The Corral is the site of what is one my family's favorite traditions. Since 1962, (before Judy and I were born) my family has gone to the Corral for dinner on Easter Eve. Naturally, one would ask, "Why?" To which I would reply, "I dunno." The Corral is a drive-in restaurant on South Arlington in the style and vintage of it's two better known Akron competitors Swenson's and Skyway. The Corral is older than one of them but I can't remember which one. When we were very young we'd eat in the car. I didn't even discover they had seven cramped booths inside until the early eighties. Now, we always eat inside. I love it.

Every year, I get the same thing. Onion rings...

...and a Nightmare.

A Nightmare is a burger with luncheon ham, onion, lettuce, tomato, mustard, ketchup, and relish. Fantastic. Normally, the lettuce is leaf lettuce but this year they used iceberg instead. I like the leaf lettuce better.

That's a "small order" of rings on the left and a large on the right.


These are my favorite onion rings. If you've had Hamburger Station's onion rings you know the type but the Corral's batter has a finer texture and is a little sweeter.


Judy always gets the coney. My mom surprised me this year by getting the coney instead of the Nightmare. I admit, it threw me off a bit. I'm not used to people trying anything new when going to the Corral. I tried the coney one time around 1978. I remember that it was good - I really liked it - but it's no Nightmare. My soon-to-be-brother-in-law Bob notched his 2nd Easter Eve visit and ordered the Nightmare. (I think he wants me to like him.) I don't know what Alex, Nick and Ashley ordered at the other table. It's probably better that I don't know. It was probably cheese sticks and milkshakes or something equally healthful.