Bike: KTM Super Duke R
Route: Google Maps
When I decided to work on this blog, I was hoping it would lead to an experience like this.
The weather forecast and the upcoming time change meant this was the last good evening of the year for an after-work ride. Suggested by some friends, Big Moose's BBQ Smokehouse in Glasgow has been on my list all summer, and with the fall colors near their peak I thought a ride past the lake might be fun. So I clocked out an hour early and looked forward to some BBQ. Things didn't go according to plan -- things went better.
So, apparently Big Moose's isn't open for dinner on Tuesday nights. But that's OK. I'm starting to think there's no such thing as a Food Ride Fail. Like the Berties, Dovie's, or Dumas Walker trips, things only got better after the original plan didn't pan out.
Next door to Big Moose's is a gas station where someone suggested I try A Little Taste of Texas. It should be easy enough to find, located just a block past the Police Station & Fire Department with a big Indian sitting out front.
VERDICT: I don't know where to start. This place instantly jumped to the top of my list -- right up there with Paradise Point, The Country Bakery 1.0, and Boyce Store. But I already loved those places before this summer, so A Little Taste of Texas stands out as this year's surprise revelation.
Kim is the best waitress I've encountered in I-don't-know-how-long. It's hard to imagine a friendlier person with a bigger smile. Acting as much hostess as waitress, she gladly spent a few minutes telling me about the restaurant's history and their philosophy of always using the freshest ingredients and making everything in-house. My understanding is that 'Uncle Kenny' opened the restaurant 17 years ago after moving back to KY from TX.
[When I joked with Kenny that a bigger sign might have helped me find the place, he assured me that "plenty enough people know where we are." Fair enough! I was only there for thirty minutes, and by the time I left shortly after 5:00, the dining area was almost full. When I come back with the family for dinner, we'll be sure to get there at precisely 4:30.]
In a hurry to get home before the sunset, I didn't look at the menu. Kim said their specialty was the Ribeye, so I chose the Cowboy over the smaller Cowgirl for obvious reasons. Everything was cooked exactly the way I would do it on my own grill. The whole meal was out in ten minutes or less, and medium-rare was actually medium-rare. The potato was rubbed down with olive oil and kosher salt before being baked, and I loved the grill marks on the steak and asparagus.
On the ride home I realized that I didn't feel like I was riding home from a restaurant; I felt like I was riding home from a nice dinner at a friend's place. And I can't wait to go back...
[TANGENT: The picture above is a reminder of how easy it is for a motorist to not see a motorcyclist under certain conditions. That tractor is almost as big as my house, but I lost it in the sun for a couple seconds. Plenty of left-hand turns have killed plenty of motorcyclists in these conditions. Be safe out there, and ride especially defensive when the sun is at your back and you're looking at your own long shadow...]
UPDATE (11/2/11): I made it back to Glasgow to try Big Moose's for lunch, and on my way out of town I stopped by A Little Taste of Texas for dessert. It was a different crew working this time, and they were just as friendly.
The weather forecast and the upcoming time change meant this was the last good evening of the year for an after-work ride. Suggested by some friends, Big Moose's BBQ Smokehouse in Glasgow has been on my list all summer, and with the fall colors near their peak I thought a ride past the lake might be fun. So I clocked out an hour early and looked forward to some BBQ. Things didn't go according to plan -- things went better.
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| Hey You. Hey Me. [I don't dig the shadow pics, but at this time of year it's hard to avoid them at any time of day.] |
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| Hey, Buddy! |
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| Hey, Horse & Buggy! |
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| Big Moose's BBQ Smokehouse. |
So, apparently Big Moose's isn't open for dinner on Tuesday nights. But that's OK. I'm starting to think there's no such thing as a Food Ride Fail. Like the Berties, Dovie's, or Dumas Walker trips, things only got better after the original plan didn't pan out.
Next door to Big Moose's is a gas station where someone suggested I try A Little Taste of Texas. It should be easy enough to find, located just a block past the Police Station & Fire Department with a big Indian sitting out front.
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| There's the Glasgow Police Station. |
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| And there's the Glasgow Fire Dept. |
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| And here's me passing right by A Little Taste of Texas [looking for a big Indian]. |
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| Here's me passing by a second time. |
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| Third time's a charm! Fine, it was really the fourth time. |
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| I guess I was looking for a bigger Indian! And maybe a bigger sign! |
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| It is a small space with a cozy, rustic feel. I got there right at 4:30 when they open for dinner, so it wasn't crowded yet. |
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| The Cowboy Ribeye, Asparagus, & Baked Potato. |
VERDICT: I don't know where to start. This place instantly jumped to the top of my list -- right up there with Paradise Point, The Country Bakery 1.0, and Boyce Store. But I already loved those places before this summer, so A Little Taste of Texas stands out as this year's surprise revelation.
Kim is the best waitress I've encountered in I-don't-know-how-long. It's hard to imagine a friendlier person with a bigger smile. Acting as much hostess as waitress, she gladly spent a few minutes telling me about the restaurant's history and their philosophy of always using the freshest ingredients and making everything in-house. My understanding is that 'Uncle Kenny' opened the restaurant 17 years ago after moving back to KY from TX.
[When I joked with Kenny that a bigger sign might have helped me find the place, he assured me that "plenty enough people know where we are." Fair enough! I was only there for thirty minutes, and by the time I left shortly after 5:00, the dining area was almost full. When I come back with the family for dinner, we'll be sure to get there at precisely 4:30.]
In a hurry to get home before the sunset, I didn't look at the menu. Kim said their specialty was the Ribeye, so I chose the Cowboy over the smaller Cowgirl for obvious reasons. Everything was cooked exactly the way I would do it on my own grill. The whole meal was out in ten minutes or less, and medium-rare was actually medium-rare. The potato was rubbed down with olive oil and kosher salt before being baked, and I loved the grill marks on the steak and asparagus.
On the ride home I realized that I didn't feel like I was riding home from a restaurant; I felt like I was riding home from a nice dinner at a friend's place. And I can't wait to go back...
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| Glasgow Town Square. |
Below, there are more photos of the ride home than usual. I think the Fall colors and the evening light made for some cool Kentucky countryside shots...
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| Blinded By The Light. |
[TANGENT: The picture above is a reminder of how easy it is for a motorist to not see a motorcyclist under certain conditions. That tractor is almost as big as my house, but I lost it in the sun for a couple seconds. Plenty of left-hand turns have killed plenty of motorcyclists in these conditions. Be safe out there, and ride especially defensive when the sun is at your back and you're looking at your own long shadow...]
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| Barren River Lake Dam. |
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| Headin' home... |
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| Route. |
UPDATE (11/2/11): I made it back to Glasgow to try Big Moose's for lunch, and on my way out of town I stopped by A Little Taste of Texas for dessert. It was a different crew working this time, and they were just as friendly.
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| I found it on my first try. |
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| This picture was taken on my way out, after the lunch crowd had left. Like dinner, it looks like you better get there early to get a seat for lunch because it was packed when I arrived a little before 1:00. Or, if you're like me and never early for anything, just go late. |
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| Homemade Blackberry Cobbler, most definitely homemade and pretty much awesome. It's not my best picture, but there's nothing wrong with sitting outside eating cobbler and ice cream while listening to the church bells on a 70-degree day in November. |
