EOS

For my taste, too little salt is probably worse than too much. Although I admit the latter is probably a deliberate ploy to get you to buy more drinks.

Driving up from Corpus in the pre-interstate days meant Waco was about a full days drive for mother, dad and four boys in the un-airconditioned cars of the era.We would then go on to Big D in the morning to arrive in time to do some of the midway stuff, have lunch and get settled in for kickoff.

The first year I remember (about age 7) we stayed at the downtown Roosevelt hotel, but in each of the following years we stayed at the Tam O’Shanter and they are some of the best memories I have as we did very little other traveling. After a hard days drive, counting every cow from Corpus to Conroe, finding every red car, etc. arriving at the Tam O’Shanter meant about 30 seconds until all four of us boys were in the pool and the folks got a break from the 8 or 10 hours of continuous “are we there yets”? After a cooling swim, it was on to the adjacent restaurant.

I had honestly forgotten the name, but upon seeing your postcard, I remembered that somewhere in my long filed away in the attic stuff, I have exactly that same card! That triggered the memories of the meals at Bill Woods Famous Foods.

It was THE favorite of all dining establishments visited by the Poynor clan. We would eat there on arrival on Friday evening and upon our return from the game on Saturday. I remember the steaks, especially along with crisp, cold salads. I have the impression that my father may have known Bill as I recall someone identified (to us kids) only as the “owner” always came over and chatted for a good while with my parents. As I recall those conversations from 50 odd years later, I remember them being much more involved than the courtesy “how was your meal” conversation that one would encounter at a nice restaurant.

Finally, I remember one much more animated conversation when my father asked for ketchup for his steak and the chief came storming out of the kitchen fuming about the imbecile that wanted ketchup for his steak and the owner diplomatically interceding and calming both parties down and quietly taking the ketchup away from the table! If the person that was identified to me as the owner was indeed Bill Wood, then you can take this as a first hand account of his proprietorship of the restaurant.

I found your blog because I am in Waco tonight on a lengthy trip about Texas and was curious if any of that still existed. Finding nothing in the yellow pages, and becoming discouraged as too much has changed to find the street(s)where it was, I googled Tam O’Shanter +Waco and found your blog. Pleasant memories from more than half a century ago came flooding back and your clue about the Elite Grill and “the Circle” has lead me to find that on a map.

First thing in the morning, I am off to the Circle to see what I will see – the Dr. Pepper Museum can wait!

Thanks for a very unexpected, but highly enjoyable march down memory lane!

I’ve just googled your Uncle Bill’s restaurant which was at the circle in Waco. My mother worked there as a waitress sometime between 1946 and 1953. I found this postcard on sale at Ebay. As a little girl the keg on top seemed so large. But as you can see from the photo here, it’s not so huge at all. Oh yes, it was across the street from the Tam O’Shanter Hotel Courts. I remember one year Mr. Woods went to Scotland for a vacation and when he returned he gave my mother and the other waitresses pincushions he had bought while he was there. It had the Highland Thistle on it. http://cgi.ebay.com/TX,-Waco,-Texas,-Bill-Woods-Restaurant_W0QQitemZ370350054954QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20100318?IMSfp=TL1003181910002r3130

In case you’ve never seen the photo hope you enjoy it. Perhaps you could add it to this blog for others to see.

God Bless
& All the Best,
From someone who has great memories of Waco, Texas

Look at all that carnage in the window!

In our humble abode we refer to the Dallas Chop House as the Salt Palace.

So sorry I did not alert you to this dining deficiency in advance of your festive outing.

CB

Help with words and not just pictures.

I can read just like yew!