Re: Another Chicago food experience?

Andy wrote:


Another TV show "Paradise: Diners" on Travel Channel showcased Ed Devebic's in Chicago.

What makes it such a popular diner? The waitstaff insults the customers as some sort of comedic entertainment. And they countertop dance from back in the 50's?


Geeze... Sounds like Joe's Crab Shack. I hatehatehate that sort of nonsense. Every ten minutes or so the entire waitstaff drops everything to stage an "impromptu" dance routine. And meanwhile, your food sits cooling in the back...

If I'd known it was THAT kind of place my family and I would never have darkened their threshold. Even my kids - pre-teens at the time - thought it was stupid. Just fix my food correctly and deliver it promptly. If I want to watch dumbasses dance I'll go to a club.

The only time I've ever truly enjoyed dancing by a restaurant employee was about 25 years ago, down in the Yucatan. It was an open air restaurant, thatched roof, bamboo beams, concrete floor, out in the middle of nowhere. Lizards and cats running around, great food and cheap, too. We were the only gringos.

One of the waitresses got off work but stayed over, drinking shots with the handful of guests still there. Classic mayan gal, short, pushing 40, shading into stocky; if you saw a still photo of her you'd have judged her plain but she had a great laugh.

But then her favorite song came on the radio and all alone she got up and danced and there wasn't a person there who wouldn't have called her beautiful. She was sunlight and palm tree shade, cool breezes, turquoise water; tequila and clean sweat. Not a single overtly lewd move but she made me almost sorry to be straight and they should have passed out drool bibs to the menfolk.

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