I don’t get out too much, both because of anxiety and an unrequited love of my own bed. A restaurant opening isn’t something I would picture myself at, but at the recent grand opening of R1 Karting’s brand new FUEL Sports Bar, I found myself at the front desk, standing beside my coworker Erin, waiting for a table. Tyler Shepherd, the director of business development and brand marketing manager at FUEL, and Megan McGuinness, owner of McGuinness Media and Marketing, were there to introduce themselves and get us settled in. We were given red wristbands and brought to a table.
I didn’t realize how spacious the place was. As Erin and I ventured to a table, however, bunches of red, white and black balloons hanging on chairs caught our attention, leading our eyes to more and more seating and open space. This particular night was for invites only, before FUEL was open to the public. The building was packed. It seemed like everyone was eager to check out this new space, which is modern and bright.
We took our seats at a long, bar-height table and ordered drinks. I got “Fresh squeezed in house!” lemonade, the waitress said, while Erin got a vodka cucumber drink (which she told me was delicious).
After a few minutes we were ready for food. Our waitress pointed out that while dinner wouldn’t be served until later, there was food in the VIP area toward the back of the space, served buffet style. We were more than welcome to peruse the goodies, and we did so with happy, grateful tastebuds!
There was plenty to go around, including pulled pork sandwiches, cheeseburgers, mashed potatoes, grilled salmon and pasta with meatballs. I opted for a pulled pork slider and some salmon, which was absolutely delicious. As we ate, a few waitresses gliding around offered hors d’ouvres. One of which, figs and mascarpone wrapped in filo dough, turned out to be a new favorite of mine.
Also in the VIP space was a small bowling alley. Unfortunately, we were crunched for time, and will have to go back to try that out. The group playing looked like they were having a lot of fun.
While dinner was definitely satisfying (and filling!), we decided to go for dessert. There were a few racks of sweets, including multiple types of mini-cupcakes and chocolates. We both took a few of each (no shame, yo!), and sat at a small table by an enormous wall of windows overlooking the karting track to watch the cars whiz by. Definitely a very cool sight. My favorite cupcake was red velvet with cream cheese frosting. My favorite kart would be much harder to narrow down.
I’m not usually one for big events – they’re loud and crowded, two things that spike my anxiety. FUEL was definitely loud and crowded, but it was also fun and open, so I felt very comfy there. The waitstaff were helpful, friendly and inviting. The space’s openness was calming. Everyone was there to relax and have fun, and I ended up having a really good time! I definitely recommend checking out FUEL at R1 Indoor Karting. What makes this place so unique is that there’s so much to do. The food is delicious, and the space is welcoming and engaging – a perfect pit stop to refuel with some food and drinks before checking out the indoor karting track, throw some darts or maybe bowl a game or two.