Marlin3030 said:

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The old synergy bank building but it's called something else now I think? On valley mills across from west view shopping center.

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Triangle Tower is the current name. Valley Mills & Waco Drive. Back in the 80s, when there was a Brazos Club, it was the United Bank building.

wasnt that Merrill Lynch at one time?

Thank you both. Remembered the name but couldn't place it. I was at that place several times during my time at Baylor. The name was throwing me, was thinking it must have been by the river with a name like Brazos Club

What was the name of the building in early/mid 90s before Synergy in late 90s?

Cbh said:

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Thank you both. Remembered the name but couldn't place it. I was at that place several times during my time at Baylor. The name was throwing me, was thinking it must have been by the river with a name like Brazos Club

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Yeah, name vs the location threw me off, too. But I remember eating there a few times.

Would be fun to go back now and review the menus of the old "nice" places to eat in Waco and see how they stack up to present day expectations.

PartyBear said:

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What was the name of the building in early/mid 90s before Synergy in late 90s?

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That building was originally built as United Bank Plaza in the early 1980s. United failed during the late 80s Texas banking crisis and was sold to Bank One. Their drive thru bank was a block behind the building on New Road, behind Connally-Compton Funeral Home. Bank One eventually merged into Chase, and they moved out of the fancy bank lobby in the office building into smaller quarters next to the drive thru.

Synergy moved into the space in the mid 90s, but never got much of a foothold in the local banking market and had some recurring issues with its regulators. I think it eventually was bought and merged into First Guaranty, which is on 84 next to Slow Rise Pizza.

I believe the first banking entity on that corner was Westview Nat'l Bank...It operated until Robert Mann's United Bank became the owner of that property. Mr. Mann had a wide variety of financial interests in Waco and other Texas cities..My old buddy and shuffleboard partner , the late Smith Thomasson was President of United Bank for several years..Several entities operated out of the enlarged United Bank building for many years..Many are still there...

I knew Robert Mann kind of, my dad knew him really well. Haven't thought of him in a long time.

Yogi said:

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And The Griddle.

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753-2417

On the back side of the South Gate Mall was a lunch place that served chicken strips and steak fingers baskets and had the best cream gravy I think it was called Jackie's. Around 1992 or so.

Roy Bertrand's cafe , 25th & Waco drive.

jsb223 said:

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Hickory Stick
Waterworks
Steak and Ale
Taco Torch
Nick's
Han's (burger place across from old La Vega high school)
Italian Village

forgot Pelican's
had my first Long Island Tea there on my birthday...

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Han's hamburgers and game room.

Northwood Inn (out next to MCC) … not sure when it came in to being, but was open when we moved here in 2000. Was probably Waco's finest dining!

Fat Daddy said:

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Northwood Inn (out next to MCC) … not sure when it came in to being, but was open when we moved here in 2000. Was probably Waco's finest dining!

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First time I went there was probably 84 or 85.

SoonerFrogs said:

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wasnt that Merrill Lynch at one time?

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Merrill Lynch is stil there.

Fat Daddy said:

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Northwood Inn (out next to MCC) … not sure when it came in to being, but was open when we moved here in 2000. Was probably Waco's finest dining!

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Are you sure it wasn't the Western Sizzler? Lol

Fat Daddy said:

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Northwood Inn (out next to MCC) … not sure when it came in to being, but was open when we moved here in 2000. Was probably Waco's finest dining!

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i went there in about 1978, so I know it was before then. Jack Burgess' family owned it as their home back in the 40's. He and my dad were childhood friends and Dad would go over there to play back in the day.

Hello.

I am wondering if you can help me. I was a frequent customer of Vito and Heidi for many years and cannot forget my favorite dish, Tortellini ala Heidi, I am trying to track down Vito and Heidi or a former employee that can help me with the recipe. Did you happen to know them?

Jen

I guess we can add Abuelita's and Los Cuco's now.

I liked the quesadillas over at Abuelita's and the deep fried stuffed avocado at Los Cucos.

Yogi said:

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I guess we can add Abuelita's and Los Cuco's now.

I liked the quesadillas over at Abuelita's and the deep fried stuffed avocado at Los Cucos.

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I ate at each of them once. Not bad, but not good enough to warrant a return trip in lieu of a visit to a lot of other local Mexican restaurants that were higher on our preference list.

Yogi said:

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I guess we can add Abuelita's and Los Cuco's now.

I liked the quesadillas over at Abuelita's and the deep fried stuffed avocado at Los Cucos.

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I'm starting to think the visibility of (and access to) the property where Los Cuco's was is a big stumbling block to the success of any restaurant that locates there, although I'm sure the listing agent will make it sound just swell. That's their job, of course, and I don't fault them for that.

Let's see -- First there was Quaker Steak. Then there was Heitmiller's. And now, Los Cucos.

Los Cucos had good quality food (and large portions), although it was priced toward the higher end of Waco-area Mexican restaurants.

Restaurants are a tough biz. Many have sunk their life savings into such things but very few make it past 4-5 years.

Eleven-League Grant said:

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Yogi said:

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I guess we can add Abuelita's and Los Cuco's now.

I liked the quesadillas over at Abuelita's and the deep fried stuffed avocado at Los Cucos.

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I'm starting to think the visibility of (and access to) the property where Los Cuco's was is a big stumbling block to the success of any restaurant that locates there, although I'm sure the listing agent will make it sound just swell. That's their job, of course, and I don't fault them for that.

Let's see -- First there was Quaker Steak. Then there was Heitmiller's. And now, Los Cucos.

Los Cucos had good quality food (and large portions), although it was priced toward the higher end of Waco-area Mexican restaurants.

Restaurants are a tough biz. Many have sunk their life savings into such things but very few make it past 4-5 years.

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Especially for non chains. They don't have the financial assistance that often comes from a franchise, name recognition, and buying power.

Eating out has gotten expensive. Costs have gone up and people don't have as much to spend. So if the food is not great quality but the price is high people won't go back. Also, tipping has gotten out of control. Last time I went out to eat the waitress brought the little electronic payment thing and the tip options were 20%, 25 or 30%. To do any lower amount was a "custom tip." 30% is just crazy to bring me my food and refill my drink.

And then like you said location is a big factor. I don't go eat at certain places often because they are on the other side of town, have no parking, etc. For example, Baris is good (or was last I went) but it has been probably 7 years since I ate there because I can never find parking and it was just not worth the hassle. I know a lot of people think that way to for downtown spots like Union Hall, or they live in Hewitt so anything downtown, along the river (like the second slow rise), or north end of 35 is out of the way.

Sicemjen said:

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Hello.

I am wondering if you can help me. I was a frequent customer of Vito and Heidi for many years and cannot forget my favorite dish, Tortellini ala Heidi, I am trying to track down Vito and Heidi or a former employee that can help me with the recipe. Did you happen to know them?

Jen

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They moved back to Sicily. I knew them but not well enough to know specifically how to get in touch with them now. We used to chat at the restaurant and at a couple of get-togethers at a mutual friend's place. My friend is deceased, but I'll see if I can get in touch with his widow to see if she knows. I'm in Sicily right now and it would be fun to see him if I could. His health wasn't that good last time I saw him, which was over 10 years ago.