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| If you're used to long
lines at the drive-thru, waiting lists to be seated, hurried wait
staff and the same old menu, you haven't been to The Lighthouse Supper
Club, located at 9900 Lakeview parkway (east State Highway 66 and
the shore of Lake Ray Hubbard) in Rowlett. |
| The new restaurant and
private club opened just before Christmas and features a menu to rival
many of the fine dining establishments in the Dallas area. |
| Owner Virgil Block, who
purchased the building more than a year ago, said he had tried to
find someone to open this type of restaurant before finally deciding
to meet the challenge himself. |
| It took major renovations
to change the building from what had previously housed a Mexican restaurant
into what is today a fine dining facility with a quiet seaside theme.
Gone are the tiled walls and sombrero decorations and in their place
are textured walls with gleaming woodwork and an inset tropical fish
tank. The decorations are prints of lighthouses and other seafaring
items. |
| The bar in the private
club area was originally topped with smooth copper surface, but George
Smyrnios, general manager of the restaurant, said that Block was not
completely satisfied with the effect and place his 2-year-old grandson
with a ball-pein hammer atop the bar and let him redecorate. Every
few minutes he would move the boy to another area of the bar and tell
him to "go for it". The final effect is a lovely textured
relief look of truly hammered copper. |
| The dance floor, small
but adequate for the intimate atmosphere, is accompanied by the presence
of a bandstand which is home to Morgan's Music, the club's house band.
The music is an eclectic collection of old and new danceable pieces
ranging from blues to light rock. |
| One
of the most impressive additions to the site is the enclosed cigar
bar. The room, which features a separate ventilation system, is decorated
to inspire occupants to relax and unwind. One wall is covered with
a stone fireplace and display cases for the various types of cigars
available for purchase. Opposite is the glass wall opening to a view
of lake Ray Hubbard, also visible from the adjoining club area. The
room is scattered with leather sofas and chairs and one glider referred
to as "The Harley Davidson" chair, as it is black leather
with studs and fringe, much like a biker's jacket. The ventilation
system is so good that while standing next to one of the cigar smokers,
this reporter could not even smell the smoke. |
| Do not expect a hurried
dinner when attending a seating at The Lighthouse. The menu, which
offers a variety of steak and fresh seafood selections, is definitely
not fast food. The intent is to allow the diners to relax over a well-prepared
meal and sumptuous desserts. The entire event for our party of eight
was a little over two and a half hours. Reservations are highly recommended
by the management. Attire is "smart casual" as noted on
a placard on the front doorway. |
| As the evening out with
family and friends drew to a close, one first time diner at The Lighthouse,
Suzan Fulton, of Rowlett, was heard saying, "Oh my gosh, can
you believe we are really still in Rowlett!" |
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