Saturday, September 29, 2012

How You Doin' Hon'?

Another un-posted entry.  I still love Sandy's.


First off, let me apologize for a double Jimmy Durante post last night. I don't feel bad for posting about Durante, but it has little to do with the point of the blog. You know, now that I think about it, I'm not sorry, and if you can't see the greatness there then that's...sorry.

Anyway, this was my week to pick our lunch spot, and I was a bit undecided. On the one hand there was a taqueria I've been wanting to try if we turned right. Turn left and there was a taqueria and a family cooking restaurant. I told Mr. Clay to hang a louie and hit the gas. We pulled up and the taqueria was no longer there, so that made the decision easy. Sandy's Restaurant it would be.

First off, Sandy's has the feel of going into a diner in the early 70's for a Saturday lunch when you are staying the weekend with your grandparents.  It's that awesome. This is the chicken fried steak, mashed spuds and what was obviously canned corn.  Doesn't matter. This is one of the reasons people live in Texas.  This is the food that shaped me into the gargantuan human I am today.

I am going to describe the experience a bit in reverse, overall experience first and then specifics. Sandy's is a dying breed. It's tucked away in an aging strip mall, and when you walk in it feels and looks like every roadside cafe in west Texas in 1965. In short, it was perfect. The wait staff was so friendly. I had forgotten what it's like to eat in a place where people treat you in such a friendly manner. Usually there is so much affect that you can tell before they even open their mouths that this is going to be an act.

My friends say I was born 50 years too soon. They're right. I was. GC and I had a conversation on Thursday lamenting the fact that men can no longer wear hats (not caps, talking Fedoras here) without looking like an ass clown. So Sandy's won my heart when I opened the door. We walked up and I ordered the lunch special, the Texas classic chicken fried steak. For sides, I ordered mashed and corn. The only drink to order with such a meal is iced tea. It came to about $7.

The food was brought up in good order, and the service was attentive the entire time. The picture above is Texas greatness. The steak was home made and nowhere close to frozen. The gravy was thick and greasy and wonderful. The spuds were obviously homemade and no one eats the corn.  That just isn't Texan.  There's color on that food.

Sometimes you have to eat this way, friends.  It's good for the soul and good for the system to go into crisis  mode due to pan dripping gravy.  I love this place so much.  Plus they do a great chili-cheese burger, the fries are fantastic (though I would do a second fry of them) and they have a whole host of other items on the menu.

Okay, dearest readers, this is obviously from some time ago.  However, Sandy's rocks and right now I could go for the atmosphere if nothing else.  Sleep well, dearest readers.

















































































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