Go Ahead, Maki My Day!!!

One of the problems associated with my willful exile here in Amarillo is the lack of quality in dining out. It isn't as though there's not a good variety of genres to patronize, rather there seems to be a general lack of concern for the product being served. It comes across as though the people here don't expect anything more than "fair to middlin'" so why should a restaurateur strive to serve a quality product for the generous remuneration expected. I know i'm showing a picture of a Maki Roll, but this is my general impression of most of the restaurants in town. Don't even get me started on steak. For a town billed as the "Beef Capital of America", there sure seems to be one hell of a lot they could learn from the Pappas Brothers in Dallas.
What's that idiom, "When in Rome, do as the Romans"??? I'm here to tell you that is flawed logic when it comes to tolerating some of the Honorable Mentions left over from the Jr High Science Fair that pass for restaurant fare. I mean, one would think a national chain would be the same no matter what town it's located in. I'm here to tell you that other than the peanuts on the floor, there is no similarity and when i Pei for chinese, i want rice noodles not tapioca. Though there are a couple of bright spots, but as you might expect they aren't national chains either. These are places that seem to care about what they turn out. If you want a Burger in Amarillo, there is only one place to go; Cowboy Gelato. A "Spaghetti Western" inspired burger joint that is like Sergio Leone himself, visionary in scope. I highly recommend the "Tucco"...just sayin. For good Mexican food i like, El Bracero. Other than that, save your money for when you get to where you're going and settle for something from the corner Valero station in the meantime.

Okay, so what does all this have to do with Maki Rolls?? Good question. I'm not entirely sure. I have tried them at most all of the Asian inspired restaurants here and honestly i wouldn't pay a dime a piece for any of theirs. So, what does this do for a guy with a craving for it?? Shut up or Make it Yourself!!! So, i made my own. Naturally!!! I mean what does it take?? You get some sticky rice, fake crab, avocado, cream cheese, a tube of wasabi, maybe a couple of shirmp, a cucumber, sesame seeds... actually you can end up getting quite a bit of stuff. A little bit, goes a very long way. Luckily, the local health food store had the toasted nori wrappers and wasabi. Though it isn't real wasabi, neither is most of the green horseradish out there, but it'll do.
I'll be the first one to admit that i do a hell of a lot of complaining. It just irritates me when a person would go through all of the time and effort to make something and then skimp on the little stuff to make it great. In the end i guess that's what i get for having expectations, though i promise you; in Dallas, these people wouldn't survive. I guess the inverse is true also. If i didn't have the skills to make it myself, i wouldn't survive here. I guess the thesis here is this; if there is something you want and you can't find it where you are, either try to find it somewhere else or learn how to produce it yourself.
Many thanks to my Grandmother, my Mom, and my Grandfather for making me stir pots, make cornbread, and check the vents on the grill.

Until next time, Peace be with you, Dave