The Beth Lists
  • Homepage
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Diverse Dining List
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Happy List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!



Diverse Dining List

Rod's Steak House on Route 66

6/26/2014

0 Comments

 

​Williams, Arizona in April
​

There are quite a few cool looking signs in Williams.
Picture
 You might expect that since it's on the old Route 66 on its way into the Grand Canyon.

Very Impressive
​
Picture







You have to be extra impressed with a steak house that has a snazzy neon cow sign at the rear entrance...
​
Picture

 ...as well as the front entrance!  And look at the awesome cow that I got to pose with.  There is just no way we could pick another place besides Rod's!
​

​Dining Room
​

Picture

This is the front room, which was filled with cow stuff all the way up to the stained glass cow in the ceiling light. ​

​More Cows
​
​
There was a fireplace with some kind of cow art above the mantel.
Picture

 On the wall beside Don we had a double cow feature, with a nice cowhide, as well as a cow skull.

Cow Dishes
​
Picture

There was a nice display of cow dishes on the wall shelf.

Placemat
​
​
The paper mat had a little history about Rod and how he opened the Steak House with his wife in 1946.

Picture
 



The brief history mentioned a teenage dishwasher name Lawrence, who was hired by Rod. That dishwasher grew up and now he owns the place.  I love stories like that.
​
​Food
​
​
I'm glad we spotted the festive neon sign before we did a food search on the internet. I read reviews later and I guess traveling just makes diners grumpy. 
Picture

I didn't have steak, so I can't really say. But maybe these people were just coming in with ridiculous expectations.  I came here because I loved the sign, but my  my tuna sandwich, cold slaw and Mexican cheese with beef and veggie soup was delish!   Don's Prime Rib Dip was exceptionally good! Moist and tangy and perfect for lunch.  And big bonus points for the china!  I loved the sweet Hereford on the center with the fence & cow design circling the rim!

​Wandering
​

This photo near the front door shows you that Williams is not a big city. 
Picture

There were quite a few motels along the road, which probably get packed with summer travelers to the Grand Canyon. I didn't get a chance to sit on the saddle in the corner...or the cow outside.
​
​Exploring
​

I love having an excuse to powder my nose.   On my journey to the restroom, I got to check out the rear dining areas.
Picture

Look at that mighty steer on the wall.  Lots of cowboy décor to enjoy!

Restroom Trip
​
​
My journey continued into the basement. You have to love a basement with white brick and neon. 
Picture

It made me think I was wandering the bottom of a ship.

Love My Ladies Room!

Nothing delights me more than a vintage restroom to add to my restaurant memories.
Picture



This little beauty had mint green tile and a curvy counter to rest my purse, while I powdered my nose!

​Cows to Go!


​As we headed on our way, I was pretty excited to have a little cow card souvenir, to help me remember our special lunch.
Picture


​I would love to return sometime for an evening meal with steak and potatoes.  Then I could see both neon signs lit up! Hope to return!

0 Comments

Peggy Sue's in California

6/14/2014

2 Comments

 

​Roadside Diner AND Dinosaur Park?

​
Don and I were headed on Route 66 from Las Vegas to LA and we were starved. We spotted the billboards but honestly,
Picture
​

I wasn't really up for a crowded, gimmicky dining adventure.  I just wanted some food.  But when I spotted that sheet metal dinosaur from the highway, I told Don there was no way we could keep driving.

Since 1954

​
We pulled off at Ghost Town Road (near Yermo, CA) and drove past the giant juke box entrance to the parking lot. ​
Picture

 It was a huge lot with cars, semis and... yikes, a tourist bus!  It was indeed a tourist trap, but at least one that was actually built in the day of poodle skirts and malt shops.  How bad could this be?  ​

​Windows and Doors
The place was confusing with numerous add-ons to the original building.
​The diner opened in 1954 with 9 counter stools and 3 booths. 
Picture

The owners lived in the attached house with the blue windows and doors.  When the current owners expanded the diner, they began serving food in the rest of the house and sunroom. A gift shop was added at the other end. ​

Bombarded

​
I really do love Hollywood stuff, but sometimes Betty Boop and Elvis stuff wears me out. What does that have to do with a fifties diner, really? ​
Picture

Then I found out that the owner Peggy Sue and her husband Champ came from the LA in the 1980's to re-open the old diner and brought their memorabilia collection with them.  It was actually pretty nice having so much to look at, since there was a bit of a wait for a table.

​Shop & Soda Fountain

There was lots to look at in the gift shop, but mostly stuff I've seen before.  
Picture

I did like the old soda fountain and the mannequin perched on her stool.  

The Original Diner

There was little chance of getting seated in the old diner, with the checkered tiles and 3 booths.  The yellow walkway lead guests to additional seating in the old house.
Picture

It was comical watching the aisle jam up with customers and servers passing each other.  I caught  this photo at a good moment.

The Waitresses

​I usually say server, but when I see pastel colored uniforms with little caps, I just have to say waitress. I loved spotting these 3, having a little moment in their huddle. ​
Picture

It reminded me of my favorite Hollywood waitresses, Alice and Flo, from "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." I loved the scene where the busy café is totally neglected while Flo supports Alice during a meltdown!

Pie
​

I wish we'd gotten a seat at the counter.
Picture

We could have stared at the pies!

Shirley

​
Shirley was delivering soup when we almost collided.  She graciously posed for me.  How I wish I'd had more time to talk with this cheery waitress. Her nametag said, "Peggy Sue's Diner, starring Shirley, since 1988".​
Picture
 






I'll bet Shirley, surely has some good stories to tell.

Finding Our Table

​
Eventually our hostess took us to our table. ​
Picture

We passed through this room, which must have been the family room at one time, with its fireplace...
Picture

... and its pastel painted paneling. I think Marilyn was doing a good job guarding the coffee pots. The window seemed to reveal the original house kitchen.

Table With a View

​
Don and I sort of laughed when we were seated in the room with fake vines and dangling Hawaiian leis.  I think this used to be a porch or a sunroom and I think the hostess was holding her breath that we wouldn't gripe about our table. ​
Picture
I'm sure some folks would have stressed over being in the back room, since the best diner décor was used up in the other rooms. But we were happy to be handed menus.  We enjoyed an entertaining view of the travelers coming and going in the giant lot, while we downed out lunch.  Don had the Patti Page Melt with curly fries and I went for the Jailhouse Rock which was chili and cornbread.  Not the best meal ever, but I'm not complaining.  We had an amusing good time.

In Back

We took a quick peek at the "garden" in back before heading to the car. This place went on and on. 
 
Picture

There was a pizza parlor and a small stage, some cement patio tables and docks around the duck pond....and more fine metal art which included King Kong and a stegosaurus!

One More Laugh

​
We headed to the car chuckling about our curious lunch stop and paused to smile at the doggy waiting for his master. ​
Picture

I hope the truck driver brought his friend back a Cary Grant Honey Ham Sandwich or some Hoola Hoop Onion Rings!
​

2 Comments

Bob's Ranch House in Las Vegas

6/11/2014

2 Comments

 
A Ranch in Vegas?
Picture
This past April, Don and I stopped in Las Vegas on a road trip.  Why on earth would we decide to leave the festive neon city to track down this 1950's ranch, hidden within the sprawling suburbs?

A Cookbook of course!
Picture
Some people use a travel book or YELP for dining suggestions while on the road.  But, Don and I took a couple cookbooks on our trip, instead. 

This book was put out by Ford Motor Company in 1963 to promote road travel across the States. The book is a hoot!  It's filled with recipes and illustrations, from some of the best roadside and city dining establishments back in the day.  Browsing through the pages makes you want to go back in time and visit these iconic places and sample their featured dishes. But the majority of these old cafes, clubs and inns, no longer exist.  So Don and I gave ourselves something new to add to our list of adventure goals for our 4 week road trip from Texas to California.  We would try to track down a few of these curious places that still exist... and then give them a try!  Our lunch at Bob's Ranch House was our first  "dining with the cookbook" adventure!

Hidden in the Suburbs
Picture
This ranch used to be about 7 miles outside of Las Vegas. Now the 10 acre ranch is surrounded by neighborhoods, interstate and shopping centers. But once you drive underneath the wood sign, it feels just like it might have 50 years ago.  Just head down the road towards the old windmill... well maybe not.  That's a cell phone tower!

Picture
Bob's House

I was excited to know the ranch was still serving since it opened in 1955.  Bob passed away a few years ago, but back in the 1950's it is said that Bob loved cooking for his friends so much, that he finally took their advice.  He turned his ranch house into a restaurant.

Where's the Entrance?
Picture
It was pretty quiet around noon on a weekday when we arrived. (Except for the roaring of the nearby freeway) We followed the path, past a fountain and a few flower beds, searching for the entrance.

Picture
Getting Closer

If we hadn't seen the sign, I would have been hesitant to go further.  It really seemed like we were invading someone's private home.


Picture
Should we knock?

The door had a nice little square opening, kind of like the one the Wizard looks through, when Dorothy and her friends knock on the door at the entrance to the Emerald City.  


We weren't as polite as Dorothy, we just walked on in.

Picture
The Bar

This is Vegas after all, so it wasn't surprising to first be greeted by a big old cocktail lounge when we stepped inside.  There were a few saddles tucked here and there, creating a unique Ranch-Vegas decor. 

Picture
Familiar

The view in the front dining room matched the illustration in the book! We grabbed a couple of captain's chairs at a table with a view out the window. Note the cowboy, etched in the glass.

Picture
Book Illustration

This is the illustration in the cookbook. You can see the glass windows looking out over a pond and trees.


Awesome Menu
Picture
Liz, our server, handed us each a hefty brown and gold menu.  I'm pretty sure the design, (With the words "Supper Club") had not changed since 1955.  The inside of the menu had been updated, however. No signs of the cheese sauce that was featured in the Ford Cookbook.  Too bad because my mouth was watering for a hot meat pie, slathered with a ladleful of Bob's cheese sauce!

Sharing the Book
Picture
After Don and I placed our order, I pulled out the cookbook.  I didn't expect Liz to "get it" that we were sort of using this cookbook like a map for a treasure hunt.  I didn't expect her to understand our cookbook adventure, but she had the reaction we hoped for.  She laughed and shook her head as she stared at the curious book. Then she asked for permission before dashing off to make photo copies of the pages and to share the book with the chef and some regulars dining nearby.  

Picture
Meat!

This is the kind of place you go to eat meat.  I ordered the Duke Burger. (Bob was a John Wayne fan)  That's my burger on the grill, before the caremlized onions, mushrooms and Swiss cheese!


Picture
At Home

We might have felt like outsiders had we not had the cookbook to help break the ice.  The Ranch House is not a place tourists just stumble across.  The other diners were all regulars who have probably been coming for ages.  The knotty pine, western memorabilia and fireplace added to the homey appeal.

Picture
The Food

My Duke Burger and Don's barbecued pork sandwich were delicious.  The steak fries were yummy too and made me almost wish I'd gone for a big old steak, which is probably what the Duke would have ordered.  

I couldn't help but wonder what this place must have been like 50 years ago when Bob was cooking and the place was packed.  




Picture
A Good Visit

We left The Ranch feeling pretty pleased about our first cookbook adventure.  Since I'm a big fan of stepping back in time, I was glad that little had been updated in the decor.  I guess the windmill-celltower was a big reminder that the ranch is trying to hold onto a little of the past, while moving forward. Gotta appreciate that!

2 Comments
    Picture
       The Dining Blog

    This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food.  Below, you can read how this started.


    On
    July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year!  (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to  join me, on some unusual dining adventures.  I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise.  Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining.  I have continued  blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned  along the way!
    ​

    Locations and types of dining adventures,  are listed further down.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    October 2024
    August 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    January 2018
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011

    Categories

    All
    000 The Beginning!
    00 BBQ
    00 Cookbook Adventures
    00 Drive Ins
    00 Drive Ins Diners Cafes
    00 Houston Area
    00 Saloons & Taverns
    00 Themed Restaurant
    00 Tiki Time
    0 Alabama
    0 Arizona
    0 Arkansas
    0 California
    0 Colorado
    0 Florida
    0 Georgia
    0 Idaho
    0 Illinois
    0 Iowa
    0 Louisiana
    0 Michigan
    0 Mississippi
    0 Missouri
    0 Montana
    0 Nevada
    0 New Mexico
    0 New York
    0 North Carolina
    0 Oklahoma
    0 Oregon
    0 South Carolina
    0 South Dakota
    0 Tennessee
    0 Texas
    0 Utah
    0 Vermont
    0 Virginia
    0 Washington
    0 Washington D.C.
    0 Wyoming
    1 In Belize
    1 In Canada
    1 In Chile
    1 In Curacao
    1 In France
    1 In Guatemala
    1 In Italy
    1 In Mexico
    1 In Roatan
    1 In Thailand
    Afghani
    Argentine
    Basque
    Belgian
    Belizean
    Bengali
    Bermudian
    Bosnian
    Brazilian
    Cafes
    Canadian
    Chile
    Chinese
    Columbian
    Cornish
    Costa Rican
    Cuban
    Curacao Island
    Czech
    Danish
    Diners
    Dominican
    English
    Ethiopian
    Filipino
    French
    French Basque
    French Creole
    German
    Greek
    Guatemalan
    Honduran
    Hopi
    Houston Area
    Hungarian
    Indian
    Indonesian
    Iranian
    Iraqi
    Irish
    Italian
    Italy
    Jamaican
    Japanese
    Korean
    Lebanese
    Malaysian
    Mexican
    Mongolian
    Moroccan
    Nepali
    New Hampshire
    New York
    Nigerian
    O
    Pakistani
    Palestinian
    Peruvian
    Polish
    Portuguese
    Puerto Rican
    Russian
    Salvadoran
    Scottish
    Spanish
    Swedish
    Swiss
    Taiwanese
    Thai
    Turkish
    Uruguay
    Venezuelan
    Vietnamese

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Homepage
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Diverse Dining List
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Happy List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!