Chowing Down at Suzy Q’s

by Brian Hernalsteen | Star-Telegram | January 8, 2010
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The Food: Diner fare, including fried favorites, sandwiches and shakes

The Story: Danny Ray, owner of Ray’s Pharmacy, fondly remembers the days of the soda fountains at the local drug stores. And his nostalgic dream became reality at the end of 2009, as he and his wife opened the restaurant in the new Ray’s Pharmacy on East Broad Street.

The Hits: We started off our meal with a favorite, onion rings ($4.55). They were battered in the kitchen and very, very tasty. The batter is unique, a house blend that gives the ring a great crunch without taking away from the sweet taste of the onion.

Chicken Fried Chicken

For my meal, I went with the Chicken Fried Chicken Platter ($8.99). It came with fries, Texas toast and the vegetable of the day. The chicken came with the same batter used on the onion rings, and it was a great contrast to the cream gravy, which coated the dish. The fries were crinkle cut and freshly fried. I tried the vegetable of the day, which was a squash, carrot and cucumber medley. It was tasty, but I don’t think it was paired too well with the chicken fried dish.

One of my dining partners went with the Bison Bacon Burger ($7.99), a patty made of ground bison and bacon. It came piled with fresh veggies and thick, melted cheddar cheese. The burger was lean, with a bit of a game taste. The bacon that was mixed in with the bison, however, was a big hit. It gave the burger a smoky taste, a definite different flavor from the normal burger.

Our other dining partner ordered the Chicken Salad Sandwich ($5.99), which came with the house-made chips. The chicken salad was a perfectly blended mixture of chicken, onions, mayonnaise, celery, dill, pecans and red grapes. It came on fresh wheat bread and had some extra veggies to go with the sandwich. The chips were very light, but also crisp. It was a good change from the bagged chips that so many places offer as the side.

My two dining partners also had a bit of a sweet tooth that day and went with some chilled treats. One ordered the Chocolate Shake and the other went with a Coke Float, both of which are $3.99. The shake was very creamy and the chocolate flavor did not overpower. Both came with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream and were blended perfectly.

The Setting: The Rays hit the nail right on the head: every old-time detail of the drug store soda fountain is in place, with a few modern tweaks (frozen iced tea, anyone?). The soda bar has big stools and a big mirror behind the counter, and the music is packed with old time favorites like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash. It’s like taking a time machine back to the 40s and 50s.