Monday, December 8, 2008

Lunch Box

This post is a shout out for all the Mimis, Mawmaws, and Nanas out there!!! Holla!

Are you and your fellow ladies looking for a place that smells like your house to go have sandwiches and pie? Grab the walker and head to the Lunch Box. The Box is in a courtyard behind Fuego and serves...Lunch.

If you're headed over there on a weekday, get there early or be prepared to wait. I think if you bring a lady of age, you get moved to the front of the line. I went once and was rejected because I was by myself. I went back with my wife and they let us in, but only on a conditional basis - we had to knit.

Fort Worth Hole In The Wall guy, why are you picking on the Lunch Box? And Old People?

Because they asked for it...that's why. No. Its because the Lunch Box has a unique odor. The odor that makes you think of every grandmother's house in the world. Its like they put together a focus group of how to design the restaurant and the one thing they got out of it was that the smell of food doesn't attract people like the smell of a box of dead flowers and a dozen scented candles.

Along with Geritol, the Box also has food. And good food at that. Another aspect that makes it seem like you're at your grandma's house. There are specials. Grandmas usually don't have a specials board...but they should. When I went, the ham and cheese quiche was one of the special items. I ordered that and a chicken salad sandwich. They were both delicious. The quiche was cheesy and eggy and the chicken salad sandwich was not overly mayo-ey. However, while eating both, I kept wondering if I was minding all my manners. At one point I put my elbows on the table and a lady four tables over slapped the back of my head.

The wife had the club sandwich and bowl of fruit. The club sandwich was what you would expect. The fruit bowl was not. The fruit was fresh and the selection was broad - not just honeydew slices and cantaloupe. However, there was one unusual aspect to the fruit bowl. All of the fruit was served in a bowl of lettuce. Appetizing, you say? Theoretically. Except that it was a bowl of shredded lettuce, so all of the pieces of fruit came out with lettuce on them. I imagine rabbits and people needing fiber (...) find this ideal. I don't.

All in all, the food was good, but expected from a sandwich place. So its a good thing we ordered the chocolate pie. Otherwise this review would be over and you would be back at work or doing something productive with your life. The pie was a chocolate pieCheck Spelling with whipped cream instead of meringue. What a saucy twist. Or maybe meringue is difficult to eat with dentures...

If you've got a spare granny on you, go to the Fuego alley and get yourself some tea room cuisine at the Lunch Box. The food will work for lunch, but you have to clean your plate before you can go out and play. Also, take thank you notes. You have to leave one before you leave.

Let me know how much you hate me now for making fun of grandparents.

Lunch Box on Urbanspoon

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Best. Review. Yet.

Anonymous said...

How did you do that....my monitor actually smelled like roses (old, pink ones) while I was reading the review. Creepy.

Is this a place guys would be comfortable going to, or should we save it for lunch with the girls?

FortWorthHoleInTheWall said...

Anonymous, definitely take some girls.

Thanks for reading.

Wigwam said...

I have not been there in years, but they used to (so if they still do you HAVE to get some) have this amazing poppy seed dressing they used over their fruit. This is also the first place I remember selling lunch boxes - to go orders in a box that had sandwich, chips, cookie and fruit. Hell, it has been so long since I have been there I would probably pass for one of those grandmas now.

Zee said...

"Holla!" was by far my favorite line. ;)

I have been to the Lunch Box one time. Never had a desire to go back. It was much too old lady for me. It's not just that it's girly, but it's Mawmaw-ey.

I'd rather walk around the building and go back to Baker Street Pub for some baja tacos.

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog, and I love your reviews!!

question -(though you probably don't know) Do you have any recommendations for vegetarians? I'm always looking for new hole-in-the-wall places that have veg-options...

FortWorthHoleInTheWall said...

Heather Lynn, Spiral Diner is the popular Vegan place in town. Its on Magnolia. There are also a number of places that serve Vegetarian fare. If you search through the comments, Steph/Stephanie has some suggestions for vegetarian options at different restaurants.

There are also a number of middle eastern type restaurants which have vegetarian options, including Chadra Mezza and Hedarys.

Wigwam, I think you have to register to be an official Meemaw or grandmother.

Thanks for reading.

Anonymous said...

Spiral Diner is good, but there was a bit of an "incident" and I haven't been back since... lol.

Chadra Mezza is actually how I found your blog, I was doing a search of it. I'll keep an eye out for Steph/Stephanie comments! thanks! :)

Callie Salls said...

I could not agree with you more- the odor is most overwhelming.

I think you would enjoy my blog as well.

Linguine and dirty Martinis
http://linguineanddirtymartinis.blogspot.com/

Thanks,
Callie

Zee said...

Heather Lynn,

I'm a vegetarian and there are great options at many restaurants. Lili's (I hope that it's proximity to Spiral doesn't scare you) is one of my favorites, as are Fernandez Cafe and Fuzzy's Taco Stand. Yucatan was good too, but I've only been once. If I think of other favorite places, I'll be back.

Stephanie said...

I've never actually been to the Lunch Box, but I've had food from there (we at boxed lunches from there for a work event). I had some kind of vegetarian sandwich--can't quite remember what all was on it, but it was good. And the fruit salad did come with a poppyseed dressing, but I didn't try it because I have this thing against poppyseeds (childhood thing).

Heather, there are lots of good veg-friendly places here in FW. The aforementioned Lili's, Yucatan, Chadra and Fuzzy's all have good vegetarian options. Also, King Tut on Magnolia has a veggie menu--the falafel and shwarma are both awesome! Red Cactus by TCU can make vegetarian burritos that are good (ask for the "cheese burrito"). Cabo Grande in downtown has really good grilled veggie tacos, and Old Neighborhood Grill across the street from Chadra has two types of veggie burgers to choose from, as well as lots of veggie side dishes! Hope that helps!

Stephanie said...

Oh, and I forgot Junsuree Thai House on Magnolia. Lots of vegetarian stuff, and they have tofu and seitan you can add to your dishes.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Thanks guys for the info :D

I'm fairly new here, and living in cow-town as a vegetarian was a little scary at first haha. I'll try some of those places you guys suggested for sure! I was eating at Thai Rice and Noodle (I think that is the name) in white settlement, they have REALLY good curries! And the Boba drinks are yummy and veggie friendly.

Thanks again!

Kristine said...

It's an impossibility to get my husband to eat with me at the Lunch Box. Needless to say, it's a girlfriend go-to.

Anonymous said...

So, my husband forwarded me your blog because we are still fairly new to Ft. Worth and always on the lookout for new places to eat. But what a coincidence that the "Lunch Box" review was on the first page. Just so happens our neighbor is the original founder of that place back in the day when it was "Paula's Tea Room". It's a real FTW institution that I've yet to get to, but now that I know more, I'll definitely take my Nana when I do! And I look forward to exploring your blog for even more helpful info.

FortWorthHoleInTheWall said...

Stephanie, thanks for all the great vegetarian options. I may make that a post one day just so its easily accessible.

Michelle and Heather Lynn, welcome to the Fort and thanks for reading. Kristine, my wife said the same thing but she recommended that I don't go with girlfriends... go figure.

Crdean1 said...

Everytime my wife is off, she asks me to take her to the lunch box....and we're 33!!!

I'm with you. When I relent and end up taking her (most always), I typically make sure I have my best yellow button down on with my sweater vest and khaki pants. Sometimes I even carry a cane just to fit in. But, alas, it is all worth it when you take a bite of that chocolate pie.

You didn't mention that the place is a uncanny symbol of pride for Baylor fans all around.

Anonymous said...

Wow!what a pleasant surprise for me.i am really lucky for find out your post.i am looking for some information about "Lunch Box" restaurant,then i am getting you.actually me & my PA will go for lunch in "Lunch Box",so before i collect the some idea from your post.thank you for shearing your post.