A recent “06880” post on once-upon-a-time Westport stores and restaurants sent readers racing down memory lane.
One of those memories: the Bonanza Sirloin Pit.
It stood where Goodwill is now, near Stop & Shop. Earlier, it was Westport’s Greyhound bus depot; after, it became the very popular Peppermill restaurant.
I’ve always had a memory of seeing Dan Blocker — “Hoss,” from the “Bonanza” TV show — making a personal appearance there.
But I was never sure how accurate that memory was. A posting by Paul Ehrismann on Facebook the other day assured me I was right.
There’s a bit more to the Bonanza story.
According to Wikipedia, the Westport steakhouse was the very first, in a chain that grew to 600 restaurants by 1989.
There was also a Bonanza a mile west, on the Post Road. Today we know it as Sakura.
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