Steve's ALS Restaurant Review # 16

Late Wednesday afternoon we found ourselves at 96^th and Meridian, a bit hungry, and with no desire to go home and cook.  As it happens, the southwest corner of that intersection contains two restaurants that we had frequented several times in the past.  Clearly, the combination of hunger, 96^th and Meridian, and lack of ambition to cook left us with no choice but to revisit.

Only to find that one of our “go-tos” was gone!  Paradise Café had closed.  In its place NEWK’S beckoned.  We could have ignored it and gone over to McAllister’s, our other “go-to”.  But, in addition to being hungry we were also feeling a bit adventuresome (yes, trying a new restaurant DOES qualify as adventuresome for  70 somethings). 

Turned out to be a good idea.

Newk’s is a pretty standard sandwich, soups, salads kind of place.  But it is really good, and pretty attractive for you and me.

Access to the restaurant is typical—forget looking for the door opener,  someone will help you.  Once inside, you go to a counter, place your order, get a piece of plastic with a number on it and find a seat.  A server will bring your meal to your table, matching your order to the number you received.  The aisles are wide and easily maneuverable in a power chair.  I ran into nothing.  My chair fit comfortably at the table and I remained at ease throughout our meal.

Both my wife and I really enjoyed our sandwiches.  She had turkey and avocado and I had an absolutely terrific melted pimento cheese sandwich, which satisfied my always present craving for grilled cheese.  Be warned though, don’t ask for a fruit cup as a side.  The fruit pieces are tiny and were impossible for me to manage.  But, overshadowing the fruit cup is that Newk’s offers presweetened iced tea, using artificial sweetener.  Neither of us uses sugar so this was a real treat.

Access to the men’s room was simple.  The foot pads on my chair helped me open the door.  The room was spacious, easily maneuverable, and the stall was well equipped with grab bars.  Getting out of the room was really difficult.  The door is very heavy, opens inward, and was almost too much for me, even with the assistance of my chair.  HINT: if you too no longer have the strength of 10, even though your heart remains pure, have your companion stand outside the door to help you exit the room when you call for assistance.

The restaurant comes equipped with high tables so that if you choose you may comfortably fit your chair beneath them.  The manager tells me that he hopes all of us will visit Newk’s and if we need an opposite gender companion to assist us in the restroom, he’s absolutely fine with it.

CONCLUSION: for a quick, inexpensive, tasty meal Newk’s is a good choice.  It is friendly, the staff is cheerful and polite, and I like the food.  Except for getting out of the bathroom, it is pretty accessible.  Now that I have figured out the bathroom, and my wife has agreed to stand outside the door to help me, we will happily return. 

2 ½ chairs.

As a reminder, I use a power chair and am experiencing increased difficulty using eating utensils.  These reviews reflect my experiences based on the evolving nature of my condition.