I went with family to a nearby Cracker Barrel last night. Just to give you a sense of the crowd, I was the 2nd youngest at our table of 8.
Unbeknownst to me, two of our party are vegetarians. I'm just going to put this out there: Cracker Barrel is not a restaurant for vegetarians. I first learned of the vegetarians when the side salads were delivered--and had bacon crumbles on them. Who doesn't like bacon crumbles on a salad?! Vegetarians, apparently, and a salad was sent back to be brought back kosher.
The other vegetarian ordered a vegetable plate consisting of 4 small bowls of rabbit food. Upon delivery we learned that two of these bowls had meat in them--the pinto beans and I think the turnip greens. Yes, the meat was all spelled out in the menu, but who would think to look for meat in a vegetable dish? Turns out, you should expect to do so at Cracker Barrel.
Our poor waitress was cool about replacing those dishes with true vegetable dishes, I could tell it wasn't her first time. She didn't have to take back my roast beef and gravy with mashed potatoes and corn--mmm mmm good.
Kinda like going to a sushi bar and ordering a cheeseburger.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! I can't imagine not wanting bacon on a side salad.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even know they were vegetarians.
Other tips for meat-eaters deciding where the group that might include vegetarians should eat:
ReplyDelete* Refried beans are often fried in lard, which is pork fat.
* Collard greens and other greens are often flavored with pork.
* Soups are often made with beef or chicken stock. It takes special effort to use vegetable stock.
* Gelatin is made from animal collagen, there is a special vegan variety that is more expensive.
* Lay's Baked BBQ Potato Chips have milk and chicken flavoring. Regular BBQ chips are fine.
* Salad is not a meal.
Old people usually aren't vegetarians. We were born in the sensible era.
ReplyDeleteI frequently eat vegetarian, because I like it, and if you are not strict about it, you can make a GOOD meal just from their sides. I'm thinking fried okra, greens and a potato dish.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I like is that even adults can order from the children's menu, because their children's shrimp is a very nice Lenten lunch. (I tip as if I were buying adult sized meals, since the waitress does the same amount of work.)
Happy Thanksgiving Darren
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoy your blog.
It was my mother's birthday, anonymous. She chose, and everyone else knew in advance when they had the chance to decline.
ReplyDelete