The Tumbleweed Cafe is anything but a tumbleweed. Located in the heart of the oilfields off the Petroleum Highway, former Taft Chamber of Commerce President, Orchel Krier's quaint establishment is a diamond in the rough.
This charming joint rests off the beaten path but it is not a place to be missed. The exclusive cuisine of this Derby Acres gem is heavenly on the palate. From the best burgers in the West to more obscure delicacies like alligator steaks and frog legs, the Tumbleweed offers an array of choices, always prepared with efficiency, weaving in savory and sometimes exotic tastes for breakfast, lunch and, with reservations, dinner.
Krier, a renowned globetrotter, brings to the grill his experiences from his vast and repeat visits to Western and Eastern Europe as well as his seasoned culinary background in barbecuing for various charities such as the Make A Wish Foundation and the Valley Fever Foundation.
The warmhearted and attentive Tumbleweed crew not only serve meals on par with the best home cooked eats but they make it their mission to serve and treat their customers with the utmost care to make them feel at home. "We make people feel welcome here," Krier said. "You come here, we take you in and we treat you like you're royalty." And they certainly do so with an unrivaled option: they will make anything their customers request when given a day's notice. "Everything is made from scratch," Krier explained. "We just want to give people the most unique dinner experience."
Inside the restaurant is just as warm and inviting as one could expect. The tables are arranged in a comfortable fashion leaving room to spread out and talk freely. The bar, which was recently remodeled, is one of the crown jewels of this institution and is a place of endless entertainment. With a state of the art jukebox and engaging locals, it's somewhere you can take off your hat and have a cold and refreshing drink. "We try to be unique with our drinks by having a wide selection," Krier said. This is an understatement. The drink selections are as vast as the Carrizo Plains. From the best of imported beers to almost any liquor you can think of, they've got it and are happy to serve it. And on Friday nights they feature not only their daily bar specials but they also serve ribs and hot wings.
Being that they are situated right in the middle of the number one oil producing field in the country The Tumbleweed is able to service the oilfield workers with hearty meals to keep them going. They also cater and provide a bar or beer garden for many events around town like the car show this past June and the annual Chamber of Commerce Gala. "We're small enough that we don't mind," he said. "From the individual to a large party, we cater to their personal wants and needs to make them feel special."
Although they opened on September 1, 2005, for Krier owning the Tumbleweed was a dream that had been silently building over the course of 30 years. Having passed through Taft on numerous occasions, he noticed the Tumbleweed was for sale and his interest was piqued. Eventually he made an offer and added restaurateur to the list of his entrepreneurial accomplishments. "I tried to get a vision of how I could make this place a better place," Krier said. "It would be my dream for retirement. I enjoy the community because the people here are very neat people. I just fell in love with the area."
Despite Krier's claim that he is not a philanthropist, his actions say differently. The money generated from the restaurant is donated to local clubs and organizations. "I enjoy helping out the community," Krier remarked. "I like doing it because I want to do it, not because I have to do it. I want to do what I can to make this area here, the West Side, throughout Derby Acres all the way to Maricopa a destination."