Monday, June 8, 2009

The Soda Shop (Davidson)


I first visited the Soda Shop while looking for a new house in the area. We were tired after a morning of home shopping, and saught refuge in this restaurant. I liked it then. Almost two years later, I visited the Soda Shop again last week. I've gotta admit, I still like that place.

The Soda Shop has been around since 1951, and I don't think that much has changed in that time. Walking though the door you get a wave of nostalgia for another time. There are still the old-fashioned fountain drink dispensers and milkshake mixers. They still play music from the '50s, and much of the menu was probably available in the 1950s too.

My wife and I grabbed a booth in the back, and took a look at the menu. Since I'm always in the mood for a hot dog, I ordered one with mustard, relish, onions. and melted cheddar cheese. For the side I asked for onion rings, and I had a sweet tea to drink.

After about 7 minutes, our meal was brought to our table, and I took a bite. This is one heck of a large hot dog. It's about 1/4 lb, and had plenty of toppings. There were a couple of instances where I made a mess (cheese and relish dropped on my hands) and used many, many napkins.
The only disappointment for me about this hot dog was the "melted cheddar" cheese. It's not so much cheddar as it is nacho cheese. If it was room temperature, it would still be a gooey liquid. However, everything else was so good, this is really a very minor issue.

The onion rings were quite good. The batter on the outside was fried to a crisp, and the rings were nice and large. Also, the sweet tea was excellent.

This is a great, informal, family friendly restaurant. I need to visit more often, and I highly recommend it.

Score:
Atmosphere: 4/5
Food: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Total: 10/15
Price: $ (Food, drink and tip were under $10)
Kid Friendly: Yes. This is definitely a family friendly restaurant.

Conclusion: This restaurant has been open for over 50 years for good reason. Its relaxed family-friendly atmosphere is a draw. And its nostalgia makes you wish for a time before modern technology. This is definitely one of my favorites in the area.

Restaurant Info:
The Soda Shop
104 South Main Street
Davidson, NC
p) 704-896-7743

No comments:

Post a Comment