STICKY DOORKNOBS

As good as food gets

It's not the easiest place to find, but once you get there and sink your teeth into pretty much anything on the menu, you'll forget about any misadventures you might have had along the way.

If you don't recognize the place on the left, you haven't driven 11 miles north of Fredericksburg on Texas 87. If you have, your mouth is likely waterin' in a big way by now.

The Hilltop Cafe is one of those must-see stops in the Hill Country, a fascinating place for a number of reasons. Owned by Guitar Johnny Nicholas, who just happened to be on the road with Asleep at the Wheel when we stopped in, the Hilltop is a visual and aural treat. There are more antiquities, oddities and unique signage hanging from the walls and ceilings than any place I've ever been to (my favorite: "Rage Against the Corporate Culinary Machine: Support Family Owned Restaurants).

As one-of-a-kind as the decor and the background music is here, the food trumps everything else, and that's frankly a tall order. The menu has plenty to please no matter what you're in the mood for but officially, this is Cajun fare. The pan fried pork chops with rice gravy was delish, as was a little something called the Blind Pig Sandwich. With fresh hot house tomatoes on top it looked like little more than a bacon pizza, but going down it was about so much more.

As for dessert, the manager told us the same woman has been baking pies for the Hilltop for 20 years. It's no mystery why they'd keep her around: the Blackberry Pie was as good a dessert as I've ever had and the missus said the same about the Pecan Pie.

Check out the Hilltop the next time you're in the Hill Country.  If you're lucky, Guitar Johnny might even sing you a song. And thanks to Teri Carter for the recommendation.

... and now we have some breaking news, let's go to our Sticky Doorknobs food correspondent, Sal Mo Nella ... Sal what do you have for us?

For the first time in six months, this is back on my store shelves again. Being the brave public servant I am, I had two PB&Js for lunch today so you wouldn't have to be the one to go first.

I will report back to you.

Of course, if you don't hear from me for the next week or two, I guess you'll know...

This actually may be the weirdest Sticky doorknobs post ever. To this point.

OK, I know it looks like a simple glass of water in a pink-hued Solo Cup, but it isn't.

What you're looking at is actually an improvement in water and you really should try it if you haven't already. It's cucumber water.

Go buy a cucumber and cut it into slices or cubes, it doesn't matter. But the pieces in a pitcher, fill the pitcher with water and refrigerate.

Take a drink.

I don't know that I've tasted anything that cured a thirst better than cucumber water. Sounds weird, yeah, but it really is very good.

Let me know if you try it and tell me what you think.

Manny knows charm

Some people are put on this earth to make certain other people feel better about life. Mostly they're ministers and doctors and counselors and such, but up there near them you can put Manny Dika, owner of Italian Village in Midland.

Without appearing like this is a blatant commercial for the best place in Midland to eat, Karen and I went to Manny's place for our anniversary over the weekend. We were done with dinner and Manny rolled over a cart draped with a table cloth and a small stove. In front of us, he prepares his world-class dessert, a flambe, a really tasty banana-ice cream-liquor concoction that is simply the best dessert in the world. At least for me.

But as good as the dessert is and as good and as quality as his food is, it's the attention Manny gives those people who come in and share a piece of their lives with him that trumps all else at this place.

An Albanian by way of New York, Manny is all class and will give you the genuine ethnic flare of what an Italian restaurant should look and feel like.

I don't know if I could ever be gifted with the attitude of living my life just to make people have a pleasurable, memorable evening out, but Manny knows precisely how it's done.

Thanks, buddy. Midland is lucky to have you.

Dinner, Anyone?

    I've always viewed it as a compelling question ... and I think while most people's answers would vary widely, there are likely to be similarities in many of the answers.
   The question? Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party? If you could ask anyone, living or dead, to sit down and break bread with you, who would be there? Size doesn't matter.
   Dinner guests at the Patterson fantasy party:

• Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, he's probably booked because chances are, he's on most everyone else's list.
• Fred Rogers. It's been two years in February since Mister Rogers died. Few people had as much common sense as he, and conveyed it in such a peaceful, gentle way. You want role models in today's world ... they may not come much more authentic.
• Theodor Giesel (Dr. Seuss). Just to see the wheels spin and to watch creative genius in action.
• Bill Clinton. Much maligned sure, but living proof that a man can redeem himself in the wake of human frailty and enormous error. Not to mention he is a man of uncommon intelligence.
• Jimmy Carter. Blessed are the peacemakers.
• Billy Graham. See Jimmy Carter.
• Bruce Springsteen. A little social consciousness discussion between Bruce, President Clinton and Jesus Christ would prove pretty fascinating.
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Throw Dr. King into that conversation and watch it take one an entirely new meaning.
• Tom Landry. Just so I could take his hat for him. And watch him listen to everyone seated near him.
• Molly Ivins and Ann Richards. A little after dinner humor to break up the seriousness.
• Roberts Duvall and de Niro. Our finest actors, they could provide a little entertainment over dessert.
• Willie Nelson. He's Willie. What else is needed?
• Jerry Seinfeld. Taking notes for the return of the funniest television program ever.

And of course, what makes lists like this one so entertaining is when others chip in with their own. So feel free to include yours in the comment section ...