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

Mark Matousek/Business Insider

I didn't eat for 18 hours after eating this catfish platter.

• Former President Bill Clinton has had a reputation for unhealthy eating habits, particularly before and during the early years of his presidency.
• Doe's Eat Place, a regional restaurant chain with a location in Little Rock, Arkansas, is perhaps the most famous of the dining establishments Clinton frequented before becoming president.
• During a trip to Little Rock in October, I stopped at Doe's for lunch to see if it lived up to the hype.
• The food tasted great but left me feeling sluggish for hours afterward, so much so that I didn't eat for around 18 hours after my meal.

Former President Bill Clinton has had a reputation for unhealthy eating habits, particularly before and during the early years of his presidency. In 1992, The New York Times dedicated a story to Clinton's diet before he took office, listing cinnamon rolls, barbecue, cheeseburgers, enchiladas, and pies among his favorite foods.

Doe's Eat Place, a regional restaurant chain with a location in Little Rock, Arkansas - where Clinton served as governor from 1979-1981 and 1983-1992 - is perhaps the most famous of the dining establishments Clinton frequented before becoming president. Clinton held campaign events there, according to CBS affiliate THV-11, and was interviewed by Rolling Stone at the restaurant in 1992.

Doe's specializes in simple, greasy food like steaks, burgers, and tamales. One of the restaurant's waiters described it as "vegetarian hell" to The Times in 1992.

During a trip to Little Rock in October, I stopped at Doe's for lunch to see if it lived up to the hype. The food tasted great but left me feeling sluggish for hours afterward, so much so that I didn't eat for around 18 hours after my meal.

Clinton has adopted a healthier, vegan diet since the end of his presidency, and I can see why.

Here's what it was like to eat at one of Bill Clinton's favorite restaurants.