Real Bites of the Bent Wrench

By Jason Sethre
jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com

Mon, Jan 2nd, 2012
Posted in All Real Bites

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A meatloaf sandwich, gravy and chips at the Bent Wrench.Photo by Jason Sethre

For those of you thinking I have gone on a hunger strike because you haven't seen a Real Bites column for a couple weeks, please be aware that I have still maintained my optimal calorie intake throughout the Christmas holiday family gatherings.

And, no, I haven't eaten so much food that my belly gets in the way of the keyboard when I attempt to write my column, although that would make for an interesting goal for 2011.

Instead, to be quite frank, I have just been so busy keeping up with snow and ice build-up at home and at work. I know I'm not the only one. There is one other guy I talked to who shared the same concern. He goes by the name of Santa, and also enjoys good eats -- namely cookies.

During a free moment at work, my wife (who sits across from me at the office) and I decided to go out for lunch. We made a trip up to the Bent Wrench in Fountain, right on Main Street.

I tend to gravitate toward the daily specials, and the meatloaf sandwich was on the board. Naturally, I ordered that meal, while my wife ordered the Philly steak and cheese sandwich.

I have to admit that when her sandwich came out along with mine, I was jealous.

I felt like I had made the wrong decision, like maybe I was going to have buyer's remorse. Is that possible with something as simple as a meal?

If only I could eat two meals!

Well, I am typically used to having ketchup with meatloaf (how Mom serves it) and didn't see any at our table, so I quickly realized that the cup of gravy was intended as a dipping sauce.

I began my indulgence, and I immediately fell in love with meatloaf all over again. Mom, sorry, but I have falling in love with a new meatloaf combination, and ketchup is a mere back-up to this gravy train.

And, then I saw the pizza of the month was prime rib pizza. Are you kidding me? I love prime rib!

As for the buyer's remorse, my wife let me take a bite of her Philly steak and cheese sandwich, and I think I encountered a win-win situation. I enjoyed my meal and hers.

I feel fortunate to live in an area where we have absolutely no corporate-owned restaurants. Every restaurant in our area is family owned and operated. Every dining establishment in the area provides something unique from the ambiance to the tasty bites that keep us coming back for more. We have a great selection of restaurants right here in our own backyard, and I plan on sharing my dining experiences from one town to the next.

Look for this feature every week in the Fillmore County Journal, along with online under the Real Bites section.

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