A restaurant without food, huh?

Jamie and I decided to try our local Nascar-themed bar and grill for lunch today. Trackside Bar and Grille - across the street where McDonald's used to be.

We tried going there shortly after it opened, but it was around dinner time. And the music was so loud, we couldn't even hear ourselves think, so we left.

Today we were the only people in the place aside from two guys at the bar.

We walked in and the barkeep/waitress sort of looked at us as if we walked in topless. I asked if they were serving lunch. And she said, "yeah, I don't know what we're serving, but I'll find out in a second."

I have no idea what that could mean.

Until....

She went to the kitchen and returned a few minutes later. She returned, leaned on our table, and said, "We don't have chicken wings, french fries or onion rings."

After a pause, I looked at her and said, "What do you have? We have never been here before so we don't know."

She went to another table and grabbed one paper menu. One. I then got up and grabbed another from the table. We were the only freaking people in the place. Why should we have to share a menu?

We ordered colas while we looked things over. Before she left she told us that the owner/cook "was out of town and over the holiday weekend they had run out of everything and he was trying to figure out what to order and it won't be in until tomorrow. Apparently he didn't order enough food for the weekend."

Apparently.

"And since they were out of french fries and onion rings, everything comes with that so it's really tough."

I noticed a specials board with a grilled chicken sandwich, baked beans and cole slaw. It sounded good to me.

When she returned with the drinks I asked for the grilled chicken sandwich special.

"Oh, that was the special two weeks ago and he didn't tell me what the new special was so I left it. I don't think we have that anymore."

Here's an idea, nimrod, erase the specials board if you don't have a special. It's okay to leave it blank. In fact, I bet your customers would prefer you leave it blank particularly since you don't actually have it.

We looked at the menu a bit more and, with no help from her in terms of what was actually available, we decided to drink our colas and leave.

And we did.

I don't think I have sucked back a cola that quickly ever.

The kicker is that tonight is the cruise night sponsored by the Trackside Grill. For those unfamiliar with cruise nights, it's an evening for car goobers of all sorts to drive their classic cars to designated parking lots whereby then then sit in the parking lot talking with their brethren about engines and tires and chassis. I don't know what any of that means and I think I am a better person as a result.

But my husband loves this stuff.

At any rate, the cruise night draws quite a few goobers. And the sponsor has no food.

Another idea - take a ride to Sisco or BJs or someplace with food and buy some. Just a thought.

It was a shame. We love to support local businesses, but it was our second visit and it was unpleasant each time. Unpleasant to the point that I am prompted to write in this blog and hope that others will see it and not go. That's terrible.

But we do not recommend Trackside Bar and Grille. And we will not return.