Fine Dining in Upshur County
By Nikki Pelezo / Dirt Roads
Charlie, being the romantic that he is, decided to take me out for a Valentine’s Day dinner, especially since he forgot to buy chocolate. Upshur County doesn’t have what I call a five star restaurant. We have eateries. Which is good because no reservations are required at eateries.
In East Texas we have what we call the “Service Station Gastronomic Blowout.” Not only does the service station provide you with gasoline, diesel, oil changes, flat fix and repair, but they also provide fine dining. The one we hit last night had three booths situated between the Gilmer Mirror newspaper rack and the .99 cents Big Gulp machine.
The aroma was heady with old deep-fat fryer grease and something leaking from the motor oil and lube display. The first order of business is standing at the check-out counter to order from the menu conveniently placed next to the cigarette and Playboy racks. Charlie had a hard time ordering because he couldn’t take his eyes off Playboy.
Below is the actual menu, I forgot to bring my camera, but I did write it down, bad spelling and all:
VALENTINE’S DAY MENU Only $5.99 Choice of Entray (1) Chicken Fried Steak w/white gravyChicken Fried Chicken w/white gravy Choice of Sides (3) Mac and Cheese Mashed Potatoes w/white gravy Breaded Fried Okra Fried Corn Fritters French Fried Taters White Gravy Puff Balls (I’m not sure about these, we didn’t order any) Pintos Choice of Dessert (1) Sheet Cake Cookie Bread (1) Sliced White Tea (1) Sweet UnsweetWhat can I say other than “I’m glad that’s over.” Can hardly wait for next year. I think I had better sign up for Weight Watchers again.
KILGORE- The Texas Shakespeare Festival is recognized as one of the leading Shalespeare festivals in the country. This year the festival marks the 28th year of performing Shakespeare in East Texas and will open June 27, for its annual month-long stage stay at Kilgore College.
Greetings from Cornwall
What a wonderful evening out, Nikki, LOL; a real gourmet menu! I think I’d also choose the chicken fried chicken, LOL. I looked up puff balls and they’re a kind of fungus – or mushroom – they look very pretty, though. What is white gravy? What are pintos?
Over here, depending on whereabouts you are, you might find on the menu: faggots, black pudding, hog’s pudding, scouse, bubble and squeak, pig’s trotters, jellied eels, stargazy pie, toad in the hole … and all sorts of other little delicacies, LOL. Anyone hungry yet?
Thanks, Nikki
Mawgana
Oh, Nikki, you lead a sweet life with your handsome, romantically inclined husband !!! Bet you were the envy of all your friends on Valentine’s Day !!!!!!
I wonder what “Entray” you ordered? I would have tried the puff balls just to see what they were. The pintos sounded pretty good with the chicken fried chicken. That menu was almost the same at our service stations have down here. Our “Entray” could have grits and chitterlings on it or something like that.