El Rey Abides

These Dudes Abide.

Anyone who has seen the cult-classic: "The Big Lebowski" knows that it is at its core a formula detective whodunit except that the "detective" is a stoner. The "logic" flowing from a conversation between The Dude (Jeff Bridges), Donnie (Steve Buscemi) and Walter (John Goodman) is so spacey that the fact that vandals who by a case of mistaken identity break into the Dude's apartment and pee on the Dude's oriental rug "that tied the whole room together" becomes the responsibility of the other or "Big Lebowski" the vandals meant to terrorize. It is sort of like the logic which we often utilize on LITG to tie current events with restaurants.

So what do El Rey (the King of Burritos) and The Big Lebowski have in common? Here is what El Rey had to say about that:

"On the evening of September 15 the President of Mexico will begin Mexico's Independence Day with the ringing of bells and the Grito Mexicano.  Each year we celebrate by cooking our famous version of carnitas.

We've managed to get the Capri Theatre to participate in our celebration by showing The Big Lebowski. We are almost certain that Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla used the words "dude' and "abide" at least once in the Grito de Dolores."

I say: YAAAAHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...... the.Dude abides! (And Mexico should be free from Spanish colonial rule...I guess). 

The 15th was a great night to stop by good ole El Rey, devour some carnitas and catch one of my favorite movies.  Carnitas consist of braised (as opposed to debased) pork and are eaten alone or they can be used to fill tacos or burritos. The pork is first simmered for a long time to make it really soft and then braised in the oven to make it crispy. The recipe is very simple and does not involve any chili sauces.  At El Rey they serve them by themselves.

Carnitas on the right.

Unfortunately, while a big fan of El Rey, the carnitas were not very hot (temperature-wise) and sort of bland.  Perhaps they are famous for other types of carnitas but the ones I had were not very noteworthy. Coupled with the fact that you have to buy the chips and salsa at El Rey, if it were not for the PBR tallboys, it might have been a downer meal not suitable for watching a classic Stoner movie immediately thereafter. But as the Dude would say: "Well, man, that's just your opinion, man."

PBR to the rescue!

Fortunately, after two tallboys the meal came together sort of like the rug in the Dude's apartment brought the whole room together. It was an appropriate prelude to one of the funniest movies that ever sprang from the loins of the Coen Brothers.  Seeing Lebowski on the big screen (completely uncensored) is a must for those who get it. Those that do not get the movie just will never understand it.  Sort of like Raising Arizona.  Either you thought it was hilarious when the wife tells the husband: "Ty, go back there and get me a toddler. The've got more than they can handle" or you don't. Which brings me back to El Rey.  Either you like the artsy-fartsy bohemian atmosphere and the food or you just don't. We at LITG like it, especially when seated in your bathrobe outside with a White Russian in fist. From such a perch the Old Cloverdale world jogs by at a snail's pace.  And as the warm glow of a Montgomery afternoon and alcohol washes over you, you can almost hear "The Stranger," in his cowboy twang say: "The Dude Abides? Why, we can all take comfort in that."



"...WTF?"



The G8 Band: Sounds from the Gump



Two old-favorites of Gumpers everywhere together at last!


As you know, you are currently reading the number one blog in the world dealing with food, booze, books, politics, music, football and hair cuts in Montgomery, Alabama a/k/a "The Gump." Although we do not like to brag, one of our lesser-known areas of expertise is local music. One or two of our Gumpheads have even been known to pick a Martin D-28, twinkle a Fazioli or honk on a Hohner when sufficiently lubricated with personality sauce. In full throat, they might even remind you of a barn full of foaling mares. So we have street cred in the Gump when it comes to music.


If you are a true Gumper or have more than a passing acquaintance with local music, I need say no more than G8 and you will instantly know who I am about to discuss. G8 can only refer to the Gump's own "Gate Band." There are two reasons for LITG reviewing the Gate Band at this time: One, the just finished a very successful benefit concert for our local treasure of an independent film theatre: The Capri Film Society (see poster below) and two, if we don't mention them soon some of these old geezers may kaack on us and destroy the Karma (just kidding Ham).

Seriously, the origins of the Gate Band run very deep. They can be traced back to the late 1960s and early 1970s when almost everybody in what was then referred to as Montgomery, went to public high schools and the coaches hit you with boat paddles when you mentioned The Grateful Dead. It was back when Pappas was so lazy he used to say "gate" to mean "great" so he could avoid pronouncing or writing the "r" (just kidding Greg). What was really funny (and frightening at the same time) is that so many people thought Pappas was cool they copied him and a "great" local band had a name that stuck: The Gate Band.

I won't bore you with the details, Mitch can manage that if you have time to drink a six-pack (just kidding Mitch), but over the years The Gate Band has played almost anywhere anyone would listen a set list of songs that most of us old-Gump types have committed to heart. The G(r)ateful Dead's "Friend of the Devil;" Willie Nelson's "Whiskey River;"and that Van Morrison song Tabor always thinks he can sing (Whoa Domino!) all bring back fond memories of good times getting pleasantly crunk to the sound of good music played and sung by "gate"  local musicians and our friends.

Actually, these guys are a local treasure like the Capri. Someone should be congratulated for coming up with the idea to match them up together so we could enjoy them both on this past February 19th where they played to a large crowd of enthusiastic fans and some "noodlers."

The band played all their best songs including one of my favorites: "There Stands the Glass."  The only complaint I heard were that the concert did not last longer....

The G8 Band in the Green Room before getting whiskeyed up for the show at Workplay.

The Bud's Burger is Smokin' Hot

I know it is not really "Kobe" beef and I really do not like eating in a smoky bar,  but every now and then I have to have a "Bud's Burger Fix," and while waiting for my escort to arrive for the "Coco Before Chanel" movie at the Capri (which was a good flick by the way), I walked across the street to 1018 E. Fairview to the little nondescript hole-in-the-wall sports bar known to all in Cloverdale as just "Bud's."

"Buds" is the realm of one Bud Skinner who also owns Jubilee Seafood down the street. Bud rules his realm as a benevolent dictator with an iron fist.  Bud's has pool tables, shuffle board, sports on TV and, if you are hungry, "brisket" sandwiches and my favorite: The "Kobe" Beef Burger.  I usually order the burger with cheddar "all the way" and with the fries.  Because it takes a while to fully cook this 1/2 pound mound of beef, the wait provides a sufficient excuse to enjoy a Pabst from the tap while evesdropping on the lobbyists over in the corner regaling each other with their stories of political intrigue. If that were not entertaining enough, I could watch one of about eight screens above the bar, one of which was showing the finals of the NCAA women's soccer finals at UNC.  Sorry, no hair pulling this time. And although no one would ever tell Bud to his face: Get some more HDTV flat screens!

Once the star of the evening arrives from the kitchen, I always suggest cutting the thing in half so you can handle the girth of the burger (and make sure it is done), especially if you added the bacon, cheese, pickles and lettuce that comes when you order it "all the way."  The steak fries that you can order with the burger are also thick and large.  Together, it is a lot of food for a little money and the PBR's are cold and also cheap.  If you can stand the smoke (which isn't that bad early in the evening) it is a great place for the occasional big burger.  If you haven't tried Bud's I suggest you ignore the locals and "Sad Girl," (most don't bite) and make yourself at home at the bar.  If you give them a name, the next time you come in they will remember you and probably what you ordered.  "Cheers" for Montgomery.

Bud's opens around 4 p.m. for the early crowd and stays open into the wee hours for the college kids.