A reprise of an earlier column to help you get ready for summer eating.
By Scott Heiner
Crawford Trough
The other day, we happened on a great place….
We live in Garden City and unfortunately don’t have much occasion to get down to the southern part of Rich County. Recently, we had an errand in Randolph, after which we decided to have lunch there. I didn’t think there was any place there to eat at, but what was my happy surprise to discover Crawford Trough.
Their theme of feeding and watering troughs is a nod to the area’s ranch culture. The sign consists of the name “Crawford Trough” above a picture of a large metal watering trough and their slogan is “The Place to Eat and Drink.”
We were delighted with the cowboy and ranch décor. Western-oriented plaques and pictures decorated the walls as well as an old Burma Shave poem and a vintage Havoline Oil sign. Their chairs had a rustic look with seat backs made of 1x4 boards fastened askew. Even the restrooms were in character with the wash basins made of metal troughs and water pump style faucets.
The menu sections were creatively titled: “Off the Ranch” section is burgers and sandwiches including Crawford Angus Burger, Mushroom Burger, Beef Slider and Patty Melt. “Pasture Greens” is the salads, and “Out of the Coop” is the title of the chicken items. They also offer wraps of ham, turkey or chicken. The extensive milk shake and ice cream section is called “Udderly Goods. They have interesting daily specials such as Navajo Tacos and Fish Friday as well as a great variety of soups of the day.
We ordered the soup of the day: broccoli cheese, a Pastrami Pita sandwich, with sides of pickled asparagus sticks and home-cut fries. The soup was thick and cheesy with lots of broccoli florets. The Pastrami Pita sandwich was moist and tasty: cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms, pickles and ranch sauce, folded in a toasted pita bread. I was especially glad to try something entirely new: the pickled asparagus sticks were crunchy with a perfect sour pickle tang.
Crawford Trough offers plenty of entertainment options for all ages including a pool table supported by thick log legs, and a safely-isolated dart board range. There are even sturdy metal John Deere and International tractors for the kids to play with.
I assumed the owners were named “Crawford,” but I was mistaken. In January 2018, Bridget and Tyler Pugmire bought the old Gators restaurant, a popular local spot for about 30 years. Previously it had been Beth’s Diner and before that, Hub Cafe. They completely remodeled and redecorated the place; keeping some of Gators’ popular hamburgers and home-cut fries on their menu and adding several of their own creations. The Pugmires thought it would be a good and fun place for the local teenagers to work.
The name, “Crawford” refers to the Crawford mountains rising steeply to the east above the flat farmland. Back in the day, it was home to extensive phosphate mining, primarily from the mid-1900's to the 1970s. Now it is a popular hang-gliding spot; when the winds are right, you can spot several paragliders weaving in the sky.
Crawford Trough also takes orders through their website www.CrawfordTrough.com or by phone 435-793-3170.
No comments:
Post a Comment