First visit: Oct 2023
We didn't do as much snacking on this day, choosing to eat a normal sized lunch (Taco Tico) and save up for dinner. We had great success thrifting (and antiquing in this case) in Hutchinson, which shrunk our remaining schedule for the day. It was just a bit too early to call it over, so we pressed on to Great Bend for the evening. I chose the Best Western Angus Inn, As noted here before, I love the vintage Best Western's, as they are the most representative of the motels I remember from my youth traveling with Dad. And this location is perfect. It looks like the first part of the building is from the 1960s - with "down and out" rooms. And the back half has that "70s add-on" look which is enclosed with a pool and small convention space. Our room was in this space, and the back sliding windows open right up into... the convention floor. Haha - a total security nightmare. Had this been in the inner city, I would have taken pause, but we're in Great Bend, and it seems to go perfectly with it.
If my dad was still alive and had the same traveling sales job, this would be his motel of choice. In fact he would have plotted his trip so that he ended up in Great Bend at least for one night. He wouldn't be able to smoke of course (well, maybe they do have smoking rooms, I wouldn't know), but otherwise this is exactly as he would have drawn it up. He would have insisted on the older front half. Bring in his "boozy woozy" bag straight from the car, have a "couple of drinks in the room", and then... walk across the parking lot to the coffee shop. But wait, there's a twist here that even Mr. RJG would have approved of back in 1980 (see Taco Tico entry). The back half of the coffee shop (Perkins) is a very nice eclectic chef driven bistro. What? In Great Bend? What's going on here?
And the locals know it too. Page was very crowded, and we were lucky to get a table. Even the bar was full. Do you remember when I said that the best Italian food isn't at Italian restaurants anymore? Add Page to that list. Mrs. RJG & I both settled on Italian (they have other genres as well). She had the chicken parm while I had the spaghetti and meatballs. My voice text stated: Pasta perfectly cooked, Mrs. RJG's Alfredo sauce (which was not what she ordered) was awesome (so it worked out), excellent marinara (on mine), great chicken parm, excellent meatballs, good salad, good dressing, bread was a bit too mushy for Mrs.. We enjoyed two glasses each of the house white wine, and it was delicious as well. Seemed a cut above the usual "house" choice. And very reasonably priced. Everything was priced fair actually.
We're in a small town in western Kansas, and one of the best meals we enjoyed was here. Page would hold up well against similar competition in Denver or Dallas. You just never know where your next great meal will come from. Ours came from across the parking lot of a vintage Best Western motel. Amazing. If you're anywhere near Great Bend, go here.
10/4/23 (new entry)
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