3 minute read
SUNKEN GARDENS
LOCAL HOTSPOT
Clockwise from above: Kay Villalpando of Sunken Gardens displays one of her famous pecan pies; a photograph in the dining area hangs in tribute to the bands that performed at the Sunken Garden in the 1940s. A variety of music was played and, because Czech and German immigrants were frequent visitors, traditional polkas and waltzes were played often; the patio is popular among diners.
HISTORIC CHARM From dancehall to local diner
SUNKEN GARDENS WELCOMES HUNGRY DINERS FOR LUNCH
by Michelle Banse Stokes, photos by Lori Olivarez-Ligues
Alocal hotspot and favorite among travelers, Sunken Gardens’ owner Travis Maeker doesn’t take credit for the restaurant’s success. He’s quick to tell you that the real backbone of the restaurant is actually his mother, Kay Villalpando.
“It’s all her ideas, her deal, her vision,” shared Maeker. “Her idea was to serve the type of food to her diners that she serves her family. Momma is a foodie. She’s very strict about food and only uses what’s fresh. She’s even particular about the oils she uses – butter, olive oil, peanut oil and coconut are the only oils in the building. And there’s no high fructose corn syrup, well, unless you have a Coca Cola with your lunch.”
Embracing a different pricing concept than most restaurants, Sunken Gardens charges by the weight, not what you order.
“I traveled to Brazil,” added Maeker. “This type of restaurant where people weigh their food is very common, kilo restaurants. It allows our diners to try a lot of different things from the buffet and pay for only what they want, what they take. It’s a very interesting concept where you can try a lot of different things and pay one price. It reminds me of eating at a family reunion.”
And speaking of family, Maeker carries a lot of history in the diner. His grandparents used to sell tickets and two-step across the floor of this former dancehall turned restaurant. Today, with a focus on food quality, Sunken Gardens now has a reputation in the area for fresh ingredients and homestyle goodness.
“Customers are extremely loyal, and it amazes me how far people come from to eat here,” said Maeker. “A lot of restaurants want to focus on so many things besides food, developing staff, training them properly, atmosphere. That’s’ difficult when you face a lot of turnover, as well. We focus solely on the food and we’ve been very successful with that tactic. We don’t have a lot of fancy furniture or a brand new building. Our mission is to provide high quality whole foods, without preservatives or chemicals. We’re really picky about what we serve our customers.”
Although semi-retired, Kay still cranks out customer’s favorites week after week with the help of a small, dedicated staff.
“The turkey and dressing is pretty famous,” shared
LOCAL HOTSPOT
Maeker. “And the fried fish is probably the number one item here. It was kind of a feather in our hat one day when a New Orleans lady came through and said this was the best catfish she’d ever had.”
Sunken Gardens is located at 305 5th Street.
Top, the buffet-style lunch at Sunken Gardens allows diners to choose whatever they are in the mood for; middle, locals help themselves to the diverse buffet selections; bottom, diners enjoy eating on the patio overlooking the old dance floor.
-DRINKS & WINERIES-
HOWARD’S 1701 North Avenue E, Shiner 361-594-4200 www.facebook.com/HowardsShinerTx
MAJEK VINEYARD & WINERY 12508 FM 957, Moravia 210-827-6867 www.majekvineyard.com
SHINER’S ON SIXTH 5017 US Hwy 90A East, Shiner 361-550-7384 www.facebook.com/Shineronsixth
SPOETZL BREWERY 603 E Brewery St., Shiner 361-594-3383 www.shiner.com
Top, Subway of Shiner slices up pizzas for hungry guests; middle, Howard Gloor of Shiner’s iconic Howard’s scoops up an ice cream cone - the popular store is so much more than just a convenience store, it’s where locals and visitors alike go for fuel, ammo, fishing bait and cold beer; bottom, Spoetzl Brewery offers a taste of their one of their famous craft beers in their tasting room.
