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Soda Fountain in Rosenberg, Texas On Sunday we drove about 15 minutes, to Another Time Soda Fountain, in Rosenberg. The building did indeed remind me of another time!  The impressive corner building has housed many things in its 120 years, but a soda fountain has always been on the first floor. Since 1904 The structure was completed in 1904, when Meyer-Forster Land & Loan Co. occupied most of the space. That was the same year the waffle cone was invented at the St. Louis World's Fair.  That trivia makes me guess the old fountain only served ice cream in dishes, when it first opened. But we know the ice cream CONE eventually made its way to the Rosenberg soda fountain. More on that later! Last Visit It was 2014, when I last visited Another Time Soda Fountain. Don and I went on my 57th birthday.  It's been 10 years since I got ridiculously excited about my Birth-Year-Birthday! Since my age matched the year I was born, I figured I'd celebrate like it was 1957... at a "malt shop".  I ordered grilled cheese with bacon, fries and a milkshake! If it had really been 1957, I'm sure I would have ordered a malt. 11:15 on a Sunday We arrived for an early lunch, last Sunday. A few tables were filled with "after church families", but the stools were all vacant.  That would have been fun, but we had our 3-year-old granddaughter with us. She wouldn't have been able to reach the counter. Charlie Charlie was excited to sit anywhere. She loves a restaurant outing and she dressed for the occasion... in jewels!  On the drive to Rosenberg, I pointed out the train tracks that ran parallel to Hwy 90. "We'll see train tracks near the restaurant... and maybe we'll see a train!" So Charlie was eager when we parked between the restaurant and tracks. Silly me for getting her excited. There was no train. "Maybe later." I stupidly assured. Seated in Back Luckily Charlie was eager to go inside the big building. She didn't know she was missing out on those fun stools, when our hostess guided us to the back of the room.  I was glad to see the soda fountain hadn't changed in a decade. The pressed tin ceilings and decorated walls looked just how I remembered. Odd Table We couldn't spin on barstools, but we did have a curious feature at our table.  Each corner had an interesting cupholder. 8 holes in all! I guess this design accommodates left-handed people. But we forgot to use them! What's Up? After ordering, I was entertained watching Charlie and Pop Pop chat.  Suddenly they both looked up at something that I hadn't noticed. The little figure above us was familiar to me. My family had one in our New York apartment, in the 1960s!  A little clown on a unicycle was going back and forth on a tightrope, right above Charlie's head. We clearly had the best seats in the house, for clown viewing. Unless you're scared about a high wire mishap.  Evidently this clown has been entertaining customers at the soda fountain since 1946. The current owners inherited the clown when they started up Another Time, about 20 years ago. Ruth Our server Ruth couldn't have been nicer. She even had a bit of a 1950s vibe going on, with her hair tied up in a scarf.  As Ruth delivered a few baskets of chicken strips, she answered my soda fountain questions. I'd gotten curious after studying a nearby case, filled with vintage ice cream parlor goodies.  Ruth said there had always been a soda fountain on the first floor. "For years there was a doctor's office upstairs. Patients were given a wooden nickel that bought them an ice cream cone at the soda fountain." I loved picturing kids with their cones, (after 1904!!) at the soda fountain. But I also loved comparing my own memory! Memory Tangent! Dr. Grimmer was my family's doctor in Grinnell, Iowa in the 1960s. After our check ups, Dr. Grimmer would write us (me and my sibs) prescriptions for ice cream cones, at Cunningham Drugstore!  The Cunningham Drugs building (rebuilt after 1954 fire) doesn't look nearly as picturesque as the Rosenberg building. But, my fond ice cream memories likely match those of many Rosenberg kids, way back when! Blue Plate Special I didn't repeat the grilled cheese order on this visit. Instead I went for the Blue Plate Special. How could I pass up a retro diner feast for $10.00?  Pork steak with gravy, on top of sauerkraut! Served with potatoes, salad and roll. The meat was tender and tangy! The slightly mashed potatoes were delicious. I took half home! Ice Cream! When Ruth asked if there would be anything else, Heidi ordered a dish of ice cream for Charlie. I missed getting a picture of Charlie's expression when she shrieked with delight. I didn't get a video a second later, when she leapt from her chair and twirled around 5 times, squealing "Ice Cream! Ice Cream!" at the top of her lungs.
But I did get a million pictures, during the 19 minutes of icy vanilla bliss! The 3 adults were totally entertained. She started with giddy gusto and finished by tipping the dish and slurping up the melted cream at the bottom! Headed Out On our way out, I paused briefly to take in some of the many photos covering the walls.
I love this old building and its history. The exterior looked completely different when Frank Dedek took over the pharmacy in 1967. Amusing!
 Wheelchairs, hobby supplies and photo processing! All available at Frank's! I have no idea when this police photo was taken! I didn't have time to ask Ruth. We needed to get Heidi and Charlie to the car before rain started up. They were headed home to Austin. The Big Building I walked with Heidi and Charlie across the street. Charlie asked about the train tracks again, but there was no time to walk over for a look. It was sprinkling and skies threatened.  While Heidi got Charlie in the carseat I studied the 2-story brick building and suddenly appreciated the owners (the Butlers) who purchased and refurbished over 20 years ago. What a beautiful landmark. Bye Charlie Charlie was halfway buckled, when the clanging started. Suddenly a freight train was rumbling down the tracks, while the red lights flashed.  Charlie had a great view from her seat.  What a perfect ending to our soda-fountain-near-the-tracks-adventure! Another Time I said good-bye, then Heidi and Charlie headed off, just before the skies let loose.  I crossed over to where Don was parked and peeked up at the old building once more. The train was still thundering by. I peeked at the sign for "Rosenberg Railroad Museum" right next to where Heidi had parked.
"Another time!" I thought! "We'll come back to Rosenberg, go to the railroad museum, watch trains and come back to Another Time for ice cream... at the counter!
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Sugar Land, Texas I love sushi and I love a little fun with my dining.
So when this unique sushi bar moved to a new shopping area near our home, I was pretty excited. Revolving Sushi? I had no clue about "revolving sushi" until my daughter filled me in. Heidi has enjoyed food on a conveyor belt, in Japan and she's also had the "Kura" experience in Austin, where she lives.
We're lucky we don't have to travel to find a Kura. There are a number of them in Texas and California... and one in Georgia. When Heidi visited Sugar Land in February, we gave it a try, arriving on a busy Sunday night. The Wait Heidi, showed us how to check in on the electronic tablet. We could keep an eye on our progress by watching the numbers, as they lit up on the screen. We also got a warning text, to let us know we'd be seated soon.
That was helpful, in case we wanted to wander outside a bit. But we stayed inside with the crowd, standing patiently. We chuckled with a few others nearby. We agreed that we did not want to end up at the table near the door, surrounded by the waiting crowd. Eating at the Counter? There were table options as well as counter seating.  It was tempting to sit facing the parade of food, like these folks. But I wasn't sure we would get the full experience. Food and Toys I learned a little something by watching a nearby table. The kids seemed pretty delighted with the table-side contraption that offered up prizes. But I watched other tables and realized it was not just for kids.
In the past, you had to be a kid to get a toy with your food. There were no Happy Meals when I was a kid. However the Flaming Pit had a treasure box, where kids got to choose a prize, after dining with their parents. More on prizes later... Corner Table! Yay! We got a corner table.  I sat with the food prep behind me and the conveyor belt beside me. I could also see some little eyes, peering at the moving food. Mr. Fresh There were a few helpful signs, like this one.
But even with this explanation about the special serving dish, called Mr. Fresh, I was still glad to have Heidi along to keep me from make a beginner mistake, like grabbing the whole container off the belt. It was very exciting and slightly intimidating. You Like, You Grab Heidi let Don and me sit by the exciting revolving belt that wound around the restaurant.  Don skillfully grabbed a plate of Soy Sake Marinated Salmon Nigiri. The lid popped up properly and he neatly placed the little $2.25-dish right on our table. Cheers Not everything was available on the moving belt. Sake, Udon, Ramen, Tempura and desserts could all be ordered from a food screen.  A waiter initially greeted our table for any special requests. Quick and Fresh After our 25 minute wait, it was nice not having to wait for food. We saw what we liked and grabbed.  It was also nice to learn that Kura serves all organic foods, free of additives and MSG. I also was pleased to find out that there's a system for automatically disposing of the uneaten food plates, that for some reason don't get picked. So no worries about picking a food that's been lingering. Eating with Pros I was the only one at our table who has not eaten sushi in Japan. Don used to travel on business. Heidi and her husband Jamie, were engaged in Japan.
Also, Don and Heidi share an odd college experience, 30+ years apart. Both spent a period of time at University of Michigan, eating dorm food only with chopsticks. I love dining with pros. Nigiri... It's hard to pass up some bright salmon and fresh tuna, when it rolls on by. We ended up eating lots of basic nigiri, but the rolls were tasty as well.  The green plates were all $2.25, which seemed like such a bargain, but it's also easy to get carried away with the fun. That's kind of how I remember cafeterias as a kid. It's so easy to grab a lot! A Giddy Diner I obviously loved the little box that held my food. I was pretty excited about the whole concept of this place. I also seemed to be the only one looking around and snapping pics, like a tourist.  In fact I felt like I was a tourist on a trip. We live in Fort Bend County, which is ranked the most diverse U.S. county, in many studies. When I looked around, I could easily imagine that I was actually eating a meal in Japan. None of the other diners seemed to make a fuss over the exciting vibe. No one else seemed to be "learning the ropes". Relaxed Staff I turned around in my booth to peek at the "sushi makers" now and then. They seemed pretty laid back in the festive atmosphere.  I should have paid closer attention to observe the system for adding and removing plates from the belt. For a moment, I amused myself with a thought of the iconic I Love Lucy episode. Except I pictured Lucy, stuffing her mouth full of salmon and shrimp, instead of chocolate! Bikkura-Pon! This was my first dining experience that involved a little game-like fun, at the table.
Above our table and the belt, we had our own colorful screen. There was a little animation first and then some words, encouraging us to "defeat him" by inserting more plates. Below the moving belt was the slot, where we inserted our empty green plates. Our plates became tokens to keep the story moving on the screen. The Prize Above the animation screen, was a clear box that held the round prize holders. I was glad we had 3 people since it took 15 plates to earn a prize.
I felt like I was in Vegas when we inserted the 15th plate and the Bikurra-Pon released a red & green ball! Down the slide it came, landing in the plastic tray! Oh boy, a little stamper. It was pretty lame for over 35 dollars worth of sushi. But I didn't care. I was the kid that bought Cracker Jacks, just for the prize. Share the Prize What a fun food outing! It wasn't the absolute best sushi I've had, but it was the quickest and most entertaining! Maybe next time I go, I can ride my bike.
It's close enough and that would add to the playful dining theme. I could also leave the prize behind, like one person did. I pity the families with kids, begging the parents to purchase 15 more plates for another prize! Yikes.
Heading for the Sign, on Cinco de Mayo! Larry's may not sound like the name of a Mexican Restaurant, but that is the nickname of Eberardo Guerrero, who opened this restaurant over 50 years ago.
The sign may be considered politically incorrect to some, with its stereotypical image of a sombrero wearing Mexican sleeping in the shade of a cactus. But this sign has been drawing customers from Highway 90, since 1960. More Signage Don and I live only 5 miles from Larry's, so we decided to head over for a festive lunch on Cinco de Mayo.  We parked beneath another Larry sign and headed for the front door. Little Change Not much has changed since we moved to Sugar Land and visited Larry's, almost 20 years ago.  I'm pretty sure these red lamps were here then and probably when the restaurant opened, in 1960. More Lamps We passed by a few more festive lamps, before opening the door. I read the sign above the glass and was glad I did't see the words, "No Costumes" added to the list.
I sort of felt like I was wearing a costume, when I put on my festive Mexican dress with colorful embroidery. "Please don't be embarrassed." I begged Don. "I have to wear this, because it's Cinco de Mayo and when else..." Not Busy... Yet It wasn't even noon yet, so there were plenty of open tables with colorful chairs. A little mariachi music made my outfit seem just right.  But the serious waiter who motioned for us to be seated, made me suddenly feel self-concious. Clearly this restaurant was open for business as usual. No whooping it up for those Americans who love to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Efficient Service Our waiter was efficient, delivering our menus, chips and salsa. I never felt rushed, but I could sense that his energy was already geared up, for a crowd.
Sure enough, by the time my chicken taco salad and Don's chicken enchiladas and soft tacos arrived, the place was filling up. Our waiter's pace suddenly fit. Better than before? It's been a long time since Don and I stopped to eat at Larry's. I honestly don't remember the food and menu that well, but the food was a tasty surprise. I was amazed at the amount of chicken in my salad. Don ended up with leftovers that fed him lunch the next day.
Not only do I now appreciate the food a little more, but I appreciate the history. Wandering Around I already looked out of place in my silly dress, so I figured I'd just wander around and study some of the artwork and old photos and learn some history.
There was a photo of the original Larry, who died over 10 years ago. His son took over for a number of years and now his grandson, Eberardo Guerrero III manages the family owned restaurant. Elenor, the daughter-in-law of the Larry Sr., works the cash register. Retro Counter Elenor was seated with friends at a table near the candy-covered counter. As I wandered over, she popped up and was happy to answer my questions. I'm not sure when she met her husband, (the son of the first Larry) but she said she first ate at the restaurant when she was about 19.  She laughed about how little had changed. "If we try to change anything, people get mad. They like it just the way it is." Good People Encounters By the time our waiter brought our check, he had slowed down to laugh with us a bit. He chuckled about Don's name. "Don Don!" Don gets this a lot, since Don is a courtesy title that goes before the name. He was confused by my name Beth, until I said it was short for Elizabeth. He seemed to think that was very royal and told me the Spanish word for crown. I wish I had a photo of our waiter! Posing with Elenor After a little more chatting with Elenor at the cash register, I convinced her to pose with me for a photo.  She was quite a good sport, saying she doesn't usually do photos. Heading Out I had one last people encounter, just as we stepped out the door. A blond woman wearing a purple version of my Mexican dress, was headed inside. "Oh! I like your dress!" I laughed, as I held the door for her. "I like yours, too." She added.  Too bad I didn't get her to pose with me!
Return to the Bayou
Sunday for Brunch  This April I celebrated with an early birthday brunch, when my daughter came to town. Luckily the rain held off as we hiked up to the rambling building, now called Brenners on the Bayou. I have no idea how this restaurant began, but it looked like an old house with numerous additions and renovations. Old and New
We arrived at 11 and the restaurant was just preparing to open. It gave us time to look around. I spotted an old staircase that lead to upstairs bathrooms. This must have been an old house... but no one around looked like they had time for my questions. A space to the right of the door, must have been a closet. The mirrored floor and illuminated art felt a little like Alice in Wonderland. I was tempted to step into the art! Arches & Wood We stepped into the bar area with some arched woodwork, an old fireplace and vintage windows
An additional room beyond, had large windows with garden views. I was having a hard time envisioning the once old home. The Small Bar  I loved the green walls and colorful art in the smaller, inside bar. The space looked much cozier than the swanky, Blue Bar at Brenner's, which seemed to wrap around the whole back of the restaurant. Into the Dining Space  When the hostess was ready, she guided us through the bar, which opened to some elevated seating and a view of glass enclosed tables below. I looked at the space to the right and remembered eating up in the loft, when the kids were 9 and 11. Our son was excited about ordering the special, which was bison. We were not so excited when the bill arrived and realized his half eaten bison was about half the total of the entire bill. From Our Table
Attacking the Beast!
Chicken Fried Filet Mignon and Eggs!  We decided one of us needed to try this ridiculous pick, even if the idea was sinful. Usually I don't put anything at all on a filet mignon. It's good all on its own. But this baby was fried and smothered in sausage gravy with pickled garlic and jalapenos. Yes, it was incredibly yummy, but I'm thinking it's a one time deal. French Toast and Omelet
These options were a little more standard, but the French toast was far from ordinary. I could hardly make a dent in the corn flake crusted Brioche French toast, with Chantilly cream! The fresh berries helped ease my guilt. Don's spinach and provolone omelet was a little on the dry side for my preference. But at least it was a less rich option for the table. Photo Time Our waiter brought our doggy bag and then seemed a little rushed when I asked if he'd snap our photo. I wish I could say that someone ended up eating the leftover French toast or cinnamon roll. What a waste.  Only later did I see this photo and realize it was kind of odd that there had never been some kind of birthday acknowledgement after our first waiter. Oh well, thank goodness I don't care about that at all. Maybe our expressions spoke out to clearly... "We're full. Don't put anything sweet with a candle on this table!" Roaming  After brunch, we were delighted the predicted rains had held off. We wandered the grounds a bit. I don't think we even burned off the first bit of cinnamon roll. Happy Pic
Oldest Steakhouse in Houston In this ever-changing city, you have to search hard to find iconic, family owned restaurants that have been around for generations. Brenner's is one of them.
Herman & Lorene Brenner started attracting loyal customers to "Brenner's Cafe" in 1936. It's clear that the restaurant still has a large following. What's not clear, is how long this building has been around. The Original Don and I arrived and valet parked for lunch in mid December. As we headed on the walkway towards the entrance, I tried to figure out the building. The flagstone and wood shingled exterior looked a little mid-century modern.  But once inside, I studied an old photo. The hostess said the original building pictured, had been located down the road a bit. When they began construction of the Katy Freeway, the Brenners had the building moved to this location. 2 Windows She pointed to the two windows in the old photo and showed me where we had just passed them outside
That's odd, because all the internet write-ups say the old building was torn down.Maybe just a portion of the old building was saved. I'm confused. Festive Retro When we moved into the main dining room, it felt very 1960's to me. The vaulted ceiling, picture windows, wood paneling and flagstone fireplace took me back to my childhood.  It even had that smokey, comfy aroma... not as in cigarettes. White Cloth Lunch The white tablecloths and men dressed in jackets for lunch, also gave the place a retro feel.  But mostly my eyes were drawn past all that, through the wall of glass to the garden beyond. I'm a big fan of a table with a view and pretty much all tables had one. Looking Up Surely this light fixture was not from 1936. I imagine it was a pretty grand feature when they added it.  The clock hiding behind, also made an impressive decorative statement! Champagne at Lunch Don and I don't usually have champagne at lunch, but we were celebrating. It was December 13th and I had just completed my final radiation treatment an hour earlier.  We were toasting the end of a long 7 months, which included surgery, chemo and radiation. But actually, the bread in the basket was enough to make me offer a toast! It was fabulous! Prime Rib Neither Don nor I are big prime rib people, especially at lunch. But it was PRIMETIME TUESDAY, with 3 courses that ended with Lorene's warm apple strudel! Why not?
Don was a good sport and paused a moment to let me snap a shot. The Food! Someone had to order steak, since we were at Houston's oldest steakhouse. I let Don order the prime rib, since I knew we'd end up sharing.
I ordered the Texas Fried Chicken with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and smoked bacon gravy. It felt as decadent as dessert and I loved every bite. It was about as healthy as dessert, too. Through the Bar The cozy bar was actually packed with lunching customers by the time we finished eating.  We took a walk through it, to take a closer peek at the garden we'd been enjoying from our table. Curious There was a sort of corny "stage set" feel to the buildings, which created a wall around the garden.  The Brenners supposedly created the garden to remind Lorene of the gardens she remembered from her childhood in Germany. Outside Dining There were a few tables beside the koi pond and waterfall. The water sounds helped mask the noise of the nearby Katy Freeway.  The wall of cottage images masked the view of the freeway and some not so lovely buildings. Walking the Path We wandered the path over the pond and checked out the well and waterwheel. The garden was just the place to ponder the news we had just learned about the restaurant's new ownership.
Landry's owner, Tilman Fertitta now owns Brenner's! Don and I rolled our eyes at that news. He seems to be taking over all of Texas and beyond. But Mrs. Brenner needed to retire a few years ago. And... It was nice to learn that Fertitta had more of a connection to Brenner's than money. He evidently has fond memories of coming as a child, with his family. He was able to work with Mrs. Brenner (who shared family recipes) to help preserve the history and character.  In this day and age of tear-downs, I'm sure this oddly located landmark would have disappeared had Fertitta not jumped in. So I guess I'll toast to that!
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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
August 2024
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