VEGAS FOOD NERD'S TREK ACROSS AMERICA - PART 3 BY VEGAS FOOD NERD
With the vintage Trident recording console delivered safely back to her new home in Royal Oak, Michigan. We began the voyage cross country from Royal Oak, Michigan, back to Las Vegas, Nevada. I was sad about leaving my home state without getting more of my hometown favorites square Detroit pizza and those egg rolls I told you about in the last issue. We had to get back to town, so we left the same day, taking the southern route back to my adopted home Las Vegas.
The first stop was Pontiac, Illinois. There wasn’t much around our hotel, except for a place we passed on the way to check-in. There was a giant Cow statue out front, that sold us, so we decided to give it a try.
Baby Blues Restaurant
The restaurant feels like a familiar family gathering spot. There are warm wood accents on the walls, blue and floral-patterned booths, and an open view into the kitchen. It was a busy night, but we were lucky to get a table in the corner. The surroundings felt familiar, like visiting an old family friend or relative. The staff was warm and welcoming. The menu is pretty diverse with Italian dishes, Greek items, and classic comfort foods. We ordered their California Panini with fries and the hot pork tenderloin sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy. Before our sandwiches arrived, we started the meal with cups of their savory and definitely homemade Grandma approved delicious chicken soup. The panini was turkey, cream cheese, raspberry preserves, with spinach pressed to a crunchy finish between two slices of white bread. It was a unique flavor profile executed perfectly, and the fries were fantastic. The hot pork tenderloin was definitely the star on the table that night, though. The tenderloin is a massive piece of pork that has been pounded thin, then breaded and fried. Then in all of its greasy goodness is placed between toasted bread then drown in gravy with mashed potatoes and more gravy on the side. It’s an infamous Midwest dish, and for good reason, it was so good. Next visit, I am getting a selfie with that cow.
The next day it was back on the road heading west. Our next stop was Tulsa, Oklahoma. The drive was a grinding one that day. Our fearless driver was getting exhausted, so we decided to get takeout instead of navigating the local restaurant scene.
NYC Pizza
The last thing you’d expect to find in Tulsa is a good slice of New York pizza. That is precisely what we found on a chance google search from our hotel that night. Simply titled NYC Pizza is a family-owned spot that has been giving Tulsa authentic pies since 2006. Its founder Kenneth Lehman, jr. is carrying on the family pizza business with recipes handed down from generation to generation. We ordered a large pepperoni and a Caesar salad. It was almost as if they sensed our weariness from the phone because our order showed up hot and fresh within 15 minutes. It was one of the best delivery experiences. The pizza was perfect; the dough took us back east to some of our favorite New York slices. The Caesar salad was a rich, creamy, crunchy, not overly garlicky it was perfect.
The next day we stopped in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Fork and Fig
Online this hip little spot seemed to have upscale ingredients in a casual atmosphere, with menu items like a short rib grilled cheese, green chile burger, assorted salads, and sides like roasted root hash. When we walked in, the entire restaurant was emptied of furniture. The ABQ was currently immersed in panic from the virus. The only way we could dine was to walk masked to a table outside. They sat us on two wobbly outdoor chairs with a table that couldn’t possibly fit more than one plate and was at an extremely awkward height. I am usually a pretty cool customer, but this made the nerd a little feisty, and I promptly got up and left the place. We grabbed a taco pack from Taco Bell and went back to the hotel for the night, which is ok because I am not ashamed to admit that I love Taco Bell. They did break my heart just recently by taking the Mexican pizza off the menu and my Grandma’s favorite taco salad. What?!?
The next day our journey was complete. There is so much to see and experience in our country. I look forward to doing this again. Now go eat something.