Good eating returns to Ponder!

[letsgiveacheer]

There was nothing that said "Texas" more to this immigrant from Virginia than the Ponder Steak House, aka Ranchman's Cafe.

https://www.star-telegram.com/entertainment/restaurants/eats-beat/article272545303.html?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0zHRELQjbL7_z3M0OWOJ5xNo0Gni24mznR6jtyTB_EWcA-MgsR7EeWsOQ

Edited February 27, 2023 by letsgiveacheer

[LongJim]

I'm excited about this, but a little nervous.  One of the best burgers I've ever had was from Ranchman's, and their steaks and CFS are good, too.

Here's hoping they still have it.

[NTEdgex2]

Can’t wait!  Been hearing about this place forever. Since we moved to Justin, now it’s in our neighborhood.  Cobbler, yum!

[UNTLifer]

Wasn't there a separate Ponder Steakhouse at one time?  I thought it was located in the old bank building.

Love Ranchman's back when you had to call ahead to let them know you wanted a baked potato.  Hope the new, restored establishment is as good as the original.

 

[letsgiveacheer]

Can't help here. 

In my day (71-75), we always called Ranchman's "The Ponder Steak House" and looking at their Facebook page, they call themselves, "Ranchman's The Ponder Steakhouse". 

But, I do agree it will not be the same unless you have to call ahead to reserve your baked potato!

 

 

[eulessismore]

On 2/27/2023 at 3:02 PM, UNTLifer said:

Wasn't there a separate Ponder Steakhouse at one time?  I thought it was located in the old bank building.

Love Ranchman's back when you had to call ahead to let them know you wanted a baked potato.  Hope the new, restored establishment is as good as the original.

 

Call it what you want, by either name, it's the same place, always has been. I'll just call it the Ranchman's when I go there as soon as I can. It was the "Ranchman's Cafe" back when my friend Dave Ross took it over what must have been at least 25 years ago. If you go, save room for pie!

[UNTLifer]

15 hours ago, eulessismore said:

Call it what you want, by either name, it's the same place, always has been. I'll just call it the Ranchman's when I go there as soon as I can. It was the "Ranchman's Cafe" back when my friend Dave Ross took it over what must have been at least 25 years ago. If you go, save room for pie!

I understand that it has always been known as "Ranchman's Cafe - The Ponder Steakhouse".  Loved eating there and love the pies, but I thought another Ponder Steakhouse opened in the old bank building in the late 80's to mid 90's.  Does anyone else remember that or was I drunk?  Either way, glad to hear Ranchman's is coming back.  Hope it is as good as it always was.

[GBarksdale]

37 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

I understand that it has always been known as "Ranchman's Cafe - The Ponder Steakhouse".  Loved eating there and love the pies, but I thought another Ponder Steakhouse opened in the old bank building in the late 80's to mid 90's.  Does anyone else remember that or was I drunk?  Either way, glad to hear Ranchman's is coming back.  Hope it is as good as it always was.

I remember a restaurant there but it wasn't a steakhouse.  IIRC, just a regular diner-type restaurant.

[GrayEagle]

The Original Ponder Steak House dates back to the forties and the two sisters that owned a ran it were in their 50s-60s.

at the time so it's obviously not under the same management.  I don't know if it's in the same family or not but it seems that they've maintained the same quality as the original.  I consider it the best steak that I've ever eaten.  In addition to a great baked potato (loaded) they also had terrific pies.  The new Ponder Steak House has a tremendous reputation to live up to.  

 

[eulessismore]

3 hours ago, GrayEagle said:

The Original Ponder Steak House dates back to the forties and the two sisters that owned a ran it were in their 50s-60s.

at the time so it's obviously not under the same management.  I don't know if it's in the same family or not but it seems that they've maintained the same quality as the original.  I consider it the best steak that I've ever eaten.  In addition to a great baked potato (loaded) they also had terrific pies.  The new Ponder Steak House has a tremendous reputation to live up to.  

 

GrayEagle, my friend Dave Ross, after working for "Pete", one of those sisters, took over management/ownership of the Ranchman's in 1992, after cooking there from 1973, according to the linked article. Since he never mentioned being related to her family, I seriously doubt that he was. Dave knows what he's doing, since he's been at it as cook and owner for 50 years by now. I'd say he's lived up to that reputation and the place is the better for the work he's done to improve it.

https://www.ranchman.com/newsite/index.php/about-ranchman-s

[GBarksdale]

13 hours ago, eulessismore said:

GrayEagle, my friend Dave Ross, after working for "Pete", one of those sisters, took over management/ownership of the Ranchman's in 1992, after cooking there from 1973, according to the linked article. Since he never mentioned being related to her family, I seriously doubt that he was. Dave knows what he's doing, since he's been at it as cook and owner for 50 years by now. I'd say he's lived up to that reputation and the place is the better for the work he's done to improve it.

https://www.ranchman.com/newsite/index.php/about-ranchman-s

Don't know if this is true or not, but I used to hear stories about people flying in from all over the country to eat there.

[eulessismore]

2 hours ago, GBarksdale said:

Don't know if this is true or not, but I used to hear stories about people flying in from all over the country to eat there.

They did have a "celebrity wall" of autographed images of the famous, but I don't recall meeting anyone there who had flown in (and there are several private airports around that area as well as DFW Intl) just to eat there. Of course there were people, especially on weekends, from Dallas, Fort Worth and (myself after leaving Denton) the Midcities area. 

I'd like to think that people were coming from far away just to eat at the Ranchman's, but my guess is that many of those from elsewhere in the country were making the pilgrimage to the Ranchman's as a welcome side trip when coming to the DFW area for business (Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway?)or family purposes, such as this celeb:

https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1994/november/celebrity-picks/

[cwb]

I remember there being a wind sock in the 80's for helicopter landings out back. I think. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. 

Edited March 2, 2023 by cwb