Childhood food memories?

I was searching for pizza restaurants and ran across this older thread and had to add my two cents.

I remember going to my very first restaurant with actual menus. I was probably about four years old at the time so that would make it the early 1970's. It was a pink restaurant on New Cut Road, across from Iroquois Park. Gosh, I totally forget the name. I remember being insulted that the waitress didn't give me my own menu. My parents had to ask for an extra. I was already reading at that point so I was very thrilled to have a real menu to order from. I want to say it had Park in the name, but I don't know if that's right. It was still there a decade later, but we had long since moved from that end of town.

Later on, New Orleans East, as the previous poster mentioned. That was a fancy spot my dates would take me when I was out of high school. To me, that was as fancy as fancy could be!

And Lentini's, before it burned down or whatever eventually happened once I moved away. That was a date spot, too.

I still remember reading one of Robin Garr's early restaurant reviews, I believe it was his at least, where he recommended the sweetbreads at a restaurant on Bardstown Road. it would have been a review in the C-J around 1986. Was that you, Robin? And was it Cafe Metro? Was that it?? Anyway, I ordered them, ate them, liked them, and only later found out what sweetbreads really were. Ah, I was only 18.

I do remember Farrell's ice cream at Oxmoor. As a teenager, my friends and I would always save our dollars for a sundae there after an afternoon of browsing the mall. And Ehler's...that brings back memories. My mom always took me to Ehler's on New Cut Road for a hot fudge sundae after piano practice. It made piano lessons bearable, knowing what was in store afterward.

Remember Daryl's, with some year attached to the name? Dary's 1880 or something like that? Near Krispy Kreme on Bardstown Road? Bad food, but I had a first date there with some guy when I was 16 and he told me before we went in that he only had $20, so keep my order under $8. Nice... The funny thing is, I still remember what I ordered. Some sort of parmesan crusted fish for $5.99.

What else...oh, Ollie's Trolley. I was a kid and I hated those weird hamburgers, but they definitely stuck in my mind.

And Burger Chef. I liked decorating my own hamburger as a kid. And Pizza Inn. My parents always used those two-for-one coupons. And definitely the original Mr. Gatti's, especially the one in J-town. I loved that pizza. Oh, and King's Table. As a kid, that was heaven.

Obviously, my tastes have grown up. But food definitely does bring back memories.

This post really had me remeniscing (sp)! Ehrler's was the greatest growing up (born in '76). I frequented the Poplar Level road store which at one time was the location of the actual dairy, I think. I vaguely recall a 1st grade field trip there. Chico's takes me back too...I recall having to beg my mom to take us there...and get some mexican food, which was not all that prevelent back then.

I still tell people about Zantigo...nothing over $.99.

Does anyone recall a restaurants called the Abilene Steakhouse. I remeber my family going there and they had the most tender burgers and juicy tasty steaks. It was in the dupont circle area, and the lobby was a converted train car. Please tell me I am not crazy and this place actually existed.

DD

[Robin Garr]

Does anyone recall a restaurant called the Abilene Steakhouse. I remeber my family going there and they had the most tender burgers and juicy tasty steaks. It was in the dupont circle area, and the lobby was a converted train car. Please tell me I am not crazy and this place actually existed.

That sounds like Victoria Station, Derrick, with the train cars (and an old London phone booth!).

Abilene Steakhouse doesn't ring a bell for me.

DD

Let's see...Village Inn is the first one that comes to mind. I remember the banjo player and the fireplace the most. Pasquale's on Bardstown Rd with their square slices and music selections at the booths. Oh - the soda fountain/ grill at Walgreens at Highland and Baxter. Ann's Grill grilled cheese!! I worked at Mr Gatti's at Mid City Mall in the mid 80's (back when their pizza was good)


MissChele

where was victoria station located??? The place I recall (for some reason the name Abilene Steakhouse rings a bell) was on the corner on the street in Dupont that ww Cousins is located just off Breckinridge Lane. Please tell me I'm not crazy...or perhaps I am. DD

After Vic Station was sold it was converted into the Abilene Steakhouse. I think it only lasted maybe a year or 2 at the very most then the place was sold, the cars trucked off and the remaining structure torn down. There's a doctors office building there now. On Dupont Circle in the elbow of the road down from Cousins.

I thought of another place. This was around about 1988. There was a nice restaurant in Anchorage that was in an old train station. I think it was on Evergreen Road, if that is a street in that area. I have looked to see if it still exists, with no luck. Does that ring any bells?

Tina, sorry to say that a restaurant in Anchorage no longer exists. It went through several changes of name, owner and menu over the last few years and closed about two years ago. The building itself has now been moved up the hill and totally remodeled. It's beautiful but vacant, hopefully someone soon will open in new restaurant in it. It like most of Anchorage is now owned by Papa John to the best of my knowledge.

We had heard a rumor that a coffee shop was going to move in there but haven't yet seen anything. They also remodeled the florist shop next to where they moved the train station to but it too is vacant.

One of my fondest childhood memories is my mom making beef stew every year on Halloween for my brother and I, when we were little kids, back in the ancient, ancient 80's.

She made it for dinner Sunday, and as it does every time she makes it, all those great memories of trick or treating in the DARK, in the extremely chilly Michigan fall weather came flooding back. Too bad it was 90+ degrees.

I grew up on the Southend and we really didn't go out to eat alot. The few places that I do remember are:

-Mike Linnings...fish, onion rings, frog legs, oysters, I love their fries dipped in tartar sauce.
-Bonnie & Clydes Pizza....we always went there with my cheerleading squad and the basketball team in grade school for our banquets, etc. They had the kiddy thing where you could climb up and watch them make the pizzas.
-Taco Tico...yum! Have to get out to the new one.
-The Banquet Table...we always went here with my grandparents.
-New Orleans Seafood House....I remember going here for my sweet sixteen...tons of seafood. I wish this was still around.

"I still remember reading one of Robin Garr's early restaurant reviews, I believe it was his at least, where he recommended the sweetbreads at a restaurant on Bardstown Road. it would have been a review in the C-J around 1986. Was that you, Robin? And was it Cafe Metro? Was that it?? Anyway, I ordered them, ate them, liked them, and only later found out what sweetbreads really were. Ah, I was only 18."

That was probably The Winery. We were probably the only restaurant in town serving that item in the mid-1980's

"I still remember reading one of Robin Garr's early restaurant reviews, I believe it was his at least, where he recommended the sweetbreads at a restaurant on Bardstown Road. it would have been a review in the C-J around 1986. Was that you, Robin? And was it Cafe Metro? Was that it?? Anyway, I ordered them, ate them, liked them, and only later found out what sweetbreads really were. Ah, I was only 18."

That was probably The Winery. We were probably the only restaurant in town serving that item in the mid-1980's

[Robin Garr]

"I still remember reading one of Robin Garr's early restaurant reviews, I believe it was his at least, where he recommended the sweetbreads at a restaurant on Bardstown Road. it would have been a review in the C-J around 1986. Was that you, Robin? And was it Cafe Metro? Was that it?? Anyway, I ordered them, ate them, liked them, and only later found out what sweetbreads really were. Ah, I was only 18."

That was probably The Winery. We were probably the only restaurant in town serving that item in the mid-1980's

Oops, sorry, I missed this on the first go-round. I did indeed rave about the sweetbreads at The Winery, and specifically commented that I was giving extra credit to any restaurant in Louisville willing to serve such a thing.

The Winery was my first published review in The Louisville Times! I visited intentionally before my appointment to the post, because the guys there already knew me as the paper's wine writer, so once the word was out, I couldn't be anonymous.

Thus, it had to be earlier than 1986, as I started doing the column, I think, early in 1984.

well, then it must have been The Winery. That name does sound familiar. That would mean I was still in high school, probably senior year, and making my then-boyfriend who was in college take me to expensive (for kids) restaurants. That sounds like me. I do remember the dinner being more than $50 and feeling slightly guilty for a minute that he was spending his hard-earned lifeguarding money on such a pricey dinner for me, but I soon got over it. and enjoyed my dinner.