Motorcycle ride to Logan
Gary & Ron & I went for a ride to Logan N.M. today. We wanted to stop by Ute Lake to visit our water.
My trip meter showed a round trip from Amarillo of 255.6 miles .
Cherish's Restaurant on US 54 in Logan has a bit of a funky smell when you first go in, like maybe their carpet should have been cleaned or destroyed years ago. My grandmother's house had that smell. We found a table for three in the corner with room on the floor for our helmets, jackets and stuff. The other patrons appeared to be locals, faces and figures shaped with trademark Llano Estacado blandness. I thought I recognized my cousin Leonard, but it turned out to be a truck driver. Generic roadside restaurant rock music could be heard from a cheap radio in the kitchen.
The menu was pretty much standard for this part of the country: Chicken Fried Steaks, burgers, Mexican food. We certainly didn't expect much, but Ron and I were brave enough to order the Mexican Combination Plate ($7.95) while Gary played it safe by ordering a cheeseburger.
"Are the cheeseburgers good here?" he asked the waitress. I half expected her to reply, "Nope. They're awful. Quit while you're ahead."
But, she told him that she thought they were good, and we continued to expect the worst. The iced tea was good though, and was served in worn plastic tumblers, just like my grandmother's.
Turns out, it was. The enchiladas and crispy chile rellano were first class. We ordered ours with the green sauce. The food was as good or better than I've had in any of the big city Mexican theme restaurants. The cheeseburger was reportedly very good too. (Although the addition of green chiles to the burger should only be attempted by the strong of heart.)
I was very impressed. The only way it might have been better was if they served beer and had a shady place to take a nap. I give the food 4-1/2 stars, out of five. The service was good, and although the place doesn't look like much, the atmosphere was good enough.
Highly recommended.
We took the back road to Logan/Ute Lake via Boys Ranch Road to Channing, then FM 767 to US54, through Nara Visa. At Logan, got gas and ate lunch at Cherish's Restaurant. We visited the lake briefly, then headed down to San Jon and I-40 for the quick trip back to Amarillo. The best part of the ride was FM 767 between Channing and US54. I'd never been on this road before, and enjoyed the hills, scenery, and smooth pavement with no traffic. It got a bit windy at the top of the hills at times. US Hwy 54 on the other hand is two lanes with a lot of truck traffic, and is not a very good road for motorcycles.
My trip meter showed a round trip from Amarillo of 255.6 miles .
Cherish's Restaurant on US 54 in Logan has a bit of a funky smell when you first go in, like maybe their carpet should have been cleaned or destroyed years ago. My grandmother's house had that smell. We found a table for three in the corner with room on the floor for our helmets, jackets and stuff. The other patrons appeared to be locals, faces and figures shaped with trademark Llano Estacado blandness. I thought I recognized my cousin Leonard, but it turned out to be a truck driver. Generic roadside restaurant rock music could be heard from a cheap radio in the kitchen.
The menu was pretty much standard for this part of the country: Chicken Fried Steaks, burgers, Mexican food. We certainly didn't expect much, but Ron and I were brave enough to order the Mexican Combination Plate ($7.95) while Gary played it safe by ordering a cheeseburger.
"Are the cheeseburgers good here?" he asked the waitress. I half expected her to reply, "Nope. They're awful. Quit while you're ahead."
But, she told him that she thought they were good, and we continued to expect the worst. The iced tea was good though, and was served in worn plastic tumblers, just like my grandmother's.
When the tortilla chips and salsa came, we were pleasantly surprised that the chips were warm, fresh, and delicately crisp. The salsa appeared to be freshly made and not out of a Pace jar. It was tasty with just a bit of character. I hoped that the food would be prepared with as much love and care as the chips & hot sauce.
Turns out, it was. The enchiladas and crispy chile rellano were first class. We ordered ours with the green sauce. The food was as good or better than I've had in any of the big city Mexican theme restaurants. The cheeseburger was reportedly very good too. (Although the addition of green chiles to the burger should only be attempted by the strong of heart.)
I was very impressed. The only way it might have been better was if they served beer and had a shady place to take a nap. I give the food 4-1/2 stars, out of five. The service was good, and although the place doesn't look like much, the atmosphere was good enough.
Highly recommended.
posted by Rodney at 8:01 PM
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