To Do Uniquely Cool & Fun:
Boards and Bites Cafe
Best Seafood in East Texas!
By Barbara Greenbauer There’s a new game in town, a place where you are encouraged to put your cell phone down and have a few hours of face-to-face fun and communication. What a novel idea, and for over a year folks have been hanging out and playing games at Boards and Bites. Matthew and Brittany Gayetsky are the innovative, energetic couple with the big idea; a café featuring board games of every variety, where you can run by and have a quick game, or linger for hours to strategize and game to your heart’s content. Are you seeking to relive childhood memories of endless hours of Monopoly or Clue, or are you a geek at heart looking to play some more advanced heavyweight games with complex strategies and hours of development? “The concept for the café is to bring folks together to communicate and have fun,” explains Matthew. “We are offering an alternative to spending infinite hours on social media, and computer screen time responding to emails. Our goal is to offer a café/social club where community is built through games, conversation, and food.” Matthew, the self-professed geek of the pair, is a passionate gamester who wants to share his love for gaming with the East Texas community. Don’t be daunted by the over 700 different games that line the walls; the staff will point you in the right direction after some discussion and pointed questions. The neat thing about the game setup is that all games are categorized and the staff will help you choose games driven by your timeframe, degree of difficulty, and number of players. The games are all color coded and labeled with degrees of difficulty, and staff will walk you through rules and instructions before you go out on your own. Games are rated: “Games Anyone Can Play,” “May take a little time to learn but offer depth and a rewarding experience,” “Our most complex offerings,” “Good for two Players,” and “Breadstick Games that can be played in 30 minutes or less.” Where else in town can you pay $5 and get unending play? The game library is extensive and growing and kids six and under can play for free! “It’s the greatest feeling to see folks gathered together in community,” said Brittany. “Gaming is a great equalizer that removes social barriers and allows people to work towards a common goal. The record for play so far is a group that came in at 10am and got so involved that they stayed until closing at 10pm,” laughs Matthew. You will find games ranging from the classics like Battleship, Clue, and Jenga to games that involve elements to test dexterity, social deduction, and trivia skills. Take a stroll around the game alcove and you will see shelves of games with listings like “Light Strategy,” “First Time Favorites,” “Party/Trivia,” and “Heavy Strategy.” You will be pleasantly surprised to learn that the café has even more to offer at The Bites! The café is bright and airy, with plenty of room to grab a game and spread out to play. The Gayetskys want to share not only their passion for games, but the delicious items they have sampled throughout their travels.
Let’s start with some pretty unique appetizers. Brittany is the queen of pierogies and makes them by hand, an incredible mix of mashed potatoes in a flour dumpling. Other treats include chips and salsa, quesadillas, and hummus with toasted pita and fresh vegetables. Sandwiches are the café specialty, including the “Pittsburgher,” capicola with provolone cheese, served hot with coleslaw and hashbrowns on the sandwich, just like they serve it in Pittsburgh. The “Cuban” is pulled pork in mojo sauce on white Italian bread. The “Clevelander” is corned beef with muenster cheese on rye bread, served with Russian dressing. The “Herbivore” is hummus with sautéed jalapenos, red onion, and mushroom, with your choice of bread and cheese. There’s even a “Tylerite,” a freedom-loving sandwich, a mix and match of any bread, meat and cheese you pick. What’s better to pair with a great board game than a great beverage? Right inside the front door is the coffee bar, and the selection is pretty spectacular. You’ll want to indulge in a fantastic coffee with added flavors like pumpkin spice, vanilla/hazelnut, toffee, cinnamon, caramel, or toasted marshmallow. Hot, loose leaf teas, are available too including blueberry, raspberry, peach, citrus green, watermelon-peachmango, and herbal (chamomile, raspberry hibiscus chai, huckleberry). Back to the boards. This is not your standard sit, eat, and leave venue. The atmosphere at this café is welcoming and warm, with no rush and no tables to be flipped for new customers. The Gayetskys want you to stay and play, become acquainted with something new, or revisit a game you played years ago. There’s all kinds of special events happening at the café, including open game nights, trivia nights, and college game nights. It’s a great place to take a first date, host a corporate team-building event or even a bachelorette party. The Gayetskys have hosted open mic poetry nights, pop up art shows, and live music at the café, so it’s a good idea to check out their Facebook page on a regular basis to see what’s coming up. Come out to Boards and Bites and enjoy some quality face time with your family and friends, and be part of a new community of folks gathered for the love of the game. Boards and Bites is located in the Green Acres Shopping Center at 1851 Troup Highway in Tyler, and can be reached at (903)630-5341. Their Facebook page is boardsandbites and website is boardsandbitestyler.com. The café’s hours are Tuesday-Thursday 10am10pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-11pm, and Sunday 11am-10pm. They are closed on Monday.
Hand-breaded & Made to Order Boiled Shrimp, Boiled Crawfish Gumbo, Snow Crab Legs & More LOCATIONS:
1714 S. BECKHAM TYLER, TEXAS 903.596.8226
3312 N. 4TH ST. LONGVIEW, TEXAS 903.663.2940
7428 OLD JACKSONVILLE HWY. TYLER, TEXAS (903) 630-5306
4803 Old Bullard Rd, Ste 1, Tyler, TX 75703 (903) 581-6700 — dakotasintyler.com
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Every Wednesday, Friday & Saturday Restaurant Hours (Late nights are bar only): Mon-Thur:11am - 10pm, Fri: 11am - 12am, Sat: 2pm - 12am EGuideMagazine.com • 5