Comment on Sheldon's review

I appreciated the Sheldon's review by "Nathaniel Glen", or whatever her real name is (she's a he, but that's ok - ed), as far as it went, but what was missing was recognition that Sheldon's isn't just a local restaurant, it's a local institution. Below is a brief review of Sheldon's that I wrote for the Gabby Gourmet Restaurant Guide several years ago. The Shermans, who own the restaurants, have broad and deep ties in the military, education and religious communities in The Springs going back decades, and the restaurants were and are very much a family enterprise. Also, from purely a dining perspective, the almost obsessive quality concern of Sheldon's owners and staff, was hinted at but, in my humble opinion, inadequately emphasized (unless one counts the french fry raves of the vegetarian who shouldn't have been there in the first place). Many people order their Thanksgiving turkeys from Sheldon's due to that high quality. And, speaking of turkey, tell "Nathaniel" to go back on a Friday for the open-faced turkey sandwich smothered in gravy. That will be her new standard.

Eat on!

Bob Rennick
Colorado Springs

SHELDONS LUNCHEONETTE (Draft 28Sep2000)


Sheldon’s Luncheonette is the long-time reigning champ for down home breakfasts and lunches. The menu offers very good and large portions of eggs, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, hot meat sandwiches, burgers and shakes, using the best ingredients. Their motto is “Only the Best”, and they go to great efforts for quality and freshness – mashed potatoes made from scratch, turkeys roasted on site, bone-in ham with the eggs, and so forth. The service is friendly to the point of familiarity, as you would expect. The regulars, which includes building tradespeople, techies, businesspeople, bikers, athletes and youth teams with their coaches – in other words, everyone in town – sit elbow-to-elbow like a big family, exchanging familiar banter with the owner, Ann Sherman, and the waitresses. A half Queen sandwich is filling, a full Queen is daunting, and the President is mind-boggling. Don’t let the regulars sucker you into ordering the full stack of pancakes – it’s a well-worn prank – even most Air Force Academy football recruits who get teased into it can’t finish. The specials are baked Virginia ham on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays; loin of pork on Tuesday; and hot turkey sandwich, open or covered, on Thursday and Friday; roast beef and pastrami every day. Four years after a delivery here, a cross-country moving van driver encountered in Massachusetts only had one question – does Sheldons still have the turkey sandwich! And don’t forget the malts – since the demise of Brick Oven Beanery, Sheldons is a contender.