I went to one of Bill Clinton's favorite restaurants in Arkansas, which was once described as a 'vegetarian's hell,' to see if the food lived up to the hype - here's the verdict
I arrived at Doe's on a Thursday afternoon in October.
The interior was bigger than I expected, given the restaurant's narrow exterior.
The walls were covered in framed photos.
Of course, there were a ton of photos of Bill Clinton.
I counted at least nine.
There was also a photo of former Democratic presidential candidate and secretary of state John Kerry.
I started with tamales and chili, which my waitress said were two of Doe's specialties.
The chili was thin and the tamales were starchy. Neither was particularly flavorful, but I soon realized I was missing something.
Once I added hot sauce, the tamales' appeal became clearer. The tamales' high bread-to-meat ratio meant they mixed well with other, more intense flavors.
I liked the Louisiana Hot Sauce so much that I didn't bother to even try the other two options.
The tamales were an appetizer for my main dish: a catfish platter with fries. It was overwhelming, and delicious.
The fries were excellent — soft, very salty, and flavored by some kind of cooking oil. The catfish was light on actual fish, heavy on breading, and very crispy. The dish also came with hush puppies.
My meal tasted excellent, but left me feeling very full and sluggish.
I can't imagine working long hours on a presidential campaign after a meal similar to the one I had. I finished my meal at around 2:30 pm and didn't feel compelled to eat until the following morning.
I can see why Clinton ate at Doe's frequently — and why he later became a vegan.
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