Or, you can Self-Isolate and DIY at home too!
RE
https://www.frontiersman.com/arts_entertainment/palmer-foodies-have-lots-of-choices/article_57fdc352-a49f-11ea-b63f-675873605f32.htmlPalmer foodies have lots of choices By Barbara Hunt Palmer Buzz 7 hrs ago
Palmer Area Restaurants—Turkey Red; Vagabonds; Palmer Ale House; La Fiesta; Palmer Thai and Pho Restaurant; Humdinger’s Pizza; Sunrise Grill; Valley Cafe at the Hotel; and Pizza Delphi. The Main Street Grill; Taco Bell; Freddy’s and Carr’s food counters are also available. A little further out of downtown Palmer is Sophie’’s Cafe; Burger Jim’s; Red Beet; Mat Su Regional Cafeteria; Knik River Roadhouse; Jenny’s; Pizza Athena and the Noisy Goose. Plus there is McD’s and Tacobell. This is a lot of great eateries in our little Palmer community.
Restaurants Are Always There— All of these restaurants are open year-round. In addition to providing good food, all of these restaurants offer charitable community support, good wages, and sponsorships to our local organizations. It’s important to recognize that these are survival times. All of these Palmer restaurants have just reopened, since the closures of the pandemic. Continued survival for these restaurants is dependent on the local community’s support now. Tourism is not going to be the big win this summer. There won’t be a bustling summer season with big festivals and activities.
Who We Support Now Will determine Which Businesses Will Still be here in December—In addition to the struggles from the pandemic, all these brick and mortar restaurants are now competing with food trucks! And it is just another challenge for survival. It’s doubtful that all of our restaurants will still be open in six months. Some will make it and some won’t, just like the small shops in Palmer.
Food Trucks—I love food trucks, especially in places one doesn’t expect to find any prepared food. In this way food trucks are both a happy surprise and a novelty. It’s kinda like finding a perfect sandwich—accidentally just waiting for you—at the trail head, after a long walk on the river bed. It’s like a surprise ice cream truck that comes tinkling through the neighborhood, sometime on a very hot afternoon. In fact, Food trucks used to be like homemade lemonade stands, very temporary, sweet and happenstance.
Food Trucks Go Where They Want—Food trucks operate when and where they want. It’s an independent gig. They can choose the peak hours, the best weather, and most profitable months of the year. They are maverick by nature and oftentimes unpredictable. Typically they find the crowds, rather than being an ultimate destination. Food trucks sometimes affiliate themselves with a business, which typically doesn’t serve food, and together they draw a crowd. It’s a novel form of synergy established between the business and food trucker. The 203 Kombuchery and the Matanuska Brewery have fairly constant food trucks along with many of the coffee huts in town. There are lots of other food trucks cruising around looking for customers.
Lower Expectations—Our consumer expectations are far lower for food trucks. You don’t expect fancy plates or silver-wear with a food truck. Usually there are napkins, garbage can, and hand sanitizer, but not always. Nor can you expect restroom facilities, seating facilities, or shelter of any sort. Bottom line is—it is food from a traveling truck. Generally the food is very specialized and known for its specialization. Food trucks have cute names and logos. They are fun and spontaneous in some areas. If the food isn’t good, you won’t go back; if the food is good, you might follow them.
Palmer Alaska Buzz Beat—Eat out frequently. Definitely stop by an occasional fun Food Truck, but do not ignore the existing Palmer restaurants. One day, in the not too distant future, it will be dark and cold and windy; you will want the inside comfort and security of your cozy local restaurant. The local restaurants are counting on us right now—they have continual lease payments and employee payroll to deliver. Let’s hope the Palmer Restaurants will all still be here and survive the very slow season this year.
Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Her “Palmer Buzz Community Calendar” is available at Palmer shops and the Palmer museum. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222
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Topic: Doomstead Diner Menu (Read 134215 times)
September 11, 2012, 04:19:17 PM