Bonanza! Now we are getting classy and reminiscing about steakhouses! Everyone remembers
Bonanza restaurants - the theme was based on the old Western TV show from the 1960s. The actor who played Hoss Cartwright in "Bonanza" actually founded the restaurant.
The ordering process was different than a normal restaurant - you order the entrée and the potato at the counter - then go sit down, usually with your numbered plastic marker - and then go enjoy the buffet! The buffet was mostly a salad bar, but some locations also had a hot buffet - mac and chees, soups, and desserts like mystery chocolate fluff. Mmmmmm - I remember that fluff!
The steaks were nothing special - how could it be when it was ordered, cooked, and served within 15 minutes - but it feeds the masses. You could get steak - T-bone, sirloin, chopped steak (of course my favorite), and then there were chicken and fired seafood selections. All for one low price - usually like $7.99 or something!
After opening in 1969, Bonanza grew to over 600 restaurants in 1989. Six hundred! That's incredible. I don't remember any of them being close to us in Maryland - or in Cleveland. The number started to dwindle in the 90s, and then Bonanza merged with Ponderosa in the mid 90s. That didn't work, and the parent company had to declare bankruptcy in 2008.
There are a few Bonanza's left in the US - about 10 - located in far away places like Presque Isle, ME and St. Cloud, MN. There are 7 located in Puerto Rico as well! The Bonanza in Presque Isle was voted the #1 steak house in the town on Trip Advisor. So that's something!
So if there were no Bonanza's around my hometown, why am I writing about it? Well, it was a yearly tradition to go the Bonanza in Rehoboth Beach, DE when we had our annual beach vacation to the Delaware shore. (We never went to Ocean City, MD - too busy! We kept to the quiet, northern Delaware beaches.)
We stayed at the Econo Lodge on Coastal Highway ( US 9, Delaware Rte 1) about a mile from the beach. The Bonanza, I believe, was across the street and it was an easy way to feed Layup and I (both teenagers) for a dinner before a stroll on the Rehoboth boardwalk. Layup and I were filled with chopped steak and texas toast as we played Tapper (the arcade game) and mini golf until sunset.
Looking at the maps, the Econo Lodge is still there - but the Bonanza is not - I think it turned into an Applebee's.
Some commercials to remind you of the food and atmosphere:
1. A recent Bonanza commercial for the restaurant in Sanford, ME. Look at the glaze on that chicken! Ummmmm….no.....
2. $2.79 for a 1/2 pound T-bone! Does that look like a half pound to you?
3. Gillian and Barney Fife!
Now, to the games. Included are my bad predictions for the Thursday Thanksgiving games as well....
Chi 20, Det 17
Dal 28, Buf 13
NO 34, Atl 20
Car 20, Was 10. Look for a run fest. I can't imagine Carolina will air it out too much with Allen's recent struggles. And we have seen the Redskins are incompentent on offense.
NYJ 27, Cin 17. Will he change to Dalton mean anything for the Bengals? I think they were only close last week because of the badness of Rudolph. The Jets run D will stop the Bengals.
Ind 24, Ten 20. I don't know if I can trust the Titans on the road, and Indy is not the same without T Y Hilton. Should be a one possession game.
Bal 27, SF 20. Fascinating game. Are the Niners good enough on D to stop Baltimore? Is the Baltimore defense truly elite to shut down an average offense?
TB 31, Jax 20. Jacksonville looks like a team that has given up. Not sure if Foles has fully integrated into this offense. Will I regret taking Winston - again??
Phi 27, Mia 17. I trust the Eagles D, but the offense? Where are the weapons? This will not be a blowout, but Miami's D is bad enough to let the Eagles off with a 7-10 point win
GB 30, NYG 20. Yes, the Packers will score against this defense - but how many points will the Giants score? The Packers' D has been exposed.
Az 27, LAR 24. The Cardinals are playing hard - and the Rams look lost. The Cardinals have a good rush D - which is the only thing the Rams can do right now.
KC 34, Oak 23. Yes, Oakland has the rushing game to take advantage of KC's weakness - but I can't see the Chiefs losing this, especially after the bye (and Reid's record after a bye)
Den 20, LAC 17. Just a hunch here. Denver off a bye, new QB - and questions on Rivers and his future in LA. Should be a low scoring, defensive struggle - a game where the Chargers always lose.
NE 27, Hou 17. Yes, there may be multiple players out for the Pats - but Belichick can beat pro teams with division 3 players - especially Bill O'Brien.
Sea 28, Min 26. Looking forward to this game. Every time Seattle could be shown as a fraud, they play a home game against an opponent that is weak on the road.
Best bets: 12 of them, including one from Thursday. Last week: 7-8; overall: 80-83-3
ATS: last week: 5-2; overall: 43-53-2
Over/under: last week: 2-6; overall: 37-30-1
Dal -6.5 (L)
Was/Car under 39
NYJ -3
Ind -1
TB -2.5
GB -6.5
GB/NYG over 44.5
Az +3
Oak/KC over 50
Den +3
NE -3
Min/Sea over 50
Supercontest: Last week: 4-1; overall: 26-34
Dal -6.5 (L)
TB -1
GB -6.5
Az +3
NE -3
The ordering process was different than a normal restaurant - you order the entrée and the potato at the counter - then go sit down, usually with your numbered plastic marker - and then go enjoy the buffet! The buffet was mostly a salad bar, but some locations also had a hot buffet - mac and chees, soups, and desserts like mystery chocolate fluff. Mmmmmm - I remember that fluff!
The steaks were nothing special - how could it be when it was ordered, cooked, and served within 15 minutes - but it feeds the masses. You could get steak - T-bone, sirloin, chopped steak (of course my favorite), and then there were chicken and fired seafood selections. All for one low price - usually like $7.99 or something!
After opening in 1969, Bonanza grew to over 600 restaurants in 1989. Six hundred! That's incredible. I don't remember any of them being close to us in Maryland - or in Cleveland. The number started to dwindle in the 90s, and then Bonanza merged with Ponderosa in the mid 90s. That didn't work, and the parent company had to declare bankruptcy in 2008.
There are a few Bonanza's left in the US - about 10 - located in far away places like Presque Isle, ME and St. Cloud, MN. There are 7 located in Puerto Rico as well! The Bonanza in Presque Isle was voted the #1 steak house in the town on Trip Advisor. So that's something!
So if there were no Bonanza's around my hometown, why am I writing about it? Well, it was a yearly tradition to go the Bonanza in Rehoboth Beach, DE when we had our annual beach vacation to the Delaware shore. (We never went to Ocean City, MD - too busy! We kept to the quiet, northern Delaware beaches.)
We stayed at the Econo Lodge on Coastal Highway ( US 9, Delaware Rte 1) about a mile from the beach. The Bonanza, I believe, was across the street and it was an easy way to feed Layup and I (both teenagers) for a dinner before a stroll on the Rehoboth boardwalk. Layup and I were filled with chopped steak and texas toast as we played Tapper (the arcade game) and mini golf until sunset.
Looking at the maps, the Econo Lodge is still there - but the Bonanza is not - I think it turned into an Applebee's.
Some commercials to remind you of the food and atmosphere:
1. A recent Bonanza commercial for the restaurant in Sanford, ME. Look at the glaze on that chicken! Ummmmm….no.....
2. $2.79 for a 1/2 pound T-bone! Does that look like a half pound to you?
3. Gillian and Barney Fife!
Now, to the games. Included are my bad predictions for the Thursday Thanksgiving games as well....
Chi 20, Det 17
Dal 28, Buf 13
NO 34, Atl 20
Car 20, Was 10. Look for a run fest. I can't imagine Carolina will air it out too much with Allen's recent struggles. And we have seen the Redskins are incompentent on offense.
NYJ 27, Cin 17. Will he change to Dalton mean anything for the Bengals? I think they were only close last week because of the badness of Rudolph. The Jets run D will stop the Bengals.
Ind 24, Ten 20. I don't know if I can trust the Titans on the road, and Indy is not the same without T Y Hilton. Should be a one possession game.
Bal 27, SF 20. Fascinating game. Are the Niners good enough on D to stop Baltimore? Is the Baltimore defense truly elite to shut down an average offense?
TB 31, Jax 20. Jacksonville looks like a team that has given up. Not sure if Foles has fully integrated into this offense. Will I regret taking Winston - again??
Phi 27, Mia 17. I trust the Eagles D, but the offense? Where are the weapons? This will not be a blowout, but Miami's D is bad enough to let the Eagles off with a 7-10 point win
GB 30, NYG 20. Yes, the Packers will score against this defense - but how many points will the Giants score? The Packers' D has been exposed.
Az 27, LAR 24. The Cardinals are playing hard - and the Rams look lost. The Cardinals have a good rush D - which is the only thing the Rams can do right now.
KC 34, Oak 23. Yes, Oakland has the rushing game to take advantage of KC's weakness - but I can't see the Chiefs losing this, especially after the bye (and Reid's record after a bye)
Den 20, LAC 17. Just a hunch here. Denver off a bye, new QB - and questions on Rivers and his future in LA. Should be a low scoring, defensive struggle - a game where the Chargers always lose.
NE 27, Hou 17. Yes, there may be multiple players out for the Pats - but Belichick can beat pro teams with division 3 players - especially Bill O'Brien.
Sea 28, Min 26. Looking forward to this game. Every time Seattle could be shown as a fraud, they play a home game against an opponent that is weak on the road.
Best bets: 12 of them, including one from Thursday. Last week: 7-8; overall: 80-83-3
ATS: last week: 5-2; overall: 43-53-2
Over/under: last week: 2-6; overall: 37-30-1
Dal -6.5 (L)
Was/Car under 39
NYJ -3
Ind -1
TB -2.5
GB -6.5
GB/NYG over 44.5
Az +3
Oak/KC over 50
Den +3
NE -3
Min/Sea over 50
Supercontest: Last week: 4-1; overall: 26-34
Dal -6.5 (L)
TB -1
GB -6.5
Az +3
NE -3
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