Roscoe-Land: Roscoe White’s Corral & Easy Way
by Paula Bosse
by Paula Bosse
My family had two favorite neighborhood restaurants: Kirby’s Charcoal Steakhouse on Lower Greenville for birthdays and special occasions, and Roscoe White’s Corral on Mockingbird for every other occasion. Conveniently, both were only a short walk from our house. When I came across this ad, I was surprised to see that the Corral had started out as a drive-in, with car-hops. My memories of the place are from the 1970s after it had been rebuilt. in the same block, in a new-ish shopping strip (about where Premiere Video is now), facing the old Dr Pepper plant. It had a diner-like, fairly utilitarian decor, with a slightly fancier banquet room at the back. There was an attached (very dark) bar with a separate entrance. I remember the gleaming cigarette machine. Roscoe must have loved the place, because he was there all the time.
My mother and I always had the chicken-fried steak and a salad with blue cheese dressing. My father and brother tended to go for the still-bubbling cheese enchiladas on a hot metal dish, swimming in a healthy amount of grease (my father’s favorite part). I swear we always had the same waitress — I can’t remember her name, but it was one of those perfect names for a waitress. “Maxine” maybe? (I think my parents had both been customers since their days at SMU in the ’50s, and for all I know, she had been there back then and had been serving them for over twenty years.)
When the Corral closed in the late-’70s or early-’80s, my family was distraught. Loyal patrons that we were, we began making the trek through the Park Cities to Roscoe’s other restaurant, The Easy Way, over on Lovers Lane, by the toll road — the atmosphere was different (it was darker, for one thing), but the food was EXACTLY THE SAME! And, as I recall, even our regular waitress was there — she had also made the move across town. It was almost as if nothing had changed. …Almost.
I loved the Corral My family had so many nice times there. And I miss it. I especially miss that wonderful chicken-fried steak, the yardstick by which I continue to judge all others.
Roscoe White died in 1995 and was remembered in D Magazine:
He moved around, but Roscoe White always had a place for Dallas to eat. He opened his first restaurant in 1939, the Kings Way Grill on Knox and Travis streets. It had an upstairs casino, and the beer was stored in the icehouse next door. Later he opened the Corral on Mockingbird Lane, a drive-in that became a haven for SMU law students. White also owned the Easy Way Grill on Lovers Lane and then Roscoe’s Easy Way on Lemmon Avenue. He died of a stroke at 88.
Thanks for all the great meals, Roscoe!
Roscoe White at the Easy Way (D Magazine, Oct. 1985)
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An early ad from 1947. Fried chicken gizzards, only 55 cents — “It’s a Pleasure”!
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A couple of help-wanted ads for waitresses and a “lady cashier” (Dallas Morning News, 1948). I can only hope that Roscoe’s car-hops were referred to as “White Girls.”
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There had been a fire in the summer of 1950 that caused $4,500 worth of damage, the reason, I’m assuming, for the redecoration and re-opening. I’m not sure when the Corral moved into the location I was familiar with, but by mid-1969, ads were appearing with the new address of 5422 Mockingbird.
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A matchbook from the Easy Way Grill, sadly, with the wrong address on it! The Easy Way was at 5806 Lovers Lane, part of the Miracle Mile, where Dr. Delphinium is now.
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A 1951 ad for the Kings Way Grill and Easy Way Grill.
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The top ad touting “SMU’s Favorite Drive-In” is from a 1951 SMU-Rice football game souvenir program.
A fond farewell to the Easy Way — “It’s Hard To Say Goodbye to The Easy Way Cafe” — from D Magazine is here. (Above photo of Roscoe accompanied the print article.)
Red matchbook covers from Flickr.
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Copyright © 2014 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved.
Flashback : Dallas 
[…] — which appeared on March 28, 1947 — can be seen in two parts: here and here. (All hail Roscoe White’s Easy Way! RIP, […]
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First time seeing this Paula. The Corral was one of our favorite places in junior high and high school after football games. Very nice write-up of a great place, the Easy Way too!
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Both my mom and dad worked at the easy way grill a nd the corral, dad was the cook and mom was the waitress. Mom waited on Don Meredith and Doake Walker. They worked for Roscoe for many years.
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To this DAY I crave those chicken-fried steaks!
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what a find…. Roscoe White married Tesa Gore, the youngest daughter of Asa E. Gore ( we found him dying in Dallas tx, 1938) he was the only brother to Jessie G Gore, my great grandfather, and grandfather died 4 months before his only child, Jessie Olive Gore…. Tesa Gore-White brother Willie Gore died in the Philippines in WWII, on the ship Helena, and Adams in his research found the ship that Willie Aaron Gore died.. ( RB is my writer moniker, as b.Alton Cooper is my family name )…Her brother Ethan Warren Gore died and is buried in the fame Hollywood Cemetary, and await pictures of his and his wife Naomi Gore graves….
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Roscoe had a steak restaurant next door to corral the western steak house, the easy way belonged to his brother Bob white
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Bob White had his restaurant on Gaston Ave. at Samuels Blvd. (later moved just off Military Parkway). IIRC, Roscoe owned both the Easy Way (later moved to Lemmon Ave.) and The Corral.
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Bob White’s restaurant on Gaston just below the White Rock Spillway was great! Also remember the Pig Stand on Garland Rd. nearby?
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what a find…. Roscoe White married Tesa Gore, the youngest daughter of Asa E. Gore ( we found him dying in Dallas tx, 1938) he was the only brother to Jessie G Gore, my great grandfather, and grandfather died 4 months before his only child, Jessie Olive Gore…. Tesa Gore-White brother Willie Gore died in the Philippines in WWII, on the ship Helena, and Adams in his research found the ship that Willie Aaron Gore died.. ( RB is my writer moniker, as b.Alton Cooper is my family name )…Her brother Ethan Warren Gore died and is buried in the fame Hollywood Cemetary, and await pictures of his and his wife Naomi Gore graves….
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From 1956 to 1959 our baseball team, East Dallas Rotary in the midge league stopped by The Corral often. I threw my hat on the roof and the coach’s son covered for me so I would not be in trouble with Mr. Bishop.
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so happy to read all this! First time I’ve ever Googled Easy Way Grill. Grew up in Preston Hollow. Parents owned home previously in University Park. I remember meals at Easy Way Grill in the car always good. My dad died when I was 9 and have always remembered going there. Thank you for this article.❤️
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Worked at the corral and the easy way and my friend Maxine was a waitress also at the corral.Roscoe White had a son, do not know what happen to him. I also remember the black bar tender and manager, highly respected by all.
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Maxine!
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