Lambert's Cafe: As Much A Family Tradition as Silver Dollar City
Written: Mar 19 '06
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Easy to find. Home style. Reasonably priced. Great fun to catch piping fresh rolls!
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: If you go once, you'll go again and again. So will your children as they grow older and take vacations of their own.
|
|
|
| swopedesign's Full Review: Lambert's Cafe |
My family has vacationed in south Missouri since before I was born. Lake Pomme de Terre was my father's vacation-on-a-budget, and it was a grand ol' time every year. Along with camping, sunburns, swimming and scuba diving (my dad has old scuba gear from before it was regulated by the government), we sometimes travelled further south to Branson to enjoy camping at Table Rock Lake and a day at Silver Dollar City.
Though we rarely did anything else because there were price tags attached, my family has continued to visit south Missouri and Branson in particular over the last 40 years. Lambert's Cafe is a fairly recent discovery for our family. My sister and brother-in-law and my nieces and nephews have turned Lambert's into as much a family tradition as south Missouri, Branson, and Silver Dollar City over the past 10 years, and my family (I'm 15 years younger than my sister) has made Lambert's Cafe a regular stop in south Missouri, too. With good reason.
Lambert's is a heckuva lotta fun! There is always excitement and anticipation at Lambert's. There has never been a time that we've stopped and Lambert's hasn't been crowded with people outside, waiting to go into the lobby, or waiting for their party to be called. It's a lot like waiting in line for a great ride at Silver Dollar City, Celebration City or White Water (all in Branson) or any another amusement park. Lambert's is abuzz with voices as everyone waits for their turn to be seated.
Lambert's, one notices immediately, is classic. The entire restaurant features thick, dark wood, from the porch to the tables inside, all of it polished by people as they pass by. The wood decor makes me think of log cabins and general stores from the 1800s. Benches line the porch in front of the restaurant, like an old trading post or general store. Take a b/w picture of Lambert's without the modern conveniences such as electric signs and automobiles and paved parking lot, and Lambert's might fit right into any historic frontier photograph.
Lambert's interior is as much an artifact as the exterior. Inside the lobby we find wooden benches lining both sides of the hall, and hundreds if not thousands of modern memorabilia. There are automobile license plates (most of them personalized in some way), new and vintage metal signs advertising Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, various motor oils, and other such things. Above people waiting in the lobby circles a G-scale (I think) model train, an engine pulling two or three cars all day long. My two-year-old son was mesmerized by this train the whole time we waited to be called on our most recent visit. He nearly got dizzy watching it lazily circle the room above our heads over and over.
The average wait to get into Lambert's is 30 minutes (15 minutes on good days, 45 minutes on bad days). As soon as visitors are seated, they'll notice young Lambert's-clad teenagers waiting tables and dishing out Lambert's free Pass Arounds. Pass Arounds are pots of fried potatoes & onions, macaroni & tomatoes (something like goulash), black-eyed peas, fried okra, sorghum molasses and apple butter. Of course, the molasses and apple butter are for your rolls. Your throwed rolls.
Throwed rolls are Lambert's claim to fame. And with good reason. Who doesn't like fresh baked rolls? Nobody! Every one likes fresh baked rolls. At Lambert's, though, these piping hot, fresh baked rolls are delivered through the air by Lambert's friendly staff. Customers simply raise their hands and catch them, sometimes from clear across the room! Every one loves this gimmick, kids in particular. Many people just raise their hands to catch the fresh, hot rolls, but can't eat every one they catch. It's just too much fun to resist catching just one more roll before leaving. For the kids, the rolls are sometimes too fresh out of the oven and hot to the touch, though I don't know of anyone who has been burned by them. Lambert's rolls are so fresh and delicious that I and many others, I'm sure, have filled up with rolls before getting to the main course.
Lambert's doesn't skimp on the menu items, either, serving home made dishes, sandwiches and desserts. As with most restaurants, Lambert's features chicken, beef, pork, fish, vegetables and dessert. Lambert's doesn't make a bad meal, says my sister, who has likely had every item on the menu over the last 10-15 years. I have to agree, though with less experience. Lambert's food is always hot and fresh and delicious, as good or better than Mom makes! Our family's favorite items are the charbroiled chicken breast, chicken fried round steak, Lambert burger, hot beef sandwich, country ham, baked beans, mashed potatoes, corn, baked potatoes and pineapple walnut salad.
I don't recall that my family has ever had dessert at Lambert's, because not only does Lambert's offer good variety, they also offer large portions, and if the first large portion isn't enough, we need only ask for another, no matter what we've ordered, at no extra charge. One Lambert burger not enough? Get a second Lambert burger when the first one is gone. That chicken fried round steak didn't fill you up? Ask for another. I've only seen a few people ask for seconds, but I understand that every menu item is like a bottomless cup of coffee. Just ask for more. Everyone in my family is simply stuffed by the time we're ready to leave the table. We feel like we have just left Grandma's after Sunday dinner. She doesn't like to leave anyone hungry. Neither does Lambert's Cafe. If you or your family are big eaters, Lambert's is sure to be a hit!
As for dessert, I think maybe next time I am at Lambert's, I'll leave room for dessert! Lambert's desserts are mysterious. I don't remember any of them from the menu, and their web site at ThrowedRolls.com says exactly this about desserts: "We have 'em. Just ask." Neither I nor anyone I know has asked about desserts. So next time I'll have to ask about desserts and and try one out. I believe they'll be home style just like the rest of Lambert's menu, and I bet hot apple pie will be just one of the choices!
Every year we stop again at Lambert's in south Missouri, on Hwy 65, between Springfield and Branson. And every year, my kids ask if we're going to Lambert's while we're in Branson. And if we even pretend like we're not, they're disappointed. As disappointed as though we weren't going to Silver Dollar City, or Celebration City, or White Water, or any of the other attractions in Branson that we anticipate visiting every year.
I expect as my children get married and have children of their own in the next 10 years or more, they'll also take their children to Lambert's as they drive to and from Branson to spend vacations with Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
swopedesign
|
|
Member: Mike Swope
Location: Wichita, KS
Reviews written: 40
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Graphic/web designer. Grew brother's retail tire business. Now managing a similar long-established business.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.