The Difference a Day Makes & Exciting Fast Food

I had to travel for work this week. (That's why you're seeing more iPhone pics.)

This was my dinner last night from the new-ish Surdyk’s at the MSP airport on my way out of town. Can I just say, I think Surdyk’s is the most genius little slice of heaven to ever grace MSP. Before Surdyk’s, the food options at MSP were slim. There was the standard fast food. But there wasn’t any Exciting Fast Food (I’ll tell you what Exciting Fast Food is in a sec). There were some totally not-as-good-as-the regular location satellite restaurants. That was about it.

But this Surdkyk’s location (despite being a satellite location) has nailed it. I now make sure to build in an additional 20 minutes into my travel time to stop there when flying out of MSP (preferably more than 20 minutes, so that I can also sit at their bar and imbibe while enjoying their delicious nibbles and sandwiches).

This is their cheese and salumi plate, and I’m quite in love with it. Three delicious imported cheeses. Three different meats, like salami and proscuitto. A garnish of fresh fruit. Nuts. Good bread. Cornichons. Such a civilized and delightful way to start a trip. Even a business trip to Cincinnati.

This was my dinner tonight at CVG. Cincinnati chili.

Okay, so I don’t usually like fast food. I actually generally hate fast food. But there are exceptions, like Exciting Fast Food. What falls into this category? Chik-fil-a, Skyline Chili, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Popeye’s. That’s probably about it. And none of them are in Minneapolis, which I think makes them particularly Exciting.

I love fried chicken. I love waffle fries. I love biscuits. I love Cincinnati chili. And I love donuts.

So, whenever I’m in an airport that I know has such options (and believe me, I remember these things), I always look forward to my reunion with Exciting Fast Food. But here’s the catch: I have to eat fast. And remove myself from the situation. Because if I think about it for too long, I get grossed out. So I usually shovel it in, washing it down with soda, refusing to think, only allowing myself to relish in the junky goodness that I always feel disgusting from afterwards. It’s so good while it lasts.

It didn’t last long tonight. I didn’t eat fast enough. I had to resort to Gold Star Chili, which I had never had, because they didn’t have Skyline in the airport. So I was immediately apprehensive. But I didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity to get Cincinnati chili. The opportunity doesn’t present itself all that often (which I’m thankful for). I started to think a little bit about the meat that was (or wasn’t) in it. It came out with a brownish color that wasn’t overly appetizing. But when consumed with a very generous portion of the grated cheddar that they very generously garnished it with, it actually tasted good (in a junky goodness kind of way, of course).

But my imagination or conscience got the best of me. I had about five bites with regular chewing and breathing time in between them, and I was done. Am done.

And for this reason, I’m hoping you will forgive me for my food cheating. You know I love the good stuff more.