The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, October 11, 1990, Page 10, Image 10

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Customers gather at the bar for beer and
barbecue at Grandpa’s Ribs and Secret
Sauce, 2297 Hoidrege St.
Trip to Grandpa’s yields tasty barbecue
Dionne Searcey
Staff Reporter
The next time you drive
down Holdrege street and
wonder what the smiling blue
pig is ail about, satisfy your
curiosity and stop in at
Grandpa's Ribs and Secret
Sauce.
Although the odd exterior
might deter possible custom
ers, inside, the atmosphere is
laid back. Grandpa’s Ribs, 2297
Holdrege St., is a small town
diner, The walls are deco
rated with beer signs and a
neon sign spits out the word
"Bar-b-que” in hot pink flashes.
Inhale deeply and imagine
yourself back home at an out
door barbecue waiting for Dad
to char dinner. But this time
Grandpa is doing the cook
ing.
Numerous $1 bills cover
the wall behind the bar. Terry
Rupert, owner, said the bills
are tips, autographed by cus
tomers. A football, auto
graphed by former NU player
Lawrence Pete and other
members of the Detroit Lions
also holds a place of honor. A
sign stating, "In God we trust.
Cash we carry. No checks
please,” looms over the bar.
Several customers from all
walks of life lounge around
the bar. Neighborly conversa
tions range from topics of work
and families, to football and
the weather. Laughter fills the
air. Rupert sits at the bar with
his customers, calling them
by name.
The restaurant employs
only three people, and in April,
it celebrated four years of
business. An additional
Grandpa’s restaurant closed
recently.
“It was just too much work,”
the waitress said. “It had live
music and the whole works.”
The service at Grandpa’s is
first-class. The waitress is not
only congenial, but speedy,
too. Meals are received in about
five minutes.
For under $5, patrons can
fill up on a beef and pork
combination sandwich C$3.59),
a taco (25 cents on Sundays)
and a Pepsi (65 cents).
Soda is delivered in a small
plastic keg cup, with the food
in a plastic red basket. The
meat on the sandwich is
heaped on a huge kaiser roll
and dripping with Grandpa s
tangy secret sauce.
Grandpa’s tacos are big,
but basic, with meat, lettuce,
cheese and hot sauce (mild
upon request). But even the
mild sauce is hot, and sodas
aren’t nearly big enough to
quench it’s fire.
Specialties at Grandpa’s
include buffalo wings, coun
try style ribs and 89-cent draws.
But Rupert said, “Everything
on the menu is a specialty.”
Free delivery and to-go
orders are available. Hours
are Sunday through Thursday
11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and
Saturday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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*Visit the (Jay/Lesbian Student Association Booth
in the City Union.
*V\ear jeans to show your support.
L*Discussion of Coming Out Experiences at 8:00 p.m.,
342 City Union.
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WERE FIGHTING FOR
VOURUFE
American Heart
Association
Nebraska Affiliate
College Night
Every Sunday!!
at
The
Undqrgrojtnd
iHmnrrt*
Open 9 ti! lain
I D'i er, ktguirtd" ... Discount r$n tr far Colltg, Student I D't'f
*** Ages 17 & up***
Dunce to tlic music von w ant to hear.'!
Featuring The Doctor
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I.hh S. Q Street 7^,.. „
I.mated tn the Gunny *1 H "tiding T'n»D?f FNV Jctrc ri* '
Noodles Comedy Club
Feator-infr Nation^ T~oajcwQ/ Cotn&diixns
As Seen On
HBO, CilNEMAX, ShoWTilVIE,
Carson & Letterman
Showri ivies:
FRidAy & SATURdAy 7:50 & 9:45 pM
Must be 21
CaII 475-0900 foR Reservations
By Jennifer O'Cilka
Senior Reporter
Nestled just off 27th Street is a
family owned restaurant where the
the service and food are just like
home.
Upon entering the Orchard Street
Restaurant, 2630 Orchard St., the
customer may be greeted by a small
child.
“Mo-o-o-o-m, customers!!!!!" the
little girl shouts continuing to look
down at her modeling clay. The
call is like a younger sister calling
her siblings in for lunch.
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and JulieYoung, is curiously empty
at 6 p.m., but the plastic mauve
table cloths, numerous plants and
napkins folded around silverware
lay neatly in wait for anyone who
would wander in wanting a hot
meal.
Ceiling fans rotate overhead,
turning steadily without fail The
bar stools stand proudly, looking
as if each one has a special story to
tell.
The Youngs’ daughter appears
after a few minutes wearing a baggy
white apron She reminded me of
an older sister setting the table, but
is much more polite.
As she takes orders, the waitress
is nice, but not sickeningly sweet
or overly pushy.
For under $5, customers can
order a meal to keep their stom
achs pleasingly warm for a couple
hours. An iced tea, salad, ham
burger and fries doesn’t sound like
much, but Orchard Street’s Ham
burger SPECIAL would satisfy the
largest appetite.
In about five minutes, salad ar
Family owned Orchard Street
provides homey food, service
rives in a very small bowl. The
lettuce is fresh, but totally smoth
ered in dressing. Customers defi
nitely wouldn’t lose weight eating
an Orchard Street salad.
A television drones on from the
kitchen. Silting in the right place, a
customer could catch a movie. It
brings back visions of what a treat
it was when Mom left the TV on
during dinner.
The hamburgers are about 5
inches in diameter and served up
on a soft, fresh bun. The ham
burger actually tastes and looks
like a homemade burger, rather
than the cardboard cut-outs served
at fast food places.
The potato skins are left on the
fries, wnich load down the rest of
the plate. Sopping with grease, the
fri es don ’ 11 a st e a t a 111 i k e rest a u r a n t
fries. They are pretty flavorful, but
also a cholesterol nightmare.
Other menu items for under $5
include a hot roast beef sandwich
with mashed potatoes and gravy, a
Salisbury burger with chips and a
porkchop sandwich
One of the most curious foods
on the menu is farm raised catfish
fried in corn meal ($6.50). More
expensive foods at Orchard Street
include a bacon-wrapped filet
($7.50), T-bone steak ($9.95) and a
prime rib dinner ($7 50).
A full breakfast menu, including
‘giant homemade cinnamon rolls"
warmed with butter and the hun
gry boy breakfast, is available at all
hours.
The Orchard Street Restaurant is
open 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday
through Saturday and 6:30 a m. to
2:30 p.m. Sundays.