Essentials: Throwed Rolls, Lambert's Cafe, Sikeston, Missouri
It started as a joke
It started as a joke during a busy mealtime rush: “Just throw the damn thing!” Today, it’s a beloved tradition. For more than forty years, puffy, buttery-fresh dinner rolls have flown around this cartoonish restaurant, straight from the bow-tied waiters to your hands. Even from long distances, their aim is surprisingly good. Thankfully, they don’t throw the accompanying apple butter and honey. Lambert’s is unabashedly tacky and a total blast. Elvis ate there once. No word on whether or not he had to catch his roll. —Jeff Ruby
Jeff Ruby is a Chicago-based writer. He was formerly the chief dining critic at Chicago magazine, and his writing has appeared in Esquire, GQ, Time, Newsweek, Men's Journal, and Southwest: The Magazine.
Kevin Necessary is a freelance illustrator and editorial cartoonist. He is currently the editorial cartoonist for The Cincinnati Enquirer. His cartoons are syndicated by GoComics, and his cartoons have been published in a variety of publications such as The Week and Politico. A Cincinnati native, Kevin will fight to the death defending Cincinnati chili. He lives with his wife, Julie, and three cats, Huckleberry, Grayson, and Bonnie.