It’s the end of the line for a longtime Fort Wayne favorite. The final Bandidos at 7510 Winchester Road served its last meals Tuesday, Jan. 31. 

Recently the Schindler family has been transitioning from its dine-in restaurants to a focus on developing their quick-serve Guadalupe’s brand.

Owners of Arcos Restaurante Mexicano have purchased the property on Winchester Road near Lower Huntington Road. Arcos had operated on Dupont Road near Trolley Bar, just north of Dupont Hospital. 

Hodgkin Lymphoma has sidelined Bandidos owner, Jimmy Schindler II, for nearly a year, and this was an opportunity to hand the reins to a like-minded group. Schindler’s father, Jimmy Schindler, who died in March 2020, opened the Waynedale eatery in 1980. It was the first Bandidos of more than a half-dozen locations they would operate around the area. 

As for Arcos, when they were at the Dupont Road location, they were known for their fajitas, appetizers, unique drinks, reasonable prices and of course, authentic dishes. When they announced their closing in early January, they teased of working on a deal for a new location, which we now know where.

Strong turnout to Chimney Cakes opening

If Chimney Cakes Bakery and Café is any indication, Transylvania will have another claim to fame besides vampires and Count Dracula.

Chimney Cakes, or Kürtöskalács as they are called in Hungary, gained a foothold locally at farmers markets and other community events. On Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 28-29, Timea Csibi opened her store at 1202 W. Main Street, just west of downtown. 

Imagine sweet, yeasty dough spun around a cone-roller. After it bakes, it’s sprinkled or dipped in custom toppings. The dough wraps around the cylinder with hollow, thin rings of crispy, golden delight. 

When I walked in, I found the store popping with activity. It was a brisk steady flow of guests, couples, families, and friends enjoying a treat. Most were seated around a few simple but elegant tables with simple games like tic-tac-toe or checkers. Some were reading. Others were hunkered around the counter watching the spectacle,  waiting for their spiral treats. The place buzzed with activity and curiosity. 

The prep area was just as busy. A dozen deep glass pans were filled with toppings: strawberries, chocolate chips, cocoa nuts, cinnamon. All of these delights are made before your eyes: rolled, baked, and sprinkled with toppings. If the sweets don’t make your taste buds sing, their savory selections like five-cheese, jalapeño, or Italian offerings likely will. Just as I was daring to try the five-cheese recipe, I was encouraged to keep it simple. I picked an almond chimney.

Forty-five minutes after arriving, I realized the consistent traffic wasn’t just a rush. There was a steady flow of visitors. 

Remember that this is a café, too. There are too many to list, but I’ll tease with coffee, fresh-squeezed lemonade, soft drinks, lattes, and cappuccino, including an intriguing chili chocolate concoction. 

Before I left, I heard conversations with glowing phrases like “best treats ever” and a few “we’ll be back soon.” I will, too. 

 “It is cozy.” “It’s so relaxing.” Another guest remembered the building as a neighborhood bar. “I can’t believe what they’ve done.”

Chimney Cakes is open 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, and noon-4 p.m. Sunday.

teds finds second home at Promenade

It’s official: There’s a familiar name operating the pavilion at Promenade Park. 

teds beerhall, 12628 Coldwater Road, is opening a second location, teds Snack+Bar, on the banks of the St. Marys River, in the space formerly occupied by Trubble Brewing.

“Clearly, given the smaller size of the space, this will be a very different offering than what we have at our current location,” teds owner Brian Hench said in a press release. 

They’ll start with private events in the early spring then open up with regular hours in May with a focus on convenient options and drinks. 

“We are really excited to be part of downtown,” Hench said. “It is something that we have been looking at for some time, and this is a great way for us to be part of the activity happening downtown and deliver a delicious experience to the guests of Promenade Park.”

Expansion receives OK from plan commission

JK O’Donnell’s received the go-ahead to expand after the Fort Wayne Plan Commission approved a 2,700-square-foot pergola that will cover the parking lot behind the restaurant at 121 W. Wayne St.

The area will serve as an outdoor sitting area with tables, seats, a turf surface, and a retractable steel awning.

Improvements are expected to be completed this summer.

Off the Eaten Path is the Whatzup weekly column that covers Northeast Indiana’s restaurant and food news. Send your news items to info@whatzup.com.