'Exciting dining experience' coming to Gonzales

In the five years since Robert Palomera opened his restaurant in Flatonia, Robert's Steak House has earned a reputation as the standard bearer for great food and customer service.

Palomera's reputation for "an exciting dining experience" is soon coming to Gonzales.

"I got a lot of people asking for a long time," Palomera said in confirming that he is heeding the call to open a family-style restaurant in Gonzales. "Now we have a place over there ready."

The location for the new restaurant is the former location of Doc's Roadhouse at 2070 S. Highway 183 at state Highway 97 across from the J.B. Wells Arena complex.

Palomera said Robert's Steak House is staying put in Flatonia, as is the name. The Gonzales restaurant is tentatively named Country Corner Grill.

While the name may be different, Palomera emphasized that the menu - and quality - his patrons have come to expect will remain the same.

"We're gonna do it right. We're gonna do it like [we do] here," he said.

Palomera, whose skill in the kitchen is the foundation for his restaurant's reputation, is personally training the cooks who will be preparing food at the Country Corner Grill, ensuring both quality and consistency.

Palomera will continue to oversee operations at the Flatonia restaurant while members of his wife Maria's side of the family manage the Gonzales location. He said the new restaurant plans to blend menus from the former Doc's Roadhouse with favorites from Robert's Steak House.

"It will be the same menu like they had before, but with some additions," he said. "It's got a good kitchen over there," enabling the restaurant to offer a large menu variety.

But Palomera cautioned that the Country Corner Grill menu would not lean toward Mexican cuisine, citing the number of Mexican restaurants already available in Gonzales.

Although the menu is not finalized, expect it to include steak, chicken, seafood, pasta, Mexican, burgers, sandwiches, a wide assortment of side dishes, appetizers, soup, salad, desserts and children's menu items. A breakfast menu is also planned.

"I think [Gonzales patrons will] like it," Palomera said. "It feels good."

The Country Corner Grill is expected to open in early October.