant-Bar in Omaha, NE & Ankeny, IA.

As I understand it, Barrel and Vine is a relatively new dining and live music venue in the Omaha area.  It is fully equipped…including a rooftop pool bar and of course, that live music.  It is the only Supper Club in town that offers brunch, lunch and dinners during the shows and other events.

 The bar is quite large and it’s fully equipped with mood lighting as well as big screen televisions.  Murals and art populate the walls.  The large wine ‘cellar’ is both impressive and an attraction in its own right…

Amy and David II sure look like they were enjoying themselves!  Their boys, (and our grandsons), David III and Emmett Lee were soaking up the good life and the food…as they neared the beginning of the college year.  David III will be a senior majoring in Computer Science at New York University and Emmett Lee will be a freshman at the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management at the University of Nebraska.

Note all of the dining space behind the boys...this is a very large restaurant.

On to the food… First the appetizers.  This is the Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta Crostini with heirloom tomatoes, basil, garlic, chevre and crotini. ($12.00) It was very nice indeed!

Unusual items make up about half of the appetizer menu.  Another option was the Roasted Corn and Smoked Brisket Chowder with potatoes, peppers and onion. ($12.00)

Emmett is into steak!  Hence the Seared Beef Tenderloin Tips and Dip. ($16.00) This offering included a half pound of “Omaha Steaks” tenderloin tips served with a choice of 2 sauces.  The choices were house buffalo, house barbeque, sriracha aioli, bourbon mustard and parmesan ranch.  Emmett likes his steak at least medium.

We also ordered Nana’s Meatballs but my photo was far too fuzzy to use in this blog.  The 3 large meatballs that comprise the order are made from a family recipe and come with marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. ($15.00) I thought that they were quite good…

I must make note of one other unusual appetizer…that no one ordered but which I’d like to taste as the “Mac and Cheese Spring Rolls”, made with cheddar, jack, parmesan and goat cheese, are outside my usual taste ‘wheelhouse’. ($11.00)

This is the Barrel and Vine Burger. ($15.00) Two ground steak patties, cheddar cheese, and sriracha aioli are served on a brioche bun accompanied by French fries.  Diners can add bacon ($2.00), a fried egg ($2.00), guacamole ($2.00) or roast jalapeno. ($1.00)

If I had chosen a burger, it would have been the Smoked Brisket BBQ Burger. ($16.00) This option is comprised of a ground steak patty, smoked cheddar cheese, house smoked brisket, bacon, BBQ sauce and an onion ring.  I would have given the onion ring to Laurie as a treat…as I don’t care for them.  Would I have added a fried egg?  We may never know…  

I’m not sure who ordered the Grilled Mahi Mahi Sandwich with French Fries. ($16.00) The grilled mahi mahi came on a ciabatta bun with lemon caper aioli, arugula and bruschetta tomatoes.

I was a little surprised that neither Laurie nor Amy ordered the Cucumber, Avocado and Bacon Sandwich on grilled thick-sliced sourdough bread with arugula and the sriracha aioli. ($12.00)

This platter of food was ordered by David II.  The House Smoked BBQ Pork Tenderloin with whisky sauce was sided by mashed potatoes and grilled Brussel sprouts. ($26.00) I don’t remember any of this entrée making home in a carry out box…

Can you believe the size of this salad!  This is Barrel and Vine’s Chicken Cobb Salad. ($16.00) Laurie almost fell over when this behemoth of a salad was placed in front of her… It consisted of romaine lettuce, smoked blue cheese crumbles, hard-boiled egg, bacon, bruschetta tomatoes, smoked chicken, cucumber and smoked blue cheese dressing.  Wow!

Barrel and Vine was quite the dining experience.  Interesting atmosphere combined with a creative menu that wasn’t totally ‘off the rails’.  This restaurant is located at 1311 South 203^rd Street in Omaha Nebraska.  Phone: 402-504-1777.  They are open Tuesday through Friday from 11 AM until closing and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM until 2 AM.  Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays.  Also FYI, Barrel and Vine ‘celebrates’ Taco Tuesday with chicken, brisket, captain crunch chicken, blackened shrimp and grilled mahi mahi tacos… This restaurant’s website is found at: Barrel & Vine - Omaha Rooftop Pool Bar & Live Music Venue (bvomaha.com)

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave