That playful query captures the spirit of Captain Banana's restaurant on North Beach -- fun.
Inside, six clocks show the time in far-flung places such as New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo. But not Corpus Christi. Multi-colored fans whirl overhead. Interesting hubcaps hang above the bar and a jukebox stands beckoning against one wall.
The selection is eclectic and fun: "Doo-Wah-Diddy," "Chantilly Lace," "Heart of Rock and Roll," "When a Man Loves a Woman."
Outdoors, there are even tables next to a sand volleyball court. The menu is good munchie food. Lots of appetizers, salads, sandwiches -- and banana splits.
We decided on onion rings and what the menu called stuffed jalapenos with red peppers filled with cheese and shrimp. They arrived HOT, temperature-wise, and a little spicy, too. The gooey cheese strung out of my first bite and landed -- plop -- on the table. Good thing that a roll of paper towels is anchored to the center of every wooden table.
I couldn't find a lot of shrimp, but the red pepper was a nice change. The dipping sauce was Thousand Island dressing, so I asked for ranch. Both came in highly-portable little plastic containers.
My friend, who considers herself an onion-ring connoisseur, pronounced Captain Banana's version a success. The large, thick rings had a crisp, golden coating that stayed attached to the sweet onion.
For lunch, I had the captain's burger. The thick, juicy beef was cooked a perfect-pink medium rare. The toppings included ham and cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise. The smoky ham and melted yellow cheese added enough height that I had to cut the burger in half to get a hold of it. The honey taste of the ham added a dimension to the burger that I really liked. Steak-cut fries also came piping hot.
One friend tried the steak sandwich -- thinly sliced, marinated flank steak on a square bun. Loads of meat were piled on.
Another friend opted for a cheese pizza. At 12 inches in diameter, this was definitely a two-person dish. The thin, all-one-level crust with short pieces of mozzarella browned on top made it look a little like it could have been frozen.
The server had a great smile. She seemed a little distracted, but she joked with us about items on the menu -- a bottle of champagne and 24 wings, only $249, free seagull food available upon request.
Between the appetizers and my captain's burger, I ended up taking a lot of food home. But it was fun nibbling while we chatted.
Next time I am going to go for happy hour or dessert when I can just kick back and enjoy without having to return to that awful everyday-life monster -- work.
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