Thanksgiving Dinner 2011

Here's Dan's story:

Picture a family trip in a European sized "multi-purpose vehicle". Now picture said family sitting in a traffic jam on the freeway for well over an hour in said MPV. By this time everyone is starving and there is no end in sight. GPS says a restaurant awaits at the next exit. Takes another 20 min to go the 1/4 mile to that next exit. Restaurant has chandeliers hanging from ceiling which translates to no way are children let alone adults in jeans getting in. And no they won't deliver food to the back door for any price. Server on a smoke break near our boys who are peeing in the bushes says there is a "chicken place" down the road more suitable for families. "Can't miss it. Just look for the giant chicken".

We find the chicken. Unload our MPV and approach. Chicken place looks closed but that is okay because there is another place next store. Enter Gonzales Barbecue restaurant. That's right. A Mexican Barbecue restaurant somewhere off some exit on the way from The Netherlands to Germinary ( that is Collin speak for Germany). Did I mention that it is Thanksgiving?

We are on a role at this point but it doesn't matter because bladders are no longer near exploding and I would settle for a piece of bread. This Mexican Barbecue Restaurant has several tables set up surrounding gas fired BBQ coals. Picture Benihana's but with coals not griddles, fake plastic cactus and sombreros on the wall but with an English pub vibe near the bar and a Sizzler buffet set up. It gets better.

You know you're in trouble when the server points to said Sizzler looking buffet and announces "everyone is going to cook their own dinner". Collin and Jake McGhie - the 4 yr olds in the bunch - ( we are traveling with a great family in our branch) are just now getting over the fact that there are steak knives at their place setting. When told we are going to take long metal objects and stick meat on them and cook our food over the fire they decide it is more like Xmas than Thanksgiving.

Our crowd of 12 ( each family has 4 kids somewhat close in age) sets off to distinguish the meat from the chicken from the fish. Did I mention that there is Indian and Japanese flavored raw stuff and who knows how many other styles at this United Nations Sizzler buffet of uncooked food? Don't forget you are at the Gonzales Barbecue restaurant. Don't see anything you like? That's okay there are French fries. Guess what anyone under 12 ate for most of their dinner?

We made the most of it, found some things down right tasty, and ended up leaving our new found Mexican BBQ joint thinking we just may have found a new Thanksgiving tradition while in Europe. In the coming years when I wake up on Thanksgiving with an insatiable craving for Curry flavored chicken cooked on meat skewer along side some teriyaki beef you'll know why.....

Love to all.

Dan