Rural Missouri - August 2022 - 31

Mammoth, memorable sandwiches and burgers in Paradise
by Paul Newton | pnewton@ruralmissouri.coop
B
eing imaginative with her cooking is nothing new to
Katherine Wald. Raising two sets of twins, born two
years apart, put her creative cooking skills to the
test. April Fools' Day meals consisted of items like
what appeared to be a grilled cheese sandwich, but was
actually pancakes with frosting. Or it might be a scoop of
yogurt with a peach on top that looked more like a fried
egg made by the now restaurateur.
" Now they're getting older and don't think it's as fun
anymore, " she says. " I feel like my customers are my kids
now that I get to cook for them. I try to go over the top with
what I make and get reactions out of them. "
Katherine and her husband, Seth, own Captain's Corner
in Paradise. The couple bought the existing grill, general
store and gas station fi ve years ago and have been feeding
hungry boaters, farmers and everyone in between since.
They're known for serving up mammoth mounds of meat
between sliced bread, particularly as their daily specials.
" There was an established menu when we bought it, "
she says. " I didn't want to change everything right away,
so we just kind of found out what would work and what
didn't. Right as we hit our stride COVID hit. We were
worried, so many restaurants closed. I wanted to fi ght for
my business that I love so I started going nuts with these
crazy creations as daily specials and it just took off. "
How crazy? A 14-inch tortilla stuffed with homemade
macaroni and cheese, fried chicken strips, buffalo sauce
and Flamin' Hot Cheetos crumbles. A Spaghetti Grilled
Cheese featuring provolone, Parmesan and mozzarella
cheeses with spaghetti and housemade meat sauce
between two slices of garlic bread. Or a pork tenderloin
sandwich topped with tater tots, nacho cheese sauce and
jalapenos. And don't forget about the foot-long tacos on
Tuesdays.
Katherine starts the tacos with a 12-inch tortilla she
fries to order with the assistance of two pizza pans bent
to the shape of a taco shell. Once cooked, the shell gets a
layer of tater tots, seasoned ground beef, housemade chipotle
cream, shredded cheese, lettuce and pico de gallo.
" Some people are hesitant of the tater tots, but we usually
can convince them to try it, " she says. " All the fl avors
go so well together and the homemade pico tops it off. We
try and take the extra steps to make it special. "
Katherine's specials are offered every weekday and
posted on the restaurant's Facebook page in the morning.
Don't worry if the special is sold out when you arrive, the
menu is full of unique options.
" This restaurant has always been known for its Cheeseburgers
in Paradise, " she says. " If someone has never been
here before I always tell them to go for the cheeseburger. "
The Captain's Classic is a traditional cheeseburger
featuring your choice of one, two or three one-third pound
marinated and seasoned beef patties with plenty of cheeses
from which to choose. Add bacon or grilled onions for a
bite to remember.
Other options include the BBQ Bacon Cheddar, Spicy
Jalapeno and Mushroom Swiss burgers. Show up with an
unreasonable appetite after a day of boating on Smithville
Lake and Katherine has choices for you.
The Munchie Burger is a former daily special that
Katherine said was popular enough to make the everyday
menu. It starts with Captain's Corner's double bacon
Left: Katherine shows off the signature Tuesday special at Captain's Corner, a 12-inch, house-fried taco fi lled with tater tots, beef, housemade
chipotle cream, shredded cheese, lettuce and pico de gallo. Below: Cheeseburgers in Paradise are the specialty at Captain's Corner. If it's your fi rst
visit, go with the Double Captain's Classic with two patties, cheese, bacon and all the fi x-ins served alongside sweet potato fries.
AUGUST 2022 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP XX

Rural Missouri - August 2022

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