PAGE 14 HUTCHBEE.COM
THE BEE
Thursday, November 19, 2015
NEW DINING OPTIONS: HAVE YOU TRIED THEM? TheBarn, a new restaurant in Burrton, is open for business and attracting people from far and wide. Jacob Byk/ For The Bee
Burrton’s ‘TheBarn’ touts home-style food, ag decor BY KATHY HANKS For The Bee
khanks@hutchnews.com BURRTON – Lesley Matlack is known around town for her brownie cheesecake. She was the dessert cook at the Paradise Grille before it was destroyed by fire in November 2012. And for three years, this town of 900 people in Harvey County was without a restaurant. But, now, there is finally a new place to dine. Lesley and her husband, Karl Matlack, bought the property and built a new restaurant on the same location along the stretch of U.S. 50 that passes through Burrton. It looks like a big red barn. They even call it “theBarn.” “We’re both from farm backgrounds,” said Lesley Matlack. “The cooking will be like going home to the farm.” Just like her grandmother made Customers seem to appreciate the hearty, simple foods being served. Foods like Matlack’s grandmother would make: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls and biscuits. The menu includes handmade chicken fried steaks and steaks. Homemade rolls and desserts. They also grill foods and offer daily noon specials. The atmosphere has the same country feel. Just opening the door of theBarn is unique. The door handles are old farm tools. Step inside and hanging from the ceiling is an upside-down metal cow feeder with a flourish of lights attached. The decor includes a 100-year-old Butler grain bin that comes from Lesley Matlack’s family farm. Walk around the metal building and on the back side is the bar, hidden from view and keeping half the restaurant family friendly. High above, in the rafters,
is a red seed cleaner that comes from the area and another antique once used to treat the seeds. Light shades are old farm buckets turned upside down. There is a main dining room that seats 80 in tables and booths. The bar seats 50. Plus there is the North 40, which is the banquet room for large parties. Swift business has found Lesley Matlack and her manager, Shelly Findley, doing a little of everything. In fact, they even hired local marathon runner Faith Martin to help with the noon rush. Martin ran the Boston Marathon, but she said it’s more fun running orders out of the busy kitchen as quick as she can. “I am helping wherever they need me,” said Martin. “I want this to be successful.” Matlack said Martin was just a customer at the restaurant with her husband and children on Tuesday’s taco night when the place became extra busy. “She just jumped up to help,” Lesley Matlack said. Many friends have been helping out. They currently have a staff of 25 full- and part-time workers. “The community is so on board,” said she said. Some even proved their allegiance by donating to theBarn Foundation. People joined by contributing from $100 up to $10,000, which would entitle them to discounts at the restaurant depending on the amount of the donation. They raised $20,000 during the campaign. “The town badly needed this,” said Dave Whittle, who was enjoying a chicken wrap for lunch and sipping water out of a canning jar. Staying alive Burrton was needing a boost. Semi-tractor trailers and tourists traveling from Maryland to California on U.S. 50 pass through Burrton. All vehicles must slow to 45 mph, or risk
getting stopped for speeding. But go two blocks up the main street of Burrton and folks will find empty storefronts mingle with a Senior Center, police department and The Hair Hut. On a recent morning inside the Hair Hut, Sherry McCurry was washing and setting Carol Unruh’s hair. Unruh is thankful the hair salon is still open. Unruh remembers being in grade school in Burrton during World War II. Gas was rationed and people didn’t stray far from home. She recalls four grocery stores, a jewelry store, bowling alley, doctor and dentist. There was even a car dealership. McCurry, who has been a local beautician for 28 years, remembers when there was a competitor across the street, as well as a drug store, flower shop and downtown restaurant. Then, a fire took the only restaurant left – located on the highway, then came the fire. “Burrton’s the kind of place if you want something done you’re going to have to pitch in and make it happen,” said Mayor Rodney Redinger. Along with serving as a volunteer with Burrton Consolidated Fire District 5, he is a firescience specialist with the Kansas Forest Service. There are 30 local firefighters and emergency medical personnel who all volunteer to help the community. That’s the way it works in a small town, he said. His dad, Jim Redinger, was mayor for many years and is still a volunteer firefighter. His mother, Linda Redinger, is an EMT. Fighting the Paradise Grille fire was hard for all the firefighters, because the building had been in the community for so long. “Every person fighting the fire had memories inside the building,” Redinger said. “When something like this happens in the community it’s either going to deteriorate
or bounce back.” Making things happen However, theBarn’s opening is just part of Burrton’s progress. Burrton recently built a new fire station. And before theBarn opened, Karl Matlack was making the arrangements for expanding Stinger, his families bale hauling business based in Haven. This fall, Karl expanded the family business into an empty manufacturing building on Highway 50 in Burrton. Before they decided to build theBarn, Karl Matlack called his wife one evening to say he had bought her a restaurant. It was the rundown former cafe which hadn’t been open in 15 years, next to the senior center, police department and Hair Hut. While they still own it, they decided to build a new building. “It was going to cost more to remodel and meet all the codes than building a new building,” Karl Matlack said. Good food in small-town Kansas Brad Thompson, with Bridgman Oil, was eating at theBarn for the second time in one week. “I’m glad to have the restaurant,” Thompson said of Hutchinson. “It’s a welcomed addition.” Matlack knew they would pull in locals at theBarn, but she has been pleased with people stopping from other towns. She hopes customers will be patient while they work out the kinks that come with any new venture. For Findley, the best part has been reconnecting with old friends who come in to dine. “It has been busy, but fun,” Findley said. Meanwhile, the customers kept coming. “It’s nice to have somewhere local to eat that is not fast food,” said Sparkle Faidley, who was picking up her meatloaf special to go.
The restaurant is at 1532 E. 17th Ave.
Jacob Byk/For The Bee
Grand opening of Pie Five leaves folks ‘Pie-Focal’ BY KELTON BROOKS
For The Bee
kbrooks@hutchnews.com My mom used to always tell me, “Boy, your eyes are bigger than your stomach. You can’t eat all that.” Then I’d prove her wrong. After waiting in a jampacked line that moved surprisingly fast during the grand opening of Hutchison’s new restaurant, Pie Five Pizza Brooks Co., I proved her wrong again. Marketing Director Martha Baker encouraged me to get the full feel of the Pie Five experience, suggesting the choice of building your own pizza, the staple of a restaurant that charges only $6.99 to construct your piece of heaven. I chose pan crust over thin, topping it with spicy marinara sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, jalapenos, mushrooms and pineapples, also creating my own classic garden salad drizzled with onions, carrots and, of course, bacon bits. Those toppings were only a fraction of what the restaurant has to offer. Did I mention I ate the salad out of a flaky, crackerlike bowl? “This is the one area of your life that you don’t have to compromise,” said Baker. “It’s your own pizza and a fun way to get the pizza that you want.” As I shimmied down the line gazing at the slice of pecan chocolate pie that I regret not getting, Baker explained that the process takes less than five minutes
to design the pizza to your liking, with two ovens working at the same time to expedite the delivery. Pie Five, located at 1532 E. 17th Ave., offers a “Circle of Crust” card, which allows those who register to pile up points for a free pizza. The franchise had a brief opening Nov. 11 and 12 in which 50 percent of pre-opening proceeds went to the Reno County Food Bank. General Manager Kreighton Morris – who is from Hutchinson – said his favorite pizza is the buffalo and barbecue pizza, and the friendly environment of the restaurant, the easy concept and great quality are why he decided to come back to the chain in his hometown. “We want you to have it your way,” Morris said. After chomping down my delightful lunch, I happened to look out and realize some new vocabulary, such as “Pie-Athlete” and “PieFocal.” Opening day was the start of my strenuous training to become a “Pie-Athlete.” The prestigious pedestal is accomplished when one has successfully conquered all of Pie Five’s specialty pizza. “Pie-Focal” indicates pizza has become the sole focus in life. Hello, my name is Kelton, and I’m Pie-Focal.