A Finger Lickin' Alternative to Fast Food

By Sally Roberts - Bamberg Bureau

GraFenwohr, Germany - It suddenly has become fashionable to lick your fingers in GraFenwohr. And people are lining up for the chance.

Colter's Bar-B-Q, a Texas restaurant franchise, opened its doors on Friday, offering Texas-style barbeque to the military community in Europe.

"We're very honored to be here," said Peter McGuire, owner of the Dallas based business chain.

"Without a military, we in the United States would not have the freedom to own our businesses. We see a great opportunity to provide an indigenous food to soldiers in Europe, food that many of us remember from our chldhood."

McGuire was on hand Friday to see how the GraFenwohr community would receive the first barbeque restaurant on a military base.

Although there was only local advertising for the opening, soldiers and family members were lined up throughout lunchtime for some good home cookin'.

"I miss barbeque," said Chantal Alleyne, who brought her young son, Bryson, in for lunch.

"I think this place will do great business, there is nowhere you can eat a meal that isn't fast food."

That is what the Army and Air Force Exchange Service had in mind when they added Colter's to the growing list of franchise restaurants that includes Burger King, Taco Bell, Subway, Anthony's Pizza and Robin Hood Sandwiches.

What is different, AAFES officials said, is that Colter's is an alternative to fast food service. The menu includes a variety of meats, baked potatoes, french fries, homemade onion rings, salads and desserts.

GraFenwohr was selected for the first Colter's because the post already had a vacant building that had once been a Chi Chi's Mexican restaurant.

Renovations include an overhaul of the kitchen to accomodate the smokers where beef brisket, pork, turkey and chicken are slow cooked for up to 20 hours. The dining area got a face lift as well, with an American theme that includes country music videos ona big screen TV.

Baumholder is the next community where AAFES plans to open a Colter's Bar-B-Q, sometime next year, said Charlie Luthi, chief of food service for AAFES Europe.

AAFES also is planning to add a central smoking facility to it food processing plant in Grunstadt, Germany, so meats can be prepared and packaged for smaller restaurants in remote locations such as Bosnia, Kosovo and Turkey.

But in places like GraFenwohr, Baumholder and other posts yet to be determined, the smell of barbecued meats being slow cooked will lead to soldiers and their families to the door.

"I know I'll be back," Alleyne said. "I'll probably be back tonight with my husband so I don't have to cook dinner."

Colter's will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.