Joe Champs

Tonight, Dan, Kristian and I went to "Joe Champs American Sportsbar Restaurant." It's an American place over in Berges du Lac, which is the huge development being put in along Lac Tunis. The development is being financed by the Saudis, and is basically one of the hottest properties in all of Tunisia. However, since it's a Saudi development, there's no alcohol around, at least until 2010.

Joe Champs is situated right next to a restaurant called "Mississippi," which is essentially a recreation of a river steamboat on dry land. You have to walk over a little bridge to get on it. Frankly, I'm a little bit scared about going there, but I feel obligated to give it a shot (and bring my camera). Joe Champs itself is basically, as the name implies, a recreation of an American sports bar, sans the alcohol (which I would argue is the most important ingredient). Their walls are filled with sports posters, a beer sign or two, along with paraphernalia from all sorts of different sports, including posters from one of the Tunisian teams that did the Paris-Dakar Rally. The menu is pretty straightforward - they have acceptable wings, along with milkshakes, burgers, and a few other things. I opted for the buffalo wings, a chocolate milkshake, and a cheeseburger with "swiss" cheese.

The food was totally average - it's pretty much on par with the crap you get at Applebees, for a bit less money. However, since it's Tunisia and I haven't had a decent burger, it was more than OK. We chatted, watched a soccer game, and made an early retreat. One of the best parts of the restaurant is the ridiculous sports statues randomly placed around the restaurant. There's a memorable one of a basketball player going up for a dunk - the sculptor decided to show the dunk from behind and keep the shorts extra-clingy around the player's rear. You have to see it to believe it - I just about snorted my chocolate milkshake. Until next time, Joe Champs...