Visiting Fans

[NTXCoog]

How about Mr. Chopsticks?

[filmerj]

Or the institution known as the Texas Pickup?! Oh wait... What about New York Sub Hub. Used to love Matzatlan haven't been there in some time. Is the Tomato ever going to re-open?

Edited August 17, 2011 by filmerj

[MeanGreenTexan]

Or the institution known as the Texas Pickup?! Oh wait... What about New York Sub Hub. Used to love Matzatlan haven't been there in some time. Is the Tomato ever going to re-open?

Got some Good news for ya!

The Tomato is open!

Got some Bad news for ya!

_{It's in Sanger.}

[KRAM1]

Got some Good news for ya!

The Tomato is open!

Got some Bad news for ya!

_{It's in Sanger.}

Here's my question for folks...and I am not looking for a fight here, just opinions of people who actually ate at the Tomato...like I did while a student at UNT...

Here goes...was the pizza really THAT good or was it the whole package including location, atmosphere, friendly management and decent to good pizza with hours of operation convenient for students, and prices that "fit" in most student budgets?

I liked the pizza and ate there from time to time, but usually because a group of friends was there or I was "in the mood" for pizza and on campus. I never found it to be such that it would obtain this "cult status" if it were up to the product alone. Now that it is in Sanger I have not felt the urge to go that far out of my way to give it a try. I probably would if it were in Denton because the ownership was great and it was local.

So, just thinking about what some others felt about the greatness that was the Tomato.

[Green P1]

At it's best the pizza at The Tomato was just alright. You're dead on about it being all about the atmosphere for me. You could not beat the ability to get a couple slices and a couple pitchers with friends before you hit the bars. That building just had a feeling about it. Were they to open up back in Denton just in a different location I don't think I'd really have the urge to go. In all honesty, the pizza at Crooked Crust is better than The Tomato's ever was but the environment's all wrong.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Here's my question for folks...and I am not looking for a fight here, just opinions of people who actually ate at the Tomato...like I did while a student at UNT...

Here goes...was the pizza really THAT good or was it the whole package including location, atmosphere, friendly management and decent to good pizza with hours of operation convenient for students, and prices that "fit" in most student budgets?

I liked the pizza and ate there from time to time, but usually because a group of friends was there or I was "in the mood" for pizza and on campus. I never found it to be such that it would obtain this "cult status" if it were up to the product alone. Now that it is in Sanger I have not felt the urge to go that far out of my way to give it a try. I probably would if it were in Denton because the ownership was great and it was local.

So, just thinking about what some others felt about the greatness that was the Tomato.

I'm with you. The Slice Special was very friendly to my wallet and I enjoyed going there with friends, but I thought J&Js on the square was the better pizza.

I think it's simply because I don't like the Chicago deep-dish style of pizza as much as I like the N.Y. thin-crust style.

[UNTcrazy727]

At it's best the pizza at The Tomato was just alright. You're dead on about it being all about the atmosphere for me. You could not beat the ability to get a couple slices and a couple pitchers with friends before you hit the bars. That building just had a feeling about it. Were they to open up back in Denton just in a different location I don't think I'd really have the urge to go. In all honesty, the pizza at Crooked Crust is better than The Tomato's ever was but the environment's all wrong.

If Crooked Crust's pizza is better than the Tomato's then they must have had some bad pizza. Crooked Crust has good cheese, toppings, and sauce, but their crust is worse than cardboard!

I was disappointed when Hot Box closed down because they had the best pizza. Sure, it was a little pricey, but I always got the pizza of the month so it was half price.

[Maduro]

I grew up in Grapevine and have been to Baja a ton and I can say without a doubt that Chuy's blows it out of the water.

I agree with you on the Love Shack.

However, cant say I enjoy their fries. Waaaayyyy too skinny.

I have trouble finding anything on chuy's menu that truly stands out from the competition besides the mexican martini. I would drive from Denton to Grapevine just for Baja's tamales and margaritas alone. Their chimichangas, enchiladas, all taco varieties (especially brisket) have also been worth the trip. It's a shame that mi cocina gets so much praise for their margaritas in the dfw area and baja gets such little credit. I would even argue that blue goose has a better frozen house margarita than anything cocina throws together.

Those fries really are skinny! They always taste good the first 5 minutes but get too cold after that.

[Stix]

Here's my question for folks...and I am not looking for a fight here, just opinions of people who actually ate at the Tomato...like I did while a student at UNT...

Here goes...was the pizza really THAT good or was it the whole package including location, atmosphere, friendly management and decent to good pizza with hours of operation convenient for students, and prices that "fit" in most student budgets?

I liked the pizza and ate there from time to time, but usually because a group of friends was there or I was "in the mood" for pizza and on campus. I never found it to be such that it would obtain this "cult status" if it were up to the product alone. Now that it is in Sanger I have not felt the urge to go that far out of my way to give it a try. I probably would if it were in Denton because the ownership was great and it was local.

So, just thinking about what some others felt about the greatness that was the Tomato.

The Tomato opened in the early '80s, actually as "The Flying Tomato", a franchisee of a chain. The chain didn't survive, but the Denton location did. There were two things that made it successful:

- The location, and the unique loft 2nd level, made it a great student hangout. Just before it was the Tomato, the building was a Rock & Roll club named Crossroads, and I didn't know anyone who actually went there. It was completely brick, with no windows. The Tomato renovation was incredible, and immediately drew in a crowd.

- The Tomato was the only place in Texas to get a Giordano's-style (Chicago) stuffed pizza. NOT deep dish - stuffed. Especially a spinach & mushroom stuffed pizza. A High School friend of mine went to Northwestern (Evanston IL, just north of Chicago), and I had experienced Giordano's when visiting him in 1980. While the Tomato undoubtedly wasn't nearly as good, there was no other place to get a stuffed pizza. I went back at least once every football season until it burned down, even though the service really was awful at the end.

So the question is, is there enough demand in Sanger for stuffed pizza for the Tomato to be successful there? Because there's no way that they'll draw the students to Sanger.

[Mean Green 93-98]

The Tomato opened in the early '80s, actually as "The Flying Tomato", a franchisee of a chain. The chain didn't survive, but the Denton location did. There were two things that made it successful:

- The location, and the unique loft 2nd level, made it a great student hangout. Just before it was the Tomato, the building was a Rock & Roll club named Crossroads, and I didn't know anyone who actually went there. It was completely brick, with no windows. The Tomato renovation was incredible, and immediately drew in a crowd.

- The Tomato was the only place in Texas to get a Giordano's-style (Chicago) stuffed pizza. NOT deep dish - stuffed. Especially a spinach & mushroom stuffed pizza. A High School friend of mine went to Northwestern (Evanston IL, just north of Chicago), and I had experienced Giordano's when visiting him in 1980. While the Tomato undoubtedly wasn't nearly as good, there was no other place to get a stuffed pizza. I went back at least once every football season until it burned down, even though the service really was awful at the end.

So the question is, is there enough demand in Sanger for stuffed pizza for the Tomato to be successful there? Because there's no way that they'll draw the students to Sanger.

I really don't ever remember the Flying Tomato having stuffed pizza, Giordano's style. I always got the Gutbuster, which was basically a deep dish supreme. But I would have been all over the stuffed pizza if they had it. Pretty sure it was gone by the time I got there ('93).

[kingwoodgreen]

At times Crossroads had some good bands there. every town needs a place to go listen to local bands.

anyone old enough to remember The Library?

[foutsrouts]

I've tried almost all of the above restaurants, and it's hard to go wrong with any of 'em. Any recommendations for next time I go to Robertson? The last time I went to a Cougar game (TT), all we could find around the stadium was a Wendy's, and somebody tried to sell us something other than food at the drive through window. Seriously!

[NTXCoog]

I've tried almost all of the above restaurants, and it's hard to go wrong with any of 'em. Any recommendations for next time I go to Robertson? The last time I went to a Cougar game (TT), all we could find around the stadium was a Wendy's, and somebody tried to sell us something other than food at the drive through window. Seriously!

Frenchy's Chicken less than a block away from the stadium is some of the best fried chicken you've ever had. I love Babe's, but I'll take Frenchy's.

How far do you want to go from the stadium? I could say restaurants like Kim Son which has great Vietnamese food is about 2 miles away.

Hell, Minute Maid park and that entire area of down Houston is less than 5 miles away.

Edited August 17, 2011 by NTXCoog

[Stix]

At times Crossroads had some good bands there. every town needs a place to go listen to local bands.

anyone old enough to remember The Library?

I'm old enough to remember Benny's (jazz club named for Benny Goodman), before The Library.

Edited August 17, 2011 by Stix

[MeanGreenTexan]

Frenchy's Chicken less than a block away from the stadium is some of the best fried chicken you've ever had. I love Babe's, but I'll take Frenchy's.

How far do you want to go from the stadium? I could say restaurants like Kim Son which has great Vietnamese food is about 2 miles away.

Hell, Minute Maid park and that entire area of down Houston is less than 5 miles away.

Oh, for sure! If you want the best, you gotta go with Frenchy's.

Wait, I thought we were talking about food in this thread. Are Cougar fans moving here?

Yes, we know... Apogee stadium is very nice, but you can stay in Houston.

Edited August 17, 2011 by MeanGreenTexan

[tylermeangreen]

Anyone on here remember Bruno's pizza and spaghetti? I guess this was the first place I ate near campus when I arrived at NTSU back in 1970.

The 1st location that I frequented was just beyond the campus side of Hickory around the corner from the Industrial Arts (?) building. The last two locations that I was aware of were behind Jack-In-The-Box on Hickory, and just off the TWU campus near their university store.

While the pizza and spaghetti with meat sauce was great (spaghetti, sauce, bread and salad - $1.25 at lunch; $1.50 at dinner), their salads were even better - they would just throw their pizza toppings in the bowl of lettuce to create a super salad - I have had few salads in the 40 + years since to match Brunos' salad.

I don't know when Brunos went out of business - the 80s maybe?

[NTXCoog]

Oh, for sure! If you want the best, you gotta go with Frenchy's.

Wait, I thought we were talking about food in this thread. Are Cougar fans moving here?

Yes, we know... Apogee stadium is very nice, but you can stay in Houston.

Plenty of Coogfans already in Denton, Lewisville, Corinth already. I moved to Denton about 12 years ago when my wife went to school at TWU. Now east of Denton on 380.

And we can talk that kind of Frenchy's for food too, Beth Marie's Frenchy's orange sherbet.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Plenty of Coogfans already in Denton, Lewisville, Corinth already. I moved to Denton about 12 years ago when my wife went to school at TWU. Now east of Denton on 380.

And we can talk that kind of Frenchy's for food too, Beth Marie's Frenchy's orange sherbet.

Touché sir. +1

[NTXCoog]

Touché sir. +1

My dream is to some day make the Frenchy's van of fame.

[UNTLifer]

Bruno's was great, as was Mama's Pizza, Capt. Nemo's, TX. Pickup, State Club Chicken Tenders, Charco-Broiler on University. Too bad they are all gone now.

[kingwoodgreen]

Bruno's was great, as was Mama's Pizza, Capt. Nemo's, TX. Pickup, State Club Chicken Tenders, Charco-Broiler on University. Too bad they are all gone now.

I forgot about Charco Broiler. I ate a ton of chicken fried steaks there one summer. thanks for the memory.

[Maduro]

Gegree on everything but the Mexican food drought statement. You're dead on that Guapo's, Mazatlan, OTB, El Fenix, El Chico, Mazatlan and etc.. suck. For sure they do. El Matador, Mi Ranchito, and La Milpa(not a full bore endorsement quite yet) do not.

Thanks Green P1... wife and I decided to visit Mi Ranchito for the first time this evening. at first she was afraid to get out of the car, but everything was cool after she had a bite of enchilada. sopapillas were greatness

[NTEdgex2]

Bruno's was salad greatness! We still remember how good it was! Green olives and their house dressing was a favorite 1970-74. Thanks for the memory Tylermeangreen.

GMG!