Gina woke me up this morning. She said that she was taking Kelsey and the only car not in the shop to Chuck E. Cheese's. I asked her to please drop me and Katie off at the office at the office so we wouldn't be stranded at the house. Around noon the two of us decided to stroll downtown for lunch together. We decided to have lunch at the place that used to be the old White Palace Cafe'. I had noticed last week that someone had opened a restaurant in there again. We had a great little walk to and from the place, but the food we ordered was a disappointment.
It was kind of funny that the tomato slices on both sandwiches were the size of a silver dollar. Katie took only one bite from her sandwich and decided to eat the fries. My sandwich tasted like a burger that had been reheated in a microwave. They didn't have two items that I tried to order and the meat on my burger had been nuked. Restaurant business is a tough business. Service and quality are a must. I paid the folks and left. I'm not going back while under the new management. The business won't be around long because, quite frankly, their food sucks.
I would like to see someone get in that old building and actually make it. It's a great atmosphere that easily transports the mind back in time. I remember my last visit to the original White Palace, shortly before it closed. My dear old friend Doug Moore and I went in there for lunch and a long conversation back in the eighties. I don't remember the year, but it was just before he left town for seminary. Walking into the White Palace was always like into a time machine. Every time I've walked into that old building (when opened) I always hope that someone's there running it with the right idea.
Katie and I did have a nice conversation while there. I always enjoy being in the old place. I told Katie about coming to the White Palace with my uncle Murdoch back in the 60's. Murdoch would often ride the bus from Columbia to Gadsden to visit his brother Westbrook. During his visits, he would often take a city bus downtown and walk around. He'd always stop for a cup of coffee. He invited me to go with him on several of his walks downtown.
I would like to see someone get in that old building and actually make it. It's a great atmosphere that easily transports the mind back in time. I remember my last visit to the original White Palace, shortly before it closed. My dear old friend Doug Moore and I went in there for lunch and a long conversation back in the eighties. I don't remember the year, but it was just before he left town for seminary. Walking into the White Palace was always like into a time machine. Every time I've walked into that old building (when opened) I always hope that someone's there running it with the right idea.
Katie and I did have a nice conversation while there. I always enjoy being in the old place. I told Katie about coming to the White Palace with my uncle Murdoch back in the 60's. Murdoch would often ride the bus from Columbia to Gadsden to visit his brother Westbrook. During his visits, he would often take a city bus downtown and walk around. He'd always stop for a cup of coffee. He invited me to go with him on several of his walks downtown.
I really wish someone would take that old building and make a real restaurant out of it.
On a positive note, the Downtown Gadsden Inc, just renovated the Runt's Place' and I look forward to checking it out sometime. No, it's not a restaurant, but nice to see a community appreciating and treating a classic piece of architecture like it should be treated.
Other than a lousy lunch, Katie and I had a great father-daughter stroll around town together. Katie, since she was a little thing, has always loved walks downtown. She's thirteen and a young lady. I hope she never gets tired of our strolls, and listening to her old man ramble.
Other than a lousy lunch, Katie and I had a great father-daughter stroll around town together. Katie, since she was a little thing, has always loved walks downtown. She's thirteen and a young lady. I hope she never gets tired of our strolls, and listening to her old man ramble.
By the way, there are some great eats downtown. Jefferson's has incredible wings. The Courtyard has incredible plate lunches, the best in town. The Gadsden Variety Store (formerly Nelson's) has great sandwiches. I'm sorry they no longer serve reuben sandwiches. It was bad news that we lost The Choice. They had great plate lunches and one of the best burgers in town. Both of my girls enjoy it when I treat them to a hot-dog from Connie's Coneys. Is there any good food downtown that I have failed to mentioned or have have yet to taste?
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The White Palace is a great old building, I really hate to hear the food is no good!
alas and alack.
I was visiting Gadsden from Houston, TX during the week of March 15. My husband went into the Gadsden Variety Store and had a chicken salad sandwich. Delicious! The lady at the counter let us sample it first (because I didn't want to be disappointed.) If the rest of the food is that good, I vote for Gadsden Variety (used to be Nelson's....actually, I think it was Woolworth's when I was a kid).
Gadsden Variety serves great food.
I remember going with my parents to the White Palace for fancy dinners with their friends. We'd get one of the tables that had the curtain around it, and all the adults would pull out the bottles they had brought and order mixers, have their cocktails and a great time. What great times (of course, I was five or so!).
Just curious - what kind of food would you have? It sounds like sandwiches and plate lunches are covered - so, should it be a notch up, or seafood or what?
If I did it, I'd retro-renovate the place to it's former ambiance and glory.
The loud rap music coming from the kitchen also killed the atmosphere.
I believe the menu presently being served there is a too ambitious. I'd trim the menu and focus on doing less better.
I didn't try anything else on the menu - but got the idea that most of what they served is straight from their microwave to your table. Kind of sad that a hamburger had all the taste and texture of being nuked.
Simple plate lunches seem to be well received well by those working in the downtown community. I also good sandwiches - clubs, burgers and that kind of fare. I know my idea isn't anything special - but if it were good - I'd be a patron.
Like I mentioned in the post, it was where my uncle would go and buy a cup of coffee. It might be nice to feature coffees.
There should be one or two feature dishes that you don't get anywhere else in town (like Classic on Noble in Anniston) that sells that Shrimp Grits dish. A recipe that my family's made are Hot Browns. It's a fairly common recipe to see on menus in Kentucky - but not in Alabama.
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