Talking Business: Sunset Grille brainchild of chef

By Dan Daly, Journal Staff Writer | Thursday, July 27, 2006

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The Sunset Grille, at the Sheridan Lake Road and Moon Meadows Road intersection, opened a while back. And I've been hearing good things about it from readers who have dined there - several times, in some cases.

The Sunset Grille is the brainchild of chef Pete Franklin and Kelly and Victoria Flannery. Franklin said the Flannerys have had a longtime dream of opening a restaurant in the Countryside-Whispering Pines-Red Rock area. When they met Franklin, a Spearfish chef, things fell into place.

"The response has been unbelievable," Franklin said. Most of the diners are from nearby neighborhoods, with some tourists and Rapid City folks as well.

The menu includes steak, seafood, pasta and other dishes. The restaurant serves prime rib every night. Franklin and fellow chef Scott Murray, formerly of Botticelli Ristorante, cook new specials on a regular basis.

"Everything is hand-made," Franklin said. "We go to great lengths in prep to make everything fresh and in-house."

Sunset Grille, he said, is aimed toward a fine dining experience. Desserts include creme brule and zabion. The wine list is extensive and growing, and the owners have made it a point to keep their wine markup low, especially for the pricey bottles. They hope to have a liquor license by early August.

Hours are 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Sunset Grille doesn't take reservations. For more information, call 348-6754.

Woody's becomes (big) Teddy's Sports Grill

Over the past few months, I've been watching the old Everything's Oak building at Ninth and Main streets become something altogether different. Crews have done extensive remodeling on that building and its next-door neighbor, Woody's bar (formerly Boot Hill).

Now, the transformation is complete, according to owner Tim Norberg. The new complex is named Teddy's Sports Grill.

If you thought Woody's was big, check this out: Teddy's includes a restaurant, a sports bar, a casino, a pool hall, a dart room, a game room, a nightclub and an indoor-outdoor dining area - all under one roof.

Teddy's was named for President Teddy Roosevelt. Norberg said the name ties in with Mount Rushmore, the City of Presidents project and the region's history - TR used to hang out in North Dakota. Besides, Norberg thinks Roosevelt was an incredible president.

A few years back, when Norberg remodeled the facade of the old Boot Hill Bar, crews uncovered the original brick exterior. On the advice of the Rapid City Historic Preservation Commission, Norberg carried that design to the new facade of the corner building.

"People are impressed by the outside, but the interior will blow them away," he said.

The restaurant menu includes Mexican dishes, burgers, barbecue chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, chili, soups, salads and appetizers.

The sports bar has more than 40 TVs and a state-of-the art sound system. The billiard area has 12 tables, and the dart area has eight new, modem-connected electronic dartboards. The game room has interactive sports games such as basketball and golf and driving simulators.

The indoor-outdoor patio, in the southwest corner, seats 70.

It has been interesting to watch the patio emerge. At first, I thought was going to be an outdoor beer garden. Then, they put windows on it. Then, the windows disappeared.

Norberg said the area was built with retractable windows that roll up like a garage door.

General manager Doug Roth is still at the helm; in fact, plans are in the works to make him a business partner, Norberg said.

Teddy's opens daily at 11 a.m.

CJ's has Indian tacos, wojapi, menudo

Rapid City is developing a fairly diverse restaurant scene. You can get Chinese, Japanese, Mediterranean, Italian, Indian and Mexican food. Now, there's a new restaurant that serves ethnic fare that originates much closer to home.

Fred and Carlita "CJ" Bush recently opened CJ's Indian Tacos, at 208 E. North St. In addition to Indian tacos, the menu includes such items as fry bread, wojapi and menudo. There's also a taco salad on the menu for the low-carb types.

Most people are familiar with fry bread. Among non-Indians, however, wojapi is less familiar. It's a Lakota traditional pudding made from blueberries and served warm. Menudo, a Mexican dish, is a soup made from tripe, hominy and chilis.

Fry bread, Fred said, is a family tradition. Carlita, who does the cooking at CJ's, was taught to make it by Fred's mother, Charlen Bush of Martin.

"She learned all about the making of the bread - and how to do it primo," he said.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, call 348-0888.

Fitness specialist gets new downtown office

Carol White, personal fitness specialist, is moving to a new downtown office. She's setting up shop in the Buell Building, 522 Seventh St., a block west of Audra's Bridal Shop.

That proximity is not exactly a coincidence, White said. One of her more popular personal-fitness programs is called the Booty Bustin' Bridal Boot Camp. She helps brides-to-be get in shape before the big day.

"It's so fun," she said, "and hopefully, (the fitness) will continue after the wedding."

Other programs are called Ultimate Personal Fitness and the Shape Up Program. Clients don't actually work out in the Buell Building, however. White works through the Weight Room & Cardio Fitness at West Main and 12th streets.

White has been doing personal-fitness training for 16 years, including 13 years in Rapid City. DeLynn Willis serves as the weight-management specialist. Her office was previously on Jackson Boulevard.

For more information, call 342-2256.

Carpetmart to add more square feet

Some people have been asking me about that huge pile of dirt on Mount Rushmore Road - not Walgreen's but farther south. That's the new expansion of Carpetmart Carpet One at 2222 Mount Rushmore Road.

I talked to Sam Fischer of Carpetmart Carpet One. He said crews are building an addition and undertaking a remodeling project that will create a new 6,000-square-foot new carpet showroom.

The part now under construction is the new showroom area. It will adjoin the existing building, and plans include adding some more warehouse space in the back.

He hopes to have it completed by early next year. Fischer and his family also operate Fischer Home Gallery and Fischer Furniture and Fischer Clearance Center.

Carpetmart Carpet One serves as the family of businesses' primary retail outlet for carpeting, tile, hardwood floors and other flooring materials. Fischer said it's the city's largest in-stock flooring retailer. That's one of the reasons for the project - more warehouse space for more inventory.

Despite the construction, he said, Carpetmart Carpet One's doors will remain open throughout the project.

Child-care center to open at St. Paul's

A new child-care center will open this fall at St. Paul's Lutheran School at 835 E. Fairmont Blvd.

The new center is part of a fair-sized building expansion that is under way. The church and school is adding four new classrooms, a gymnasium, kitchen and commons area, according to Paula Sulzle of St. Paul's.

"We have had a preschool for the past four years, butas of Aug. 28, we'll be opening a state-licensed child care along with the preschool," she said.

It will be licensed for 48 children, and hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays.

For more information, call 342-8804.

Talking Business appears Thursdays in the Journal. Contact Dan Daly by phone at 394-8421, by fax at 394-8463 or by e-mail at dan.daly@rapidcityjournal.com