September 22, 2011
Texas Lunch
38 Carlisle Street
Hanover, PA 17331
(717) 637-7075
I have driven by the Texas Lunch hundreds of times in my life with the fleeting idea "one day, I need to have lunch there". This has been going on for over thirty years. (I've been known to procrastinate.) I even have a vague memory of stopping in there once, but left because I was hit by a cloud of cigarette smoke. This probably happened 20 or more years ago before the smoking legistation took effect. I have read that the Texas Lunch has been in this location since around 1920. The Plakas family has owned and operated the restaurant since 1961.
Parking isn't that difficult, there are plenty of spots by the curb. I parked across the street in the bank parking lot. "Where is the cigarette smoke?" was my first thought after entering. Second thought, "Where is the overpowering onion smell?". I know onions are a big part of their menu... they must have some serious air exchangers running to scrub the air. Typically the onion smell in these establishments is so thick it clings to your clothes the rest of the day. Nothing short of a nuclear bomb (or a thorough washing) will remove the "aroma". When I arrived about 1:00 pm there weren't too many folks in there. I guess I missed the lunch hour rush. The interior decor feels like a 1970s remodel, is clean and has some details that reflect its' recent history.
I took a seat in the nearest booth and opened the menu. For a small joint, they offer a nice sized menu. All the items are reasonably priced, if not "cheap". Breakfast is served from 8 am until 11 am. Greek Gyros, fried beef steak and oyster sandwiches stood out to me as menu items not found in many local restaurants. Growing up in Hanover, my only association with the oyster was hearing tales about my grandfather's affection for the crustacean. He ate them right out of the jar... raw. He really liked the little gray blobs. But, I digress. I ordered the Texas Hot Weiner Special. Two weiners or hamburgers and fries - $5.99. I ordered weiners and for some reason I chose sauerkraut as my only topping. I didn't realize I blew it until I began to write this review. I am not a big fan of onions, but I do enjoy chile, cheese and mustard. I must have had some serious cr@p on my mind not to jazz up the franks. But live and learn. In addition, french fries and a Diet Pepsi where ordered to compliment the signature meal. Is sauerkraut considered a vegetable?
My order arrived in about 5 minutes. Perfect timing because I just finished checking my email. With a healthy squirt of ketchup, I was ready to dig in starting with the dogs. Delightful! Because of their size, they don't quite fit in your mouth. So, you have to work at it by attacking them from different angles. Texas makes it a little easier for you to handle by scoring the dogs with a knife which makes it easier for you to bite off small sections. The furter was very tasty and chewy, but not overcooked. And, the sauerkraut was a nice compliment. Stillk, I wish I had been a bit more adventurous and ordered them with more toppings. The fries looked nearly perfect, factory produced would be my guess. This said, they were very good. Nice, crisp and light. Just a little salt was needed. I love the freshly cut fries that you find here and there, but the Texas fries were good, too. I guess there there are many ways to skin a fry, a style for everybody.
I had a very nice meal at the Texas Lunch and would recommend it to anyone. They even accept credit cards and serve beer! So next time you are hungry and in downtown Hanover, pull over and walk in. You'll have a nice meal in a relaxed atmosphere, you wont spend a lot and you'll experience a bit of downtown Hanover flavor.
Scott Weikert reviews all the restaurants in this blog. He has over 47 years of eating experience and has enjoyed meals all over the U.S. and Canada. Scott currently lives in South Central PA with his wife and two children.
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