Folks favor flavorful food in dem thar northwest boonies
by Berol Mirado, reporter

    (Final in a four-part series on independent diners.)

   If one adjective could be said about NW Campus, REMOTE would come to mind.

   However, despite its remoteness, NW Campus still has some fine restaurants nearby, and a few of those are run by independent owners who have been serving far north side diners for years.


   Perhaps the most famous of those mom and pop shops is Ginger Brown’s Old Tyme Restaurant & Bakery at 6312 Jacksboro Highway in the Lake Worth Center.

   Just taking notice of how Ginger Brown spells thangs and describes dishes (Something Effe Mae threw together: $6.79) gives the diner an idea of what to expect.

   The first-time diner to Ginger Brown’s might be overwhelmed in trying to decide what to choose from the menu.

   Choices run from salad ‘n’ thangs to old tyme favorites, to fraish vegetables to sandwiches in the haus.

   Ginger Brown’s is CUTE.

   To work there, one must rebuild his or her vocabulary to include honey, doll, sweetheart, baby, honey bunch and darling.

   For example, a diner might hear, “Don’t move, darling, I’m right behind you with a plateful of rolls and dranks.” Or another example might be, “What’ll you have today, sweetheart? Might I make some wonderful suggestions?”

   Diners can have healthy to sinful food.

   Now in business for more than 20 years, Ginger Brown’s is best known for its cinnamon rolls that literally melt in the mouth.

   Also featured in the bakery cases are mile-high meringue pies that tempt even the most determined diner.

   But Ginger Brown’s also looks out for the health-conscious diner with garden burgers, vegetable fajitas and Philadelphia Dream sandwich with low fat cream cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, sliced onions and one side dish.

   Those who say to heck with the calories can dine on a variety of wonderful treats featuring beef, poultry, pork or seafood.

   Under the pork offerings are country pork chops grilled or battered and fried.

   The Bowled Over offering of a big ole bowl of beans or greens for $3.29 also might tempt diners. Also tempting were the hot demon wings.

   Ginger Brown’s prices are very reasonable. A full meal easily can cost under $10.

   As for side dishes, the menu lists more than 20 items ranging from fried okra to turnip greens and pickled beets.

   Also included are the favorites: mashed potatoes, buttered corn and baked potatoes.

   The senior citizen specials include smaller portions and prices.

   Dranks include coffee, hot tea, hot chocolate, iced tea, milk, shakes, floats and sodas. For to-go dishes, the restaurant offers a take home jug or gallon of tea.

   Breakfast is served all day, and a specialty is happy hour for cinnamon rolls. From 6-10 a.m., 2-5 p.m. and 9 to closing, cinnamon rolls cost $5.29 a half dozen or $7.99 a dozen.

   Now for the most important part of the restaurant: the taste.

   The roast beef is wonderful, just like mom would make for a Sunday dinner.

   The fried pork chops are sinful, just like grandma would make before we all learned that kind of food could clog our arteries.

   The pizza was delightful, the salads wonderful and the side dishes tried were home done, so to speak.

   It is doubtful that anyone could come away from Ginger Brown’s hungry or unsatisfied, so it’s worth the drive to the far north side.


   Colonial House Restaurant at 3820 N. Main serves workers in and around Meacham Field.

   Where Ginger Brown’s is overly friendly, Colonial House is a practical no-nonsense kind of restaurant.

   In business for almost 30 years, the wait people get right down to business, and food is delivered in quick fashion.

   Drink glasses are refilled with the speed that can be mustered from a rather senior citizen corps of employees.

   However, the wait people are nice, just not overly friendly. One would suspect that indecision would raise disbelief and eyebrows of the service folks.

   The food is not fantastic, but good, nevertheless. A lunch special features gobs of chicken fried steak or hamburger steak and selections from a limited side list. Portions are generous.

   Diners feel the urgency inside Colonial. No one lingers over a glass of iced tea and a newspaper.

   However, conversations among diners were casual and friendly. One would suspect regulars get hugs and friendlier service.

   For a quick, good and reasonable meal, Colonial House Restaurant is a good place.


   Those who remember the old Bonanza Steak House can hark back to those days at River Oaks Steak House at 4335 River Oaks Boulevard at Jacksboro Highway.

   Diners enter the restaurant, proceed to the right, pick up flatware, napkins and tray and order their meal from a selection of steaks, pork chops or chicken.

   The steak house has been there for many years, and the food is adequate, but the interior is a bit worn.

   As diners move down the line to pay, they receive an assortment of dishes with which they can visit the salad/dessert bar, which is filled with several tasty salads and real, yes, real banana pudding and a few other sweet treats.

   Cost of the meal is varied. Diners can have soup and burgers or salad and baked potato.

   A full portion of steak, baked potato and salad bar cost about $10.

   Friendly and helpful employees circulate through the restaurant offering to refill drink glasses.

   River Oaks Steak House is a nice place to have a quick lunch. Meat portions are big, and salads, soups and desserts are all one can eat.