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In case you've missed a newspaper... Read on! |
Your Voice: World peace, one plate at a time
by Dave Van Doren, Tracy
Nov 27, 2009
EDITOR,
I had the distinct honor this week of participating in the 12th
annual Great Plate restaurant’s Feed the Need Thanksgiving Dinner.
This is an event hosted by the Perry brothers as their way of
giving back to the community in a show of appreciation.
This was no ordinary affair. The people of Tracy, even in these
hard economic times, came together and donated some 75 turkeys
with all the fixin's. A volunteer support staff approaching 100
persons provided the carving, serving, cleaning and all-out
general hosting talents for anyone who wanted to eat.
An estimated throng of nearly 300 diners attended throughout the
day, many leaving with carryout containers for family shut-ins. A
delivery caravan carted even more dinners to homebound persons in
need.
When Shawn Perry offered grace before the meal started, heads were
bowed and hands were held. You could have heard a pin drop.
For just a moment, at least, there was Peace on Earth. For just a
moment people were brothers and sisters. Everyone forgot their
differences, their hardships and their problems.
The crowd was a mixed bag of ethnic, social and economic
diversity. There were seniors using walkers, navigating around the
young wait staff, some barely big enough to see over the table
tops. There were high school- and college-aged volunteers. There
were families. There were loners. We all sat in the dining room,
strangers, as comfortable together there as we were at Grandma’s
house.
When I stopped for a minute to enjoy my own dinner, I looked
around and realized that right there in Tracy was what the world
needs right now. Peace. Caring. Sharing. Love.
There was a large helping of love served up at The Great Plate,
one serving at a time.
There was a big family gathering downtown. Thank you, Brandon and
Shawn, for a Great Plate of holiday cheer!
------------------------------
Your Voice: A thousand thanks
by Brandon Perry, Shawn Perry and Mike Corbett
Dec 04, 2009
EDITOR,
We get a lot of credit at The Great Plate for hosting the annual
Feed the Need Thanksgiving dinner, but I want everyone to know the
real credit goes to all the volunteers and donations that make
each idea a reality.
This year we had in excess of 100 volunteers who showed up from 9
a.m. until 4 p.m., when we put it all back together. Without the
public support, this process would never happen. We had volunteers
of all ages and many families.
Big thanks go out to all who donated food for us to serve. Most of
the turkeys were donated either cooked or frozen — we ended up
with about 75 cooked birds to use and sent at least another 30 to
Tracy Interfaith Ministries and McHenry House Family Shelter,
along with other items not used for the dinner.
Huge thanks to John Day and his wonderful crew. Without John, it
just would not happen. Also thanks to our main purveyor, US Foods,
for their product support. It’s a big company that cares.
Thanks also to Raley’s, Safeway and Save Mart for their
contributions, and to Taylor Farms for all the pumpkin pies and to
Dolce Vita for all the cookies.
As always, big thanks to Greg and the Costco crew for their
continued support of the event.
Special thanks to James and the Kinders Meats crew, and Mike and
the DeVinci’s crew for cooking so many turkeys for us.
Extraordinary thanks to Staci MacIntyre for coordinating the
cooking at Kinders for us and her tireless efforts.
Thanks also to San Joaquin Magazine, Tom O’Neal, Paul Healy and
Ray McCrea for their financial support; to Dave Tillman for his
support and expertise; and Patrick Goodway for running the
kitchen.
Special thanks to the performers who donated their time and talent
to the Feed the Need Benefit Concert on Nov. 25: Megan Slankard,
The Louisiana Rain Band and The No Drama Band.
If I missed thanking anyone, my apologies, but know you are
appreciated. Again, a sincere thanks to all who again made this a
reality
• Brandon Perry, Shawn Perry and Mike Corbett run the Great Plate
Bar & Grill in Tracy.
----------------------------
Donated turkeys, volunteers fill a need on Thanksgiving
by Justin Lafferty
Nov 20, 2009
Mike Corbett at the Great Plate will thaw out this and many other
birds to feed the hungry on Thanksgiving. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press
Organizers of several free Thanksgiving Day dinners in Tracy have
been pleasantly surprised with the amount of food donations and
requests to volunteer they’ve received.
After some initial worries, manager Mike Corbett at the Great
Plate said he’s closing in on his turkey goal for the restaurant’s
12th annual Feed the Need dinner, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on
Thanksgiving at 714 Central Ave. He said there’s been a recent
“dramatic upswing” in donations for the event, which fed about 500
people last year.
Right now, Corbett said he has roughly 50 turkeys and 100
volunteers, but is still open if people want to drop by or donate
side dishes. He said anything extra will be given away for people
to take home or donated to the McHenry House Family Shelter and
Tracy Interfaith Ministries.
“I’m not saying no to anybody,” Corbett said. “We’ve had people
who have volunteered who have matured and become employees. It’s
my honest to God favorite time of year.”
The Center of Hope Church’s pastor, Ron Ballew, said his place was
the first to have a free dinner actually on Thanksgiving Day 15
years ago, when they were West Valley Ministries on 11th Street.
He said he’s still looking for pumpkin pie and a few more turkeys
for his event from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
Ballew’s event at 2514 Holly Drive will have door prizes, a live
band and a restaurant-style setup where no one has to stand in
line. He’s estimating between 250 and 300 people coming by for a
hot meal.
A couple other organizations are offering free Thanksgiving meals
for the first time. HairIs KJ’s Barber and Hair Creations is
turning their faith-based barber shop into a dining room from 8
a.m. to 2 p.m. on turkey day at 485 W. Grant Line Road. While the
shop’s owners have almost as many turkeys as they were looking
for, they’re looking for more side dishes such as green bean
casseroles and dinner rolls.
“With the economy the way it is, there’s a lot of people without,”
co-owner Lionel Harris said. “People have really been coming
forward and we’ve gotten a lot of phone calls. People are really
in the giving spirit.”
Harris, who is expecting 60 to 70 people, said he hopes this
becomes an annual event for his shop. He added that anyone who
wants to drop by and volunteer can do so.
Agape Missionary Baptist Church, 238 W. Grant Line Road, is also
offering a free Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on
Saturday. Deacon Harold Douglas said they’ve got more food than
they planned for, but since this is the first year they’ve done
this, he’s not totally sure how it will go.
“Everybody stepped up pretty good,” Douglas said. “We pretty much
got all the food we need and we have some people coming in,
helping us out.
------------------------------
From the Tracy Press:
Written by Justin Lafferty
10/03/09
Forgive
Dat Phan if he looks a little lost on Saturday night.
The Southern California based stand-up comedian will be performing
in Tracy, shortly after shows all over San Diego, Las Vegas, L.A.
and Texas. He said he’s holding a mic almost every night.
Though Phan’s life may be hectic right now, it’s a good thing.
Since winning the first season of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,”
he’s been in demand. Phan said he’s happy to have a job where he
gets to make people laugh. He will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday
at The BoardRock (above The Great Plate), 714 Central Avenue.
“This is the only job I’ve had where after work, people thank you
for putting them in a better mood,” Phan said. “Not many jobs you
can do that, aside from stripper.”
Phan said he draws a lot of his material from his Vietnamese
family, who are a little confused about his job. He says he does
spot-on impressions of his mother, whom Phan said is the main
character of his act, and other relatives.
He said his mother stopped trying to figure out why he became an
entertainer when she saw him on the Tonight Show.
“Apparently whatever I’m doing is working,” Phan said. “It’s
great. I mean, considering that I was living under my desk and
before that, I was living in my car. I was able to pay off my
bills and become a very young headliner.”
He said he grew up poor in San Diego and didn’t really think about
comedy until he took a public speaking class 12 years ago at
Grossmont College to overcome a fear. Phan said while he was
nervously giving a speech, he apparently made some people laugh.
A classmate asked him if he’d consider giving stand-up comedy a
try. Phan went up for open mic night at the Comedy Store in La
Jolla, a beach town near San Diego, and loved it. In 2003, he won
the first “Last Comic Standing” contest on NBC, which led to a
contract with the station and a special on Comedy Central.
“I feel very blessed to have a job, bringing laughter to peoples’
lives,” Phan said.
-----------------------------
From the Tracy Press:
Feast for families
Written by Aaron Rognstad
Friday, 28 November 2008
Hundreds served free hot meals on turkey day.
Ronald Ballew had his hands full at the church on Parker Avenue, where he’s been pastor for four years. He expected around 350 people, but had enough turkey to serve 450.
“No one stands in line here,” he said of the day’s dinner. “We treat people with dignity.
They’re seated. This is their day. We’re here to serve them. They’re our guests and we’re going to treat them with love and care.”
Ballew said his church was the first in town, in recent memory, to offer a Thanksgiving dinner, back when it was called West Valley Ministries. That was eight years ago.
This year, many high school students volunteered, including 17-year-old Michael Baker.
“This is probably the only meal some of these people will get all this week,” he said as he looked out over packed dining room. “It probably means a lot for them to come here and have a warm meal and know somebody cares.”
Diane Halbertstram dined at the church with her sister. She said it’s just her and her sister in town. and they didn’t want to make a big dinner for just the two of them.
“Plus money’s tight, and she’s outta work,” Halberstram said, “so we figured we’d just come here. We only live down the street, so we walked over.”
Downtown at The Great Plate, a similar scene played out as people looking to get a hot free meal jammed into the dining room.
Restaurant co-owner Sean Perry said he has had turnouts of more than 400 and wasn’t sure how many he’d get this year.
“We started this 11 years ago to feed one person that needed it, and now, more and more people are coming,” he said. “I don’t care if I feed one or 500 people; I got food for them all.”
Gabriel De Los Santos of Tracy hasn’t missed a year in the last 11.
“It’s just me and my dad at the house, so no one really cooks,” he said. “It’s not that we really need the food, but Sean’s a good guy, and he knows my dad, so we come here every Thanksgiving.”
Around 150 people volunteered to serve, and donations came from people all over the city, including Ray McDonnal and his wife, who donated a turkey and two pies.
“You can’t beat this,” he said. “This is very awesome. It’s all about
giving back to the community.”
A Great Meal
While most every restaurant in town sat quiet Thursday, the Great Plate
Bar and Grill was filled with the spirited ambiance it’s known for.
People lined up outside the restaurant at 10 a.m. to wait for the doors to
open for the restaurant’s Feed the Need free Thanksgiving dinner.
The restaurant started feeding folks a decade ago when they invited 15
people to eat. Each Thanksgiving, more people circle the restaurant’s
tables than the previous Thanksgiving to enjoy the food and the company of
volunteers and guests.
Great Plate owner Shawn Perry estimated that at least 400 people went to
Feed the Need on Thursday and got their fill of turkey, mashed potatoes,
gravy, cranberries, pie and all the extras expected for a Thanksgiving
feast.
“I see these people wandering the streets out here every day,” Perry said.
“They know they can come here today for a free meal.”
James Ayala had already eaten his turkey dinner at the Great Plate 15
minutes after the doors opened. He said he was happy to have company
Thursday. His father died two years ago, and his mother lives in Texas.
“I don’t know where I would’ve gone otherwise,” Ayala, 41, said.
About 125 volunteers — more than in any other year — worked to cook and
serve the dinners and deliver 60 meals to people who couldn’t leave their
homes. The restaurant received about 80 donated turkeys and cooked about
50. Leftovers will go to McHenry House Family Shelter and Tracy Interfaith
Ministries.
“It’s fun to give back to people who need help,” said Maryssa Davidson,
16, who rolled out of bed at 7 a.m. and spent two hours slicing turkey for
the dinner.
Volunteer servers circled the restaurant’s counter in an orderly fashion
to pile plates full of holiday food.
“It’s fun to come and help people out,” agreed Breanna Noriega, 15, as she
carried a brimming plate to a guest. “You know you’re helping people have
a better day.
-------------------------------------------------
Greater Plate
Restaurant Revamped to Receive Theater Crowd
By
September 06, 2007 6:00 AM
You don't need to convince the proprietors of the Great Plate Bar and Grill of the benefits of following that old business adage about location, location, location. After all, the restaurant has been a staple on the San Joaquin County dining scene for nearly a decade thanks in part to its address in the heart of Tracy's burgeoning downtown.
The benefits of location, however, are likely to take a new twist in the coming months. Next weekend, Tracy's Grand Theatre Center for the Arts opens with a gala featuring Linda Ronstadt. From there, the calendar is marked by local stage productions and art exhibits, to say nothing of performances by international artists such as Grammy nominee Perla Batalla and classical guitarist Paul Galbraith.
And where is the Great Plate? Directly across the street from the Grand. Surely, it was no mere coincidence that the restaurant closed for a few days over the summer to revamp its decor and menu.
So what can Grand Theater patrons expect when they stop by for a preshow meal or a drink afterward? The answer is a dining experience not that much different from what Great Plate patrons have been enjoying for years.
To be sure, there have been some changes made at the Great Plate. Management wisely has chosen to tone down the bar and grill's tiki decor, retaining the sense of fun but introducing some semblance of subtlety. The dining room has a more open, welcoming feel while the bar comes across a tad quieter but no less festive than before.
As for the menu, it bristles with new items. A cursory glance reveals a chargrilled chicken salad ($9.99), the Curve Ball Burger ($8,99), the Tri-Tip Wrap ($8.99) and the Brownie Blitz dessert ($3.99).
We began with the tried-and-true Jalapeño Poppers ($6.99), which arrived so piping hot it took a few minutes before we could touch them. There's nothing particularly novel or healthy in this appetizer - what do you expect from jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese, then battered and fried? - but there's no denying the taste. The poppers went particularly well with the microbrews ordered from the bar.
Pizza is not new to the Great Plate but the revised menu does feature some novel twists on this favorite. The Chipotle Jolt Pizza ($10.99-$16.99) offers plenty of tangy flavor with its crisp crust covered in chipotle sauce-soaked chicken as well as bacon, mozzarella cheese, chopped onion and garlic. The personal size proved more than enough for two hungry people.
The serving was equally generous when it came to the Super Chicken Sandwich ($6.75). The savory chicken was thoroughly grilled but still moist, the entire enterprise enclosed in a warm, toasted bun.
The Great Plate has never been a place for haute cuisine; it simply serves up satisfying food prepared with a certain panache. That said, management certainly has upped the ante in recent weeks, the restaurant perhaps pointing the way to downtown's further development once the Grand Theatre is open for business.
Food review
The Great Plate Bar and Grill *** A reliable dining experience.
Information: (209) 833-0862,
www.thegreatplate.com
Bathrooms: Clean
Parking: In lot
Price: Value: $15 and less
-------------------------------The Great Plate Bar & Grill
Tracy's Beer Oasis
by Mike Pitsker (Celebrator Beer News June, 2001)
The town of Tracy, Calif., east of the San Francisco Bay Area, has been growing. Narrow streets have widened; new homes have sprung up in former farmers' fields; industries, shops and restaurants have sprouted as fast as the wheat and alfalfa in the fields that the urban growth is pushing farther out.
In the older part of town, though, downtown Tracy looks much as it has since the 1950s. On Central Avenue, one old building has shown many faces in the past century. It began as a railway union hall back in 1906, or was it 1913? Not even the old-timers know for sure. It's been transformed through the subsequent decades from an eagles' aerie to a Moose lodge. It tried on a shoe store for size, took a shot at selling sporting goods, racked 'em up as a pool hall and served so many different kinds of food and drink in so many different incarnations to so many different generations that only the building remembers. Things may have settled down, though. The new tenants are likely to stay awhile.
The Great Plate Bar & Grill opened its doors on Thanksgiving Day in 1998. The first day of "business" was the third annual Thanksgiving feed that brothers and co-owners Shawn and Brandon Perry put on for the homeless and hungry of the area.
"We have our annual feed to serve the needs of anyone who has no place else to go," said Shawn. "Every Thanksgiving, we still close the restaurant and have people from town volunteer to serve those in need. The idea has continued to grow ever since we started."
Shawn and Brandon had an idea that it would be fun to gather plates from all over the world to decorate the place, and The Great Plate was born. They've had several musicians sign plates for display.
"Phil Vasser, who tours with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, came in and did a private show here and now has a plate displayed with his autograph," said Shawn. "Customers have plates on the wall as well. Parties of eight or more get to sign and decorate a plate, and we put it up."
The Great Plate boasts 24 draught beer taps and a full bar to go with a pub-style menu. "We've won several 'Best of' awards here in Tracy," Shawn said. "We have the best steak in town, and our pizza is outstanding. We also won Best Place to Dance, Best Place to Meet Singles and Best Bar/Pub. We've won 11 awards so far."
There are many reasons The Great Plate gets so much attention in a city growing as fast as Tracy, but they can be reduced to the most important one: service. Most of the staff has been with the Perry brothers since the beginning. Some of them are past and present volunteers for the Thanksgiving feed, and all have their "regulars."
"One of the reasons customers keep coming back is because they know what kind of service they're going to get," Shawn said. "We have an unusually personable relationship with our customers, and I know they appreciate that. I hear over and over again that we are just like the Cheers bar where 'everybody knows your name.'"
Best-selling beers include Sierra Nevada Pale and Celebration Ales, Gordon Biersch Märzen, Guinness Stout, Pete's Wicked Ale and Widmer Hefeweizen. "We throw a pint party every Wednesday evening featuring a different microbrew on tap," Shawn said. Recent guest brews have included Red Seal Ale and Pranqster from North Coast Brewing, Boont Amber from Anderson Valley, Red Sky Ale from St. Stan's in Modesto,
and various Portland Brewing products. Local breweries Oakdale Brewing and Kelley Brothers Brewing have enjoyed pint promos as well.
The fun doesn't end there. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights offer live music featuring local bands - and sometimes a recording star - and on Thursday night everyone sings about the karaoke party. This is a lively establishment peopled by exuberant employees, all with a constant smile and the knowledge that they serve a superior product. You can't beat
that kind of service -- or outgrow it.
The Great Plate Bar & Grill
714 Central Ave.
Tracy, CA 95376
209-833-0862
Mike Pitsker is a beer buff who makes San Leandro, Calif., his
home.
Copyright 2001, Celebrator
March 3, 2001; Tri-Valley Herald by Mark Abramson
TRACY - No gutter balls, no problem - yeah right.
That is not the case in a new high-tech bowling game at The Great Plate Bar & Grill. The game is called HyperBowl and it is virtual reality bowling for the 21st century.
A computer projector displays the lane on a wall. But these are no ordinary lanes - well, except when playing the classic option.
Bowlers must guide the ball down the streets of San Francisco and up hills while dodging cable cars to hit the pins within a certain time limit.
HyperBowlers also have to be careful not to slam into fire hydrants and light poles.
Another lane has HyperBowlers guiding the ball along a rocking boat, being careful not to fall into the cargo hold or end up in the drink, which are the same as getting a gutter ball.
For nature lovers, there's a bowl through the Yosemite lane around trees and over rocks sticking out of a stream.
Bowlers twist and turn along the courses by rolling a bowling ball attached to a computer. It's a lot like using a trackball. The San Francisco course is a good workout, as Hyperbowlers have got to get up enough speed to climb a hill.
The game seems to be an instant hit with people who play.
"This is cool," HyperBowler Mark Curry, 46, of Manteca, said. "It's as much fun (as real bowling) and I don't have to put on bowling shoes."
The Great Plate owners, brothers Brandon and Shawn Perry, found out about Hyperbowl while playing it at the Metreon in San Francisco. Like most people who play it, they got hooked.
"It's like you are in a different world," Shawn Perry said. "We are always looking for something new and exciting."
New and exciting in Hyperbowl may mean software with different lanes. Virtually anything can be turned into a lane. Hyperbowlers in the future may find themselves navigating in the Grand Canyon or dodging cars in Times Square.
The Great Plate has two lanes with the $45,000 machines, but if it takes off, space can be made for another, Brandon Perry said.
Children also seem to like it.
"I love it; it's fun," Dan Corbett, 13, of Tracy, said. "It's just a whole lot more interesting (than normal bowling). There are a lot more obstacles."
The first person to bowl a perfect game, a 300, gets $1,000. So far, the high score is 245. The scoring is the same as regular bowling.
November 24, 2000; Tracy Press by Denise Ellen Rizzo
Thanksgiving has traditionally been a day to spend with family and friends enjoying a home cooked meal, but for those without the comfort of loved ones nearby, there were two local organizations reaching out.
The West Valley Christian Ministries and The Great Plate Bar & Grill hosted their annual independent Thanksgiving Day meals for the needy on Thursday. Both organizations were hoping to feed between 100 and 400 people.
"This is what it is all about," said the Rev. Ronald Ballew of West Valley Christian Ministries, "being thankful and giving back to those less fortunate. That is why we do it on Thanksgiving Day, because it's a day when people are alone and lonely."
As volunteers at the church manned the serving area and others cheerfully brought meals of turkey and all the trimmings to residents sitting at beautifully decorated tables, all expressed a feeling of family.
"This is the first time I've done this," said volunteer and minister of Calvary Christian Church in Manteca, Jim Day. "My family and I like to do things together and my daughter said she would like to volunteer, so my wife began to call around and see who needed help. It's a great way to spend the day, and it's also our 32nd wedding anniversary."
Another group of volunteers at the West Valley dinner was Melissa Fahey and her parents, Renee and John Doze. The two women were festively dressed in their turkey hats, preparing dishes for the many volunteer servers, and they, too, said they came because of a desire to help others.
"This is our church, so we spent yesterday cooking turkeys and making homemade mashed potatoes," said Doze. "It's the best way to spend Thanksgiving."
Other preparers of the more than 100 ponds of potatoes included Marcella Moore and her family, Jonathan, 11, Joshua, 8 and Ashley, 4. Moore said it was her third year helping West Valley Christian Ministries with the Thanksgiving holiday.
"You get a tremendous warmth helping people who otherwise wouldn't have anything," she said. "The church gives you a felling of accomplishment and we do it because it feels good."
One Tracy family that attended the meal spanned three generations. Cynthia Goddard, her mother, Katheryn, and grandmother Opal Davis sat and enjoyed the food and what they called a sense of family that surrounded them.
"We've been part of the church for a year and a half," said Katheryn, "and it's like family.
"The people here are so wonderful," said Cynthia. "It warms my heart and you get a special feeling because the people here are special."
The grandmother of the group, Opal, said she first came to Tracy as a child in 1929, and said she loves the extended family she has gained through the church.
"I love it here, and the people are fabulous," she said.
At The Great Plate Bar & Grill, a steady stream of people came in and out of the restaurant for a free holiday meal. Brothers Brandon and Shawn Perry, who own and operate the restaurant, started the event three years ago as a way to give back to the community of Tracy.
"There aren't many homeless in tow, and that is why we call it the 'Feed the Need' Thanksgiving Dinner," said Shawn. "Last year we served around 100 people and this year we expect 150, every year it goes up."
Shawn also noted that they hold an annual canned goods drive and pre-Thanksgiving band concert to raise money too help those in need beyond this holiday.
"We close the restaurant (to the public) for the entire day, so anyone that needs a meal can come in," said Brandon. "We wanted to give back to those who helped us."
One thankful group included the members of the Hernandez family, who live near the restaurant. Celsa Hernandez said her son Rafale told them about the event.
Rafale said that the best part of the day was "the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and apple pie."
October 2, 2000; Tracy
Press by Jonathan Partridge
While on the subject of food, Tracy moms may want to know that The
Great Plate Bar & Grill is dedicating Tuesday evenings to mothers.
With the purchase of three meals, mom's eat for free any time
between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Tuesdays.
It all should start this week, said Brandon Perry, who
owns the restaurant with his brother Shawn.
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