Like it or not, dear reader, it’s hard to forget just how close to corn-country we are in Cowlumbus. If you’re reading this, odds are you’re a five minute drive from a T.J.’s Country Place and a Wal-Mart; very cosmopolitan. Speaking as a Midwesterner not far removed from his glorious redneck ancestry, I can tell you that when we’re not watching Dukes of Hazard reruns and NASCAR races, we like to eat. Where? Bob Evans, dear reader, of course.
Which one? It simply doesn’t matter. My family and I have eaten enough Sunday brunches at one Bob Evans or another, that I can write with a fair degree of certainty when I say there’s nary a restaurant like ‘er, that can offer such marvelous cooking on such a consistent basis.
On an interesting side note, Bob Evan’s is arguably the flagship of Ohio’s culture. They serve Smucker’s Jam, made in Orville, Ohio. The Velvet Ice Cream is made in Utica, Ohio. From stem to stern, Bob Evans IS Ohio; or at least as much of it as most Americans will see. For this reason, and certainly not the fact that my father was picking up the tab, I decided it’s time to shine the spotlight on an unsung hero.
Bob Evan’s dinner menu offers a wide variety of comfort foods to choose from. After ordering, my family and I were quickly brought out dinner rolls, biscuits, and our drinks. Compared to similar restaurants, Bob Evan’s employs a well-trained staff of waiters, waitresses. They also employ my little brother. While Zack may drop the ball from time to time, Bob Evan’s other staff members will see to it your coffee is hot and your check is ready. Not withstanding Zack’s attention to detail, or lack thereof, it just pains me to see him coerced into wearing a string bowtie, whatever his station in life. Not even real rednecks wear those anymore.
To get back on subject, the biscuits and rolls at Bob Evan’s are consistently spectacular. They’re warm, fluffy, flavorful, and free. Toss some butter on the rolls, honey on the biscuits and your mix is fo’ real.
My mom was impressed by the meatloaf. She comments, “The meatloaf was well-done, moist, and held it’s ‘loafy’ shape. It has the look and taste of homemade meatloaf, what with the chopped onions and thin brown gravy. The fries that came with it were cooked well, but not overdone. They leave the skins on and I think it tastes better that way.”
Funny, writing that reminds me of an ongoing discussion I’ve had with some of my friends and associates. Which word is grosser, moist or used? Give it some thought and let me know.
My father tried the Wildfire® bratwurst sandwich with Wildfire® baked beans. One can only speculate that our bathroom was the scene of a certain “wild fire” later that evening. He writes, “I have always loved bratwurst from Bucyrus, Ohio and this sandwich brings me back. I think it goes great with Bob Evan’s barbeque sauce. The combination was really delicious – spicy and tangy – but not too spicy to enjoy. The baked beans were the best of both worlds, the tangy vinegar of baked beans with the sweet spiciness of the Wildfire® sauce. I could eat them all night but I’d have to sleep on the porch.”
Grandma decided on the pot roast sandwich onight. It consists of roast beef, carrots, onions, and cheddar cheese on sourdough bread. She comments, “It was basically a BBQ roast beef sandwich, since it was really missing baked carrots. It was good and not greasy at all.”
I tried the “Shroomin’ Onion Cheeseburger” and it was certainly a trippy experience. I’m traditionally wigged-out by mushroom burgers; they’re all so greasy and fragile. Bob Evan’s goes the extra mile and delivers a sandwich that almost greaselessly brings together the great taste of sautéed mushrooms and hearty USDA ground cow. A duet of pleasures, two great tastes that taste great together. I have to be honest, though, when I say I the ” shroomin’ ” was a bit of a letdown. The only thing melting was the cheese.
For dessert, you can’t go wrong with their Oreo Ice Cream Pie or Cinnamon-Apple Cheesecake. They’re both delicious and priced significantly LESS than standard admission to WWF events, or so I hear.
Hank Mylander is a junor from Westerville majoring in Information Systems. Moist is definitely a grosser word. Do you know a campus-area restaurant that deserves a review, for one reason or another? Send your ideas, thoughts, and suggestions to [email protected].
