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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1983)
* The college life is such a fast- paced life...who can keep up? If you're not running to class, you're running to a meeting. If you're not running to a meeting, you're running to the library to study. If you're not running to the library to study, you're flat running out of energy. When is there ever enough time to eat? If you're like us, you'll find your self relying on the fast-food establishments of Bryan-College Station to "keep you running." This week we've taken a fast look at some of the fast-food establishments around town.* Just for the record, we've de fined a fast-food restaurant as: having a drive-thru window (usually), serving self-service food (you order, pay and pick up food at a counter), having some what of a standardized menu with a few house specialties in cluded, and having a recogniz able logo (with the exception of the local fast-food restaurants that aren't part of a big chain). Arb/s ... Known for roast beef sandwiches, it also has turkey, ham, submarine and club sand wiches. Prices range from $1.59 to $1.99 for sandwiches and ex tras such as potato cakes or french fries cost between 59 cents and 75 cents. The menu has been expanded to include a Bac'n Cheddar Deluxe and a chicken sandwich. The horsey sauce really adds flavor to a roast beef sandwich. Located on Southwest Parkway, it's conve nient for those who live in that part of College Station or for those who have transportation of some sort. Church's Chicken ... This is really just like any other fried chicken establishment. It has the usual entrees for chicken dishes. Two locations: 507 N. Texas Ave. and 3207 Texas Ave. Cow Hop ... For a full meal at a great price. Cow Hop is the answer. You can eat a meal for $2. And the management takes checks. This restaurant is down to earth and personable, from the homey decor to the friendly method of calling for "ready orders." And you listen to rock 'n roll while you eat. The hamburgers (a.k.a. cow pies in this restaurant) are a spe cialty; decorate them with cheese, sour cream, jalepeno peppers, mushroom, bacon or alfalfa sprouts. And the extras don't stop there. Build a salad on your burger with unlimited amounts of lettuce, onions, tomatoes and toppings. Burgers made with chicken fried steak and barbecue, nachos, chicken breast, chef salad and 8 oz.t- bone are other choices. Renovations this summer in cluded adding some tables and benches f nic Mrn-like res taurant. The Northgate location makes it popular and conve nient for University employees and dorm residents. Be prepared to rub shoulders with your collegues as you order — quickly — and move through the line as if you're in a cattle chute. Dairy Queen ... This old family favorite just isn't what it used to be. It now costs a small fortune just to enjoy the food here. The burgers still are served in re freshingly good taste, but these days you're definitely charged for what you get. A double beef burger, order of fries and a large drink is around $5.00. DanvePs ... This establishment offers a little bit of everything for everybody, and it all tastes good. Danver's specialty is its soup and salad bar, with two kinds of soup and a variety of salad fixin's, so how can you miss? Order a baked potato and fix it up at the salad bar; sour cream, butter, bacon bits, mushrooms.. .The bacon cheeseburger is also a treat ($2.07), and the hot ham and cheese sandwich shouldn't be missed. Danver's is located at 201 Dominik. Der Wienerschnitzel... Located almost in downtown Bryan (501 Texas Avenue), this fast-food restaurant — specializing in all sorts of hot dogs — is somewhat out of a college student's usual daily travels. Farmer's Market ... With a menu and decor more like a de licatessen than a fast-food res- tuarant. Farmer's Market offers a welcome change from ham burgers. Sandwiches range from Poor Boys ($1.65) to Reubens to Salami and can be ordered in submarine sizes (for a little more money). Lasagna is the most expensive item on the menu at $2.99. Bakery items are this res taurant's special attraction. Kolaches, cookies, brownies and other goodies are Farmer's Market Sandwich Shop is at Northgate, Farmer's Market Bar-B-Cue is at 810 S. Main and Farmers Market Bak ery & Delicatessen is at 8700 Texas Avenue. The Gourmet Court... The food section at Post Oak Mall pro vides a taste of just about every thing from pizza to Chinese food to chicken fried steak. Giovanni's specializes in piz za sold by the slice, although whole pizzas are sold. A slice of cheese pizza costs $1.09, while slices of pepperoni or other types of pizza cost $1.24. Whole pizzas range from $4.60 to $11.10. Potatoes, etc... serves stuffed baked potatoes. You can get a potato filled with sirloin tips or seafood newberg for $2.99 or a more traditional spud with but ter and seasame seeds for a mere $1.99. The Wagon Wheel serves Texas style barbecue sand wiches or Sausage-on-a-Stick for $2.25 and barbecue plates for $4.95. Salad Bartique has what the name implies — a salad bar. But homemade soups and deserts also are sold. It costs a little more to eat here, but it's not regular fast food either. Corn Dog 7 has a limited menu with com dogs ranging in cost from 89 cents for a regular to $1.19 for a jumbo and french fries for 79 cents. Chick-fil-A isn't "just another place to get chicken," it's one of the best places to get chicken. The Chick-fil-A sand wich ($1.69) is yummy, the Chick-fil-A nuggets (one dozen for $1.89) are a new take-out spe cialty and just as good. The french fries are hot and crispy. Chick-fil-A's slogan, "Taste it. You'll like it for good," seems to be most appropriate. We "like it good." At Emilio's Sandwich City the menu not only includes sandwiches, but spaghetti ($1.89), lasagna ($2.99) and stuf fed grape leaves. Desert in cludes baklava and cheese cake. Emilio's also has a limited selec tion of imported beers. Sesame Hut provides a taste of the Orient by serving egg rolls for 80 cents and dinners such as seafood combo and chicken teriyaki for $3.25. The Great Hot Dog Experi ence is just that. The menu lists almost every hot dog imagin able. The price range is from 55 cents for a hot dog jr. to $1.45 for polish sausage complete with sauerkraut. The menu also has chili cheese dogs. Pepe's Mexican Food has the usual selection of burritos, tacos and fast mexican food. About $3 can fill you up. Pepe's are lo cated all over the BryanyCollege Station area and are known as the place to be after the bars close. Ken Martin's Chicken Fried Steak adds a touch of class by serving side orders of fried mushrooms to complement the chicken fried steak dinner ($3.29). Chimichangas also are sold for $3.29. Orange Julius, famous for its orange drink, has expanded to strawberry, pinata colada and flavor-of-the-month banana. Food items include old fashioned hambugers for 99 cents. Swenson's for ice cream or shakes. One dip cones are 85 cents and shakes are $2.25 or half-shakes are $1.65. Grandy's ... It's a brand-new chicken restaurant near Post Oak Mall. Try it and tell us what it's like. The Grapevine ... This res taurant really isn't fast food, but you do order and pay at a coun ter. But your food is delivered to your table. Located at 201 Live Oak, behind La Quinta Motel, this restaurant also has a drive- thru and service is quick. But all similarities to a fast- food restaurant end there. Spe cialties include delicatessen- style sandwiches on a variety of breads, cheese plates, huge salads, domestic and imported wines and the best Sangria you'll find in this town. In the evening you can order steaks. The Grapevine is a great, re laxing place to eat for moderate prices. Hamburgers by Gourmet ... Its drive-thru window barely put it into the fast-food classification. This restaurant serves large bur- ers ranging from the typical urger with lettuce, tomatoes, picldes and cheese to combina tions of hickory sauce, onions, avocado and other exotics. Gourmet is also a little more ex pensive than the usual fast-food eatery but in general serves lar ger portions. People behind the counter are friendlier than most. Located in the Woodstone Shopping Center. Jack-in-the-Box ... When they blew up the clown, you knew "the box" was never going to be the same. That Friday-night- high-school-hangout place where you munched on greasy, flimsy fries and kangaroo meat burgers has been transformed. Jack-in-the-Box is not quite a res taurant, but it's no longer just a fast food joint. Yes, the food still comes fast — but both the surroundings and the food are dressed up. The davs of talking through the mouth of a plastic clown when ordering at the drive-thru window are over, and the hard orange plastic seats have been replaced by something a bit more subdued and a bit softer. The Dinner in the Box, cost ing about $4 for chicken strips and a drink, comes with artificial home fries, garlic bread and a dinner salad. Of course the dres sing comes in a plastic pouch — like ketchup — and the garlic bread does not possess the crispness of a fine French loaf, but it all is suprisingly good. Although the clown is gone, the old standbys remain un changed. Contributing writers: Donn Friedman, Shelley Hoekstra, Ann Ramsbottom, Cary Stegall, Angel Stokes, Rebeca Zimmermann, Patrick Zinn The tacos still posses: magic charm. Their tanta just-spicy-enough sauc combination bean-meat never fails to warm a 1 Their crisp yet soft-in-spot: is unequaled in the fasl world. Kentucky Fried Chicke Home of Col. Sander's or recipe, this is an average chicken restaurant with m ate prices. You can choos tween original style and ci The cole slaw, potato salat corn entrees are really i good. Two locations: 33! Texas Avenue and 110 Dor Dr. Long John Silver's ... Fas and chicken of the sea. Pr ably fishy from the whai entryway to the harpoor fish net decor with little vai from one Long John Silve another. Fish dishes im breaded oysters, filet fish shrimp. Also, a favo breaded chicken served pi; in a burger. Long John's now gam their meals, a practice us seen only in traditional taurants. Entrees include slaw, com on the cob and fi fries. Prices range from $1. $9.29 for family deals. Spec atures include 25c refill drinks. Two locations, e accessible... 1808 S.Texas and 3224 Texas Ave. McDonald's... For conver and speed, McDonald's us wins the race. With three tions — across the street Zachry (on University D Southwest Parkway and at or East Mall — this locally ed fast-food franchise reac large market. For some of the best F fries around, go to McDon The hamburgers are av< and limited as to what mines are on them, bu Chicken McNuggets are [ For a change from the usua offered along Northgate University Drive, the Fil Fish is a good choice — i like fish, tarter sauce cheese. Depending on how hi you are, it's possible to e $3. More if you're a pig.