**ffrrp* *buurrrp* ('scuse me)

*bbrrfffp*

Just got back from the Hard Rock Cafe, Oslo.

I actually had fairly low expectations because it seems like many "American style " places around here just never really get it. I mean, it's close, but there is always something not quite right and it ruins the experience. (Like the time I order fajitas and they came cold with more pineapple and corn than chicken pieces and with parsley as the main seasoning. Not terrible, mind you, but not actual, real fajitas.) (Let me also say, I rarely eat at American style places, but sometimes, you just gotta have a bite of home, you know? So back off, all you people who think we only want things the American way. That's not the case at all.) Also, we had a disapointing experience at a Hard Rock in Copenhagen last time we were there, so I did not expect much.

Lemme tell ya, the Hard Rock did not disappoint. In a word, YUM.

We started off with a plate of nachos, which cost just over $20. We didn't flinch (much) because that's par for the course here. Things just cost. You get used to it. When the nachos arrived, I was BLOWN away by how BIG they were. Like, real, big American nachos! Big! Huge! Cheesy! They even had JACK cheese on them. Jack cheese is not available in grocery stores. I even asked the waitress to find out where it came from, she said that the Hard Rock IMPORTS it! Jack Cheese! Oh heaven! Those nachos were so worth the cost, especially by Norwegian portion standards. It would have fed us for a week......

We ate every bite of that whole huge plate of nachos. Beans, guac, salsa, pico, cheese, chips, everything. I swear, I felt like I had just come off a desert island and landed on some sort of American food heaven alternate universe. They were perfect in every way. Oh, Lord, yes, I now have a place to go for my cheesy Mexican cravings.

Rich ordered a burger for his main, and I ordered fajitas. I was impressed when the waitress asked me how I wanted them cooked. Wow, I get a choice? I said rare as I can get 'em. Rich asked for medium rare for his burger.

Burgers are always dicey to order hereabouts. I got one, once, at TGI's in Oslo, and it was tiny and dry. This is a common problem throughout Europe, with burgers. I usually just save the craving for when I get home. I mean, burgers are NOT a native European food, so I don't expect perfection, but I continue to try every so often when the cravings hit too hard. I got the fajitas because I figured less chance of disappointment and they came with more JACK cheese...yum!

When the food came....I was almost jealous of Rich's burger. It was BIG it was JUICY it was flame broiled and it was GOOD. A perfect burger. A perfect, $20 burger. The onion rings were gorgeous, crispy and oniony good.

My fajitas were good, too. Cooked to order, the beef nice and rare and the chicken flavored nicely as well. Loaded with cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream and CHEESE! Unfortunately, the nachos were so good and so big that by the time I got my food....I could only eat the one taco. I felt like a total wimp. I finally get to strap on a Texas sized food bag...and I can't do it. Damn my European influenced eating habits. Make them go away!

To drink I had a Hurricane (I splurged, it cost around $17, but it was good, ) and Rich had two Guinnesses. I was just about as happy as a Karla can be, especially when they played a NIN song directly followed by Cameo's "Word Up". I figure, any restaurant that will play Nine Inch Nails and feed me jack cheese is alright with me.

As for dessert? We wimped out. Just could not do it. We really wanted to, but the bellies did not want what the heads wanted and we urped our way out of the joint happy and fat.

Total spent including a large-by-Norwegian-standards tip was 900 nok, which is about $145. Expensive, sure, but cheaper than a ticket home.

Happy Birthday honey. I sure am glad I got to share that one with you.......