2 for $20: Suzy Q’s is an old-fashioned charmer

Posted on Jan 12th, 2011

By Joseph Daniel | Special to DFW.COM
Posted 10:35am on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011

Even though Suzy Q’s Soda Fountain & Grill is only a year old, my buddies in Mansfield have been raving about it for almost half that time.

Attached to the diner is Ray’s Pharmacy, a combination pharmacy and gift shop with roots in old town Mansfield going back more than 50 years. The restaurant is named after Ray’s wife, Suzanne.

In true Mansfield fashion, the customers are chummy and so is the staff. If you’re from the area, you’re likely to run into someone you know.

Get some grub, browse the gift shop’s tchotchkes, and max out your prescription of Prozac — all in one trip. Convenience sells.

Like most diners, they’ve got burgers, fries, sandwiches and stuff related. They’ve also got a couple of dishes that don’t quite fit — but definitely outshine — anything else in competing restaurants.

The Texas grilled cheese ($5.99) is a kid classic, but hardly worth a drive to Mansfield. For that, try the ham ‘n cheese burger ($8.49), a hybrid burger-sandwich full of fresh and juicy fixings. Lettuce, tomato, ham, a burger patty and feta cheese sit under Suzy Q’s special lime, cilantro and aioli green sauce.

Pair your meal with an ice cold and lightly sweetened cherry limeade ($2.25) or orange freeze ($3.99). Both are mixed in-house, like the rest of the beverages.

I’m always on the lookout for superior vegetable dishes, and Suzy Q’s has two notable options: the vegetable “Q’dilla” ($8.49) and zucchini strips ($5.99).

Cheese-stuffed triangular slices of the vegetable Q’dilla went well with the chef’s crunchy and sharply spicy pico de gallo.

The zucchini strips were fried but light and crispy, served with an assortment of dips, including wasabi ranch. They’re a perfect alternative to calorie-heavy mozzarella sticks.

From the burgers to the drinks, everything at Suzy Q’s is visually vibrant and decked out, just like the iconic symbols of the ’50s — neon signs, swanky cars and brightly lit jukeboxes. The portions are similarly old-fashioned: Most dishes, like the ham ‘n cheese burger and quesadillas, are enough for two people.

But Suzy Q’s best meal has little to do with ’50s Americana. The migas ranchero ($6.59) — a meal I prepare almost daily at home — is the restaurant’s undisputed masterpiece.

Suzy Q’s mix of eggs and tortillas — and the brilliant addition of sausage and feta cheese — is flavorful and satisfying. A hint of red hot sauce makes for the proverbial cherry on top, and to make it even better, they’re served alongside golden, seasoned cubed potatoes.

I admit defeat. Their migas are better than mine.

When friends were raving about this little eatery, they failed to mention that dish. I can’t blame them; I’d keep it a secret, too.

Oops. Too late.

Suzy Q’s is perfect for soda-fountain time traveling

Posted on Jan 29th, 2010

Amanda Rogers | Fort Worth Star-Telegram | January 27, 2010
link to article

The place: Suzy Q’s Soda Fountain & Grill

The food: Diner-type dishes, plus burgers, sandwiches, salads and an old-fashioned soda fountain

The story: More than 50 years ago, Danny Ray’s father opened the first Ray’s Pharmacy in downtown Mansfield. Ray courted his wife, Suzanne, there, dishing up treats at the soda fountain.

When Ray opened his newest pharmacy Dec. 12, he included a soda fountain and named it for his wife.

The hits: The bison bacon burger ($7.99) was the biggest surprise, a two-fisted blend of ground buffalo with bacon smushed into a big patty, topped with lettuce, pickles, tomato and onions and served on a whole-wheat bun. The combination is a spicy, juicy burger, served with a side of crinkle-cut fries.

The chicken salad sandwich ($5.99) is a creamy mix of chicken, onions, celery, dill, mayo and pecans that is so well-blended that only the chunks of red grapes stand out, which give it zip. Served on whole-wheat bread, the sandwich arrived with a side of crispy homemade potato chips.

We also got a side of the crinkle-cut sweet potato fries. which tasted good on their own. With a kicky lemon pesto dip, they were amazing.

Instead of a dinner-plate-size hunk of meat, the chicken-fried steak ($8.99) was an unbelievably sweet, crispy-fried normal-size serving, doused in white cream gravy with a side of mixed vegetables and a slice of Texas toast.

The misses: The milkshakes are made with the good stuff, Blue Bell ice cream, and topped with whipped cream and a cherry in a soda glass. A little more ice cream and a little less milk would make them thicker and creamier.

The setting: Suzy Q’s looks like a set for a Hollywood soda fountain with marble floors, booths, tables and a massive antique oak soda fountain lined with stools. Large windows keep the place open and airy. The attached pharmacy is handy.

— Amanda Rogers

Chowing Down at Suzy Q’s

Posted on Jan 8th, 2010

by Brian Hernalsteen | Star-Telegram | January 8, 2010
Link to article

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.

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.

Hometown Prescriptions

Posted on Dec 4th, 2009

By RHONDA AGHAMALIAN
For the Mansfield News-Mirror | December 4, 2009
Link to article

In a time when corporations seem to have plunked down a Walgreen’s or CVS on every corner, shopping in a pharmacy owned by one of your neighbors seems to have gone the way of eight track tapes and record players—except in Mansfield.

Locally-owned Ray’s Pharmacy, with stores in Mansfield, Arlington, Hamilton and Kennedale, has been in business since 1954, and the small chain continues to take on the big boys with the opening of a fifth store at Canon and Broad streets.

Besides a full-service pharmacy that specializes in the company’s trademark personal service, the new location features a drive-through window and a drugstore stocked with health and beauty aids, gift items and other trinkets.

“My wife Suzanne usually does the gift buying,” Danny Ray said. “She’s done a lot with the front end of this store.”

Suzanne Ray, who began working for the family when she and Danny Ray were high school sweethearts, is also the namesake of Suzy Q’s, an old-fashioned soda fountain and grill housed in the new store.

“I’ve always had a ‘dream drugstore’ in mind,” said owner Danny Ray, who took over the family business from his father, Lee Roy Ray, in the late seventies.

“A lot of independents are getting away from the drugstore side of things, but I think it’s important to keep our identity and that ‘old-time’ feel,” Danny Ray said. “Drugstores started taking out the soda fountains because wages were going up, but I think that keeping them around was actually important to the industry.”

Ray said he views the new store as a legacy of sorts.

“Mansfield has been good to my family, so I wanted to leave behind something that was good,” he said.

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Suzy Q’s features menu items like pancakes, burgers and chicken fried steak, as well as shakes and malts, banana splits and ice cream floats served in a frozen mug.

The restaurant’s retro atmosphere is punctuated by a golden oldies soundtrack, a soda fountain counter and wall prints depicting the early days of pharmacy. Drugstore guests can also check out Danny Ray’s pharmacy memorabilia display, which includes items from his father’s early days in the pharmacy business—including a prescription tablet bearing the family names of several contemporary Mansfield residents.

“We celebrated our 50th anniversary five years ago,” said Danny Ray. “At that time and still, we had people who have been doing business with us the entire time.”

Longtime customer Linda Harris said Ray’s Pharmacy helped her and her husband Rex during the early days of their marriage.

“He [Lee Roy Ray] let us charge and that helped us so much,” Harris said. “When we were sick, he would bring the medicine and leave it on our doorstep.

“There are three generations of Harrises who have been customers,” she said. “They’ve been a good store for three generations.”

Lee Roy Ray said going the extra mile for customers was all in a day’s work.

“We built our business on service,” he said. “It wasn’t unusual to get a call at two in the morning or during Thanksgiving dinner and then head over to the store to take care of someone.”

Danny Ray is quick to credit his father with teaching him the business—a pride that is matched by his father’s pleasure in seeing the company grow during his son’s tenure at the helm.

“When I retired, I had two stores, and now he has five, so I think he’s outsmarted me,” he laughed. “I’m real proud of him and I couldn’t be happier.”

The building occupied by the new pharmacy and soda fountain also includes a spacious second floor with floor-to-ceiling windows, which Danny Ray ultimately plans to offer as leased office space. The effort represents Ray’s first venture involving construction, an experience he said he found a bit exhausting.

“It’s funny, now that I think about it—my dad sold out to me shortly after he built a store,” laughed Danny Ray. “Now I see why.”

Soda Fountain Trivia

Posted on Dec 1st, 2009

Where does the term Soda Jerk come from? A soda jerk is someone who makes a living by jerking, or pulling, sodas at a lunch counter, the name coming from the jerking motion required to open a tap.

Come in and experience a real Soda Jerk at Suzy Q’s. We pride ourselves in great fountain drinks and friendly service — just like the ol’ days!

Soda Fountain Slang (circa 1930s)

Adam’s Ale, Dog Soup, One on the House – Tap Water
Break It and Shake it – Add eggs to a drinkBrown Derby – Chocolate doughnut with a scoop of chocolate ice cream over the hole, covered in chocolate syrup
CO Cocktail – Castor oil and soda water
Chemist of Salt Beverage – Soda Jerk
Hold the Hail – No ice in the drink
House Boat – Banana Split
MG Cocktail – Milk of Magnesia
Spike It – Add spirits of ammonia
Traffic Light – Sundae with vanilla ice cream, red, white and green cherries, crushed pineapple and whipped cream
Twist It, Choke It and Make It Cackle – Chocolate malted milk with an egg.