PAGE 8 • April 2020
•
TABLE HOPPING
FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, CALL (315) 474-1011
Dining Out by Kerilyn E. Micale
We’ve all seen it driving down the highway on the west side of Syracuse shortly past the fairgrounds, those big red letters that read Motel, or at least, they would if that pesky O would just stay lit! I know I’ve thought to myself “I wonder what that’s all about,” and I bet you have too. Well folks, I’m here to tell you that below that sign lives one of Syracuse’s hidden gems. It’s called the Western Ranch Motor Inn and it’s unlike any place you’ve ever been, at least in the past several decades anyway! Let me explain. The Western Ranch Motor Inn is absolutely stuck in the past; and they intend to stay that way! The Western Ranch Motor Inn is a blast from the past, the décor is authentically retro and their menu is full of homemade comfort food. I don’t know how exactly they pull it off with this theme but they absolutely do! It’s the perfect mix of warm and inviting and interesting. The Western Ranch Motor Inn is conveniently located at 1255 State Fair Blvd in Syracuse with easy access from the fairgrounds, I-690, and the thruway. When passing the Western Motor Ranch Inn or even when stopping by the restaurant you might think that this looks like something out of a movie. If you have had that thought let me assure you that you are absolutely right! The Wester Ranch has been used as the setting for not one but four movies! It was also used for filming a Nike commercial. Not only have famous people come to the Western Ranch Motor Inn to shoot movies, but celebrities have also been known to stay at the motel and enjoy a meal in the restaurant. The star studded list of patrons have included Jeff Goldblum, Whitney Houston, and the band members of Three Dog Night. In addition to their brush with fame I would submit that the food that they serve at the Inn should also be famous. This is because pretty much everything served is made in-house, using only the freshest ingredients available! Kyle and I arrived at the Western Ranch Motor Inn at 6 pm on March 16th, just hours before the statewide shut down on restaurants was scheduled to begin. At that moment our futures were very uncertain and we wondered what tomorrow would bring. We walked into the Western Ranch and immediately began to feel like we didn’t need
Check out our weekly specials on our To-Go menu!
From the paneling to the posters, this place is a step back in time! to worry about the future, at least while we dined, because we had been instantenously stepped into a time vortex and taken to the past! The wood paneling, the cigarette machine, the pictures and posters were all from a different era. It was kitschy, nostalgic, and comforting; it was exactly what we needed. We were immediately greeted by our friendly hostess and server, Lyndsey, at a comfortable table in the dining room. We started our meal with two scrumptious appetizers, the chicken tenders and the stuffed jalapenos. These jalapenos were hand filled with a creamy chipotle cream cheese mixture and topped with crispy bacon strips; they were the perfect level of spiciness and absolutely delicious. The chicken tenders were out of this world. They are hand breaded and made
A blast from the past, the Western Ranch is one of Syracuse’s hidden gems.
