China Village

The sign in the window that brought me in praises a $3.25 lunch deal. Then I looked on the menu and saw that none of the items exceed $4 anyway, so everything's special! Located in Downtown Bowling Green right across from the police station on West Wooster Street, this tiny little asian bistro has been serving up affordable Chinese since 1988. The China Village is a family restaurant, run completely by one married couple, except on the weekends when it's especially busy. Having only about 10 tables in the whole place, the hostess/server/owner has hardly any trouble managing on her own. And her husband seems to be doing just fine in the kitchen. Each combo dish comes with a heap of fried rice, an egg roll, your entree and your choice of either Won Ton, Egg Drop or Sweet and Sour soup. And, of course, a fortune cookie. My fortune: "You're the baddest dude around." My lunch: Almond Chicken combo platter My bill: $3.25

The Cookie Jar's Cookie Eating Contest

Here are some photo's of the cookie eating contest at the Cookie Jar in Bowling Green, Ohio. The Cookie Jar is really unique, they deliver oven fresh cookies and milk. I've never seen anything like it, and I have never seen any competition quite so entertaining. The objective of the competition was to eat 6 chocoalte chip cookies and 6 half pints of milk as fast as possible, without ralfing. I ended up with 10min 7sec, which isn't entirely bad. The winner got 6min 33sec. It's not as easy as you might think, a lot of contestants coudn't even finish in the 15 minute time frame provided.

Trotter's Brown Jug

Tuna's Bloody Marys

I was at BW3's the other day for a Bloody Mary—their Bloody Marys are really great, except they cost nearly $5—when some stranger told me I need to go Howard's Club H if I want the best Bloody Mary in town. So, being the foodie I am, I went the next day and this is what I found. 

Look at it! It's glorious! A bold Bloody Mary with a light meal clinging to the rim for only $3.75. A block of cheese pinned to a stalk of celery, 3 pieces of shrimp, a lime wedge and a pickle studded with 4 olives. I especially love the shrimp with their heads dunked in the drink for a big sip—even they can't resist. Who knew Howard's offers more than music and pool? Breakfast! But these generous cocktails aren't available all week, only Saturday through Monday (if supplies last). Kermit's and Bob Evans might be losing business if too many people read this. 

The only thing that rivals this cocktail is Tuna's hospitality. Tuna is the bartender/legend who makes these tomato based masterpieces. Great job my friend. So let him be proud and order a Bloody Mary at Howard's. I don't think I will be returning to BW3's very soon. 

Subway's New Southwest Turkey Rueben

So, Subway is thinking about adding a new sandwhich to it's menu, The Southwest Turkey Rueben. One of the advantages of living in Northwest Ohio is the test market products. Last year I was fortunate enough to try out Taco Bell's Breakfast menu, and it was good! But unfortunatly it didn't make it, and I feel it's safe to say that the Southwest Turkey Rueben wont either. The sandwhich is only featured in 16 stores nation wide so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to post my opinion, to let the rest of the country know what they are missing, or not missing. Overall, my Southwest Turkey Rueben experience was poor. The taste just wasn't there. Turkey doesn't have much of a taste and neither does the Sauerkraut they use. If they were hoping the Southwest sauce would make up for the lack of flavor, they were mistaken. All the sauce does is leave a slight burn on your pallate. I was expecting a much bolder and more "Southwest" of a taste than what I got. Subway.... next time you send something Southwest to Northwest Ohio, make sure it's got some peppers on it or something, not just two bland mediums for a boring sauce.

Oysters

Being on the Gulf Coast I figured I had to get me some oysters. Now I've had oysters before, but I was in Ohio... I don't even want to know where they came from. So being in Mobile, Ala. I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Mobile is one of the hottest oyster locations in the US, probably second to New Orleans.

Oysters are one of those foods that you either love or hate. It's really an acquired taste. Well, I'd say it's more of an acquired texture. Once you get over the cold, slimy and sometimes sandy texture, the taste isn't bad at all. I ordered my oysters three different ways; Fried, Nude and Char Grilled.

The Fried Oysters was nothing special at all. I almost regret ordering them because it wasn't an experience at all, it was just another deep fried popper. Of course it was delicious. Even a three year old that wont eat anything but grilled cheese, mac n' cheese and chicken fingers would enjoy fried oysters. So if you really want to experience oysters, try something a more bold.

Char Grilled oysters were fantastic. The oyster taste wasn't totally masked by the Parmesan and herb crust, but it certainly didn't taste like the ocean. What I love most about eating oysters is the ritual. You scrap the muscle loose, then throw the shell back like a shot glass and let the oyster slide into your mouth, give a little chew and swallow. Some people don't like to chew but this is incorrect. The Chef at Cohen and Cook in Toledo, Ohio told me if somebody isn't chewing the oyster at least a little bit then it is saying something about quality.

Nude. A single oyster absolutely naked on a half shell. I love it. It is simple, exotic, exciting, adventurous, primitive and bad ass. It's like drinking your coffee black or ordering your steak blue. Most people like to squirt a little hot sauce, lemon, salsa or cocktail sauce on their bare little buddy before, but you got to be careful. Too much of anything can drown out the natural taste of the oyster.

As for a little sand in your shell... People complain about fast food places like KFC, saying they don't know if the chicken is even real, questioning where it came from. Well, a little sand with your oyster is a guarantee that it came from the ocean and not some mad oyster scientist's laboratory. And sometimes the sand adds a nice little crunch.

Dew Drop Burger

Dew Drop Inn: The Burger that Inspired Buffett

The Dew Drop Inn has been serving Mobile, Alabama for over 80 years and claims the title as the oldest restaurant in Mobile. Their florescent, world famous "Dew Drop Hot Dog" is listed as one of the 100 foods to try in Alabama. The menu even instructs hot dog hungry customers how to order a dog properly, thus becoming a true hot dog connoisseur. Although the Dew Drop Inn is not renowned for its culinary elegance, one critic claims it has the best burgers in the world. That critic is none other than the Mobile grown Jimmy Buffett.

"I like mine with lettuce and tomato,

Heinz Fifty-seven and French fried potatoes.

Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer.

Well, good God Almighty, which way do I steer!"

Buffet's popular "Cheese Burger in Paradise" undoubtedly qualifies him as a notarized burger critic to the highest degree. Although the burger he sings about differs from the burger I thoroughly enjoyed today, which is OK because the Dew Drop Inn only claims to have sparked his obsession for cheeseburger. My slim burger came topped with chili, a slice of cheese and a sliced pickle. Not a whole lot to it, and not much to look at either. But hey, it tasted great and was less than $3, cheaper than most fast food burgers. You can't judge a book by it's cover just like you can't judge a burger by it's buns So Jimmy's cheeseburger in paradise may not be found at the Dew Drop Inn, but I believe 100% that he was inspired by this quaint, historically rooted burger joint. Perhaps after a few hours in Margarita ville the Dew Drop Cheeseburger becomes the burger lusted over in the song.