Spec's Tots and Mustard

DKR from the way-back machine...way more back than my elementary school days.....

About 10 days ago Shane and I had to run over to Lowe’s on Brodie to get some materials for the greenhouses, and it was near lunchtime, and we were both really hungry, and Spec’s was right there, and I had a little money to devote to stuffing my pie hole. So we veered off of Mopac, cut through the back way next to the Best Buy, avoided hitting the clueless pedestrians glued to their smartphones in the Sam’s Club parking lot crosswalk, and BOOM!. We were there!

There’s a huge menu at the Spec’s deli counter (and not all Spec’s have deli’s), but I go there for 2 things (that is, assuming I can resist the great Reuben). The bacon-blue burger, and a side of tater tots. If I’m feeling frisky, I’ll get a hot dog, because they serve a really good 4-to-1 frank from Boar’s Head. It’s not a dirty water dog, but has that caramelized exterior that can only come from prolonged close contact with a hot griddle. The burger has a nice juicy patty of appropriate size, grilled to medium over a charcoal grill, so it is flame-kissed. The bacon slices are thick, smoky, crunchy, and porky. This is some high-quality bacon unless I miss my guess. The burger is loaded with chunks of some exuberant blue cheese; so loaded it oozes out the side.



Fattie and kraut in a grilled bun.....

 The plastic burger basket comes with an inordinate amount of golden brown tater tots; enough to make a tot lover’s heart skip a beat (and these are deep-fried, not heated on a cookie sheet in someone’s oven). The perfect way to eat tots is dipped in some French’s Prepared Mustard. This is how I eat my fries also. It is a habit I developed in elementary school way back in the day, when we would get deep-discounted tickets in the “Knothole Section” of the end zone at Memorial Stadium for U.T. Football games. Under the stands our favorite vendor was the dude making corny dogs and fries. I naturally slathered my corny dog with mustard one Saturday and some fries fell into the mustard. After eating that fry, I decided then and there that all fries (and tots, by association) demanded mustard.



Bacon Blue in all its glory....WITH a sea of TOTS!

Most folks look at me like I’m insane, but you should try it sometime. Shane gave it a go and decided he liked the combo also. The only other ingredient is the crisp, snappy spear of dill pickle that they put in with the burger; a nice zesty denouement, and a perfect end to a great burger lunch. For a previous gustidude rant on how tater tots are excluded from our restaurant menus everywhere, and how to make your own tater tots at home, see this previous gustidude blogpost:
http://gustidude.blogspot.com/2011/06/fun-food-facts-tater-tots-tubular-spuds.html

Mick Vann ©