Av and I were in Cleveland and considered having supper at K.C.’s, but decided that since we were going to be back there in a couple of weeks, that we would go on up to Clarksdale and have supper at Madidi.
Madidi has been written up *a lot*. It’s probably best known because it’s part-owned by Morgan Freeman, who still lives in the area. We had read so much about Madidi that we were really happy to finally give it a try.
It being the evening before the annual Juke Joint Festival, the only tables available were in the section with the bar, which was fine with us. We were seated in the back, and although the noise was at times a little loud, we were still very happy.
Av orders the spicy catfish cake for appetizer and the petite filets and lobster for his entree. I ordered the lobster bisque and the ‘Delta fish and chips’, which was sea bass (although when I think of a Delta fish, it’s catfish) and the chips were squash chips.
The catfish cake was good but not seasoned enough – especially for it to be called ‘spicy’ – and the sauce that covered the plate was completely tasteless, although made for an attractive presentation. The lobster bisque was also good but not extraordinary.
We were still having a very good time and feeling good that we had *finally* after all this time come to Madidi. Then something bad happened. There was a roach on the wall behind Av. Not a giant palmetto bug, but a roach nonetheless. Now, I don’t handle bugs well, but I was very calm, and when the gentleman who filled our glasses came by, I very discreetly mentioned to him that he might want to take care of the *bug* on the wall behind my husband when he gets a chance. I said it in a giggly non-threatening this-is-not-freaking-me-out way, and he saw the bug and left. I saw him mention it to our waiter.
At this point, you would think one of two things would happen, or maybe both. One would be: very discreetly remove the offending insect. Two would be: move the diners.
Neither happened. The bug stayed on the wall, walking around, doing his own thing the whole time we had supper.
I was thinking that I could be very cool about this, and that some stupid bug wasn’t going to ruin our supper. Bugs are gross, but I shouldn’t be some prima donna that thinks that insects never enter restaurants, no matter how clean, right? I mean, he probably just walked right in the front door earlier that evening and perched on the wall. He probably wanted to see what Madidi was like, too.
And it wasn’t like the wall was two inches behind Av, it was…I don’t know…far enough away so that we were just going to be cool about it.
So our entrees came. Av liked his steak and the lobster, and I thought that my dish – the fish and chips – was especially good. I liked the way that the fish was placed on top of a strip of nova, and what a good match that made.
We were getting to finish our entrees when I looked over at Av and RIGHT NEXT TO HIM ON THE TOP OF THE CHAIR THREE INCHES AWAY WAS YET **ANOTHER** ROACH!!!!
Yuck! It took everything I had not to make a scene. I very quickly backed away from the table, motioned to Av, and we both very hastily sat at another table.
The person who filled our glasses as well as someone else came over and cleaned our original table. We just sat at the other table in shock (okay, I was in shock, Av was icked). Our waiter came over after a couple of minutes and asked if everything was okay. I hesitated (because let’s be real, nobody wants to utter the word ‘roach’ in a restaurant) and then told him quietly our little story. I told him that we really just wanted to pay our check and leave. In the meantime, I left to go sit in the car. I was really trying to be cool about what had just happened, but I was so grossed out that I really just wanted to get out of there. Av says that the waiter came back and told him that our check was taken care of and that they were very sorry. Av told him that he wanted to pay, but it was already done. Well.
So all the way to the hotel that night I had these imaginary bugs on my legs and arms! Ick!!
I **really** wanted to come back and tell everyone how great Madidi was, but…….