restaurants

A delicious Thai meal

/ Roadtirementvintage / 25 Comments


Off on another adventure, we headed first to Greenfield, Indiana, east of Indianapolis. We were headed towards a new to us restaurant, Zapp Thai Restaurant. They offered many lunch specials, each including an entrée, soup and small salad.

Stir-fry mixed veggies

Sweet – sour pineapple, veggies with pork

Generous portions

Enjoying the Sweet & Sour plate

Fully stocked wine bar

We were very pleased with our meals. They were both filling and very tasty. This restaurant will definitely be one to which we return.

 

 

An afternoon outing

/ Roadtirementvintage / 21 Comments

Yesterday early afternoon we made a quick trip to the store. Horrors of horrors we were completely out of trash bags! Anyway, after we purchased those bags we all (our son was with us) decided we needed and wanted to eat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applebee’s sounded like a reasonable choice. The place was not busy and we were seated immediately. The placard on the table proudly announced half price appetizers. Those sounded good!

The frozen strawberry margaritas were great

We had a most enjoyable time together. The appetizers were very tasty and filling! We actually had a need for a couple of doggie bags (actually boxes) for take home. We really enjoy these kind of outings, and this one was extra fun because our son came with us.  Oh, and on the way home we spotted a bald eagle!  (Eagle picture here)

Dinner tonight

/ Roadtirementvintage / 19 Comments

We’d been basically stuck at home for the past few days via snow and stupid cold temperatures. Somehow pizza sounded pretty good for dinner tonight.

Love those olives

Alfredo sauce and bacon strips!

The car was a challenge to get the doors open, wipers free and 10 inches of snow removed. But with our son’s help we got it dug out. It needed to get started anyway, so our son picked up our online order at Papa Johns. Yummy and a nice break from cooking at home.

 

Magnificent Welte Orchestrion music machines at Zaharakos

/ Roadtirementvintage / 14 Comments

We recently enjoyed some fabulous ice cream sundaes at the opulent and historic Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor and Museum in Columbus, Indiana. In addition to the antique soda fountains and cabinets filled with vintage flavor jars, there are several beautiful Welte Orchestrion automatic music machines displayed.

Welte Orchestrion, left. This was during our April 2021 visit.

Welte machines have a long and detailed history. Note that the term Orchestrion was coined by Welte in the 1850’s. Some refer to these types of automatic music machines as orchestrations.

Fully functional, coin operated

Play list

Large and fancy, see the clock on top?

We have been to Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor and Museum twice now. Here are the links to our posts about each visit. The April 2021 post has photos of lots of the vintage things in the shop. Our visit a couple of days ago will make you want to visit and have a hot fudge sundae.

 

An afternoon decadent treat

/ Roadtirementvintage / 41 Comments

Today was one of those days where you think that you ought to be doing something. About mid afternoon we both said almost simultaneously “Let’s get an ice cream!” Sher and I often think of ideas at the same time. I suggested that we go to Columbus, Indiana and visit the Zaharakos vintage Ice Cream Parlor for the second time. You can read about our visit last April here.

Single scoop butter pecan, hot fudge, whipped cream and cherry

Two scoops butter pecan, hot fudge, whipped cream and cherry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the drive to Zaharakos we discussed what we were going to order when we got to the Parlor. Hmmm… When we were there before we ordered lunch and said we’d be back for ice cream. Today was that day.

Ready to dive into those hot fudge sundaes!

What delicious sundaes we enjoyed! The butter pecan ice cream was the best I have ever tasted, and Sher agreed. The hot fudge was hot, not like some places. There was also a ton of the hot fudge, as it completely covered the bottom and sides of our dishes. This ice cream parlor was founded in 1900. The place is really an ice cream museum. There are many old soda fountains and several cases filled with the old flavor jars. In addition, there are several old mechanical “orchestra” machines.

Drive thru pick up lunch today

/ Roadtirementvintage / 32 Comments

This Omicron variant is everywhere, it seems. Tagged as super easy to catch we decided that instead of going out today we’d get pasta at the drive up window after ordering online.

Spaghetti and meatballs w/melted cheese and a breadstick

We had not had Fazoli’s in a while. Given that we had a BOGO special this was an easy decision to make. The drive through is only about 10 minutes away, so it was easy to get our order quickly. The portion sizes are quite large, and we had plenty left for a full meal at a later time. We didn’t have to cook, got a good meal for a good price, and did not have to get out among the public. Win-win-win.

Austin Beerworks Taproom and Brewery

/ Roadtirementvintage / 17 Comments

Today was a great day to visit the Austin Beerworks Taproom. Today was a special event put on by the Texas Craft Brewer’s Guild. The Austin Beerworks was one of many Texas breweries celebrating “Here’s to Gettin’ Back Out There” as the pandemic conditions begin to get better.

Many brews on tap

The Taproom is a fun place to enjoy all of the many craft beers brewed by the Austin Beerworks. There are many varieties on tap, and you can get flights of four to sample or by the glass. In addition to beers, some cider and wine, food is also available. The food is great, reasonably priced, and yes, from a food truck that is a permanently parked on the property.

The flight of four

Cheeseburger, top, and loaded fries, bottom

Brewery machinery and taproom seating

Lots of cool ABW merchandise

We had a most enjoyable time today at the ABW taproom. The beers in our flights were excellent, and Sher and I had a glass of our favorite to finish off the afternoon. Oh, I bought a really cool hooded, zipper front jacket with the ABW logo and name.. We helped support the Brewer’s Guild by buying a couple of glasses, too.

The Hula Hut on the water in Austin

/ Roadtirementvintage / 21 Comments

They serve good Margaritas

The Hula Hut is a Tex-Mex restaurant with, as their website states, a Hawaiian twist. For 25 years it has served delicious meals offering an “island feel” with thatched roofs, bamboo walls and outdoor decks overlooking Lake Austin.

Sher and I went to this establishment with our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter for a Friday night outing. The weather proved to be too cool and windy for an outside table, so we opted for a table inside.

The Hut has a festive atmosphere

Tortillas made fresh daily

 

 

 

 

 

Even the menu items have a flavor of Hawaii. Sher had the “Tubular” taco, vegetarian style. This thing was huge, flanked by black beans and rice. Our daughter-in-law and granddaughter had grilled Hawaiian chicken and grilled salmon, respectively. Our son and I both ordered Five-O Fajitas (get it?). He had the BBQ Tai and I had the Hawaiian beef and shrimp.

Veggie “Tubular” taco

Grilled salmon

Hawaiian beef and shrimp fajitas

Grilled Hawaiian chicken

The service was excellent, our waiter George really took good care of us. This is a very good restaurant, great atmosphere, service, and marvelous food. We all thoroughly enjoyed our choices and this most enjoyable evening out with family.

A fun luncheon with our granddaughter

/ Roadtirementvintage / 29 Comments

Things worked out great for us to have a fun luncheon with our just turned ten year old granddaughter. As her school was out this week Sher and I could take her out to lunch. This has become somewhat of a tradition with her when we visit family in Austin.

Our daughter-in-law recommended that we dine at Mandola’s Italian Kitchen. There are several locations of this Texas original chain. We picked one reasonably close.  Our granddaughter had been there before, and approved of this choice for lunch.

Well stocked dessert counter, one of two!

Wine bar, vacant for the lunch crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

Not only is the food menu extensive, but in addition you’ll find wonderful desert counters and a well filled wine bar. You order your meal at the counter, pay there and get your order number sign. Drinks and tableware are self serve with plenty of take home containers also available. Once seated you are immediately served a traditional basket of fresh bread with olive oil sprinkled with spices for dipping.

Fresh warm bread with oil for dipping

That’s a lot for a kid’s meal!

Our meals were brought to our table in a very short time. The presentation was good and portion sizes were quite impressive. Our Granddaughter ordered the chicken fingers and fries. She got three huge “fingers” plus a stack of fries. There was enough there for an adult meal.

Loaded chopped Italian salad bowl

Gnocchi with meat sauce

Sher thoroughly enjoyed her Italian salad overflowing the bowl with greens, fresh mozzarella, green & black olives, and tons of other delectable veggies. I really liked the Gnocchi with meat sauce. (Little Italian dumplings with a tomato sauce of beef, pork , garlic and veggies).

Main dining area decorated with soccer club flags

While the meal was very good and filling, what made this lunch special was the fact that we could share it with our granddaughter. Time with family is so precious. When family is far away it makes time intervals between visits seem way to long! The pandemic sure messed up our travel plans, and hopefully we’ll be able to spend more time with our scattered out kids and grandkids even more in the upcoming months.