Ketchup, the restaurant

No, we didn't spent the weekend in Hollyweird.

For some reason, the nation's second outpost of the (supposedly) trendy Ketchup restaurant is in Huntsville, Ala. I have no idea why. It's in the same suburban shopping/dining development as another (supposedly) trendy restaurant and bar with Ashton Kutcher ties, Dolce.

You can tell Kutcher has had a role at Ketchup: PBR is on the drink menu.

It's mainly a reworking of American Drive-in Classics. The interior is all red and white and (swinging Austin Powers-style 60s) all over.

The signature appetizer is three kinds of fries (cajun-seasoned shoestrings, sweet potato and parmeson crusted) with five kinds of ketchup (ranging from a sweet yellow all the way through the reds to a red-orange spicy concoction.

Personally, I would have been happier with a big bottle of Heinz.

My wife had chicken mini-tacos ... a dish so cute, somebody ought to show them to Taco Bell.
I had a decent bowl of chili, but honestly it wouldn't shock me if it came out of a Chunky can.

They had sliders, mac & cheese and other stuff. I'm sure it's all about the same.

Bottom line? OK, now I've been there. It makes a cute story.

But the next time we're in the neighborhood, we're going to the Red Robin around the corner.

 

Pallister has no idea why he just got the shakes.

 

I had no idea it was supposed to be trendy. I just thought someone came up with a quirky name for an overpriced burger joint.

You aren't missing anything at that Red Robin, BTW.