ALABAMA

Niki's West in Birmingham Really good food served cafeteria style.  You'd think yo' mama and both o' yo' grandmamas were back in the kitchen. If they could cook. Maybe the only restaurant in the world where David would willingly eat a vegetable plate. Real fried okra, collard greens, yellow squash cooked just so, very fine fried green tomatoes....  Also good pies. Not cheap, but not bad. We'll go out of our way, time our travels and/or adjust our mealtimes to eat here.    (David and Katie)

GEORGIA

Longhorn Steakhouse in Statesboro A chain, we thought. Well-- we'll see about this, we thought. The usual adequate chain steakhouse decor, we thought.  Typically cute names for menu items, we thought.  Damn fine steak: Good meat, cooked right. All else is forgiven. We're waiting for them to open one in Wichita. (David and Katie)

IOWA

Chat 'n' Chew in Atlantic Get off the damn interstate and eat here. Featured in a PBS documentary about a farm auction. (David and Katie)

KANSAS

Doc's Steak House in Wichita Mentioned in the book "Road Food", Doc's occupies a funky, Bruce Goffesque building on North Broadway. Their pretty-good steaks are served with, if desired, a very garlicky salad of shredded lettuce, rather like cole slaw. (David and Katie)

Abe's Steak House in Wichita Update 5/1/00: Abe's Steakhouse is now closed after several deaths in the family. They tried to continue but lost the will to go on. No word yet on whether there is a new owner for the business, but if the restaurant reopens, it will not be under the name of Abe. We were able to eat there a couple of times in their last month of operation; they had lines of people waiting up to two hours for a table. Another institution has passed. A date spot of long standing, the unassuming exterior conceals a dimly-lit dining area and bar. Though a bit of a problem for the night-blind, the darkness enhances the effect of the decor: scenic illustrations (including the Taj Mahal) sketched on the walls in fluorescent colors, illuminated with black light. Good steaks and that garlicky shredded lettuce salad. Pretty groovy. (David and Katie)

Nu-Way in Wichita Famous for their crumbly-meat hamburgers, which mean nothing to me, but the homemade root beer and handmade onion rings are very fine. (David and Katie)

OKLAHOMA

A & A Corner Cafe in Tulsa. (David and Katie)

Norma's Cafe in Sapulpa (David and Katie)

WASHINGTON

Fat Smitty's in Discovery Bay We didn't actually get to eat here but heard it's renowned for great hamburgers. I would recommend it purely for aesthetic (or non-aesthetic) reasons -- the exterior roadside art is supreme. (Liz)

Homeplace / House Site / Genealogy / Blue Plate Special / Guestbook