Orlando's Italian Restaurant, Lubbock (West: best, business, building)

[doctorjef]

Is this Orlando's continuous with the same Orlando's that was operating in the early 1970s when I lived in the Hub?

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

Is this Orlando's continuous with the same Orlando's that was operating in the early 1970s when I lived in the Hub?

I believe so.

[SVTRay]

Is this the place with the Mafia Queso? It's been awhile but the place I'm thinking of was off U st or Q or something like that. Anyhow, the food is great. We stop there every time we're in town. Another place we like in Lubbock is County Line BBQ. It's out near the airport..right before you make a right to the airport, you turn north I believe under an underpass. It's kinda fancyish but the food is really good...FYI, it's a different atmosphere than the County Line BBQ in Austin.

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by SVTRay

Is this the place with the Mafia Queso? It's been awhile but the place I'm thinking of was off U st or Q or something like that. Anyhow, the food is great. We stop there every time we're in town. Another place we like in Lubbock is County Line BBQ. It's out near the airport..right before you make a right to the airport, you turn north I believe under an underpass. It's kinda fancyish but the food is really good...FYI, it's a different atmosphere than the County Line BBQ in Austin.

That's the place. Orlando's has two locations, one near 19th and Avenue Q and the other at Indiana and the South Loop. County Line has been closed for quite awhile now, like 5+ years. I think it still operates as a catering and event center, but under a different name.

[doctorjef]

So is the former home of County Line and before that of Fonda Del Sol, occupied these days?

[SVTRay]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

That's the place. Orlando's has two locations, one near 19th and Avenue Q and the other at Indiana and the South Loop. County Line has been closed for quite awhile now, like 5+ years. I think it still operates as a catering and event center, but under a different name.

It sounded familiar but wasn't sure.

To bad about County line, we haven't tried to eat there in years...it's either Orlando's or Joe's Crab Shack.

[doctorjef]

I wonder why County Line went out of business in Lubbock. Too refined a style of barbeque for the locals maybe? I love County Line on the Hill in West Austin - great brisket, especially; and great location.

The predecessor of County Line at the Lubbock location was an upscale Mexican restaurant called Fonda del Sol. It was upscale Mexican at a time there weren't many upscale Mexican restaurants in Texas.

As to a Joe's Crab Shack in the Hub -- strikes me as slightly ludicrous. Lubbock is a bit far from the ocean! Yes, I realise they must have a Red Lobster, but there are limits to everything. At least the Joe's Crab Shack in San Antonio doesn't seem so preposterously far from the Gulf of Mexico.

What are the truly upscale restaurants in Lubbock therse days (at least by Lubbock standards)?

[rr2005]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

I wonder why County Line went out of business in Lubbock. Too refined a style of barbeque for the locals maybe? I love County Line on the Hill in West Austin - great brisket, especially; and great location.

The predecessor of County Line at the Lubbock location was an upscale Mexican restaurant called Fonda del Sol. It was upscale Mexican at a time there weren't many upscale Mexican restaurants in Texas.

As to a Joe's Crab Shack in the Hub -- strikes me as slightly ludicrous. Lubbock is a bit far from the ocean! Yes, I realise they must have a Red Lobster, but there are limits to everything. At least the Joe's Crab Shack in San Antonio doesn't seem so preposterously far from the Gulf of Mexico.

What are the truly upscale restaurants in Lubbock therse days (at least by Lubbock standards)?

So, along that line of reasoning, are folks in Boston not allowed to eat steak, since they are so far from "the range"...lol? Or maybe there are no Mexican restaurants in North Dakota, because they are too far from the border? County Line started specializing in hosting group events. I attended a wedding there not too long ago. My personal list of "upscales" would be Las Brisas, Double Nickel, and Chez Suzette. While I wouldn't consider it "upscale", Triple J Chophouse and Brewery is very good also. They deliver the meat to your table and have you choose the thickness of your cut. La Diosa Cellars is a fun place to eat.

[doctorjef]

I can't believe Chez Suzzette is still in business after all these years. It seemed rather amateurish to me back in the day and was housed in a small building on University Ave, just a little ways south of 4th St. Surely not at the same location now?

Dude, the Hispanic diaspora in North America is now so widespread that you can get Mexican cooked by natives just about anywhere! Sadly, the atrocities committed upon margaritas in parts of the country outside Texas would make the Baby Jesus cry. As to seafood restaurants, they just seem increasingly out of their element the farther you move from coastal areas.

At one time there was a quite upscale restaurant at the top of a bank building on the corner of 19th and University; also one in a house that was supposedly designed to look like Tara from Gone With the Wind that was, I think, down a long drive off what used to be a still fairly undeveloped part of 4th St (I'm sure that are has long-since been entirely built up).

[shoe01]

I thought Stella's was good the last time I visited. Had king salmon, even though seafood isn't the place's specialty.