Good Eats: Lambert's Cafe

Yesterday we introduced Little Bird and Little Hoss to another family tradition – Lambert’s Café “Home of the Throwed Roll”.   http://www.throwedrolls.com/

Lambert’s started in 1942 in Sikeston, Missouri. The monster building it occupies now is actually the fourth location of the restaurant. (There are now 3 locations but Sikeston is where it all started). As kids, both of my parent’s families would eat at the Lambert’s café. I’ve been eating there all my life. I can remember back to the second building. So when Dad went home from this last visit, we met Mom at Lambert’s. Sis came along and brought the babies.

If you go to Lambert’s on the weekend… expect a LONG line. We got there a bit past 2pm on Sunday and the wait time was a bit over an hour.

 

What is a “Throwed Roll”? It’s a huge dinner roll that they really do throw to you from across the restaurant!  If you miss catching it... they just throw another.

Waaaaay back in the beginning, the café would get really crowded at lunch time. Norm, the owner’s son, was trying to bring around rolls to the customers but couldn’t make it thru. One of the regulars shouted out, “Just THROW &%$@ thing!”.

 

 And Throwed Rolls were born.

The menu is all ‘common folk’ Southern cooking.  Fried chickens, ham, ribs, even a fried bologna sandwich.  Two sides come with the meal.  And all the “pass arounds” you care to eat.  Pass Arounds are more stuff that is brought round and round to the tables for you to take as you wish.  There are the rolls, fried okra, macaroni & tomatoes, fried potatoes and black-eyed peas. 

Here’s a plate of their famous fried chicken.

And a plate of fried gizzards.  (The diet can restart the next day!)

Little Hoss with his first Throwed Roll.  Too bad he is too young to enjoy it!

However, Miss Little Bird LOVED hers!  She took such big bites we were afraid she’d choke herself.  So the roll was taken away and little pieces offered.

Oh my… when that roll disappeared she was heartbroken! Poor little sad face with big tears running down it. Just couldn’t understand why we’d give her something so good… then take it away from her.

So we gave it back and supervised every bite she took. Look at those tear filled eyes!

Life was good again!