Remember What You Have Seen

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There is an ancient Navaho quote that reads as such:  “Remember what you have seen, because everything forgotten returns to the circling winds“. On the road, the strangest, most pointless things seem to matter and the ‘real world’ of bills and war that all else worry about just slips away.  We roll along a road, into a town, past a diner, an art deco hotel, and we may hear stories and rising memories.  As I rolled down Highway 59, my eye was drawn to a large barn-sided building with its adjacent lot brimming with pickups, licensed from a myriad of states. Its sides adorned with artwork that one would find in the vast stretches of the Midwest all the way to the Rockies. 

This was Lambert’s Cafe, still going strong after four generations and claiming national bragging rights that they were home to the art of throwing rolls.  Yes, even their website designates the major activity going on inside….www.throwedrolls.com.  We pulled in for a late lunch at about 2 p.m. and immediately were drawn to the decor, a cross between the old southwest and the Old South. Photos, newspaper clippings and memorabilia were everywhere.  The flags hanging from the rafters and the clumps of colored balloons tied to wood booths gave me a sense it was the birthday of someone important.  But I soon came to realize this was the daily eye candy. Taking our seats, I asked for sweet tea and Robin,  in need of a caffeine fix, got exactly as she had asked.  This was by far the largest cup of coffee I have ever seen, bar none.  Baby iguanas could have bathed in this baby. 

 With every entree you get two sides, no big deal.  Much like most resturants. However, as you are eating a young girl comes around heaping black-eyed peas pea upon your plate.  Only a minute or two later, comes along another waiter ladling fried potatoes and onions onto your order.  For the next visit your plate won’t be an issue as your waitress has placed a piece of paper towel to your left and this is where the next waiter places the fried okra.  This is a main staple of the southern dinner plate I’ve come to find down here.  With the entree and two sides, along with the plethora of other meaty vegetables you can see why this late lunch turned out to be the last meal of the day. Big the main attraction of the eatery are the rolls.  Steaming fresh and still in their baking pan,  a young man walks the aisles and when you nod, he removes one and tosses it to you.  Their size resembles that of a softball and the taste is not only succulent but warm to the tastebuds.  One could just butter these and dip them in coffee and that would be enough for the entire meal. Robins choice was chicken fried steak and mine was kielbassa and kraut.  I perused several times over a menu item entitled ‘hog jowls’ but in visualizing those words I found fear taking hold of my brain and opted for something safe.

With every entree you get two sides, no big deal.  Much like most resturants.  However, as you eat a young girl comes around heaping black-eyed pea upon your plate.  Only a minute or two later, comes along another waiter ladling fried potatoes and onions onto your order.  For the next visit your plate won’t be an issue as your waitress has placed a piece of paper towel to your left and this is where the next waiter places the fried okra.  This is a main staple of the southern dinner plate I’ve come to find down here.  With the entree and two sides, along with the plethora of other meaty vegetables you can see why this late lunch turned out to be the last meal of the day. Later I learned that there are two other Lambert’s Cafe’s, both residing in Missouri, along with the one in Foley, Alabama.  So, if you’re ever in Branson or Sikeston, MO or down here at the Gulf Shores of Alabama, do yourself a favor and have some rolls ‘throwed’ at you in Lamberts.