I’m not entirely sure what brought up the memory of dining at the Sacred Spur restaurant just outside Gladewater. I guess I saw it on a community site and started reading and watching the reports and critiques on the rustic dining there and I found no one with whom I could entirely agree. Even the report listed on Tyler TX Directory while accurate, was short. So I decided that there was room for another report, especially given that the passage of time has perhaps allowed for a little perspective on my visit.
First off, in the interest of full disclosure I was present at the same event as the author of the first directory article on the Sacred Spur. Spending the evening at the Spur is like going to an off- beat movie that some viewers love, and others despise. You either get it or you don’t. My father, who loves the mythology of the west and the cowboy mystique, got it. Our out of town guests decidedly, did not. The Sacred Spur is only open a couple of nights a week, Fridays and Saturdays. The food is very simple, steaks, chicken, potatoes and an admittedly pretty Spartan salad bar. Meat is cooked over a very old school hanging grill. There is usually musical entertainment of some kind, generally a local country band or artist. The food is expertly cooked. My steak was a beautiful medium rare. Reservations are highly recommended however as the Spur is not a dining institution, it’s very much a mom and pop kind of business (or should I say ma and pa). This was an issue at the time of my visit since they actually ran out of most cuts of steak, something prone to happen at this sort of casual family run restaurant. When the food is gone it’s gone. Another issue was the fact the store’s debit card register was down. Evidently it had been down all night and the staff had failed to warn us. Fortunately for them our party was able to scrape up enough coin to pay the bill. If you go, best to take some cash just in case.
A lot has been written and reported on the Spur. It has been really praised in the news and dining reports in our area. It’s often held up as traditional Texas fare. I’m not sure however that grilling a great steak alone constitutes Texas cooking. When I think of traditional Texan food I think bar-b-q. Steaks are good, Texas beef the best of course, but I’ve had good steaks many places. If I want good brisket or other forms of BBQ, Texas is really the only place to go.
If the Spur was closer to Tyler I would not object to going more often. As it is, the drive makes it a lot of work. The food is good but it’s also pricey, and given the inconvenience of travel, and the propensity to occasionally run out of food it can be a gamble. One other thing, be sure any guests you bring along are good sports. If they’re adverse to any risk and not adventurous dinners, or if they don’t appreciate the novelty or local color, take them to Luby’s. At least they’ll know what they’re getting and you won’t have to hear about for the rest of the night. For more information on the Sacred Spur see the following web pages: http://www.facebook.com/pages/East-Mountain-TX/The-Sacred-Spur-Ranch/152459857514, or http://www.myspace.com/thesacredspurranch. Also, check out the report by KETK, http://www.ketknbc.com/news/eats-texas-the-sacred-spur-ranch. Lastly, look for the title, Sacred Spur Ranch – A rustic authentic Cowboy ranch restaurant, located elsewhere on this site.