Restaurants of old

I'm not sure why I've been feeling so nostalgic lately. I've spent a lot of time this summer thinking about my youth and I'm really not THAT old. Maybe the realization that I'm now married to a 50 year old woman stirred something in me. She's a very young looking and acting 50 year old I might add. Maybe knowing my youngest child is a senior and will be off to college before I can blink has triggered this trip into the past. Whatever it is, I have enjoyed this stroll down memory lane.

Here's more:

Today I remember some restaurants in the bustling cities of North College Hill and Mt. Healthy. When I was a child my grandparents lived in Mt. Healthy. They would often take me to dinner in NCH and Mt. Healthy when I would visit. Their favorite place was Frisch's on Galbraith Rd. Obviously Frisch's is still in business, so this post is not about Big Boy. However, next to the old Frisch's building was Roy Rogers. Roy Rogers was a roast beef place much like Arby's (only much, much better). In addition to the good food, I also remember being a member of the Buckaroo Birthday Club. I have no idea what I got for being in that special club (probably a free kid's meal or something), but I do remember looking forward to going to Roy Rogers when my birthday rolled around each year. Who wouldn't want to be a Roy Rogers Buckaroo?

When I got a little older we stepped up a bit. My favorite restaurant was Mark Pi's China Gate. It was near the intersection of Hamilton Ave. and Goodman Ave. This place had the best Chinese food in the city. I am not kidding. Even as a teenager I knew good food and Mark Pi's had it. I always ordered the same dish. The Triple Delicacy was simply incredible. To this day it's the best thing I ever ate. I loved Mark Pi's China Gate and I am so sorry they went out of business many years ago.

Here's a place that's kind of obscure. Unless you lived in the immediate area, you probably didn't know about Sanker's (aka The Coach Light Inn). Sanker's was on Hamilton Ave. smack dab in the middle of Mt. Healthy. Sanker's was a bar/restaurant. Grandma liked it because she could order a Manhattan (yeah, Grandma liked to drink a little). Grandpa got a beer and I always ordered a Kiddie Cocktail (also known as a Shirley Temple). Aside from the cocktail party I had with my grandparents, I remember a few other things. First was the food. The food was typical for a place like this... (Double Deckers, sandwiches etc...). The second thing was the bowling alley in the back. In the rear of the restaurant was a door that led to an adjoining bowling alley. After we'd ordered our food, I always passed the time by going to watch people bowl.

Grandma and Grandpa went out to eat every Friday night. It was usually one of those four places. Usually it was Frisch's, but on special occasions it was one of the other three.

Oh, the memories!

Here's an old Frisch's sign with a modern advertisement. I don't think they had wraps back in the 70's.

This sign really takes me back!

Ah, Mark Pi's

And finally, Sanker's!