Friday, August 24, 2007

Beach and Boardwalk

The staff of Food and Fort Worth (that's me) are on hiatus in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Tastycakes, cheese steaks, ice cream, real Italian food, and yesterday I had a crab cake sandwich that was perfect. Whole bits of sweet crab meat lightly breaded and fried on a fresh role. It was delicious. Of course, everything tastes better when viewed from the boardwalk overlooking the ocean. The restaurant was Big Fish, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

You Haven't Eaten a Potato Until . . .

Until you've a had a cup of hot Thrashers french fries in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Potatoes cut hours or even minutes before they are double deep fried, they are firm and cooked through, hot, salty and with a little apple cider vinegar just about as good as anything gets. Atkins dieters fall like flies around them. It is the first order of business for my wife and me upon arriving at the beach. There are several Thrasher stores on the boardwalk and Rehoboth Avenue. Sit on the bench facing the ocean or on the boardwalk, either way it's an enjoyable evening. A 24 ounce cup of fresh cooked fries costs around $6.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today . . .

Or, Uptown, Omni, and Lancaster Can't Come Quickly Enough.

Twenty years ago, Grapevine consisted of Main Street, a McDonald's, and a couple of old air- freight warehouses. Today there are dozens of new restaurants, new office buildings and what is becoming DFW's top tourist and destination resort, the Gaylord Texan. Thanks to the DFW Airport tax revenues, a forward-looking mayor and city council, Grapevine has become a city not only competing for business development but winning and winning often. The Star Telegram reported today that another 1500 rooms will be built in 4 hotels along Lake Grapevine adding to the already 1500 rooms at the Gaylord Texan. The Gaylord is attracting conventions to Grapevine, some of which had previously come to Fort Worth or Arlington. Fort Worth has 11,000 available hotel rooms citywide but only 2,000 downtown. And nothing even close in category to the Gaylord. Uptown and the lake being planned near the Radio Shack headquarters could be a magnet for resort type accommodations. Without our three new developments, Lancaster Boulevard in south downtown, the new Omni hotel, and Uptown, we will soon be third or fourth in DFW's tourist and convention business. The new Cowboys Stadium is a well deserved coup for Arlington and will attract thousands of visitors to the area, with hotels to accommodate those visitors to follow. Fort Worth has the natural resources to develop similar convention and resort hotels, the demand is out there, the big three new developments are a good start.
For the Record, the Gaylord in Grapevine:
400,000 sq. ft. meeting space
1501 rooms, including 124 luxury suites
25,000 sq. ft. spa
8 restaurants, cafes, bars