Hickory smoke was in the air that night when the beefy, yet Average, Joe first laid eyes on the tantalizing Turkey Crunch. No debate, Turkey Crunch (or TC, as her friends called her) had an incredible edge – an edge that was deep fried and delicious!
You had to admit, TC’s golden fried turkey slices – piled high on a fresh Roma bun –were quite breathtaking, but it was the two delectable strips of crispy bacon and mouthwatering melted provolone cheese that put TC in a class all her own. And just when you thought this Ltd. Reserve hottie couldn’t be more irresistible, she brought on the house-made Chipotle sauce. Yes, TC was all that – and then some.
Hours became days, days became weeks. Joe didn’t have the nerve. Time marched slowly on – like a thick dribble of Zarda Original BBQ sauce on a cold winter’s day.
Now and again Average Joe stole a glance in TC’s general direction – and sighed. To Joe, it was hopeless, after all, what would a dish like TC see in a pile of beef like Joe? TC, she was sleek, a rising star, a social media darling. A genuine Instagram sensation, an influencer. She was THE Turkey Crunch. And he was… just an Average Joe.
Truth be told, Joe was the original. Without Joe there would be no “Limited Reserve.” He was the first, Ltd #1. Now there were a half dozen Ltd’s on the Zarda menu. The Sausage Sandwich shrugged, “Joe, sammys like you and me, we got no chance of bein’ on a tray with a dish like TC. Give it a rest – we’re from the wrong side of the rack.”
Meanwhile, on the front-side, a cute couple in jeans and jerseys made their way to the counter. Through the pass-through window Joe had a clear view – they were laughing, smiling, holding hands no less. Joe sighed. For one, Joe had no hands.
And today, of all days, Valentine’s Day. The happy, happy KC couples, all enjoying delicious Zarda Bar-B-Q. At a booth Joe spied jersey-boy wiping a little sauce with a paper napkin from jersey-girls dimpled cheek – at exactly the same time the Zarda Pitmaster drizzled sauce on Joe and topped him with a Roma bun.
And then it happened – fast. Joe was on a tray, gliding through the dining room, then set on a table and spun around – finding himself face-to-face with… Turkey Crunch. Joe’s back-of-the-house dream was now true: Joe and TC had been ordered together!
Joe was dizzy, but through the hickory haze, Joe saw what he saw – Turkey Crunch was smiling. The fries weren’t surprised, even without eyes. It was obvious, TC had a thing for Joe. To some, Joe may have been just a pile of beef, but TC liked that about Joe – solid, satisfying, and absolutely delicious. But it was more than that, it was: The Onion Rings. Maybe it was their crunch – something Turkey Crunch knew more than a little something about. The truth, TC just had a thing for Onion Rings. And Joe was built for sharing. Maybe this delicious tale of two sandwiches would have a happy ending after all.
Fall in love with your favorites all over again this Valentine’s Weekend at Zarda. For the Love of Q, get on down to Zarda where Bar-B-Q dreams always come true!
