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Billy Gail's Cafe

3/11/2020

Roadside Lunch in Arkansas

Last November Don and I stopped for lunch on our way through Arkansas.

We were traveling on Highway 265, when we spotted the log cafe. I couldn't resist the red rocking chairs and the chainsaw art.

Plus, the name Billy Gail's sounded perfect for Arkansas. It sounded like something from the old sitcom, Petticoat Junction.

We pulled right off the road and headed for the red door.

There were lots of signs, besides the big one on the roof. The bear held an Open sign. There were 3 signs and a dozen stickers on the door glass. There was a Come On In sign and a Happy Holidays sign and a Let It Snow announcement, painted on the window.

Entrance

Once inside, there was lots to see in the front room.

There were shelves and cases, filled with well-loved toys. This was very entertaining for the Baby Boomer in me. It's scary to see how many toys I recognized.

There were also things for sale, like jams and hats and leopard skin purses. And there was another sign. Huggin" Place. Now that was a mighty sweet sign.

There was a little kitchen-corner with coffee and mugs. That must have been set up for busy times, when folks have to wait a while for a table.

During touristy summer months, you might have to wait a while on one of the red benches. The only one we saw waiting, was the Grinch.

Our Dining Room

There was a bit of a maze of rooms. The 50+ year old building has probably seen some additions and alterations over the years.

We were given a table in a cozy room, filled with lots antique what-nots and locals, who greeted the servers by name.

Tiffany

Our server was energetic and pleasant when she handed us menus. She introduced herself with a helpful tip, so we wouldn't forget her name. "Just remember the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's!"

Besides the menu I saw another sign worth reading. It was a poem, by Trey. I read the poem and got another hint. I should try the pancakes... as big as hubcaps!

Checks of All Colors

Don and I decided to go all breakfast for lunch.

Tiffany brought our plates and offered to snap a photo. Wow! I had no idea how fantastic we looked, with all our checks!

Food!

Don's ham and cheese omelet was covered with crispy hash browns. He was in heaven.

My pancake was ridiculously fun!

The buttermilk circle hung about an inch off the edge of my plate. I had to stare at the other diners to figure out how to approach the beast! Folding was the only way. Hopefully I put on more syrup than this photo! My mouth feels dry just looking at it!

Wandering

After we finished our feast, the rush was over. I was able to peek around a little more.

I of course found more signs. Prayers go up, Blessings come down. That sign was beneath the carousel horse. I kind of liked the rusty egg sign.

My eyes were drawn to some old games that I remember from my childhood. So many hours of croquet, in so many yards! I spotted a wooden Carrom board! Whatever happened to the one my family owned?

More Toys at Checkout

We headed to the front room to check out. I got to admire more of the toys.

The man at the register, I believe was a member of Billy and Gail's family. Billy Gail was not one person, but two. They bought the building in the 1995 and named the restaurant with both their names. As I looked around the place, I overheard a phone conversation. Someone said that Gail hadn't been well. I detected real worry in the tone.

Sit a Spell

We took our leftovers and headed outside to have another look at the curious property and the rambling building.

I wondered about Billy and Gail, who created their own cafe along the highway 25 years ago. As we drove away, I looked it up on my phone and read that Billy had passed away in 2012.

Billy Gail's a Few Months Later

As usual, I'm behind on blog posts. It's been 4 months since Don and I had our fabulous breakfast feast.

I looked up Billy Gail's just moments ago and learned that Gail passed away just weeks after our visit. That made me sad. I hope Billy and Gail's kids can hold onto the sweet place.

I could sure use one of those gigantic pancakes right now.

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Charley's Grill in Neosho,

3/9/2020

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Missouri Lunch in the Fall

Don and I stopped for lunch in Neohso, this past November.

We were up for a small town dining experience. There was something about the name "Charley's Grill" that sounded like a good bet!

Just off the Square

We found the cafe, on a small street off the main square.

I liked the metal awning and red trim. The hay bales and pumpkins invited us right on in.

I wondered if we might be sharing the diner with some workmen, when I saw the truck pulled up in front. We love to eat where the locals eat. The truck actually belonged to some young, local women. The happy, chatty women were leaving as we entered.

Storefront?

We opened the door and made a small racket, when the dangling metal cup and utensils, clanged from above.

The owner, BJ greeted from the grill. We took a table near a glassed in display case.

We learned that Charley's has been a local favorite for 38 years. BJ and his wife Amanda have owned the biz for about 7.

On Display

I'm not sure how old the building is, but it was a jewelry store at one time.

It was also a dental office for a while. But how about the fine display shelves? Maybe they were put in when Charley's first opened. I spotted lots of cookie jars and old photos.

Lunch Plate

BJ left the grill to hand us menus. His wife Amanda was in back at that moment.

I was pretty excited about trying the Lunch Plate special, "Spaghetti Red"! Pasta with chili sounded perfect! Watching BJ tend my spaghetti on the grill, just made me laugh.

Spaghetti Red

I was thrilled about the presentation of my meal! I was thrilled about the price! $5.95!

My pasta was buried in chili and surround by pickle chips and shredded onions. It hit the spot! I ate every bit, which is unusual for me!

Original Charley Burger

Don's burger was equally yummy.

The caramelized onions were grilled right into the patty. The flattened patty was nice and crisp around the edges! Yum!

The atmosphere surrounding us was pleasant and upbeat. I could hear BJ whistling with the radio tunes. I could see Amanda greeting a few regulars with hugs.

Thanks BJ and Amanda!

It's nice to see a young couple running a "Mom and Pop" restaurant. They've been doing this for a few years, but they showed no signs of burning out.

I would be burned out in a day. They said they had been there since 6 am and they seemed to have no other help. But they were in cheery spirits!

Cheery cheers to Spaghetti Red and to the young owners of Charley's Grill! It was a good lunch and a good visit!

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Court of The Two Sisters

2/10/2020

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Christmas Eve Brunch in Nola

This past Christmas, Don and I changed up tradition and spent a few days in New Orleans.

We lucked out with some last minute brunch reservations.

We wandered from our hotel in the French Quarter and arrived at the iconic restaurant on Royal Street, at 10:30.

Since 1832

I was excited to finally visit the Royal Street restaurant. The building has been here for 132 years, but it wasn't always a restaurant.

The French, townhouse-style building was first home to the Cavalier family. In 1886 the house and street level store was purchased and two sisters from an aristocratic Creole family, opened up a fine notions shop.

When we entered the restaurant on Christmas Eve morning, it was hard to picture the space, back in the day.

Emma and Bertha would have displayed imported gowns and perfumes in their shop.

I wonder where the arched doorway would have led, before it was turned into bar seating?

I'm sure the brick fireplace kept the shop cozy on cold mornings. On pleasant days, the sisters would have escorted their special guests, back to the courtyard for cakes and tea.

The Courtyard!

It was nice to arrive before the things got too busy. The staff was cheery and relaxed, inviting us to take a look around and decide if we wanted to eat in, or out.

The famous courtyard is the largest in New Orleans. It looked inviting with its wishing well and fountains. But it was a tiny bit chilly on that December morning.

Royal Court and Grand Marquis

I found more dining areas upstairs and in the front of the building.

They weren't serving in the formal spaces, but it was fun to see all the chandeliers and white tablecloths. The Fein Family has owned and run the restaurant since 1963.

I'm how these spaces were used before then. The Sisters closed shop in the early 1900's. I believe the building has been serving food and drink since the 1920's.

The Terrace

Back downstairs, we peeked in the Terrace Dining Room. It looked inviting, with a jazz trio and large windows, overlooking the courtyard.

The dining room was bright and airy, but the green garden colors lured us outside.

Table by the Fountain

The air was cool, but we warmed up with coffee. Chicory! We knew we were in New Orleans.

Our waiter Mario, kept the coffee coming. He said he'd only been at The Court for 2 years, but he had worked at another famous nearby restaurant for 42 years. "You were hired as a baby?" I asked. He laughed and said he started working at Brennan's, at age 12.

Buffet

It was nice to be some of the first guests to hit the buffet. What a wonderful spread!

First I took a good look at all the options in the inviting, black and white serving area. There was an Eggs Benedict station and a meat carving station.

There were Creole favorites, like turtle soup and crawfish pasta.

Best of all, there were lots of Christmas sweets and pieces of Christmas King Cake!

Feasting in the Courtyard

While Don and I feasted, I waited for the right moment to share a little something with Mario.

When there seemed to be a lull in activity, I pulled the old Ford Motor Cookbook from my bag.

"Does this recipe look familiar?" I asked. Mario took a long look at the old book from 1959. He laughed at the courtyard image, that accompanied the recipe for Shrimp Au Gratin. "Where is this from!"

Yay! I love adding a cookbook adventure to an already fun meal. It almost always gets a good reaction, but I had been a little concerned about sharing on a busy holiday. Mario showed the book to a couple other waiters, then he happily agreed to pose with us. So fun!

Heading Out

We finished up and wished Mario a Merry Christmas.

Instead of heading out through the old house, we exited through the back of the courtyard. We passed through a gate, that seemed to match the wrought iron in the cookbook illustration.

History

How have these separate buildings been used over the years? Did many buildings share the courtyard equally? I left with so many questions about this old place.

Cheers to three generations of Feins, for keeping this restaurant running on Royal Street for so many years. Cheers to Emma and Bertha! It was a fun dining adventure!

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Lost Maples

1/31/2020

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Breakfast in Utopia!

On a sunny, Sunday morning in January, Don and I drove to Utopia!

We were staying in San Antonio, so it was only a 90 minute drive. (4+ hrs from Houston)

We took TX 90 and meandered through other small towns, like Castroville and Hondo.

Love The Sign

Some years ago, we came upon Utopia, while heading to a campground. I remember how that sign got me thinking.

I wondered about the proud little town.

I was eager to experience a little of Paradise!

I was happy to do my best to keep it nice...

Did that mean no littering? Or was there a deeper meaning?

I won't say anything about a possibly "hidden" apostrophe... because my sloppy blogging is the worst!

Coffee on our First Visit

The first time we drove though Utopia, it was also a January day. We quickly spotted Lost Maples. There was little else in the town of about 220.

It wasn't mealtime for us, put we pulled in to have a quick peek.

Don headed to the counter to get some coffee-to-go. I stood back and studied the tables. They reminded me of my grandmother's kitchen! I couldn't help but notice the ladies gathered in the back corner.

Return in 2020

We swore we would return someday for a meal.

It took us 6 years, but we returned to those fabulous tables. One of the 9, looked a little different. I liked that combo table, with wooden legs and metal top!

Breakfast Time

It was just after 9 and only a few tables were taken. I'm guessing a lot of local folks were still in church.

Some women behind the counter invited us to sit anywhere. A woman, seated nearby, greeted us warmly. I wondered if she might be the owner.

Food

Don ordered eggs, ham and hash browns. I have to laugh at how my camera captured his plate! The biscuit was huge, but my photo image makes that square of bread look comically large.

My meal was more serious.

I had the veggie omelet with chopped potatoes. It came with a jar of salsa on the side! There was no way I needed that salsa.

The omelet had a pretty fun kick, all on its own! My biscuit looks much more normal, in the photo!

Exploring Time

After a while, it was time to get nosy. I wandered to the counter to look at the yellow sign and the wooden stools.

At the end of the counter, I noticed a chair, bolted to the ceiling.

Hanging from the back of the chair, was a rope and a cane. A couple of horseshoes were looped over some back rungs.

A young woman at a nearby table, noticed me snooping. Michaela was on a break, but was happy to fill me in on JR.

He had been one of the cafe's prized customers. He came daily for so many years, that they retired his chair after he died.

Seven Days in Utopia

Michaela was seated near a deer head, sporting some odd looking antlers.

I asked about the photo collection and she lit up. The cafe was used in the movie, "Seven Days in Utopia". She raved about meeting Robert Duvall and his wife, who couldn't have been nicer. I was glad to hear her speak with enthusiasm, since I've heard the opposite in other small towns... where movie crews clashed with locals.

Side Room

We continued chatting as I peeked into an additional eating area.

I asked if Michaela if she was from Utopia. She answered, "Born and raised!" She said her parents worked at Lost Maples, before she did. "We've all worked for Tacy." She gestrued towards the woman who had greeted us earlier.

Questions for Tacy

I introduced myself to the owner, who was happy to fill me in. I told her how much I loved the vintage tables and the wooden booths.

Tacy said they weren't there, when she and her husband Rusty, bought the place in 1986. They added the diner seating and booths, then began filling the place with antiques and knickknacks. She looked up at the covered shelves and windowsills and laughed. "I'm done with that!" I had the feeling she was facing the same de-cluttering urges that I am.

What Before?

Tacy said the building was built before 1904. Besides serving as a restaurant, it was used as a Masonic Lodge, a doctor's office and a drug store. The upper floor was available for lodging, when it was used by the Masons.

I asked when the building began serving meals. Tacy knew it was a restaurant in the 1960's, but she also recalled hearing the some kind of food was served in the forties... and there had been some kind of bar. I'm guessing JR could have filled us in!

Today

When a couple cars moved, I had a chance to look at the porch and compare to the old photo, that's on their website. Tacy said the old tree on the right, is in every photo she's ever seen.

Tacy's husband arrived after a while. He was wearing a cowboy hat and shook hands graciously. It's nice that they have kept this sweet place going for so many years.

Before Hitting the Road

With a 90 minute drive back, we made sure to pay a visit to the restroom. Of course I would have done that anyway. A trip to the restroom can offer more surprises.

I was tempted to make a call on the payphone... which really wasn't all that old.

Off We Go

We thanked everyone for chatting with us and headed out. I paused to take a look at the sweet building across the street.

It made me wonder about the post office and the original post master. I read that he was the one who chose the name Utopia. I guess the town never was a Utopian Community. It was just a really heavenly place, near the Sabinal River... which supposedly cured the postmaster of some illness.

Bye

I took one more picture of the building, just as Tacy and Rusty headed off.

They waved good-bye and I felt lucky that we'd had a chance to talk.

It was worth 3 hours of driving, especially with all the hill country scenery coming and going.

Maybe we'll have to catch the movie and reminisce about our Utopian breakfast!

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Grey Moss Inn in Grey Forest, TX

1/22/2020

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What a Discovery!

Last week, Don and I had my favorite kind of dining experience! Our dinner at Grey Moss Inn wasn't just about the food or atmosphere or service. It was also about the adventure of finding the place!

We found the 91 year old restaurant in the small town of Grey Forest. It was about 25 miles northwest of San Antonio... and then a short drive on Scenic Loop Road.

"Scenic Playground" of Grey Forest

We drove through the tiny town of Grey Forest, which had once been some kind of a summer camp community.

The 2-lane drive on Scenic Loop Road was intriguing. We spotted a few stone cottages that were built in the 1920's, when the area attracted artists and wealthy San Antonians, looking for a retreat from the city.

Long before that, the road was a trail, used by nomadic Indian tribes, stagecoaches and wagons. We didn't know all that... until later.

On the Loop

The restaurant backed up to the Loop. It wasn't exactly obvious.

There was a faded neon sign, that sort of blended with the winter landscape. We might have passed it, if we weren't looking for it.

Cookbook Time!

But we were looking for it! We knew about Grey Moss Inn... well sort of.

It wasn't a magazine ad that informed us. Or the internet, or word-of-mouth.

We read about Grey Moss Inn, in our 1959 cookbook, put out by Ford Motor Company.

We knew that Mary Howell owned the "rustic inn and served apple pie and charcoal-broiled meats...

...at least she did, 6 decades ago

I'm afraid Mary died in 1976, just a short while after she sold the restaurant. She was 85 and her son had been running the biz. Luckily, the old stone building never stopped serving meals, throughout all the years! That's not the case with most of the restaurants featured in the vintage cookbook!

Stone Entrance

Once the internet told us Grey Moss was still in business, I called to be sure. I was surprised when they suggested reservations. I happily made them for Tuesday evening.

I was eager to see the place in daylight, so I talked Don into driving over on Sunday morning. I spotted two stone cottages on the left, as we pulled in.

Huge Lot

The restaurant and patio faced a large gravel parking lot. They weren't open until dinner, so all was very quiet.

Don parked and I headed over to have a peek. The image didn't exactly match up with the book's illustration.

Outdoor Dining

I paused at the locked gate and peered into the patio area. The trees were dripping with Spanish moss, just like the picture.

It was a little cool in January for outdoor dining, but they had tables. The building on the right looked nothing like the stone building in the illustration. Did they add onto the front?

The Stone Grill

To the left of the patio, I spotted the round grill. In the illustration, it looked like a stone wishing well...except for the cartoonish figures, that seemed to be cooking.

I clicked one more photo before heading back to the car. I didn't want to cause any concern, in case there were any security cameras.

I got a better look at the circular grill when we returned on Tuesday evening. A young man was tending the mesquite fire, when we approached. A little later, he cooked my filet beautifully!

Tuesday Evening

No one else was on the patio when we arrived at 5:30. There were blue tablecloths and strings of lights.

I was glad to be there early and peek around, without bothering other guests.

Garden Room

We stepped inside and the hostess greeted us. She asked if I was Beth, which gave me a clue that they might not be expecting crowds.

I suddenly noticed the original exterior, with the arched doorway and the tree growing up through the ceiling.

Emily said the enclosed area with plants and skylights, is now called the Garden Room. We were obviously standing on what had once been the patio.

Questions for Emily

Since I'd read up a little on the internet, I had a few questions for Emily. She was young enough to roll her eyes, but she answered with such enthusiasm. I love young people who care about history.

She stepped outside with me, to point out the two stone cottages, that remain on the property today. She explained that the original owner Mary, used to live in the first one. "She baked her pies and breads there. In fact our current baker still does the baking over there."

The Treaty Tree

I asked about the tree I'd read about, with its peaceful energy. Emily pointed to the massive Live Oak, across the meadow. I walked over to have a look.

Apparently, this tree represented neutral ground for many land disputes, over the years. Treaties and alliances were signed here, between conflicting Native American tribes and early settlers.

So Much History

I was slow getting back to poor Don, who was waiting patiently at the table. But I was so curious about this property with its native stone buildings. I wondered about the woman who started the restaurant in 1929. Not the best time in US history to start a business!

Mary must have been quite an amazing woman. For so many years, her hard work and passion drew customers to such a remote area. The restaurant's current website even talks about encounters with Mary's spirit! Maybe I should have lingered out there longer. I could have asked her a few questions!

Cozy Interior

Don was checking on the menu when I returned. We had a sweet table for two, beside a window.

Of course our window no longer looked outside. If we peeked through the curtains, we could see a room with 3 tables.

The cozy addition with the slanted ceiling, had a great view of the original exterior stonework... now painted. While we were eating later, a man stepped into the tiny space and pointed to the table below the oval portrait. I heard him tell his friends that he proposed to his wife there. Sweet.

Fireplace

My eyes were drawn to the fireplace in the back part of the room. Too bad it wasn't a little chillier outside. A fire would have made things perfect.

I spotted a few old photos on the wall, next to the fireplace.

I loved this photo. Were those rocking chairs? Who was the woman in the hat with the cat? I think Mary was the woman standing. The curious woodwork above and near the fireplace, hasn't changed.

Some Bubbly and Candlelight

I was pretty amused by the enormous display of wax on our table! I wonder how many candles and how many hours of burning produced that!

Don and I decided to order a couple glasses of Prosecco first. We quietly offered a toast to our fun adventure!

Our waiter Chris, brought us our complimentary (and traditional) "Olive Twist" appetizer. He also introduced us to Jacob, who was shadowing him. Jacob happened to be his younger brother and they made the perfect team.

Again, we were delighted to realize how well informed the young staff was with the restaurant's history. We decided to eat first, before dragging out the cookbook...

Our Feast!

First we peeked at the wine list, which was huge and varied. They were offering glasses of Altos Hormingas Malbec for $6. that night! Yes!

Then Don ordered the 3 course special. Wild Mushroom Bisque, Beef Wellington with garlic truffle mashed potatoes, mushrooms and peppercorn sauce. Mouthwatering! I loved the buttery pastry crust.

My choice was the 8 ounce filet, grilled over the mesquite charcoal and basted with the traditional Witches Brew! (another tradition) My photo fails terribly! The meat's flavor was magical! The Grey Moss Squash (with cumin) was made with Mary's old recipe! The "Sour Cream Potato on the Half Shell" was mighty fine!

Dessert Time

By the time Don's third course arrived, I was stuffed and half my meal was being boxed. His Blue Velvet Cake with Swiss cream icing was dense and delicious and there was plenty to share, but it was time to ask about apple pie.

I asked Chris and he said they did have apple pie. "But do you think it's made with this recipe?" I asked. I opened the vintage book and pointed to "The Inn's Own Apple Pie" recipe.

Reaction

It's always fun to see reactions to the old book. I lower expectations with younger servers, but Chris and Jacob leaned in and laughed with giddy surprise. "What is this!?" Emily rushed over from the doorway and said she had to look too.

Emily took a photo with her phone and all 3 flipped through the pages, while we told them how we use this old cookbook like a treasure map. It's not easy to explain, to a generation that hardly knows about Ford Motor Company or cookbooks period. But they clearly loved hearing how the book leads us to interesting places and people! They were happy to pose with the book. I let them pick the best photo spot.

Heading Out

We finished up and I gathered the book and my precious leftovers.

Don and I headed out the door thanking the 3 young people who had treated us well and impressed us with their enthusiasm.

As we walked towards the car, I noticed two nicely dressed men near the grill pit. It looked to me like maybe the owner had just arrived.

I couldn't help myself. I headed over, in the dark.

First I embarrassed myself by approaching wrong man, with the cookbook. The dapper gentleman said he was actually Dr. Baeten's driver, but he pointed me in the right direction.

Louis Baeten

Dr. Baeten was more than happy to put up with my jabber about our delicious meal and how nicely the staff took care of us.

He was also pretty delighted when I showed him the book. He and his wife have owned Grey Moss since 1988, so I was surprised he hadn't run across the book in all these years! He asked if he could get a photo of the recipe and Emily assured him she had taken one. I left happy. I also left without my mouthwatering doggy bag. I put it down on a patio table. Rats!

Green Sign and a Phone Call

I was excited to see the old neon sign glowing as we pulled out onto the Loop. We drove cautiously through Grey Forest, since Chris had warned us about speed traps. Chris had also asked me to text him photos, when I got them off my Nikon.

The next day I realized I'd lost Chris' contact info, so I called Grey Moss. I told the woman on the phone to give my cell number to Chris, so I could text him the photos. "Are you the person with the cookbook?" the woman asked.

Kelly introduced herself and said she was the baker. She'd already been given the recipe and was eager about getting Mary's original apple pie recipe on the menu.

We chatted a while and she told me a few more bits of Grey Moss history and trivia. I hung up the phone grinning... and hungry! Sometimes I get to carry over a dining adventure to the next day, by devouring leftovers. This time I extended the adventure by enjoying a conversation, with the baker!

What a fun time! We'll have to go back for pie!

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Billy Gail's Cafe

Charley's Grill in Neosho,

Court of The Two Sisters

Lost Maples

Grey Moss Inn in Grey Forest, TX

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