We were coming back from Bellville and stopped at Tony’s Restaurant in Sealy. A man wearing a cowboy hat was standing near the front doors. He asked about our day and tipped his hat to us.

The food was great, and we found out the friendly man who’d greeted us in the parking lot was Tony. He came by our table and chatted for a bit about his family, asked about ours, and hoped we’d have a delicious meal.

There’s a time and place for fast-food joints, but nothing beats eating at a family-owned restaurant. We are fortunate to have so many wonderful eateries here in our community.

People recognize the importance of supporting local businesses, especially when the experience is like coming home to mom’s kitchen. Plus, these restaurants are the ones who support our local baseball, football and soccer teams. You won’t find those thank-you plaques hanging in a fast-food chain’s lobby.

The owners visit each table, asking about the food, the service and if there’s anything you need. They refill water glasses and genuinely care about the service and quality you receive. They employ local teens and often families have worked there for generations.

Not only have they been around a while, but the food is often a family recipe passed down through generations. I’ve been to quite a few of these in our area, and friends on social media suggested a few more.

Bob’s Taco Station is not only locally recognized but also nationally as it was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” The interior is fun and fascinating with memorabilia and quotes all over the walls.

The actual Bob is usually there to greet you, just as his father did before he passed away. Bob buys ads in all the local yearbooks, supports sports teams and just try getting tamales at Christmas if you didn’t pre-order.

Witt Pitt Barbecue is another local favorite. It’s not a big place, but it’s just the right size. The smell of their juicy brisket grilled onsite greets you the minute you walk in.

Jimmy Cantu’s Pier 36 is a favorite in this area, and Jimmy visits customers as well. Texas is known for barbecue, but Pier 36 will make a seafood lover out of you.

La Cocina near Pecan Grove not only serves great food but they always donate to local charities and sports teams. When we sit down, the server brings our drinks to the table, knowing what we want before we open our mouths. That doesn’t happen at a chain.

When we moved to this area over 35 years ago, Hunan Garden was one of the first places we went with the boys. They became fans of the “Bo-Bo Platter,” and now our grandchildren love ordering the same appetizer. Owner Elaine makes sure you get what you want and always encourages you to order something new.

Sandy McGee’s is a local legend, and most long-time residents remember Sandy’s original spot in Rosenberg. She’s been in downtown Richmond for many years, and the inside of the restaurant is as charming as she is. Her broccoli cheese soup is a local legend.

Down in Needville, Bayou Boys gets special shout outs, and they are also big supporters in the community, especially in tough times. Another Time Soda Fountain in downtown Rosenberg not only offers some of the best milkshakes and burgers in town, but listening to the nearby trains is a special treat.

Other great family-owned restaurants include Bull Creek Café and Grill – love their steaks – Ferso’s Mexican Cuisine, Tex-Y-Cano’s food truck, Tejas Mexican Grill and Café, Jay’s Café, and Tina’s on FM 359.

I know there’s many mom-and-pop places I missed, and I apologize for the oversight. If you’ll send me your favorites, I’ll post those places on my social media account because we all need a break from mass-produced burgers.

The next time you’re looking for a place to eat, skip the fast-food drive-through lines and support a family-owned business.

Remember, they support you.

 

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald. 

When you grow up in a large family, birthdays are often the only time you can claim the day to be your own.

In a family with seven children, birthdays were always a big deal. Unlike shared holidays like Christmas and Easter, our birthday was our special day.

Mom went out of her way to spoil each one of us when our birthday rolled around. She made our favorite dinner, and we got to choose the kind of cake we wanted.

Back then, you had to make cakes from scratch. Bakery store cakes were expensive, and the only kind of cakes Winn-Dixie carried were the Little Debbie varieties.

I’ve made cakes with an ingredient list as long as my arm, and the steps can be overwhelming. Thank goodness for companies like Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker. They allow you to claim home cook status without having to use five bowls.

All you have to do is open a plastic bag, dump it in one bowl and add water, oil and eggs. When ready-to-spread frostings came along, I thought I’d hit the lottery again.

One year, I told my son I’d take cupcakes to school for his birthday. He made me promise to bake the cupcakes, not buy them from the store. But, in typical mom fashion, I forgot to make the cupcakes the night before.

The next morning, I panicked. I bought ready-made cupcakes from the grocery store and a can of ready-to-spread frosting. I headed to the school parking lot with a plastic garbage bag and a butter knife.

I had a plan – scrape the store-made frosting off of the store-bought cupcakes into that plastic bag and re-frost the cupcakes with the ready-to-spread frosting. My boys thought that was home-made.

When all traces of the store-made frosting was gone, I opened the can of ready-to-spread and did my best to make the cupcakes look like I’d just taken them out of the oven.

No matter if you’re buying cupcakes from the store or whipping up a tried-and-true family recipe, birthdays are a time to recognize someone’s importance. In our family, February is prime birthday month.

This week, our daughter-in-law will celebrate her birthday on the same day her youngest son was born.

Erin handles a busy household with ease, and she has a great sense of humor, two traits sorely needed with five children. Young Danny has four older siblings who dote on this easy-going toddler.

The next week, it’s my youngest sister’s birthday. Donna lives in Virginia, and we’re hoping the snow melts in time for her to get out and celebrate her birthday in style.

She was a darling baby, an adorable toddler and she’s a beautiful woman. She is artistic and can transform a simple object into a piece of art. I’m lucky to have a couple of her paintings in my office.

My sister Diane and brother Johnny have back-to-back birthdays at the end of the month. Diane is extremely intelligent and a person who takes charge because she’s always the most capable person around.

She’s loyal, loving and her opinions and judgment are solid. Johnny is a man of faith, a soulful songwriter, self-taught guitarist and a gifted pen-and-ink artist.

At the end of February, we have back-to-back birthdays highlighting my nephew, brother-in-law, another nephew, niece, great nieces and great nephews. They are all bright lights in the family with larger-than-life personalities, brains and talents.

At the beginning of March, our brother Joey will celebrate his birthday.

Born with a gentle spirit and a quick wit, Joey quietly goes about his life in service to others, being a fabulous husband and a great “Papa Joe” to his grandchildren.

Happy birthday to the incredible people in our family who remind me every day how extremely blessed I am.

No matter when you celebrate your birthday this year, in the words of our late Grandma Marguerite, “remember to have fun along the way.”

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.