Stephen Ray Puckett

Happy New Year, everybody!

Lana Johnson (Horne)

Thanks, Steven,  Happy New Year to you and your family! I am praying for a great year for all of us.  We were at a New Year's brunch trying to remember the name of the Polynesian restaurant in the old Shamrock Hotel.  We were not successful, but I told my friends that I knew someone who just might know!  Do you remember? I remembered the Shamrock but not the restaurant part.  Thanks!

Teddie Jordan ' 64

Trader Vic's. Had many good meals and times there.

Anita Marbury (Marbury)

Happy New Year to all my favorite Texans where ever you  might live.

I hope for you good health and happiness in 2016.

I love to read about your travels, families, an adventures in your lives.

Keep posting.

A bunch of us are meeting at Doyles on Friday Jan. 8 at 11:30. Come join us.

Send Joyce Barta a message since she will reserve space.

Come for a visit to Durango and I will be your tour guide.

Happy Trails,

Sweetie

Robert (Robby) Wallis

Sweetie...wishing you and all a happy, prosperous and safe 2016

I should be able to attend Jan 8 get together...also, I may take you up on the tour guide thing

once the arctic temps subside.. Sunshine is finally hurrying down today in Houston, might make 60F

re Trader Vic's....as best I recall...

Trader Vic's may have been in the Shamrock Hilton at some point but, for a considerable number

of years until it's closing, the restaurant was located across Holcombe Blvd from the Shamrock...

The building that the restaurant was in, sat vacant for several years before being torn down.

Now, I believe there is still a Trader Vic's in the basement of the downtown Atlanta Hilton.. I've entertained

clients there on several occasions.

I currently live about a mile west of where the Shamrock was. I witnessed it being torn down...the large parking garage remains.

The property on which the Shamrock, pool and lanai sat, is now a surface parking lot.  An office

building and an hideous ugly array of concrete fountains now sit on the property which fronted  on South

Main. I believe this property once contained tennis courts, available to Shamrock guests.  

The Shamrock had a fine restaurant that overlooked the pool... We'd go there often on Sunday mornings for

eggs benedict which were exceptional.  If Trader Vic's was once in the Shamrock, it could have been in that location....

It could also have been located in the parking garage.

robby

Stephen Ray Puckett

I went to Trader Vic's a couple of times the year it opened, once for my birthday.  I thought it was grand.  A bit of googling says that it was at the Shamrock (somewhere) 1965-80 then it was renamed The Terrace.  There are 3 left in the US: Atlanta (like Robbie mentions), Emeryville (San Francisco area), and Portland as well as several in other countries.  I went to the Trader Vic's in Portland a couple of times.  It was OK but did not have the magic that I saw as a teenager plus it was out of the way for me.  Oh, well.

A listing gives this address for Trader Vic: 6900 S. Main

Some of the Shamrock restaurants.  There was also a Pine Grill.

I also went to Gee's Poly-Asian once.  That was fun too.  I never made it to Don the Beachcomber or any other tiki places.  Some tiki bars in Houston (Lei Low is in the Heights): http://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/houstons-best-tiki-bars-6419475

Carol Lynn Thamer (Hanson)

Way to go Cougars!  It was really fun watching them win.  Happy New Year.  Love-  Carol

Robert (Ben) Carbo

Lana Johnson (Horne)

Thanks for the answer to my question about Trader Vic's!  So many good football games to watch and so happy for TCU.  We have Baylor season tickets, and decided we didn't want to go to Orlando to watch a painful game as Baylor was missing too many key players.  We should have gone! Happy New Year!

Genie Hackenjos (Kistler)

Thanks Lana, Steve and all for the Trader Vic's memories & photos.  My family took me there to celebrate my graduation.  It was in the Shamrock at that time.  

Hope 2016 has started out well for all!

Genie

Lana Johnson (Horne)

I don't ever remember going there.  The Chuckwagon and some barbeque place in our area was our family's idea of dining out!  It is surprising how much I have forgotten about growing up in Houston, and I love all these reminders of our life there.  Happy New Year!

Arletta Parnell (Glankler)

Was the BBQ place called BBQ Inn.  We ate there all the time.  Best chicken fried steak, bbq, and fried shrimp anywhere.  It is still there.  Go every time I am home in Houston.

Stephen Ray Puckett

I think I ate there once but saw it many times.  Dad liked to BBQ so that is what I ate growing up.  Every few months we would get BBQ from Shepherd Drive Barbecue (became Pizzitola's BBQ when John Davis died in 1983). We would order from the back door in those days - black folks could sit in the dining room.  http://pizzitolas.com/ourstory.html   If out of town (hunting, camping, etc.) we would stop at one of the many BBQ pits on the side of the highway and get some BBQ to go.  Yum!   I remember Dad's hunting buddies getting squirrels, raccoon, or armadillo, then taking them to one of the roadside BBQ places to cook up for them. 

Roger Felton

I remember the Shamrock Hilton from when I was a lil whippersnapper.  From our first house we lived at in Houston you could see that thing for miles.  As a teacher, Dad would supplement his income driving for a company called Airways Limosine.  I remember him telling the family one time that he drove the Andrews Sisters to the Shamrock.  Said they were a talented singing trio but said they sure were on the homely side.

All this talk of Trader Vic's and Chuckwagon sure makes me hungry.  Gosh, I remember my favorite joint.  It was that little place off of TC Jester that catered to the Hispanic/Afro-American crowd.  They'd have watermellon and rib tacos, fried chicken enchaladas, and those Mariachi Rap singers were great.  The menu was in Tex-Mex jive so took some getting used to.  It was called the "Nacho Mama" if I remember correctly.

Fae Elskes (Krenek)

I used to love the Barbeque Inn on Crosstimbers. We ate there all the time when I lived in that area. I'm glad to hear they're still there.

Do any of you remember the place at Shepherd and 43rd that had breaded french fries? They were well worth the extra calories! We went to Schobles in Columbus, TX. on our way home from New Braunfels last weekend. They have the breaded fries. First time I've had them in years. Yum!

Another place we used to eat at on Shepherd was called Ducho's Steak House. Really low prices for a steak for two. I don't think they're even there anymore.  I haven't gone to that side of town since Mother died in 2008. (Dad died in 2005).

My husband and I live in Hearthstone now. A little too far to venture out to Shepherd Drive!

Happy new year, y'all.

Roger Felton

Somewhere there has got to be a receipe for breaded fries.  They sound yum yum.  I can't believe I missed out on all this good stuff.  Mom said I was spending too much time working on my car....guess she was right

Fae, do you ever hear from Bobby?  I miss that guy and would love to chat with him sometime....

Lana Johnson (Horne)

Arletta, it was the BBQ Inn.  My parents loved it.  Whenever my husband and I came back to Texas, my dad would bring home at least one meal from there.  I'm not even sure where it was.  Is it still in business? Thanks for remembering! Just read your post again, Arletta---it is still there!

Sandy Spears (Koslosky-Siddall)

Man you guys must have been rich eating out all the time. ;-) 

We thought it was a big deal to go to Swanson's Cafeteria. I believe it was on Shepard. Later I remember Mom would bring home Doyle's on Friday nights - pasta and apple pie with cheese while watching Rowdy Yates on TV. Good times.

Robert (Robby) Wallis

As far as I know the BBQ Inn is still in biz....I believe the Skrehot family generation X Y Z ? still runs it...

I never dined there back in the day...but my dad, who passed in 2005, went there often....

A few years ago, a couple of people I worked with, who grew up near the restaurant, asked me if I wanted to drive over and have lunch....well, heck yeah!, we drove a fairly long way from our office in Westchase only to find the restaurant closed....seems they close for an extended period during the summer to vacation and rennovate the restaurant...well,  that day, we settled on Doyles instead....correction! Doyle's was closed too..we dined at another eating establishment in the area that offered a comforting gastronomic experience, the Triple A Restaurant, on Airline, a few blocks south of 610...I believe the restaurant is still in operation...The Farmer's Market is probably still next door.

Later that year,  we returned to BBQ Inn for lunch....the brisket and the chicken fried steak were excellant..turns out my working companions had known the Skrehot family for many years and  a family reunion ensued right there in the restaurant.....haven't been back since...but, if any of ya'll want to go, let me know..

BTW, today's Women of Waltrip get together at Doyle's was a very enjoyable experience for me...It was the guys, Chip, Bill and myself, trying to hold our own against the beautiful and talented women of Waltrip....let's see if I can remember ...Mary, Mary, Toni, Carol, Linda, Sweetie, Pat, Joyce, Jacquie, Judy (Kahla)...if I missed someone I owe you lunch....

Stephen Ray Puckett

Barbecue Inn is now celebrating 67 years.  Here's the website: http://thebarbecueinn.com

Ducho's (DOO-ho's) had a run of 38 years and closed in 2003, as I recall.  This is the newer place. 

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Fae, the place with the breaded fries was Plantation Inn or Oaks.  It was on a beautiful wooded lot and the building sat way back from Shepherd Drive (there used to be a Lutheran Church next door to where it was).  They had a dining room, but I remember eating in it about once or twice - too expensive for our family back in the day.  There were picnic tables scattered all over the lawn where you could eat your "pick-up" order and it was a great place to run and play when we were young.  I mentioned the Plantation fries to Wayne Skrehot last time I visited BBQ Inn while in Houston and he said he knew the recipe, but they were too much trouble to make.  Both Skrehot families were our neighbors in Candlelight before we moved to Dallas.  Louis, the older Skrehot, has retired and Wayne and his older son now run it. 

Robert (Ben) Carbo

Robert (Ben) Carbo

Linda Marmion (Linder)

Yes, the Barbque Inn was and still is a family favorite. However, seldom do you see anyone eating barbque!  Their fried shrimp, fried chicken, chicken fried steak, and burgers continue to be rated among the best in Houston. You're right Jimmie Lee, Plantation Oaks had the best French fries ever made!  I was told that the lady who owed the restaurant died without passing on her recipe. If you live in Houston, the Buffalo Grille has good battered fries.  Austinites need to try the Hyde Park Cafe; the battered fries are terrific. However, none compare to Plantation Oaks. Enjoy!

Woodrow Wilson Traylor

Seasoned fries are fairly simple, but a bit messy.  Here's my recipe:

Peel and slice russet potatoes

Put potato slices in buttermilk/milk{whichever you have}

Take a plate of all-purpose flour and season with salt and pepper

Batter the potatoes in the flour and set aside for a few minutes before frying in your favorite frying pan.  Make sure the oil is shimmering before frying.

ENJOY!!

P.S.  Refinements are encouraged and please let me know how we did