Stephens' Family Adventures- Chapter 3

We are half way through our trip and at this point and have survived being in a car together without killing each other. It has been an adventure up to this point and today would fair no different. After all we still had a half day drive to reach our destination of Las Vegas, NV. Awaiting us there was my mom, sister and her husband and just behind us on the road would be my dad and his wife. They would be there to help us celebrate our impending wedding the next day. We also had a date night planned with Criss Angel at his Believe show, so time was of the essence.

Flagstaff, AZ was our resting place for the night before and we awoke to temps in the 50’s which was going to be nice, but turned out to be short lived as we headed to temps that would be hovering near 100. As mentioned, we had time to make up and something that hadn’t been noted about driving along the modern version of Route 66(Interstate 40 in Arizona) is that the legal speed limit is 75. Mainly only truck traffic and long stretches of straight road so for those daring or running radar detector so there was fun at high speeds to be had. One of our goals today would be to take the exit at Crookton Rd. and travel along the longest stretch of the original Mother Road all the way to our turn north in Kingman, AZ.

Today would be the day we ate a proper breakfast and decided to look for something special along the long stretch of Route 66. Upon driving through Seligman, AZ we were on the lookout for a place to eat. Nothing will catch your eye better then a sign that says Roadkill Café, now will it?! Located in the middle of town right next to one of the original motels from the early days of the Route, this would be our breakfast adventure.

The Cafe was a true souvenir trap with everything imaginable having Route 66 printed on it and, of course, the restaurant itself looked like a theme restaurant with their souvenirs. Every aspect of roadkill was covered right down to the choices on the Menu. Luckily they had the actual description along with it but the meal names were fun to read. After perusing the menu I decided on the One-eyed Dog Hit in the Fog and Ashley went with the Guess That Mess. I will be nice here and explain that mine was French Toast with bacon on the side. They use the big slices of Texas toast which is tough enough to hold large amounts of syrup without getting soggy and the bacon was cooked just right. The Mess that Ashley was feasting on was actually an omelet with hash browns, sausage and other ingredients mixed in and the final take on it was described as being very yummy and filling. Of course, the whole time we are sitting in the Cafe we were staring at souvenirs so being. Being the tourists we were, I purchased a nice little Route 66 sign to hopefully adorn a man cave wall one day. With our belly full we left with the anticipation of reaching Las Vegas in a few hours.

No trip near the Grand Canyon would be complete without a stop at Hoover Dam though, and by this time the heat had become so unbearable it was a good time to give the car a break and ourselves one as well. Upon informing friends via Facebook of where we were, the jokes from the movie National Lampoons Vegas Vacation came pouring in. We didn’t do the dam tour, but marveled at the creation from the outside, and along with that view was the new massive bridge that went over the top of it. Our next stop, and final destination, Las Vegas was well within our sites.

Continuing Kicks on 66 With Eric Stephens!

After spending the night in St. Clair, Missouri along Interstate 44, the modern version of Route 66, we enjoyed a nice continental breakfast which was our plan for the whole trip to help save money for the bigger meals we were set to hit the open road once again. While traveling down a portion of the original 66, we were quickly side tracked and found our way to a popular destination called Meramec Caverns. This is a must stop if you are in the area. We didn’t have the time to tour the actual caverns, but we did take a nice relaxing boat tour of the river which was much needed. Ashley had no success in talking me into trying out the zip line they had set up that went out over the river.

Back on the road, our goal for the day was to make it to Joplin, MO to eat dinner. Much of the town had recently been destroyed by a tornado and having survived the April Fury in our home state of Alabama, we felt obliged to stop and spend some money to help them out. As we neared Joplin we were on the lookout for places to eat and any signs of where the tornado had come through, then all of a sudden there was a debris path on each side of the interstate and it quickly brought back memories of the path I had seen in Cullman, Al. Shortly after this, we kept seeing signs for a truck stop with a restaurant called the Iron Skillet and we decided this would be our stop for dinner.

Most all road trips have at least one meal stop at a truck stop and this would be ours. The Iron Skillet was a big restaurant to be at a truck stop, but this held promise that the food might be really good due to it being a popular stop. They offered menu items or an all you can eat buffet. Upon walking in I noticed they had Rib-eye steak as the special and being a steak buff, I had decided I would give that a try. Ashley perused the buffet and decided there were some tasty looking items there and decided she would give it a try. The service was very friendly which is usually expected at a truck stop diner and once again I was able to order sweet tea.

I ordered a medium well Rib-eye with baked potato and salad as my side and when it arrived I was relieved to know it was cooked correctly. I am very picky with my steaks and there are actually only a few places beyond myself that can cook it to my taste. Iron Skillet would not be added to that list. The steak was a bit too dry which is something that happens sometimes when cooked to medium well, but when I am unsure of how a place cooks their steaks, safe is better. I also had forgotten the cardinal rule about eating at a restaurant. If they have something on a special board then it is generally something they are trying to get rid of and may not be of the best quality.

Ashley came back from the buffet with her plate showing a nice arrangement of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and turnip greens. Being from the south I am sure she has eaten her fair share of fried chicken, but she said this was some of the best she had ever eaten. Ashley was very satisfied with her meal and had actually gone back for seconds. At this point there was a very funny confusing mix up where Ashley thought what she had gotten was one food and was something totally different and for the life of us we can’t remember what the food was.

So after having mixed reviews on our dinner, we were ready to get back on the road. I talked with some of the staff about the tornado damage and found out it was more in the middle of town. I happily made a small donation in their jar to help those affected and told them we knew how they felt and were happy to see a community come together just like ours had.

Getting Kicks on Route 66 - Part 1

On June 17, 2011 I, Eric Stephens, and my fiancé at the time, Ashley, would embark on a bucket list dream trip to take a custom car and drive it across The Mother Road… Route 66. We would start in Chicago and end in Kingman, Arizona before taking the turn north to Las Vegas to get hitched. This trip was not only a test to see if two people that were madly in love could survive each other for a week on a 2,000 mile road trip, but also a chance for Ashley to visit states west of the Mississippi (she is a typical Alabama girl) and for both of us to enjoy the different cuisines along the way.

We took notes of some of the places we dined at and wanted to share it with all those interested so if you are ever in some of these areas you could check them out. Due to our schedule getting a tad behind, we were not able to enjoy as many restaurants as we had hoped, but we did find some gems along the way.

June 19- Grill Marx

Located in Shorewood, IL just off Interstate 55 heading south, Grill Marx was a rare find. We took the exit in search of food and were just about to give up when we came across a small shopping center. That’s when we saw the restaurant and decided we would check it out. Being in a small strip mall, the place just kind of blended in and had the same outside décor of the surrounding stores, but it was a very new looking and seemed promising. Inside the restaurant was very nice and modern looking and had a classy feel to it. You didn’t have to be dressed up to belong. The staff was dressed very professionally and was quick to make sure each person was taken care of.

I ordered sweet tea (it was shocking to me that they offered it since that is something hard to find up north) and Ashley had water. We were ready and hungry enough to do the whole experience so we started with an appetizer of Calamari. This is a popular item on just about any menu. My friend Mark turned me on to these during one of our trips and I turned Ashley on to them. I have yet to get any that I didn’t like.

Moving on to the main course, we both settled on a fish dish and by settled I mean there were so many good things to choose from. I went with the local flavor of a Lake Superior White Fish that came with whipped cauliflower, mashed garlic potatoes, and a salad. Ashley went with the Santa Fe Salmon and a Chicken Mediterranean soup. The White Fish was fantastic and the whole concept of whipped cauliflower was new to me, but worked well and, to be honest, would be great for kids that struggle with eating their veggies. I was not a fan of the garlic mashed potatoes simply because it was too lumpy and dry, plus I still
question why everybody has to put garlic in their mashed potatoes nowadays! Ashley thoroughly enjoyed her soup and the Salmon was cooked perfect with just enough spice but not overbearing. Upon hearing what Ashley was eating for dinner, and my dad being from New Mexico, he jokingly informed us that there are no salmon in Santa Fe.

With the dinner portions being just right, we were able to leave room for dessert. We decided to share the Caramelized Banana Split. A banana split alone is good, but brought out like this is it becomes an even better treat.

I would rate Grill Marx as a must visit if you are ever in the area. The price was perfect for the quality of food and dining atmosphere and it didn’t come close to breaking the bank. Even being Fathers Day, the restaurant never got too crowded and was a nice dining experience. With our bellies full, we were back on the road to put some miles behind us and stumble upon our next dining experience.

Cactus Salad- A New Favorite!

So recently I was in San Antonio, TX for a conference. Always, looking for something different to eat I stumbled upon a “cactus salad” (Nopale Ensalada) at a wonderful little Mexican restaurant next to my hotel. And now? I’m totally hooked. As a matter of fact, I think I have eaten some everyday for the last week, which means it holds up well and that’s definitely a bonus. It was easy to make simply because the waiter made it right in front of me!

What you need:

Cactus Strips (actually found these in the Mexican foods section of Wal-Mart)
Cherry and Grape Tomatoes
Onions (I use green onions in pretty much everything but you could use any)
Hot Peppers (I used a mix of Wax and Jalapeno)
Vinegar (My preference is Rice Vinegar)
Oil (I like Sunflower Oil the best but, again, dealer’s choice!)

What to do:

Drain and rinse the Cactus Strips
Chop the tomatoes in half
Dice the onions and hot peppers together (the smaller they are the better their flavors will blend in)
Mix them all together in your favorite bowl
Pour a little vinegar on top
Pour a little more oil over the mixture
Stir some more
Refrigerate for a bit and enjoy!

If you are looking for something to make it even better, add some sliced avocado on top or drench it in your favorite hot sauce! This is an easy to make, super amazing dish that is perfect for hot weather!

Why Cleveland Rocks - Melt's Bar And Grilled

So, my buddy Tim and I were in Cleveland, OH not so long ago. We traveled to the land of “all the little chicks with the crimson lips” to witness the awesome spectacle of Heavy Metal icons Manowar live. While planning our trip it was decided that we would look up some tour stops from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in the area and hit a couple up.

Our first stop was at Melt’s Bar And Grilled, which is exactly as it says it is. The primary menu items are about 100 different incarnations of grilled cheese and an entire menu of beer ranging from local to wildly named imports. The Melt we ate at is their newer location in Cleveland Heights but we chose it because it looked much more touristy than the original! Adorned with a giant grilled cheese and crossbones sandwich above its door and old-school plastic Christmas lawn decorations around the restaurant, we knew we were in the right place.


I had a Tokyo Tuna Melt, which was unbelievably good. It had a nice thick piece of seared tuna steak, globs of cheese, and some wasabi mayonnaise, in between the thickly buttered sourdough bread. When you consider the homemade fries and slaw on the side to complete the platter, it’s a wonder that I ate again for a week! This was a whole lot of food, but the price tag wasn’t much above what you’d pay for a nice dinner at Applebee’s or Ruby Tuesday or any comparable chains.

The homemade fries were about on par with anyone’s fries but the slaw had a really lasting taste- primarily the taste of onion. It was a memorable slaw that I really liked but anyone that had to smell my breath over the next few days I’m sure would advise me to skip it on my next trip. The Tokyo Tuna Melt was easily the highlight of the platter (as it should be). It was seared just right, allowing you to taste all the spices but also the full flavor of the tuna steak. It reminded me of how little canned tuna fish actually tastes like tuna. I think Tim was les impressed with his choice but he raved about the import beer he had. He also later noted that (and this was very true) that the flavors of the melt were so powerful that you literally tasted it still three days later. Admittedly, that was a wee bit annoying.



Our trip to Melt’s Bar And Grilled was truly wonderful. If you are ever in the Cleveland area I would suggest hunting this down and experiencing it for yourself. The novelty of it all is as much fun as the actual food, making it worth the wait to get a table. Good food and good company always make for an enjoyable time though, right?!