First, let's take a stop in Mebane, North Carolina so that we can go to the Blue Ribbon Diner. In November, I trekked back to Winston Salem for a band clinic, and on the way, my father and I stopped at this wonderfully homey diner.
When you get off of the Mebane exit on highway 40 west, you drive off on a road and come to this sign, which points you in the right direction, in case you can't see this:
After taking this, I look back and think that this picture looks a little surreal.
Like something you would see in heaven. Or something like that.
Once you enter this fine establishment, you are met with wonderfully southern folk who promptly seat you and offer you drinks. Looking around, you see a place that has truly found its niche in the town it resides, as you see pictures of the local high school sports teams and yearbook clippings from high school senior classes of the past. As I looked at the menu, I saw that their sweet tea (a southern staple) was "award winning," so I decided to give it a shot.
Please excuse the messy paper in the background.
I took a sip, and it was not noteworthy. It was sweet, but it had a bit of a bitter aftertaste, so I put some lemon in it, and it made it better. Overall however, the tea did not live up to the high standards that southern society has set for it. Although the lemon covered up the bitterness, it was not sweet enough to make a lasting impression. It actually reminded me of the taste of powdered Lipton tea with sugar in it. So I ended up just drinking water.
However, what they lacked in tea, they made up for in actual food. Blue Ribbon is famous for their "AppleJack" chicken marinade, so I decided to indulge in a grilled AppleJack chicken sandwich with french fries.
Mmmmmmm... How yummy!
This was an awesome sandwich. The chicken was mildly sweet, but mixed with the cheddar, bacon, lettuce, and tomato that were on the sandwich, the mixture of flavors just exploded in my mouth. I wasn't sure that the cheddar really belonged, but its sharpness really complemented the sweetness of the bacon and the chicken, and really added something to sandwich.
On the side, they served fries with ranch sauce, and they were actually delightful. It was obvious from the color of the fries themselves that they were originally frozen, but their shape was able to make up for the lack of freshness. They were shaped like steak fries, but they had ridges in them, which added an interesting texture bonus that helped the fry gather more ranch dressing. The ranch and the fries went together well, since the fries themselves did not have salt on them. It's a combination that I don't think I would have come up with, but it works, so I think I will try it in the future.
On a side note: if, on an off chance, you find yourself at this little establishment in rural North Carolina, don't order the green beans. They are from a can and just lack any semblance of flavor. Just take my word for it.
Blue Ribbon Diner has such a homey charm, and the food is good, making it a favorite every time I happen to be driving US 40 Westbound. If you happen to be in the area, give it a shot. You will enjoy it for all that it is, not just the food.
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