Somehow, years ago, I was talked into watching the movie "Texas Chainsaw Massacre." It is not a fond memory. It has been called one of the most important horror movies ever made. I wouldn't know about that since it is one of only five "horror" movies I've ever seen. The other four I consider horror movies were not even close to Texas Chainsaw Massacre and its tale of a chainsaw welding maniac and his cannibal family. I hated what I saw of it. My eyes were closed most of the time. Originally a farmhouse built in 1909 in Round Rock, Texas, it became an iconic element in the movie. If you've never seen it, the words "chainsaw massacre" will give you an idea of what happens in and around the house.
I kind of forgot about the movie over the years, only remembering when a sequel or prequel of the Leatherface franchise would come out. But then I heard the house in the movie had been made into a restaurant. Now we're talking!
In 1998, the house was cut into pieces, hauled to Kingsland, Texas and put back together as part of the famous Antlers Hotel. It was completely renovated and became the Grand Central Café and Club Car Bar. I found it while on one of my road trips in Texas. Naturally, I couldn't pass up eating a meal in the cannibals' house.
Pulling up to it, the house is not near as scary as it appeared in the movie. There was a short line of people waiting so I gave my name and waited out on the wide covered porch. I didn't have to wait long before being called inside. Walking across the wooden floor, I was shown into a small room which served as one of the dining rooms. A very nice and informative waitress quickly arrived, gave me a menu and began reciting scenes in the movie that had been shot in this very room. She also told me there were a number of artifacts upstairs from the movie and I was welcome to go up and see them.
A large cheeseburger and a huge mound of fries arrived. Appropriate to the location, a large knife was stabbed into the middle of the burger. It was enough food for two people. The burger was perfect - juicy meat in buns that had just a touch of crisp on the inside and the fries were scrumptious. It was a top-10 burger on my scale! My waitress came back often to check on me and the couple at the next table and I struck up a fun, interesting conversation about the movie, the house and the food.
After doing as much damage as I could to that huge mound of fries, I made my way up the creaky wooden stairs. There were plenty of paraphernalia from the movie, with pictures of the characters and stills hanging on the walls. I didn't spend much time up there as it brought back uncomfortable memories and was a bit spooky as well, but you know what? If I'm ever back in Kingsland, I'll be going there again for the wonderful food. And maybe this time, I'll have a steak, rare.
