Phipps Feeding Fiasco

The experience

Right before dinner, I received a page that I’d be expecting an admission at the hospital, so we’d have to take separate cars and plan for somewhere en route to down town.  I gave Ogre a couple of choices and we decided that the kids would probably like BBQ the best, so we decided on Spring Creek BBQ off 75.  I was with the kids at Lolo and Lala’s house and Ogre would be coming from home.  I, of course, got there first despite stopping to get gas and having to load up two wily children. It actually worked out okay as Benji fell asleep on the way to the restaurant. 

As Ogre was helping me get the kids out of the car, he noticed a Mercedes come along and hit a Suburban parked in the lot and then drive off!  I got the license plate and Ogre wrote it all down to give to the manager so the poor guy that owned the Suburban wouldn’t be totally screwed when he saw his tail light busted. 

I got in line to order food.  We’d be in that line for a good 15 minutes.  When Ogre came up, Benji, who has become quite the Papa’s boy, immediately wanted him to hold him.  The kids and Ogre wandered a bit while I held our place in line.  As we got closer to the counter, Ogre walked up with Benji and I watched in horror as Benji acted as if he was going to hit the gentleman in front of us with his hand!  Luckily, Benji’s arms are short.  He may have just been “kidding” around as he did have quite the mischevious smile on his face as he was doing it.  Geez.  That would have been so embarrassing! 

 Mina decided she wanted a tray and to carry it herself.  She begged and begged, so I decided she could have a tray.  She was disappointed that there was nothing on her tray (she and I were going to share the ribs).    I put the side of sauce and an empty plate on her tray and she was quite pleased.  Of course, when it was time to walk to the table and actualy carry the tray, she wanted to dump that on Mommy.  Nope, I told her, she wanted the tray, she has to carry the tray.  She very carefully carried her tray to the table.  She was a little concerned that she’d spilled some of the sauce, but I told her she had done a great job!

We got settled in and started cutting up this and that for the kids.  Benji immediately wanted some of the corn even though I told him it was hot.  Mina was busy buttering her bread and when Benji saw this, he looked at me earnestly, nodded his head, and with all his might, said, “Want breh pease” (I want bread please.)  Well, that’s the cutest thing ever.  Ogre got the bread lady to come over to bring some bread. 

Unfortunately, what he really wanted was the butter that comes on the bread.  I buttered him a piece and he licked off the butter and handed it back, “mo burr” (more butter).  Ogre took another piece of bread and tried to hide the butter in the middle of the bread.  Benji just used his finger to dip into the hole with the butter and licked his finger instead.  I put an end to that, no more bread and butter for Benji. 

Ogre cut the meat off the ribs for Mina, but Mina was more enthralled with the bones and fascia that was left behind.  She actually picked up one of the rib bones, sucked on the end of it and said, “Mmm, this is good.”  We told her that there are people who like the marrow.  I think it’s kind of gross.  Then she asked us what the hard clear remnant was and I told her it was fascia, well, that opened a can of worms.  Meanwhile, she’s not really eating her actual meal.  She started asking what this and that were eating.  I looked at her and said, “I don’t know but what I do want to know is what is Mina eating?”  because she wasn’t eating and she laughed and said, “Good one, Mommy! That was a good one!”  Where does she pick up these phrases?

Mina ended up making one of her famous BBQ meat sandwiches and poured  a ton of sauce on it, I actually had to tell her to chill out on the BBQ sauce.  She loved it and sang its praises.  Whatever it takes for her to eat well!

I told her to hurry up and finish eating because I had to head to the hospital.  Her smart you know what reply, “Hurry…I have to go to the Children’s Hospital to see [my partner's name]” (she thinks that I’m always going to see my business partner when I go to work).  I said, “No, I’m not seeing her.”  And then, her smart you know what father replied, “Don’t worry, Mina, Mommy is never too far away from her.”  referring to my, as he calls it, Crackberry.

With that, it was time to head out.  I helped Ogre to his car and then drove on down to take care of sick children.

The food

Meat and sides.  That’s what they serve here.  Turkey, Sausage, Ham, Chicken, Ribs.  BBQ sauce.

I ordered the Pork Ribs and on the side picked out the potato salad, corn on the cob, and macaroni and cheese.  The pork ribs were pretty tender, but weren’t “fall off the bone.”  I liked the BBQ sauce (as did Mina), but Ogre thought it was “way too sweet.”  Believe me, it wasn’t.  I really enjoyed the potato salad here,  it is mustard based and had a nice pickle flavor to it also.  Complimented the BBQ sauce really well (sweet and sour-ish).  I also love corn on the cob and this did not disappoint.  I did not like the macaroni and cheese very much, but Mina liked it a lot.  I thought it tasted too much like cream and not enough cheesy, if that makes sense.

Ogre ordered the Turkey Salad.  He said that it was disappointing to be eating this in a BBQ joint.  But the salad itself was fine and the turkey was fine.  That’s the sad little diet talking.

Mina and Benji just shared with me and they enjoyed it quite a bit.  They have child’s plates of the adult offerings that come with two vegetables and a drink.

The service

I’m going to call this “cafeteria service.”  It’s not quite counter service, but you stand in line, grab your tray and tell the peole behind the counter what you want.  You get your own drinks, pay and sit down.  They did have “bread ladies” come around with fresh, hot bread, which was nice. 

The kids

Well, I can tell you our kids HEART Spring Creek BBQ.  It’s an average kid friendly restaurant -they have a kids menu, but no kids activities, but since it’s cafeteria service, there’s no waiting around (except when you’re in line).  It’s casual and laid back and there were  a lot of kids in the restaurant.

I think it’s pretty good BBQ for Dallas and they have pretty good sides, as well.  It’s not my favorite, but I wouldn’t hesitate to go with the family!

Mina’s impression of a unicorn:

Total: $24 and some change

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• Benji’s Lunch at Jason’s Deli
• Kids Eat Free at Applebee’s…but is it worth it?
• On the Border of Pukedom
• Les Phipps a La Madeleine
• Late Night Meet Up at El Chico