On Dining: Dick's, El Gaucho are celebrating golden anniversaries

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

By PENELOPE CORCORAN
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER RESTAURANT CRITIC

Seattle's favorite place to buy a burger, Dick's Drive-In Restaurants, needs your help and memories.

In January, Dick's celebrates its 50th anniversary.

To make the occasion all that more special, and to involve you, the folks who helped this casual eatery chain stick around and thrive for so long, Dick's is sponsoring a Memory Book Contest.

Enter and you could be a winner or one of five runners-up in six nostalgia-steeped categories:

• Favorite Husky Memory
• Romantic Memory
• Oldest Memory
• Funniest Memory
• Employee Memory
• Best Dick's Drive-In Photo

The deadline for entries is Aug. 15.

And what will each Grand Prize Winner receive? Dick's gift certificates valued at $100! A Dick's limited edition 50th anniversary polo shirt, possibly, but not definitely, in your very own size! And, finally, a Dick's 50th anniversary Memory Book, including your memory, of course, and autographed by Dick Spady himself.

The five runners-up in each category score a pretty decent prize package, too: Dick's gift certificates valued at $20, the polo shirt and an autographed copy of the Memory Book -- including yours.

All Dick's memory contest entries -- whether photos or in written form on a separate sheet of paper -- must be accompanied by an entry form.

You can find entry forms at any Dick's Drive-In location or online at www.ddir.com/memory_contest. html.

Other rules we should mention: Anyone can enter. Print names and contact information on the back of each photo and on each written memory. Submissions will not be returned, so be sure to make copies of any one-of-a-kind items. Some stories may need to be edited for publication in the memory book. Phew!

Send your memories and/or photos with entry form to Memory Contest, 4426 Second Ave. N.E., Seattle 98105.

Dick's says thanks.

Another golden opportunity
El Gaucho, the retro-trendy steakhouse group owned and operated by the Mackay Restaurant Group, is also celebrating a 50th anniversary, of sorts.

It was 1953 when the original El Gaucho opened at Olive Way and Seventh Avenue. Unfortunately, the 20-table restaurant didn't last the test of time, and closed in the mid-1980s.

No matter. Today, there are three -- count 'em, three! -- El Gaucho steakhouses: in Seattle (1996), Portland (2000) and Tacoma (2002).

And to honor the 50th anniversary of the El Gaucho concept, the Mackay Restaurant Group plans a lottery-style celebration at all three restaurants, for 50 nights, from Aug. 1 Sept. 20.

Here's how it works. Each night, for 50 nights, one table in each location will be selected at random to order dinner at 1953 prices. Yes, it boggles the mind, doesn't it? Will steaks cost $2? Will potatoes cost 25 cents?

No, but the randomly selected table could have the chance to savor a New York sirloin for, say, $4.50 or a rack of Gaucho's Famous Baby Back Ribs for, oh, $2.50. Not too shabby.

So let me ask you: Do you feel lucky? Do you wanna see how great your parents -- or grandparents -- had it, back in the day?

Then you'd better make plans to visit an El Gaucho later this summer: 2505 First Ave., 206-728-1337; 2119 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-1510; or 319 S.W. Broadway, Portland, 503-227-8794. For more information, visit www.elgaucho.com.

Yo! Still looking
Hey folks. I don't ask for much. And, like, maybe you don't have an answer for me -- in which case, that's perfectly OK, but I'm still looking for your input on taco trucks you know and like here in the Puget Sound area.

Actually, this is just a test to see if anyone is reading my column today. If you are, and you have a favorite taco truck, bus or other mobile contraption, phone or e-mail me at the contact information listed below. This concludes my test. Thank you.

P-I restaurant critic Penelope Corcoran can be reached at 206-448-8391 or penelopecorcoran@seattlepi.com.