| Great ball of fire >> Hot dogs, hot rods and hot summer nights at the Orange Julep
Ugly as its surroundings may be, for more than 60 years the bright orange ball has successfully beckoned to the thirsty and the hungry. The big news this year is that the Julep has expanded considerably. It’s still 40 feet in diameter, but the menu has widened dramatically to offer a veritable cornucopia of fast food, available 24 hours a day on site or by delivery. As for the juleps themselves, no worries-it’s the same old secret formula. The sweet, creamy, frothy drink is piped out from the top of the structure in small to extra-large formats ($1.73–7.25). Nutritious and delicious, each glass contains a good dose of vitamin C, a bunch of carbs and supposedly no fat. The original recipe is now also offered with other fresh fruits blended in, like pineapple, strawberry or banana, but I’m too much of a purist to try any of these newfangled variations. For me, the unadulterated julep is the taste of summer in the city-besides maybe a gulp of chlorinated water from a public pool, a lungful of tar from a roof job up the street, or the thick sweet smell of freshly cut grass. All the other classic orders are still available, too: decent hot dogs, pogos, hamburgers and fries. I was relieved to find that the greasy goodness of the onion rings has remained intact. We tried a couple of new items to go with them. The salmon burger ($6 with fries, slaw and a medium julep), a square breaded patty with a lightly crunchy exterior and moist pink fish inside, was pretty darn good. The chicken burger, on the other hand, made with slices of meat, was bland and disappointing. The new menu also features a number of sandwiches, from the standard club to spareribs to Debreceni or Italian sausages. We sampled the roast beef sandwich ($3.95), which turned out to be surprisingly yummy-thin slices of tender meat cooked up with onions, topped with melted cheese, served on a submarine-style bun with your choice of regular or Dijon mustard. In addition to an array of gross-looking poutines with meat sauces, pizzas and breakfasts, the kitchen has also branched out into Asian dishes, but I can’t imagine eating a microwaved stir-fry in the shadow of a glowing orb. Far easier to manage are sweet treats like banana splits ($3.25) and cones of soft swirly ice cream that any self-respecting roadside attraction should have. For car-side service, you can place your order with the roller girls, or alternately take a seat at one of the picnic tables. In an extension of the same automotive adulation that
first inspired this eye-catching structure, the Julep hosts classic
car and motorbike enthusiasts on Wednesday nights. It’s worth
stopping by to check out the meticulously maintained vintage wheels.
A huge trophy for Orange Julep Car of the Year will be awarded at the
end of this month, so start casting your votes! Feedback? restoagogo@hotmail.com |