Bonjour, friendly folks. Allow me to ask you a question: Do you like change, simply for the sake of change?

The reason I ask is that I’m a little sad that Hickory Park moved into a new building. I know, I know, this happened last semester, but every time I go to the new one, I still get a little nostalgic.

First of all, when you had to wait to be seated at the old Hickory Park you had lots of things to entertain you. (The wooden Indian statue and the telephone booth Superman would appreciate are just two fine examples.)

Last Friday night, on the other hand, the only thing that kept me entertained during our 45-minute wait was the flashing lights in the restroom.

Now, I thought the old Hickory Park was huge. It could entertain 204 patrons at a time. (That’s 203 more than John Tesh can claim.) Even so, apparently it wasn’t big enough; the new location can hold up to 500 people.

The large selection of delicious food is one thing that has not changed through the relocation.

Be forewarned. Hickory Park is not for the unhungry. The barbecue house of worship offers a large selection of entrees and prices, ranging from grilled ham & cheese for $2.95 to beef ribs for $11.95.

I quickly decided on the Saucy Southerner. It’s basically like a glorified Arby’s Arby-Q.

Quoting the menu, “It’s a combination of beef, pork, ham and turkey simmered in barbecue sauce and served on your choice of bun” (white, wheat, or onion) for $3.50. They charged an extra 85 cents to add some melted mozzarella cheese on top.

That was the easy part; now I had to choose a side dish. You gotta respect a restaurant that offers more than french fries with your meal.

This handicap-accessible establishment offers BBQ beans, potato salad, coleslaw (which my friend said wasn’t creamy enough), hot applesauce, three bean salad, cottage cheese (my personal preference), macaroni salad or fries. An authentic soda fountain Vanilla Pepsi for $1.10 rounded out my savory dinner.

Another great thing about the old Hickory Park was the successful first date potential. It had all the elements — great food, mood lighting, a rustic decor, constant noise (so you’re not embarrassed by those awkward silences), a wonderful dessert menu prime for sharing and affordable, yet not overly cheap dinner prices.

What more could you ask for?

Don’t get me wrong; even though the new Hickory Park is huge and impersonal and the wait staff tries to hurry you outta there, it will undoubtedly remain a popular place for dates. (Hmm … maybe it’s something in their water.)

Four birthday songs, three free drink refills and two dish drops later, my friend and I were ready to get down to business — dessert.

Even though Hickory Park specializes in over 100 kinds of ice cream sundaes, I went with the admittedly unoriginal, yet impeccable, Rocky Road for $2.75.

The sundae was undoubtedly delicious, but it melted before I could finish it. Besides the relocation and change in decor, I must make one more complaint.

If you want to eat at Hickory Park, you’re probably going to have to wait to be seated.

Everybody knows it’s gonna be busy, right? So, why not allow people to plan ahead and make reservations on the weekend?

Oh well, I’m sure I’ll continue to go to 1404 S. Duff and partake in a few more Saucy Southerners before graduation.

4 stars out of five

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Kim Zangger is a senior in advertising from Mt. Vernon.