At Lambert's They Are Rolling in the Aisles

Granted, these Editor's Notes are supposed to offer helpful tips that you may not know about Sikeston, and chances are, if you have spent any time in or talking about Sikeston, you already have heard about Lambert's Cafe, The Only Home of Throwed Rolls. Or perhaps you've visited one of the restaurant's other two locations in Foley, Ala. or Ozark, Mo. If you have, you probably are making plans for your next visit. And plan you must: at least a day of fasting beforehand is recommended. In addition to the entree you choose, there are continuous, generous helpings of "pass arounds" that are brought around to each table throughout the course of the meal. Servers walk around with tubs of fried okra, fried potatoes, macaroni and tomatoes, black eyed peas, as well as sorghum and honey - the latter two being excellent additions to the giant rolls that are indeed rolled through the restaurant on a tiered cart. Since the 1970s, the rolls have been "throwed" at Lambert's. As the story goes, Norman Lambert, the son of founders Earl and Agnes Lambert, was serving the rolls in the crowded restaurant and couldn't get to one patron who had requested a roll. Seeing Norman's inability to reach him, the patron yelled for him to "Just throw the (expletive) thing!" and the rolls have flown through the air ever since. People who enjoy food are always looking for "a hidden treasure" or a new discovery about which to brag. You'll know this won't be one of those places as soon as you see the rows of tour buses lined up outside the place. However, some things are no longer best-kept secrets for a reason. Fill up at Lambert's and you'll understand why. To read more, check out the Lambert's Cafe Web site.

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