by Gerald E. McLeod
Joe Garcia maintains a constant presence watching over
the mobile kitchen parked behind the Manchaca Volunteer Fire Department. Joe’s
job on Friday nights is to be sure the serving trays are full of cole slaw,
french fries, hush puppies, and, of course, the special of the evening —
all-you-can-eat fried catfish.
Every Friday evening the fire hall fills with hungry diners waiting their turn
to feast on golden fried catfish with all the trimmings. Clarence Vogel, owner
of the kitchen and catering service, says most Friday nights they cook around
600 pounds of catfish.
When asked how they manage to fry the fish to a perfect crispiness, Vogel
says, “Well, we’ve been doing it for a long time.” The volunteer fire
department was organized 26 years ago. The cafe was added 15 or 20 years ago,
he said. They added the fish fry about 10 years ago.
Originally the fish fry was to help pay for construction. The all-volunteer
fire-fighting organization now has four stations in the area between Austin’s
southern city limits and the Travis county line. The fire department gets
financial support from the cafe that opens Monday through Friday from 6am to
10pm.
The cafe’s chicken-fried steak rivals the catfish in popularity; hamburgers,
pork chops, fried chicken, and other sandwiches are all served in portions big
enough for a hungry firefighter. The homemade pies alone are worth the trip to
the southern end of Manchaca Road. A sign behind the cash register reminds
folks to try their great breakfasts.
On an average Friday night 500 diners fill the picnic tables under the tin
roof of the open-sided pavilion to dine on Southern fried food and listen to a
bluegrass band. In the winter, several hundred crowd into the dining room
surrounded by neon beer company lights. It’s the kind of place where the kids
can run free and the adults can enjoy a cold drink after loosening their belts.
For most of the patrons the fire hall is a regular outing.
“The cafe gets all of the credit, but the firefighters do all of the work,”
Vogel, who is also the VFD president. The department has 56 volunteers on call
24 hours a day. The territory used to cover about 99 square miles, but Vogel
isn’t sure how big the area is anymore. “The City of Austin keeps creeping
further south,” he said.
The Manchaca Fire Hall Kitchen is on FM1626 west of Manchaca Road. The fish
fries are held on Friday nights, 6-10pm. For more information, call 282-3600.
Coming up…
Carver Jazz Festival at the Carver Community Cultural Center in San Antonio
presents local talent, June 20-22. 210/225-6516.
Peach JAMboree & Rodeo in Stonewall offers food, music and a rodeo at 8pm
followed by a dance, June 21-22. 210/644-2735.
Burnet County Fair & Rodeo at the County Fairgrounds in Burnet happens
June 20-22. 512/756-6642.
Coming up…
Covered Wagon Dinner Theater at the Caverns of Sonora, tour the caverns, then
stay for supper and a show on Saturdays, June 22-Aug.10. 915/387-2880.
Wolf Howl at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center outside of Glen Rose is
educational and fun as visitors take a close look at these misunderstood and
endangered animals, 5pm-10pm, June 29. 817/897-2960.
Day Trips, Vol.1, a book of the first 100 day trips from this
column, updated and expanded, is available for $6.95, plus $3.05 for shipping
and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, 1712 E. Riverside Dr., Box 156, Austin, TX
78741.n
This article appears in June 21 • 1996 and June 21 • 1996 (Cover).