Among men of letters, consistency gets a bad rap, from Huxley ("Consistency is contrary to nature, contrary to life") to Wilde ("Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative") to Emerson ("A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds").
But among men of appetite for good greasy lunches, consistency is a virtue. When noon rolls around and your stomach is growling, you want to know you can depend on a restaurant to provide consistently good food and service.
The Steak 'n' Shake at Emerald Parkway is just such a restaurant. I've eaten there at least ten times in the past three years, trying everything from the steakburger to the turkey club, from the chili to the onion rings to the slaw, and I've never gotten a bad meal, or bad service, or dirty silverware, or been seated at an unwiped table.
My most recent visit was yesterday. I needed some comfort food on Election Day 2008, and Steak 'n' Shake didn't disappoint. I ordered the Frisco Melt Platter - two patties with American and Swiss cheeses, lettuce, tomato, and "tangy Frisco sauce," served on grilled sourdough. The platter comes with two sides. I opted for Steak 'n' Shake's signature shoestring potatoes with cheddar cheese sauce, a dish of cole slaw, and a tall fountain Coke.
After a brief wait, the friendly server brought my meal, and I sat there in a sea of white tile and black formica and stainless steel and red neon and savored every bite. It was excellent, as any meal containing 132 grams of fat should be.
The check was $10 exactly, and I left a $2 tip. Not inexpensive by any stretch, but worth every penny. Thank you, Emerald Parkway Steak 'n' Shake. See you next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment