Lili's Owner Opening New Restaurant . . .

Fort Worth Business Press reports today that Vance Martin, owner of Lili's, is opening a new restaurant on Magnolia named the Cat City Grill. The restaurant will feature “signature sandwiches, steak and seafood,” according to a statement. The plans call for 2500 square feet and seating for about 90.

A representative of the new Grill said, "Cat City Grill’s creative sandwich menu will highlight famous sandwiches from favorite American restaurants, such as a cheese steak from Pat or Geno’s in Philadelphia . . . "

Great idea and knowing Vance the food will be good.

My only suggestion is to use Tony Luke's in Philly as the high water mark of cheesesteaks and not Ginos or Pats. I can walk to both places from where I am right now -- and don't. The best cheesesteak roll in the world is at Sarcone's Bakery, which supplies the better cheesesteak sandwich shops in Philly. The rolls at Pats and Ginos are pretty wimpy. (Vance: just had to get my 2-cents in)

Regardless, good luck to the folks at Lili's, I love the idea and the location. Magnolia is still my favorite street in Fort Worth, and Lili's my favorite place on Magnolia (well, St. Mary's is my favorite place, but that's not a restaurant).

http://www.fwbusinesspress.com

The Best Burger Contest at DFW.com

DFW.com is having a best hamburger contest. I really never tire of the debate. Not that I pay that much attention to the winner. As they say, my mind is made up, don't confuse me with the facts.

If you have visited all the best burger places in Fort Worth, you have your favorite. As do I. As does everyone, and that is as it should be.

Mine is still Kinkaid's, which has something to do with the ease of ordering, the location, the seating, the price, etc. I just like the way the place works and I always get a good burger.

I need to try the Love Shack burger with the egg. That looks good.

My favorite in the Metroplex will always be Coppell Deli. Their double burger is unbelievable.

If you are interested in voting:
http://www.dfw.com/118

It's Summertime, and that means . . .

Baseball. . . the great game.



At some point every summer, when the heat rises to a certain level and the smell of a fresh mown lawn blows my way, I think of baseball.

The game of summer. The game of skill, and strategy, and luck, and endurance. The game of failure.

The slow moving game with occasional seconds of excitement. Like life, itself.

I think of beer and hot dogs and mustard and peanuts. Of Col'beer here, Cooolers, and Hotdaaaawwgs, as the concessionaires used to say.

I think of the sound of the wood bat meeting the leather skinned ball and seeing that connection before hearing it.

I think of handsome Johnny Callison, Cookie Rojas, Tony Taylor, Richie Ashburn, Pete Incaviglia, Nolan Ryan, Julio-Julio, and Charlie Hough, who would catch a smoke between innings back when a knuckle ball pitcher could do such things.

I think of the red-capped Phillies, and Connie Mack stadium. I think of Willie Mays, and Say-Hey, and basket catches.

When summer hits, and the air is still, I'll hear a distant radio and the baritone-voiced announcer calling balls and strikes, and I will think of the nights at the ballpark watching the Texas Rangers with my boys, my daughter, and my wife. And the Pony League games, and hitting ground balls to the boys in the front yard and . . . there is no end of baseball memory.

God, I loved that game.