Head over for fun, good food and karaoke
If you’re a Lake Highlands regular, you’re probably familiar with the pub sign that sports the British Flag.
Overseas visitors to Texas Instruments feel right at home once they see the multicultural neighbors in this shopping center, including Sushi Yama Japanese restaurant and O'Riley's billiards parlor.
Says daytime bartender and manager Karen Devoe, "I’d say that probably 90% of our regulars are Lake Highlanders. During the week, about 50% of our lunch customers are from TI, but their European visitors come and enjoy our happy hours."
"We’ve had some Brits come in," she says, "mostly out of curiosity to check out our Shepherd’s Pie!"
The Pub opens at 11:00 a.m. seven days a week and has been around since 1990, first in Medallion Center, then in its present location since 1996.
The food, while not traditional British "bangers and mash" fare, does cater to hungry patrons, and daily specials include chopped sirloin with red potatoes and green beans, pork chops, herb baked chicken, fish and chips, a piled high Reuben, and burgers made to order.
As a British Rose regular, I can testify that the food is cooked well and large portions are served.
There’s more available than just what’s on the menu, too.
The pub routinely hosts impromptu pot lucks, and eclectic ones at that, with customers bringing in the likes of Krispy Kreme donuts, freshly picked pears, deviled eggs, stuffed jalapenos, fruit salad, quesadillas, even a pie made from a Lake Highlands Community Garden grown pumpkin.
Bartender Carla Waddell regularly breaks out extra forks and paper plates.
The popular pot lucks started some years back, geared around the football games televised on the big screen in the bar. Folks started bringing in food to share and according to Waddell it was a big hit.
"Sometimes folks just show up with food to pass around," she says.
"Sometimes the bar provides the main dish, like a brisket. We let everyone know when we’re doing one, and put out a sign up sheet. We end up with enough food to feed an army! It’s really like one big family."
"During the holidays we have our share of customers who don’t have families here locally," says Waddell.
"So we’ve been doing a huge pot luck every Thanksgiving and Christmas. There’s always a big turn out and that’s in large part thanks to our night time bartender Gil Gibson. He supplies and cooks the turkeys - and has for years. He also cooks the brisket for our other pot lucks."
The British Rose is also a place of music, both for fans of Elvis and Roy Orbison, and for wannabe songbirds.
On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, anyone who can carry a tune (or not!) can hone their skills with karaoke, also a popular crowd draw. And on the last Thursday of every month, one-man-band and impersonator Ed Nelson performs to a standing room only crowd.
Don’t care much for music? Every Tuesday night customers enjoy free fried chicken and trivia contest, and up for grabs is a $25 British Rose gift certificate.
