Dinner at "Del's Restaurant" 06-23-13

Tucumcari, NM, is on the eastern side of the state on I-40, the old Route 66 and US 54, that heads off at a diagonal to Wichita, KS.  I was there May 21, 2013, on my way to Ohio.  I have stop there in years past and in the far distant past I visited my aunt, uncle and cousins when uncle was transferred there by the Southern Pacific RR.  It has changed a lot in fifty or so years, thanks in part to the completion of I-40.  But it is still a stop for those people who do a nostalgic drive along Route 66.  I have seen this restaurant for years, but never at a time when I needed a meal   This time I traveled a couple miles on 66 to see what has kept it open since 1956.  It is obviously a gathering spot for locals, lots of hugs and hellos and visits to other tables.  Inside it is like an old time steak restaurant in any town. 

The Lexus is the 2nd car from the left - I wonder if anyone noticed the DELQLTS license plate.   The restaurant was build by a man with the first name "Del" (probably Delbert) and has remained in the family for all these years. 

 Inside it is decorated with lots of "stuff", such as this old coin operated "Pappy".  I didn't get a chance to walk over and look at the instructions and when I was leaving I forgot.  Perhaps it is like the fortune telling machine in the Tom Hanks movie "Big".

 Out of the large number of offerings on the menu I chose grilled chicken which came with a tasty raspberry sauce.  Fortunately, I remembered to ask for it on-the-side as it was a little too spicy hot.  The Fiestaware "china" was every different color and, to be honest, I felt the dark blue sort of "killed" the presentation.

 I had a choice of colors at the salad bar and like the aqua with my broccoli, olives and bell pepper.  In with the roll were packaged pats of butter, tiny tubs of artificial butter and two packets of sour cream.  It is a touch of "fast food", but probably saves a lot of money for the owners.  The food wasn't fancy, but it was cooked correctly and I enjoyed my meal.  I'll stop here again when I stay in Tucumcari. 

Frequently I eat dinner from my cooler - cheese, crackers, fruit, and cookies - because I am just too tired to go out after driving all day.  One motel I stayed at had a freezer case in the vending machine area that was stocked with frozen meals and pizzas.  I tried a chicken dish that I cooked in the microwave in my room.  It was just food, nothing to write home about!