I wasn’t in the mood to travel anywhere for lunch today; it’s definitely not happening….thanks to a dead scanner at my desk, and the fact that it took Theo the IT guy to try out three different scanners so to get the right one in perfect working condition, and it took an ENTIRE hour to set it up, my cool disposition is now a thing of the past.

So, due to the scanner and three missed calls from my husband, I carried my annoyance like a pug puppy; my face frozen into “resting bitch face”, which I wear when I’m thinking deep thoughts.

“Is everything okay with the salad? I see you’re not eating most of it…” 

Two servers at the Van Dam Diner (a short stroll and a big meal, killing two birds with one stone) asked me this, in their gruff and warm way. Sigh. I apologize that my annoyed expression had caused you any alarm. It’s not you, it’s me.

And it’s not about the salad: The BBQ Ranch chicken salad special is so immense!

It is loaded with grilled chicken breasts cut in strips, fried onion strings, avocado, black beans, corn, cucumbers, green peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, BBQ sauce and Ranch dressing.

It was a mountain of food (it’s just a salad?!), that I couldn’t finish. I could never finish a plate at Van Dam Diner; damn, it’s way too much. The flavor was great though!

I commented to the waitress: “It was too big for me. If it was half the size, it would have been perfect.”

(And I’m sorry about the resting bitch face. Annoyance can be a toxic side order. It’s me, not the food, or you. You were great!)

God, I hope my evening turns out better…

Enjoy!