God Bless Texas!

My recent travels took me to the great state of Texas - more specifically, Amarillo. Whenever I think about my trip, the famous country western song sung by George Strait in 1982 plays over and over in my head - "Amarillo by Morning", which is a country western classic - much like the city of Amarillo. I have actually three stories I am going to post regarding my time spent there. The first is:

The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery

The Big Texan is a famous Route 66 landmark located at 7701 E Interstate 40. It was originally located outside of the city limits of Amarillo on Route 66. In 1960, owner R.J. Lee watched as tourists traveled up and down the route, looking for attractions and authentic cowboys. So he first opened Underwood's Barbeque on the site but soon changed it to The Big Texan. He would actually cash the checks of the cowboys that came in from the ranches for the cheap beer and incredible food so the tourists could be in awe of their lifestyle. In the meantime, in June of 1964 he had the foresight to purchase 7 acres of land on the old Dallas highway outside of Amarillo because when Route 66 ended and the new Interstate 40 was developed, he had prime real estate to grow the business at the current location. He built a small beer store on the land until everything came together for the restaurant to be moved. R.J. Lee was an intelligent businessman and never believed in closing. Even when the restaurant moved, they closed at the old location at regular time, and moved to the new location, and were open for business in the morning. His extended family still follows his dedication to this day. They are open 7 days a week, (including holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. with breakfast ending at 10:00 a.m.

This generational family restaurant now run by sons, Bobby and Danny Lee, boasts a large dining room, a massive gift shop, a shooting gallery, a bakery, their own brewery, and mail order Big Texan steaks. They are best known for their world famous 72-ounce steak challenge that R.J. originally instituted and it is their most popular event. It includes a 72-ounce sirloin steak, shrimp cocktail, baked potato, and salad with roll and butter! You must consume the entire meal in one hour. The cost is ironically $72.00, which must be paid upfront but is refunded if you can complete the challenge. To date, there have been over 10,000 winners, one of which is the famous competitive eater Raina Huang from Los Angeles. You never know who might be able to complete the challenge. Recently, they took this challenge on the Route 66 100 year celebration month-long caravan. They loaded up the Big Bull, trailer, freezer, and did the steak challenge along Route 66 from Santa Monica, California to Chicago, Illinois, allowing others to take the challenge and check out the steak. They even had two LA Rams players try the challenge, and unfortunately it was too much for them - but what an exciting time for The Big Texan.

Let's talk food - because no restaurant can be successful without the best-tasting entrees. Their steaks are the freshest you can get. The beef is wet aged for 30 days and then cut in-house to specification. Their kitchen is a well-oiled machine - making salads, sides, steaks, ribs, mountain oysters, chicken fried steak, and so many other tasty items. They have an extensive menu that will be sure to please anyone's taste buds. I had the sirloin steak for lunch that was melt-in-your-mouth tender. Their kitchen is impeccable. Most places don't let me into the kitchen and it was the cleanest I have ever seen. Every work station was well-maintained, and cleanliness was a top priority. Every employee knew exactly what was expected of them and each carried it out with precision, making for an incredible dining experience.

This truly is a family business. I interviewed Patrick Lee for this story, who is in charge of social media, marketing, and oversees the bar. Cousin Alex is responsible for the meat orders and runs the mail order steak side. His other cousin, Jordon, is in charge of the kitchen and staff, while brother Tyler takes care of the gift shop and merchandise production. I asked Patrick when he started in the business and he said, "honestly it has been since as long as I can remember". He spent his entire childhood, along with his family members, in the restaurant. This place is really his home. He is always looking for ways to set them apart and make the experience for patrons even more enjoyable. One of the unique things they do is hire musicians to go from table to table playing music while patrons dine. It makes the moments more remarkable and memorable. They also have an outdoor beer garden where they hire local musicians to play while guests are drinking their famous cocktails, wines, and personally brewed beer. There is something for everyone of all ages.

Patrick said he is always thinking about how to expand the restaurant even more. His motto is "Go Big or Go Home" and he is constantly looking for ways to keep doing more. I want to thank him for doing this story with me. He was actually in the airport on the day we talked - flying to Mexico to marry his bride, and he took the time out to talk to me before boarding the plane. That says a great deal about a person and a restaurant entrepreneur that dedicates so much of his resources to make this business successful. So please, when you are in Amarillo, be sure to make this one of your stops and be sure to congratulate Patrick! May his new marriage have all the blessings he deserves - and he and his family have a continued successful business. I am sure that R.J. Lee is looking down, and is very proud.

Remember to be grateful ..........

Until we talk again ..............