In Eckleburg's Eyes - 8/7/2008

On Wednesday night my parents graciously took KLTW, KJW, RAW and I to Big Fatty’s Catering Kitchen. (See the May 7th edition of Eckleburg’s Eyes for my review.) I chose the place for several reasons, not the least of which is that the acoustics in the place make it naturally loud. This meant that KJW could have a meltdown if necessary without greatly disturbing the place. Not that she is prone to do that, I just like having a contingency plan. On this night, she could not have been louder than the employees of the establishment if she had tried.

I also wanted to partake of the chicken ‘n dumplings but learned that it is available only on Tuesdays. It probably would not have been good to eat that dish twice in one week anyway. The French dip I had instead was quite good.

The Walkers, whom had never been there, also seemed to enjoy their food. It did take me a little while to convince RAW that Big Fatty’s was the actual name of the establishment and not some clever nickname I had contrived. RAW’s only complaint concerned the decor. Concert posters advertising upcoming local events engulf the Big fatty’s landscape. RAW could not get over one announcing Hanson’s October 1st visit to Knoxville. No, he is not a fan. It is the fact that the advertisement describes Hanson as “America’s best straight up rock band.”

It was a pig tail night for KJW which is always a crowd pleaser. She has grown to like them herself, even requesting them on occasion.

Other than this one very brief tantrum, which would have ended earlier had we not been making fun of her for it, KJW did great as always. My parents were impressed that she remembered their names despite not seeing them regularly or in some time. We pointed to my dad and asked “Who’s that?” She replied, “That’s Bill. Hi, Bill!” The only negative to connecting KJW with my parents is that it adds to my mother's already substantial desire for grandchildren.

While walking KJW around the restaurant, we passed the dessert display. (Big Fatty’s is known for their desserts). I asked KJW which one she wanted to try and not surprisingly she picked the chocolate pound cake. Chocolate with KJW is not only a great topper to a meal but also an accessory that goes with any outfit. As you can tell from this photo, she was pleased with her selection.