Lambert's "Home of the Throwed Roll"

In Ozark, Missouri on my way back from the Arkansas hiking trip, I stopped for dinner at Lambert's "Home of the Throwed Roll." It has a basic feel similar to a Cracker Barrel with a less commercial and more down home feel to it. The parking lot is enormous and people come from all over. At 5pm on a Saturday when I stopped, there was an hour and 40 minute wait. They allowed me to go ahead since I was by myself but this attests to the restaurant's popularity.

The concept is that you order your food then it is all you can eat with various wait staff carrying "pass arounds" such as black eyed peas, fried okra, hashbrowns, as well as the famous "throwed rolls" with molasses. Indeed, they have a guy walking around throwing rolls to any and all who are in need of said nourishment. I personally ate about 3 or 4 pieces of chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, 4 rolls, black eyed peas, and fried okra. It was a great experience which I highly recommend to anyone passing through either the Ozark or Sykes, Missouri locations or the Foley, Alabama location. I'm also officially mad at anyone who knew about this fine establishment and didn't convince me to try it out earlier. ;-)

Dans Le Noir

I went to a restaurant called Dans Le Noir (French for In the Dark) in London with some colleagues whose basic premise is that everything is in the dark. Guests are walked into the dining room by a blind guide and enter pitch black darkness. You are then seated at your table with a plate, fork, knife, and glasses in front. Prior to entering, a dinner selection is made such as Meat, fish, or vegetable but you do not know what it will be. This helps to increase the experience of utilizing senses other than sight to taste and smell the food. Conversation is also a bit different since you cannot see anyone else and base everything on the sound of co-dinners voices. It really heightens your sense of hearing as well as taste and smell. I ended up having a lamb and potato dinner followed by some kind of wildberry pudding. (learned this following the meal) It was a unique experience which I recommend. Alternatively, one could blind fold themself to get a similar experience.