Sedalia - Wheel Inn Restaurant (St. Louis, Poplar Bluff: credit card, hotel, house)

[ShadowCaver]

While visiting w/ my folks over this past weekend, made the mistake, I mean I opened up the most recent 'Rural Missouri' [state-wide magazine published by the MO electric co-ops; btw, this is a quite good read], rambled through a few pages, and,,, hmmmm,,, what is this about a place in Sedalia that has been open for 60 some years, makes a very interesting 'burger, and it is closing, for good, in a month or so?!?!? Well, that means then I guess a road trip - who cares if that means an extra ~5 hours added to the ~9 hours getting back to NE Hoosierana... This is for the one and last chance for usins to eat at this place - sleep be damned!!!

Well, not to bore yas w/ the details, but,,, after the 2.25 hour drive there, over beautiful scenic mid-MO hills and dales and rivers, and being flabbergasted by the idiot that passed us and other cars, disregarding the double yellow line, up a hill, not to be just in front of yours truly in half hour or so... but I digress... we arrived, parked in the shade provided by the overhang, and as soon as some seats were available inside, we buggered quite fastly for those bar stools. Counter is kinda in a U-shape, with us at the 'head' of it, and about 8 seats on either side. Place needs a good wash, but a wrecking ball in ~6 weeks will render that notion meaningless,,, along with the extra 2" of water in the men's bathroom due to the overflowing stool...

After ordering, over the course of the next hour [yes, 60 minutes], while some goof ball thought he lost the one and only set of keys to the van, the van that had our belongings and a black hound in her cage in the back, and wandering about the premises trying to retrace where the damn things could have fallen, while sticking tongue out at the woman who is already slightly frustrated at the extra amount of time added to the trip, and now this fuzzy faced tie-die wearing hillbilly has 'misplaced' the keys,,, again.. ,, oh, where was I,,, oh yea,, after the food finally, FINALLY, was being brought to our contingent [ma, pa, woman, two critters, and the key misplacing fool], those that were seating on either side of us, having the past 45 plus minutes to chat and get to know each other [one family was from Lees Summit, traveling to place at Lake of Ozarks, other ones were actually from ~30 minutes to the east of where my folks live], they all clapped and cheered as the vittles were finally being delivered.

Being ravished, as hadn't ate anything for lunch to prepare and be ready for this sumptuous meal, a meal that would never ever be again upon my lips,,, fries were semi-frozen, the buns were cold, and the guts of the guber burger were lukewarm at best. The drinks that everyone had [cherry Pepsi, chocolate milk, strawberry shake, etc.] were all great. Ma's onion rings could be used for spare tires, they were that hard and cold. Poor waitress, well the one that replaced the one that took our order that evidently left, we were nice when she inquired as to how the food was - just told here that cold and frozen food was not really that which we expected, nor really wanted, not after driving just a wee bit more than a wee bit out of our way for their food.

She brought new fries and onion rings, apologized profusely for the problem, and,,, tore up the bill. That was cool of her. At the end of the day, gave her a $5 tip for her troubles - not her fault that the cook evidently ran out of meat, couldn't get stuff to be warm/hot, and so on... poor waitress, she tried. Oh, the other folks sitting on either side, after chatting a bit more, saying byes and such, both families upped and left, going their own ways, not wanting to wait additional time either - as did 2 other couples over the next few minutes... sad. [oh, and I know it was not because I hadn't showered - I had,,, ummm,,, last Tuesday - so there! ]

Oh, as to the burgers... will say that they were quite good. Smeared peanut butter over double burger patty, two fried eggs, bacon, cheese, and mayo... hmmmm,,, cholesterol be damned!!! Tasted even better of course being free. Shame tho' that the first and last time ever experienced this place, will have slightly more negative connotations than positive...

Anyhow,,, one main point of all this mess is that if you have any hankering to try a unique burger, one that will not never ever be made again in this location by this same restaurant, best make tracks over to the northwest corner of the junction of US65 and US50 in Sedalia, as this place will cease to exist come September 3rd, 2007.

ps: would share photos of building, but the SD card in the camera is messing up, and as I sit here in a TX hotel room I don't have means to retrieve the data from the durn thing... so, might also check out this thread https://www.city-data.com/forum/misso...edalia-mo.html and.or this Wheel Inn - Sedalia, MO. BTW, signs on the building say that only cash is accepted, no credit cards or checks - evidently since they are closing soon, no desire for headaches of such. However, if the food and/or service is as poor as what we experienced, might not have to worry about cash either!!!

pps: would I go back,, yea,,, but then again, I'm foolish guber that loses, errr,,, misplaces the only set of a key, a key that fits a '06 Honda Odyssey minivan, a key that would have had to probably waited until Monday to acquire from a dealer in the area - nevermind the ~12 hour drive to IN yet, and then the 6 hour flight on Monday to Texas... humans... such strange irrational creatures...

ppps: oh, alas, and evidently since (a) I am in Texas getting ready to audit a potential supplier, and (b) I am alive, did find the key... had laid it on top the black lab's dog carrier when went out there to visit her while awaiting the vittles [yes, the back of the van was open, as were the side doors, to provide more than ample ventilation and breeze ]...

pppps: there may or may not have been a few beers and/or glasses of wine consumed during the course of evening meal a bit earlier and/or during the typing of this post... my apologies...

[kareybear]

Wow Shawdowcarver...... Thanks for experience that I will never get to experience. I don't think after reading your stories that I am going to scurry my butt down to that restaurant and have that experience and especially clogging my arteries when them frozen & raw stuff. Thanks for the Story.

[da jammer]

pretty cool looking forum on the Wheel House link

Roadfood.com Forums

[MOHIllbillyWoman]

Hey all, there is a restaurant on the eastern side of MO, definitely south of St. Louis, going down toward Poplar Bluff...anyway it was a fun place to eat. They used, not sure if they are even still there, to throw your rolls to you from wherever they happened to be standing. It was so much fun and the food was pretty good too. Anyone remember what the name of that place is or was?

[da jammer]

Originally Posted by MOHIllbillyWoman

Hey all, there is a restaurant on the eastern side of MO, definitely south of St. Louis, going down toward Poplar Bluff...anyway it was a fun place to eat. They used, not sure if they are even still there, to throw your rolls to you from wherever they happened to be standing. It was so much fun and the food was pretty good too. Anyone remember what the name of that place is or was?

that would be Lamberts...Home of the Throwed Rolls!


Lambert's Cafe - The Only Home of Throwed Rolls

[MOHIllbillyWoman]

Thanks so much dajammer. Yep, that was it. I am glad to see they are still around. We will have to visit there once we get moved to the state. Thank you again so much dajammer.

[ShadowCaver]

Originally Posted by kareybear

Wow Shawdowcarver...... Thanks for experience that I will never get to experience. I don't think after reading your stories that I am going to scurry my butt down to that restaurant and have that experience and especially clogging my arteries when them frozen & raw stuff. Thanks for the Story.

lol,,, well, actually, ours was probably worst case scenario. We got there after the main lunch rush, they ran out of meat, and had a relatively young work crew manning the place... too nice of me to make excuses on their behalf... But, others that were there before we arrived, they were happy, and satisfied. Would love to go back, and give 'em another try - food was unique, and tasty. Oh, for every pound of such, I ride my bike and/or hike for two hours... helps...

[kareybear]

Originally Posted by ShadowCaver

lol,,, well, actually, ours was probably worst case scenario. We got there after the main lunch rush, they ran out of meat, and had a relatively young work crew manning the place... too nice of me to make excuses on their behalf... But, others that were there before we arrived, they were happy, and satisfied. Would love to go back, and give 'em another try - food was unique, and tasty. Oh, for every pound of such, I ride my bike and/or hike for two hours... helps...

Hike for TWO HOURS!!That is NOT LONG ENOUGH....MORE BUDDY MORE BUDDY.

[ShadowCaver]

Originally Posted by kareybear

Hike for TWO HOURS!!That is NOT LONG ENOUGH....MORE BUDDY MORE BUDDY.

yes, master...

yes, master!!!

[bentaxlecrew]

Peanut butter on a hamburger? You all eat some crazy things. I went to North Dakota once and they offered everything you could think of on a pizza. Dill pickles and even green olives! That was strange enough.
Peanut butter?