The Wichitan - Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls Texas

MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY | September, 21, 2005

FEATURES

Small Town Flavor
Micaela Lechuga | Staff Reporter

Craving a break from the mundane steakhouse or the familiar ‘tex-mex’ of Wichita Falls?
Consider dining at the charming Hibiscus Café, located at 1616 B. Pearlie Dr., for a little taste of Greek cuisine.
A family of four opened the restaurant in April of 1999. Stella Panagiotarokos cooks all the meals herself and her husband Stavros lends a helping hand. Their daughters, Mary and Efi work as waitresses and are always ready with a smile. Even upon a first visit it is not uncommon for the Panagiotarokos to hug their guests good-bye. That is the style of this café; it is a family atmosphere.
The building it’s located in is fairly small; it holds 40 people with a few tables set outside. The walls hold non-stop chatter and laughter. Lights strung throughout a vineyard décor, provide all the lighting except for a few lamps. On the walls are framed pictures of Greece and under stone arches is a mural of the sea done by Efi. On the glass doors are stickers of different training squadrons that have come and gone, a mark of those who loved the place. Behind the cash register by the coffee/cappuccino maker are personal family photographs, which add to the simple beauty of the family restaurant.
The Panagiotarokos family moved from Greece when the girls were still in grade school. The idea for a restaurant was their mother’s. A line in the Hollywood hit movie, “My big fat Greek Wedding” goes, “The man is the head, but the woman is the neck. And she can turn the head any way she wants,” and this is true for this family.
“My mom always wanted to own a restaurant and when a friend approached us, she decided to try it out,” Mary Panagiotarokos said. “A lot of people warned us, saying it was not a good idea because a lot of similar restaurants had tried and failed.”
They took that gamble.
Mary said they wanted to give options to the city because there wasn’t a lot of variety in Wichita Falls.
“We were very successful from the beginning, which was a surprise. We weren’t sure that Greek food would be a good choice for a city that seemed primarily big on meat and potatoes,” Mary said.
They were overwhelmed with the rapid flow of customers.
“We were so busy the first year. It was always a rush of people and a line outside the door,” Efi remembers.
Now that they have a regular cycle of customers, it is still very successful.
“I think a lot of our success was simply by word of mouth,” Efi said.
Because their location is close to Sheppard Air Force Base, a lot of their clientele comes from military branches.
It makes the Panagiotarokos family happy when customers come in because of a suggestion another customer made.
“We had this guy come in who said he heard about us from the person he was bunking with in Saudi Arabia,” Mary said. “After dining with us we were so happy, because he said he had never had anything like it.”
Mary recalled another family who lived a few houses down from the café’s location who said they had always passed by, but never stopped until their friends suggested it.
“They were visiting their friends in Florida during Easter when the couple they were having dinner with told them they should come eat at our place,” Mary said.
This means a lot to the girls and their family.
“We are truly blessed with everyone who comes through our doors. That is the best thing that comes out of this restaurant,” Efi said, “The friendships.”
And it’s evident. They will greet you by name with a hug and the usual European greeting of two kisses on both your cheeks. They will ask you how your family is and you know they are being genuine by the way they look at you when they listen to your answer. Efi will take your order by sitting next to you.
“It has a lot to do with personality. I’m outgoing and love meeting new people. You realize people really enjoy your company, along with the food and you make it fun,” Mary said. “I just relate to people right away. I can’t explain it. You become like our family.”
If it’s your first visit, they will smile and suggest a favorite meal, such as the gyro or the Greek salad doused in feta cheese. If you’re a returning regular, they will ask you if you’re having your usual, and name the platter.
“The lemon chicken- people go crazy for it,” Mary said. “And everyone wants to know the family recipes like the Tvatziki sauce.”
Everything Stella makes is what she would make for you if you came to their house for dinner.
“She cooks what she learned from her mother,” Mary said.
Mary is an alumnus of MSU with a Bachelor of Science and Efi has plans to continue her degree in English and journalism, but for now they love working with their family.
“I want to be there. If I’m not, I would feel like I’m letting someone down,” Mary said.
Hibiscus Café is a place for families to take their children. It’s a place for ladies to catch up and young guys to hang out. It’s a place for first dates.
“Every customer is special and becomes part of our extended family,” Mary said. “We are the ones who are truly blessed.”
Hibiscus Café hours are: Monday 10 a.m. to 2p.m., Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., closed on Sunday. Students are encouraged to call ahead for reservations, as they are always crowded during the lunch and dinner hours. Call-in orders are also welcome at (940) 855-5881.

Pear is ripe for the Memories
Konnie Sewell | Opinion Editor

The Renaissance Pear is different, and its owners couldn’t be more aware of that fact.
The restaurant used to be a transmission shop that owners John and Debbie Schumacher transformed into a restaurant and would-be art studio five years ago. The front part of the restaurant is laidback and airy, making you feel like you're sitting inside a tiny, European outside cafe. Beside it is the "adult room," where children and cell phones are not allowed. Further behind that room are two dining rooms, one of which can be closed off for privacy.
The restaurant is only open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., so the menu contains standard lunch fare: soups, salads and sandwiches, with baked potatoes as well. Drinks include water, tea or soda. For dessert you can order, among other treats, pear cream pie or cheesecake. Portions are on the small side, so clearing your plate won't make you miserable. Prices can be a little steep (a Caesar salad goes for $7.95) but the ingredients are fresh and flavorful.
Service is a tiny bit rushed and the restaurant's atmosphere is prim and proper. Artwork by the Schumachers, former employees, and works brought in from patrons litter the walls, as well as other tasteful and interesting odds and ends. There is an emphasis on cleanliness throughout the restaurant; the restrooms are pristine.
Many patrons are on a first-name basis with the owners and waitresses.
"We like to think of ourselves as a place where you can come in from the crazy world and relax," Debbie Schumacher said. "We're not just about the food. We're about creating a feeling and a moment."

Taste of Italy in the Falls
Nicole Ford | Editor-In-Chief

The mouth-watering scent of homemade Italian food drifts pleasantly in the air. Soft music plays in the background, and the environment is warm and friendly.
Toscani’s Fine Italian Restaurant Bar and Café at 507 Beverly Dr. is a family-owned establishment that’s been open for eight months, and its owners, Barbara and Frank Lura, welcome everyone who walks in with a smile.
Barbara was born and raised in Tuscany, Italy, and her husband Frank is also Italian. The couple raised two children – a son and a daughter – in Australia, where Barbara ran a restaurant for about 18 years.
It was a twist of fate that brought the pair to Wichita Falls.
“I had always wanted to visit the United States, but never did I think that I’d live here,” Barbara said.
On their 20th wedding anniversary, Frank and Barbara toured the United States. They went to New York and Los Angeles – Barbara thought the cities were good, but it was too crowded. They saw Houston, and Barbara thought it was beautiful, but it suffered the same problem as the other cities – too many people.
They found their way to Dallas, and Barbara fell in love with the surrounding area. She told Frank that if they found a place for her to start a restaurant, she’d move there.
They found Wichita Falls more by accident than intent. Frank was on his way to Oklahoma to look for a place to put their restaurant when he stopped to spend the night in Wichita Falls.
“We found something good,” Barbara said.
After about three months of remodeling the old Japanese steakhouse that had once been on the property, Toscani’s was open for business.
“We’re happy here. We welcome everybody, and we’re keeping our culture alive,” Barbara said. “Who ever you are, you are welcome.”
Toscani’s offers a variety of homemade Italian food – everything from delicious calzone and pizza to mouth-watering pastas like cannelloni, manicotti, lasagna and fetuccini alfredo, just to name a few.
With its relaxed, friendly and quiet atmosphere, Toscani’s is the perfect place for students looking for a little bit of Italy right here in Wichita Falls.
Toscani’s is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 10:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday.
For more information or to make a reservation, call 766-2600

Parkway to Return
Cassie Daley | Staff Reporter

It was not uncommon to walk in on any given night and be confronted with a loud and rowdy crowd. Sometimes during certain seasons, emotions would get a little high and people might slam their drinks down on their table, maybe even yell. Most of the time however, though you may not be able to find a seat, you could always find a smiling crowd at Parkway Grill, one of Wichita Falls’ best known sports bars, located at 2719 Southwest Pkwy.
Scott Plowman and his wife have owned the restaurant for 21 years. The Plowmans have enjoyed tremendous success with their business and have won the loyalty of generations of local families and students.
Parkway was also host to an extensive authentic sports memorabilia collection; displaying everything from local sports memories to professional sports paraphernalia. It appealed to every generation and both men and women alike, even those who don’t like sports.
On May 20, a fire put Parkway Grill temporarily out of business. The key word here is temporarily. There were a few bumps in the road to rebuilding; they wanted to be open by football season, but now Plowman ensures that the latest they will be open is Nov. 1.
“We had asbestos, which I don’t even know what that means,” Plowman said playfully. “There was no doubt; I was very well insured and supported.”
On Sept. 14, Parkway Grill staff and regulars flooded into the parking lot for a hard-hat party and cookout; celebrating the fact that the opening was in sight. Everyone seems to be in agreement: it can’t open too soon.
“I’m just waiting for it to open so that I can have my favorite establishment back,” said local regular Mike McBratney.
McBratney misses what many people seem to miss, “The camaraderie of all my friends out here, and the cooking here….nobody else in town does it like Parkway does.”
MSU alumnus Milton Cocker, who graduated in 1961 with a degree in “general business, economics, military science and girls,” was one of the regulars enjoying a small taste of the Parkway atmosphere. Cocker said his favorite thing about Parkway is, “my daughter-in-law, Stephanie,” who is a waitress there.
Plowman and his staff agree that you don’t have to be a part of the family to be treated like family.
“A lot of MSU students have probably been coming here since they were babies,” Plowman said, “unless they’re from out of town, and if they are, they’ll soon see that we can take care of them.”
Plowman said that he tries to make sure a stranger never walks through his restaurant doors.
“My favorite thing about working there was the people that I worked with, because we’d all worked there for a while, so it was like family,” said MSU senior Amanda Whatley, who waited tables at Parkway before the fire and is looking forward to going back.
“It’s a social place, that’s where everyone goes to watch games,” Whatley said. “I miss the whole atmosphere of working with my friends and all the regulars, I don’t see them…I just miss working.”
MSU senior education major Mona Mahmoud is also ready for Parkway to re-open.
“It’s not like I went there all the time, like some people,” Mahmoud said, “but I went there enough, and I can’t wait to go back.”
Mahmoud, like many others, said her favorite thing about Parkway is the atmosphere.
“It’s just fun to hang out there, everyone has a good time,” Mahmoud said. “It’s laid back, you don’t have to get dressed up and you’re never too loud.”
Plowman is just as anxious as the rest of his staff and Parkway-fans to open his doors.
“We’re ready,” he said.
According to Plowman there is no big secret to his success.
“Its just good hospitality, great employees, you know, caring about the people and good food,” Plowman said. “Everything is made from scratch, except the corndogs.”
So what is the owner’s favorite meal?
“Since I’m always on some diet, I guess, I’d say probably the chicken breast,” Plowman said and smiling for a moment he adds, “But I’d also say chicken fried steak, nachos, and cheese sticks, I like those.”