My perspective about Quaker Steak & Lube is beginning to change. I'm starting to think the new restaurant at Legends Crossing, which has September 5 tentatively circled as its opening date, could be Waco's new party central.
I spoke with general manager Shawn Dunham, who told me excitedly and at length about the atmosphere Quaker Steak & Lube hopes to create. The skinny — lots of special events to go along with the wings and sports on huge TVs. Dunham said they could have as many as six 80-inch screens and more than 30 total TVs in the restaurant.
I promised yesterday to have more information on the new shopping center going up on Valley Mills Drive near the intersection with Lake Air. Thanks to my friend Brad Brown, I'm able to come through on that promise.
Brown, who oversees this area for Smashburger, told me that Smashburger has signed a lease to go into the building that will soon be taking shape.
The lots being cleared on Valley Mills Drive near the intersection with Lake Air will bring some new things to our area.
Some we already know about, while I'm still working on getting confirmation of others. The two we know are Aldi and Mama Fu's.
My new favorite thing in which to dip chicken tenders — green sauce.
Salsa verde.
My buddy Chris Salazar is one of the best-placed beacons of the WacoFork wire. He's friendly and comes across a lot of information while working at Shorty's Pizza Shack and he passes it along to me.
On Wednesday evening, Salazar told me about a new bar called Nite Court across from the court house. I guess I wanted this to be a quaint, Murphy Brown-esque pub that quietly served customers in the Columbus or Washington Avenue area near the county court house.
Doing a little recon today, I was surprised how quickly Which Wich at Bosque and Wooded Acres has taken shape.
Store manager Mike Duncan said the sandwich restaurant is hoping to be open by July 31. That's a tentative date, but standing in the dining room today, I don't doubt that they might be ready to go in the next couple of weeks.
Thanks to my friend Toph Whisnant for buying my lunch today at Olympic Family Restaurant.
I met a group for lunch at Olympic and wondered on the way if it would be a cash-only establishment. Sure enough, the sign on the door indicated no checks or credit cards. Whisnant, who helped to organize this Tuesday lunch group I join, astutely brought $50 cash to cover anyone who didn't have cash.
He said he's charging 8.9 percent interest compounded hourly on his lunch loan, so I guess he's going to make out pretty well on that decision to bring $50 cash. I wonder if he will send my account to collection if I don't pay him right away. Toph is actually going to London for the Olympics (coincidence) in a couple of weeks, so maybe this is how he's financing the trip.
Oh, you might be wondering why there's a picture of breakfast food with this blog. Olympic serves breakfast all day. Big plus. When I learned this fact, I went straight for the breakfast portion of the menu.
Kielbasa with hash browns and eggs over easy with a Dr Pepper. Heck yeah!
This was my first trip to Olympic, which sort of explains why I didn't know it was cash-only. I'm pretty happy the lunch group chose it because I look forward to adding restaurants to my personal catalogue. I wonder how many years I'll have to write this blog before I've dined at every restaurant in town. Is it even possible?
One more bite: On a separate note, I found Taqueria El Crucero closed for breakfast this morning due to temporary air conditioning issues. But I also stumbled upon something very intriguing and possibly a Waco game-changer. There was a big green food trailer parked next to the restaurant. Is this the Crucero food truck? When will it launch? More on this story as it develops.
So it's a new week. As much as I think each week should be appreciated on its own merit, I can't help but think, here in the dog days of summer, that each week just gets us one week closer to exciting things.
The start of football season, for example. Cooler weather for another.
The fact that Freebirds now has four walls here in Waco makes me ever more excited and curious when it will be open.
I'm certain I'm not the only one.
I had to wash my hands before writing this blog or else my computer keyboard would be entirely too greasy.
That's a proper Fried-day. Wouldn't you agree?
