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In the heat of summer, comfort is a priority. Especially after a round of golf.
So the cool, spacious interior of the new diner at Colonial Acres on Alma Street begins with high marks.
Plush chairs surround a handful of tables at Wyank’s Clubhouse Restaurant, where a small crowd, both golfers and walk-ins, gathers. My guest and I sit at a table fit for six (the only smaller tables were taken). In what is a sign of things to come, quickly receive an audience with our waitress.
For the record, the name – Wyank’s – is a moniker a granddaughter bestowed on her grandfather, the owner Wayne, our waitress tells us.
As expected, the menu consists of typical sports bar fare. The featured items are a half-pound hamburger served with a side of fries or chips, for $10, and daily lunch specials – chicken or steak burritos with a side, for $8, on the day we dined.
But the options extend to a hot dog, tacos, pork carnitas and roast beef, shrimp or deep-fried oyster po’boys, to name a few. Salads and appetizers also have their place in the lineup. As does a 1-pound rib-eye steak ($25).
Is there a better way to gain acquaintance of a new diner than to order dishes they promote? Maybe, but we did it anyway.
For starters, we split an order of crawfish nachos. Billed as spicy, the crawfish were mild at best; however a lack of spice does not mean a lack of seasoning, and the meat was enjoyable. Melted pepper jack cheese over the corn chips coupled with the seafood’s moisture threatened to make the chips soggy and the toppings weren’t distributed evenly (minor gripe), but I’d revisit the dish on a return visit.
The hamburger, it bears repeating, is a half-pound of Angus chuck topped with grilled onions and cheese and dressed to order on a sweet bun. It was pinched together with a toothpick, and it didn’t take long for the sandwich to come unglued. Filling, messy and tasty, the hamburger hit the mark. The serving of fries, meanwhile, was a competent but unimpressive sidekick to the main course.
My guest enjoyed his chicken burritos, remarking that he detected an authentic Mexican flare. The chicken had a small kick of spice to it, but it wasn’t overpowering. The cheeses in the burrito lent quite a nice taste to the meal.
He, too, failed to finish the massive serving, but that shouldn’t be perceived as dissatisfaction. The meals’ sizes, especially considering the modest prices, are more than can be expected.
Let Wyank know: We’ll be back.
The half-pound Angus chuck burger, served with a side of fries or chips, sells for $10. The burger is topped with grilled onions and cheese and dressed to order.
