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Lunch Stop on Main Street Don and I had a memorable little lunch in downtown Bryan, Texas.  This isn't actually where we had planned on having lunch. Martin's Place Since 1924 We had planned on trying out Martin's Place, south of town on College Avenue.  We'd read about the old BBQ place. It's been run by the same family since 1924. But when arrived, there were no cars in the gravel lot.  Martin's wasn't open on Tuesday. Oh well. Next time. Also Since 1924 Luckily I scrambled and found another curious option, a few minutes away.  This burger place in Bryan, also has some history. The Opersteny Burger has been around since 1924. New Place In 1924 Louis Opersteny opened a saloon and grill, at another downtown location.  The building where Opersteny served up his well-loved burgers, burned down in 1955. Louis was able to take the grill and operate in a new location. The Story The story was actually written right on a board, inside the door.  The write-up explains that Louis's son-in-law Jimmy, bought the biz in 1968. He ended up renting the business to a woman who changed the name to Margie's. When Jimmy sold the business to the Wager family in the 1980s, the grill and Opersteny Burger continued! Busy Before Noon The long and narrow space was pretty busy when we arrived before noon.  A woman in a blue t-shirt welcomed us to have a seat anywhere.  We sat not far from a long counter, where I was tempted to hop up and adjust the numbers on the flip calendar. If business had been slower they would have had time to realize it wasn't still Tuesday, June 15. Opersteny's Grill Right across from our table we could smell (and hear and feel) the burgers cooking!  We watched a young man juggle numerous orders as he stood at the old grill, which was rescued after the fire in 1955. We could actually feel the vibrations in our metal chairs, when he pounded each patty with the spatula! Options Lina greeted with a big smile and a couple of menus.  I asked about the Opersteny burger and Lina made sure I understood that the it was only 2 ounces. "They're small!" She warned. Then she wanted to be sure I was okay with mustard and pickles. I assured her I was excited to try the traditional Opersteny style. Cheese Burger and Tots I ordered mine with cheese and also got an order of Tots.  The burger was wrapped in paper when it was served. The story goes that back in the day, patrons loved the juicy burgers so much they used to lick the juice off the paper wrapper. I didn't know that at the time or I might have done the same. "Lina is the Best" Our table was beside an exposed brick wall, with a patch of plaster shaped like the state of Florida. Don noticed a few notes taped to the cream colored patch.
Don noticed some compliments written on pieces of paper. "Lina is the best!" "Justin deserves a raise" Don asked Lina about the notes and she laughed. She said that it had become a joke between her and her brother, Justin... who got the most compliments. I believe they accused each other of creating a few! Lina and Family We had a fun chat with Lina whose grandparents bought the property in the eighties. She said her parents own now, but they were out of town with Justin. Her other brother was the young man who grilled our juicy burgers!  By the time we finished our meal, I'd watched Lina greet and serve about about 8 tables of guests. She seemed to know know every single customer and her warmth with each of them seemed genuine. Lots of laughter and a few hugs! After graciously posing with an old cash register, Lina pointed out the spatula near the photo. She said it was the original tool that Opersteny used when he grilled burgers.  It was fun to see the photo of Louis, the original owner. And it was a treat to meet the Lina, who is a member of the second family to own the wonderful burger business!
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Another Tiki Lounge! Don and I have visited about 10 tiki lounges since I started blogging.  We found Tarantula Tiki Lounge in Fort Worth's New Southside neighborhood.  Actually, Don and I didn't find it at all. Our friends Alan and Christy drove us right to it when we visited last June. Quiet at 5 It was bright outside at 5, on that summer evening. It took a while for eyes to adjust when we entered the dimly lit lounge.  We were the first guests to arrive for happy hour. The barstools were empty, just as they were in 2020 when the tiki lounge first opened for business.  Our bartender said that wasn't exactly ideal timing for opening this kind of business, but he said they were cautious. Masks were required and no guests were allowed to sit on the bar stools at that time. The other 3 sat down and I quickly peeked around while the lounge was quiet. I.don't like to intrude with the camera when folks are enjoying cocktails!  I found quite a display in a case near the door.  I found some cozy seating towards the back, that showed off the exposed brick wall. Evidently this space held a barbershop before it became a tiki lounge.  I headed towards the back to check out the decorated ceiling and bamboo framed albums. Gotta love some exotic tiki vinyl records! Don and I have a few.  I headed back towards our table and stopped to ask our bartender about the TV that was showing a retro island themed movie. We had a quick converstaion about island themed movies and tv shows. Back at the table I joined the others to study the menu.  Luckily my eyes had adjusted, so I could take in all the options inside the colorful menu with the skull and tarantula.  I appreciated the skull rating system in the menu. The night was young and I didn't want to overdo too early. 3 skull drinks are the most powerful. I asked our bartender for suggestions. "I want something that looks festive... like in a fun glass."
He could tell I was a serious drinker. Alan actually got the most festive, (or maybe silliest) glass of all!  You have to love a drink served with a straw coming out of a shark's mouth!  My glass wasn't too unusual, but my one skull Painkiller was just right. The creamy mix of rum, pineapple and coconut was just perfect!  Cheers to hitting one more tiki bar! Cheers to heading off at 6, with the evening ahead of us.  Next time we'll have to check out the patio and I hear there's a collection of 1,000+ swizzle sticks. Who knows maybe I'll go for 2 skulls next time.
Austin's Original Honky Tonk For over 2 decades I've said the same thing every time we've passed Broken Spoke on South Lamar.  "Let's go there sometime." Motivation It took a 5-year-old cowgirl to get us motivated to give it a try.  Last week, Charlie told her grandparents she was game. She put on her boots and so did I. Wheels and Spokes After a 45 minute drive in traffic we arrived, ready to see wheels and spokes. That's because we'd had a mighty long discussion about the name Broken Spoke.  Charlie was excited to count about 8 wagon wheels right away. She was extra excited to see that each had a broken spoke. 4 on a Friday We arrived when doors opened at 4. There was a lot to read, around the door.  I glanced at the historic marker and learned that James M. White opened the dance hall in 1964, just south of the city limits...at a former lumber yard. Rowdy and Others When we stepped inside the dimly lit saloon, we heard greetings from the only occupied table in the front room.
A handful of employees were seated at an octagonal table finishing a meal. This odd character sat with them.  One of the upbeat voices was Mandy. She complimented Charlie's boots and later introduced her to Rowdy, the sad looking character who sits permanently at the table. Decor Mandy noticed Charlie looking around at the curious decor.  I never expected Charlie to feel so at home in an old saloon, but Mandy knew all the right questions to warm Charlie up. They talked about boots and music. Charlie suddenly was eager to tell Mandy about her dance recital the next day. Dance Hall Mandy decided that since Charlie was a "dancer", she should take a peek inside the dance hall.  It was hours before the doors would open for music and dancing. We felt pretty lucky to enjoy the 1,500 square foot space with no one around.  The sign above Charlie reminded us not to STAND on the dance floor. It also insisted "NO LINE DANCING". Charlie followed rules and ran instead. Authentic Little has changed since the dance hall opened over 60 years ago.
Checked tablecloths and folding chairs... a big fan and some neon here and there. On Stage Mandy invited Charlie to get on the stage.  Charlie wanted me to step up there with her. I think she looks a little perplexed. Maybe because no one handed her a mic. She's been known to do a little karaoke with her mom. "Tourist Trap" As we headed back to the front room, Charlie peeked into a glowing room filled with photo displays.  A voice from behind the bar said "Your welcome to look around the Tourist Trap! We were happy to wander around a bit.  Most of the old photos and magazines had faces of western singers and performers that I didn't recognize. I recognized the name of the president who was born not far from Austin. I couldn't figure out if this hat actually once belonged to President Johnson.
Charlie didn't need help figuring out what the wooden holder was. "This is for a violin." She announced. Was that actually some kind of fiddle stand? Should Have Counted It was a little like an Easter egg hunt, looking for wagon wheels.  We should have counted all the wheels inside the saloon and dance hall. Some of the spokes were more broken than others.
Charlie was a little amused by a framed photo of George Strait, behind one wheel. She wanted me to explain why there were lipstick kisses all over the glass. Willie and Others A lot of performers got their start at Broken Spoke. Willie Nelson played with Kris Kristofferson in the mid sixties.  That was long before Willie had braids. He had a crewcut then, when he came back to Texas after some time in Nashville. George... Dolly Charlie posed with George Strait, even though she didn't know who he was.  Too bad we couldn't find a life-sized Dolly Parton. Charlie is a big fan... after a visit to Dollywood last year. Dolly spent some time at Broken Spoke, when she filmed a TV movie here in 1987. Early Dinner After exploring the Tourist Trap, we headed past the old bar to find a table in the front room.  Our plan was to have an early dinner before the Friday night crowds arrived.  We had lots of entertaining booths to choose from.  Charlie choose a table where she could keep an eye on Rowdy.  We were also near a saddle, enclosed in glass. We wondered if anyone would join Rowdy at his table since the staff was up and working. He looked pretty lonely. Food Mandy gave us some good advice for ordering. We started with a salad covered in Thousand Island.  Then Chicken Fried Steak smothered in gravy. Since Mandy had warned about the CF Steak being bigger than Charlie's head, we took her advice and split.  Charlie had chicken quesadillas. She was a little afraid of our chicken fried, but she was very excited when we shared our fries. We did not share our Lone Star Beer. Tracie From our table we had fun watching some activity near the front door. They were setting up for some live music.  Tracie paused from setting up, to chat with Charlie. She showed her the pool table in another room. Tracie said she was mighty jealous of Charlie's name. She'd always wanted it, since it was her dad's name. Live Music We were too early for the dance hall, but we got live entertainment in the saloon!  When Broken Spoke opened in '64, they only had a juke box. These two filled the saloon with some fine country music and entertaining banter. A Dancing Friend By 5:00, 2 more tables were occupied. A 4-year-old girl and her parents took the table right next to us. The girls had something in common. Dance! The sweet 4-year-old had just been in a dance recital that afternoon.
Tracie encouraged the "Tiny Dancers" to get up and enjoy the music. And they absolutely did! Charlie's favorite was "These Boots Are Made For Walking". I could hear her singing the song later that night in her bed. Bye George After 2 hours at the Spoke, it was time to get going. Charlie and I headed for the Ladies Room first and found a bathroom full of Georges.
We counted and came up with about 45 George smiles! Add one more for the giant George on the ceiling! To Be Continued Skies were stormy and damp when we headed out. That helped us see the neon!  What a fun evening, enjoying this iconic honky tonk... sort of through the eyes of a 5-year-old.
We headed to the car with plans to come back another night with Charlie's parents. 2-Step dance lessons are available at 8 and kids are welcome! I see more Broken Spoke Adventures in our future! May's in May... 2012 I recently ran across these photos of May's Cafe, from 13 years ago.  I wasn't blogging about road trip dining back then, so I never wrote this up. I don't think I even realized the restaurant was named May's. But I see it written on the roof. Earlier that Morning We were famished when we found the cafe. We'd had a busy morning after leaving Fort Davis Lodge in West Texas. There had been an exiting moment with some wildlife on the highway...
Then we made a stop at the curious and amusing Prada Marfa... which is an art installation, not a store. Then we hiked at Guadalupe National Park. Gas and Lunch? It was after 1 pm when we found ourselves in Hudspeth County, about halfway between El Paso and Carlsbad, NM.  I spotted what appeared to be the ruins of an old gas station. A faded sign said Cornudas, Texas 1929. We didn't need gas, but we were hoping the little cafe was open. There was one parked car.  We headed for the vine covered building and stepped inside. We spotted only 1 table in use. The 2 women seated, popped up and greeted us warmly. They left their bowls of brussel sprouts on the table and got ready to take care of us.  We were invited to take a seat anywhere. I was tempted to go for the barrel seats. We chose a table with decorated legs. Bluejeans and cowboy boots!  I studied the walls, filled with maps and photos. There were messages from past guests.  There were more messages and photos (and money) displayed on our table, beneath plastic. I learned late that these displayed gifts and photos and messages were from travelers, passing through.  Our piping hot meals arrived shortly and covered a few photo faces. The travel notes ( I found along with these photos) said that my oozing grilled cheese was a hit. Don's burger was tasty with big chiles. We left happy. Who is May? Since finding these photos, I looked on the internet and learned more about the woman whose name was written on the roof. May Carson had originally been a truck driver who often stopped at the little Cornudas cafe. In 1982, she was persuaded by the owner to buy the business, along with the 28-acre unincorporated town. (which means she became mayor)  May spent many years cooking and serving truckers and travelers. Her mother (who was in her nineties) often helped. She was known for her hospitality and warmth. Oh how I wish I'd struck up a conversation with the 2 women that day. Back in 2012 I hadn't yet learned that road travel dining adventures are all about the people encounters!
I learned that May passed away in 2018. The business and "town" was bought by a guy named Jon, who I believe has spiffed the place up. We'll have to head out that way and check it out. Ponderosa Restaurant Last June, Don and I dined well, on the first day of our road trip to Colorado. I looked on my phone for good lunch options as we drove through west-central Texas.  As we traveled on Hwy 180 towards the town of Snyder, I looked for ideas on TripAdvisor and found Ponderosa. The term "hole in the wall" was written in more than a couple reviews. Compliments about the owner and food were pretty much mentioned in all! Driving through Snyder I looked up from my phone enough to glimpse at the town as we rolled along 180. We didn't spot a sign for Ponderosa, but we saw quite a few worn and weathered restaurants.
I did love the vintage Sinclair sign, though! And the sweet dino and mint colored truck!  What a mighty tidy little station! Ponderosa's Sign We made it through town and I thought we'd missed the place. Then we spotted the fine sign above a cluster of buildings on the Ponderosa property. (This curious sign was not featured in any of the reviews)  I tried to quickly take in all the info, written in Spanish and English. Restaurant AND motel Phone & Fax numbers Money Transfer Service Open 24 hours... yet, Open Mondey to Friday 6 pm to 10 pm. Nothing on the sign told us where to park or which building held the restaurant. Entrance We pulled off the highway and drove between 2 blue posts. Colored lights were strung between a few buildings.  The property felt a little odd and confusing. The cars parked near the L-shaped motel indicated long term residents. Should we park there? We drove around to another L-shaped section of rooms, that looked unoccupied.  We parked and headed back to the area with dark blue paint and signs. I reminded Don, "The reviews are positive! I heard it's the best food in Snyder!"  It looked like a few projects were in progress. I could see some scaffolding on the roof of the white building. The planter and fountain area was partially coated in blue spray paint. Blue & White There was more fresh paint on a little shrine built into one of the posts. Luckily statues of Mary are usually blue. She might have gotten an added touch-up of paint on her robe,
Madonna was facing towards the white metal building, that we presumed was the restaurant. But the attached carport made us wonder if it was a home. Luckily we noticed a neon sign above the door. "Come In We're Open" Happy Greeting As we stepped into a sort of breezeway, a man in a cowboy hat nodded and smiled on his way out. After passing through a red door, we finally felt confident we'd found our restaurant.  Two men stood chatting beside one of the booths. One was dressed in a proper chef's cook shirt. He looked at Don and smiled, "Welcome back!" (hmm?) Then he invited us to sit anywhere. Pick of the Place It was just 11:30, so all tables were available. We had about 8 options.  I was eager to sit at a table with Spanish style barrel chairs. "Ponderosa" and a scorpion was engraved into each. Lots to See While the chef finished up his converstaion, we took in our surroundings. The alcove-type windows, reminded me of Mary's shrine outside, But they were filled with artwork and knickknacks...
... and an occasional religious figure, if you looked carefully. Luis of Ponderosa It was just a moment before the owner/chef said good-bye to his friend and greeted us again, with menus.  There was a photo of Luis and his late wife Lucia, just below the giant scorpion. (It say Lus & Luisa??) There was also an important quote, that we heard about later. Words in Red There were important words in bold red, that told us something else important. But we didn't have to read. Luis told us right away.  He was happy to cook anything on or off the menu, if he had the ingredients. "This is your house!" Chips & Salsa After dropping off menus Luis disappeared for a bit and returned with a basket of piping hot chips. Did he actually just make those back in the kitchen? And incredible fresh salsa!  Luis couldn't have been friendlier. He inquired about Don and seemed surprised to know they hadn't met before. He was sure he remembered Don. With no other customers around Luis was in no hurry for our order. We heard a lot about this interesting man, in chef's clothing. Luis in California We didn't have to read the displayed article to learn about Luis. He stood beside our table and shared about his life, with great enthusiasm. As a young child, he moved from Mexico to Los Angeles. That was after his father moved to CA with the Bracero Program, in the early'60s.  At one point Luis wanted to continue with school but his father gave him the advice (written on the menu) about study vs. work. He quit school and ended up working for numerous notable chefs in Los Angeles. He was trained in cooking all kinds of cuisine. Dad's Advice Usually I'd question a father encouraging a child to quit school, but the more Luis spoke, the more sense his father's words made.  Luis seemed to be such a content man. It sure seemed that his hard work had given him what he needed AND wanted. Cook & Serve Besides chatting with us, Luis also had to cook our meal and serve it as well. He disappeared for a while and eventually returned with our steaming plates.  Another couple came in, so Luis suddenly had more to attend to.  However he had time to pose with Don and his incredible 2.5 pound burrito, stuffed with his choice of many meats. Ponderosa Combination Plate My plate was just as heavy, with enchilada, tamale, taco, rice and beans.  I should have used my steak knife for that cheese! Man that was a decadent and delicious meal. We ended up boxing up more than half to take with us.  As we ate, Luis moved back and forth from the kitchen, attending to the new guests. I kept worrying over how he did it all.  His wife passed away 3 years ago and it's been hard to find good help. Luis works alone right now, but says he doesn't mind. He can count on himself and he loves the people he meets and serves. He assured me he had Mondays off, but maybe not holidays. I read a rave review about a feast Luis cooked on Christmas. Buying the Motel As we dined inside the white metal building, I thought about his story of purchasing the Ponderosa Motel a couple decades ago. He was married with a daughter in CA and had been working for some talented chefs over the years. (Historic LA Athletic Club!) But he was ready for change. He and his wife spotted an ad in the PennySaver paper for the Ponderosa Motel in Snyder, TX. They bought it for a little over $100,000., sight unseen!  They packed up and moved and found the motel in lousy shape. Only 4 of the 24 rooms were serviceable. After a couple years they had the motel fixed up and added a new storm shelter. Eventually they turned the shelter into the restaurant and Luis got back to cooking! He said they had no regrets. Especially since Snyder had been such a good place to raise their daughter. Name Trivia Luis finished serving the other couple and shared some more tidbits. He smiled as he recalled becoming an American citizen. Paperwork led to the discovery that there were 7 others with his same name, (and from his state, Jalisco) who had also applied. That seemed to amuse him.  He talked about meeting a woman in another town, who shared his last name. When she mentioned something about being siblings, Luis quickly did the math about when his dad came to the States. He said that just as he was wrapping his head around the notion of a half sister, the woman added sweetly, "We are all brothers and sisters in the eyes of God." He gave a big laugh at how he'd jumped to conclusions. Funny Signs Luis seemed to enjoy making us smile. So he pointed out some decorations. Mostly Luis made sure Don noticed the 20 or so little signs scattered about.  He said these were "double-tongue" messages. (Serious messages hidden behind humor) I snapped this photo with no clue. I looked up a translation... "Mr. Fiado died, he paid poorly and I killed him." We Paid Well We finished up and paid our bill at the arched opening to the kitchen. We offered much thanks and tipped well, for our nearly 2 hours of good food and entertainment. We didn't need a double tongue sign to encourage that!  Before we headed out, I asked Luis what he liked best about his work. He answered without hesitation. He loved delivering the dishes himself and seeing diners react to the food they saw and tasted!
What a sweet stop in the middle of nowhere Texas! I can see why the reviews were positive! We'll have to plan this route again! |
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
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