Golden Delicious

Krispy Chicken
2307 Franklin Ave
Waco Texas 76710
(254) 757-1230




So today was a lovely day outside and I had it off from work, so I decided to smoke a couple racks of ribs. Got up early and started them around 8-8:30, and smoke them low and slow. While smoking them I decide to read a new BBQ I got about various BBQ joints rather than focus on recipes. Well a few hours in, I was getting hungry and didn’t want to cook anything or drive too far to pick something up.
Well I remember seeing an interesting fried chicken joint over on Franklin just a couple blocks away. Actually I’ve known its been there for a couple years now, I just haven’t bothered to go over them. Well today is the day I finally decided to try it out.
So I prep my smoker to allow me to leave for a few minutes to hop on down a few blocks and pick up a quick bite. As I pull in I have 3 cars follow me in an 2 leaving, so they definitely have steady business… as this is how I’ve always seen it there… decently busy. They have a fairly decent menu, much like most fried chicken places, but they also have catfish and some other odds and ends. I decide to the #1, which is 3 pieces of chicken (I got 2 huge thighs and 1 drumstick) and 3 rolls, I also had them throw in a side of their cole slaw. This all came out to be around $5.50, which is not a bad price not at all.
I get home with my food, grab a vanilla coke, check on my ribs… then pop down to eat my lunch. From first looks, the skin is nice and golden, not greasy and seems crispy. The rolls looks nice and fresh. The cole slaw is creamy and fresh. First I try the slaw, the veggies are fresh and crunchy, the sauce is creamy and sweet (with a flavor at the end that is still baffling me), and its one of the best cole slaws I’ve ever had. Next I tried the roll, its your basic dinner roll, but it was nice and fresh…. not all dried out like some places serve. Last but not least I tried the chicken. The first piece I tried was the drumstick. The skin is nice and flavor full, not greasy at all, with a slight crunch to it. The meat is extremely juicy (not at all dry) and nearly perfectly cooked and had a nice fresh chicken flavor. This goes for the thighs as well. The chicken was just extremely well cooked and needed no seasoning to give it flavor. This is some of the best deep fried chicken Ive ever had, and I mean ever. Most places serve overcooked and dry chicken, or chicken that’s overly bland or overly seasoned.
I will definitely be going back for more chicken and slaw, as well as to try their chicken tenders, potato salad and even catfish. So if you are ever in the downtown are, I highly recommend for you to give them a try one day for lunch. Yum!

Oh and yes, the ribs came out perfectly later on that evening.

Toms Smokehouse

The Eyes of Texas are Upon You
Part 3

Tom’s Smokehouse
3125 Bellmead Drive
Waco Texas 76705
(254)-799-2345
M-F 10:30 to 5:30 **hours may change upon owners whim**


So today my dad felt good enough to go to lunch with me and he wanted to try out this BBQ joint out in Bellmead, he had heard of it in the past, but never made a trip out there. Originally we were goin’ to Food For Thought, but I decided I needed some real food, not some organic vegan stuff… at least, not today, today I needed some real protein.

So we find the restaurant, but parking was exactly easy, it was a full house, front side and back. Luckily one opened up while driving around the block. So we park and head in. Its is fairly crowded and we are greeted by a guy behind the counter. Real nice guy and friendly, kinda funny. He tells us the daily special and hands us a menu to glace over. They have a nice variety to choose from, 7 different meats, 9 sides, potatoes, sandwiches and couple salads. I ordered the “Pig Out” Plate, which is 3 meats and two sides. I picked brisket, ribs and chicken for the meat, cole slaw and mashed potatoes for the sides. So we tell we get our drinks and take a seat, waiting for them to bring us our food. After sitting for a while, waiting, there is a nice and steady flow of people coming in… which is generally a good sign. The place had a overall great atmosphere. The guy behind the counter, probably the owner was very friendly. Walking around checking up on customers and striking up conversations.

Finally our food comes, my dad got the brisket plate and well my plate was massive. Came with a big ole chicken breast, a nice size rib and a few slices of brisket, along with a nice size serving of mashed potatoes (w/ gravy) and cole slaw. So the first thing I try is the mashed potatoes… they were alright, nothing really special about them, but they were still good. Next I tried the slaw, I loved the slaw. It has a slightly creamy dressing, rather sweet and the veggies were fresh and crunchy. I could’ve eaten a full bowl of this stuff. Then I tried the brisket, I don’t think they put a rub on it (if they do, it is very light) it had a decent smoke ring and subtle aroma, was fork tender and had a nice overall flavor. Was a little dry at times (like much lean brisket can be), but nothing a little bbq sauce couldn’t resolve. Speaking of sauce, they serve it in empty Louisiana jalapeno bottles, it isn’t a thick bbq sauce and it a little sweet. I liked it. The rib was good, could peel most of it just right off the bone (but probably could’ve been cooked a little longer), had a nice smoky flavor and covered with sauce… was pretty good eats. But my favorite meat was the chicken. They clearly smoked the chicken for at least park of the cooking, as it not only had a smoky aroma to it, but you could also taste the smoke from the skin to the meat. The skin was nicely seasoned, well smoked and crunchy, and I love chicken skin. The meat was juicy and tender, had a nice smoke flavor to it as well and it went great with the sauce.

After eating all that, believe it or not I still had room for some dessert. So I ordered their blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Was a great way to end the meal.

Over all I enjoyed the meal and will deff go back to try some of their other meats as well as their other sides (tater salad and mac specifically) and potatoes.
So if you are ever in the Bellmead area, give them a try.

I DID WHAT?

What Some May Find Unusual

Part 1


So one thing I love to do is try new things. New rub mixtures, marinades, sauces, and such.. and then try them out on family and friends.. to see if they are worth doing again, or if they should be buried for life. Well, actually all my rubs turn out pretty good (those are hard to mess up), but the marinades on the other hand…..ya. ummm. not. so. much.
Here are four of my most memorable experiences: pineapple teriyaki beef jerky, grape stir fried chicken, Original Smirnoff Malt Pork tender loin, Goldschlager and root beer baked chicken. Now… you try to guess which were the hits and which were the misses.

Done guessing?
Here are the answers:

1. Pineapple Teriyaki Beef Jerky: Sounds odd at first, and catches most people off guard. But its been done for centuries in oriental stir fries, so why not jerky? Throw in some crushed pineapple, unsweetened pineapple juice, half a bottle teriyaki sauce and some seasoning, let it sit over night then dehydrate. Sounds simple, smells very odd and tasted great. Just about everyone that tried it loved it, even those who were very weary at first. The only people who didn’t care much for it, were those who don’t like sweet jerky, and this, unlike traditional spicy or peppery jerky was rather sweet. Not only was the flavor nice and subtle, with a little sweetness, the juice helped break down some of the fat in the meat, making it more tender and less chewy so it didn’t kill your jaw like some do. Verdict = Hit

2. Grape kool-aid stir fried chicken: Chicken stir fry = Awesome. Grape Kool-aid = awesome. Chicken stir fry + grape kool aid =? So I was bored one day and in the mood to try something out of the ordinary. I knew I had some raw chicken in the fridge and I wanted to cook it later that night. So I prowl through my fridge and come across some grape kool-aid that I made earlier in the week. Thought to myself, what the hell… WHY NOT? So I throw the chicken in a bag, pour in some aid and add some seasoning, let it sit for a couple hours before I start dinner. So prep time is upon us, I take the chicken out of the bag… its rather bluish now… kinda cool looking. So, now how to cook it? bake it… take too long. Grill it… too cold out side. Stir fry… simple and fast. So I whip up some simple stir fry seasoning and coat the chicken, heat up my wok and toss it in. Then of course gotta add some veggies and a little bit of soy sauce. Smells kinda good, definitely not bad. So the stir is done, the rice is done, and rolls are done. Time to eat. MY mom took a couple bites Yep… we ordered a pizza. It didn’t work.. not at all. Now when I cook, she always asks what Im doing, to make sure I dont try to pull any more"funny stuff" tests on her. Verdict = Miss

3. Original Smirnoff Malt Pork Tender Loin: I like to marinate my loins to add flavor and keep them juicy throughout the cooking. So once again its my day to cook, I got a loin in the fridge and Ive done used several types of beers already in the past… but I have a Malt left over from a party, so what the hell why not give it a try. The original have a sweet, slightly lemony taste to them. IT could work (and the alcohol will help tenderize the meat). So I through the loin, the malt and some garlic and lemon pepper in the bag to marinate for a few hours. Now time to cook it, I could either grill it or roast it. I decide to roast it. So I go over to the fridge to take it out, what was once a pinkish toned slab of meat is now ghostly white. Hmmm, that’s interesting. But theres no turning back now. I throw it in a pan, sprinkle a little more lemon pepper and some paprika on it, then toss it in the oven to cook. Time to eat. The loin, was juicy, flavorful- not to sweet with a nice lemony taste with the kick of pepper. Verdict = Hit


4. Goldschlager and Root Beer Baked Chicken: One of my favorite alcohols to take shots of and smells awesome and Root beer is one of my favorite sodas.. Ive never had them together as a drink, so Im not realy sure where I got the idea to combind the two for a marinade. What I do remember is I had come from a party earlier that week and had less than fourth a bottle of schlager left over and wanted to use it up. But I didn’t want to drink it nor waste it down the sink. So instead I thought, hey use it on some chicken! But I couldn’t use it straight up, its too powerful for that, so I had to dilute it with something… why not a soda. I was out of Dr. Pepper and coke, but had and A&W RB left. So “You’re it”! So I throw it all together with some chicken breasts, let them sit for a couple hours. After words I take some ruffles potato chips, cursh them up and sprinkle some seasonings in, stir it up. I take my chicken, dip them in a egg bath and then coat them with the crunched chips. I place them on a rank and bake up. The chicken comes out nice and juicy, the crust is nice and crunchy with a nice slightly spicy sweet flavor, while the chicken has a distinct cinnamon flavor with a hint of root beer. All combined… verdict = Hit

Part 2 will be coming soon, and Ill throw in some more of my failures next time.

My First Brisket

Some Of My Own Bar-B-Que Experience


So along with trying Bar-B-Que around Texas, I’ve been practicing BBQing some of my own meats. The last 3 weeks I have smoked a couple of briskets, a couple of pork tender loins and a couple racks of 3 ½ down ribs.

The briskets I cooked up pretty much for a small family reunion. We had between 20-30 members coming, so I picked up two 6 pound briskets (trimmed). So a couple nights before I put a fairly decent amount of seasoning on them both, and let them sit in the fridge to “marinate”
The day of the BBQ I got up at 7am, got cleaned up and headed over to my uncles (where we were throwing the get together). I had brought my smoker over there earlier in the week. So I get there, and we set up the smoker and start the chimney. Using mesquite lump coal, which Ive never used before, we were in for a show. Once it started to catch, sparks were flying several feet high, a lot like those cone firework things you get for the 4th of July… were a little worried there for a bit that it might light a tree on fire. Once it settled down, we added it to the smoker, got the temp to level out then relaxed for most of the day. Listened to Eric Clapton’s new CD, worked on a doggy door for my cousin and played a couple games of washers (kicking my uncles butt of course) until the family started to show up. The doggy door is actually a funny story… my cousins new dog has been breaking into his house during the day and climbing all over his tables and furniture, even though he has blocked the door with a chair and heavy books and what not. But that’s a story best told by him. So while hanging out with the family and watching the Cowboys v Vikings game I would check the heat and smoke levels and adjust properly, only opened the actual smoker twice to look at the briskets and calculate time (since my aunt wanted them done around 5pm).

So I pull them off the pit, they look wonderful and smelled AWESOME! BUT as any chef knows, you never just cut them or any meat right away. You gotta let them rest, so the juices flooow back and settle. Man that was hard to do, the entire house was just fulled of the smokey goodness aroma. Though the horrific playing of the Cowboys did help distract us for a bit, as rage and anger filled our eyes.

Once it has rested enough, its time to slice and dice. But, yes another BUT, I forget that my uncle doest keep exactly sharp knives. lol. Thank god the briskets were nice and tender, but the crust wasn’t exactly the easiest part to get through… but we managed. The smoke ring on the brisket was perfect, the crust was nice and flavorful, the smokiness flavor in the brisket was just right. The only problem was that on the second brisket, I slightly overcooked park of the lean section.
But besides that, they were pretty damn good, and for my first time smoking a brisket out side of work and by myself, I was very happy with the results. And seeing as how most of the 2 briskets disappeared, the family seemed to enjoy it too.

I plan on doing a couple more soon for some friends and family, I’m gonna change up the rub some and add more apple wood to the first stage of smoking… now that I can get it in bulk and not just stupid chips. (and Im sure that story will be much more entertaining, I just was bored so I decided to type this lame excuse for a blog post up).

Old School Detail Bar-B-Que

The Eyes of Texas are Upon You
Part 2

Old Fashion Bar-B-Que
900 West Waco Drive
Waco, TX 76701




So today I slept in and watched a documentary on Texas Bar-B-Que, after all that and getting cleaned up, I went by Academy to pick up some wood (mesquite and apple) and new boots for work. After finishing my errands, I was hungry and wanted some lunch. But I wanted something new to try… I could try a couple of Mexican joints, and one odd seafood, but I was in the mood for BBQ and I remember seeing one on Waco Drive on the ride back from a Shakira concert a month back. So I headed that way and finally came upon it, only to find out they weren’t open at the time being… or at least that’s what I gathered from the old guy standing outside. So I turned around and decided to go home to eat a sandwich… when low and behold I spotted another BBQ joint… so I pulled a quick Uie and turned into the parking lot.

When I got out of my car and could smell the awesomeness of BBQ smoke… made me very happy. When you walk up to it, you’ll notice it pretty much is a hole in the wall… but that’s the great part about it. It has a area where they smoke the meat, you can tell by the blacked top of the wall and the small chimney pipe, they have a ordering area and a small place to sit and eat out side… if you wish. There were two guys there before me, one of whom said he could smell their smoke across the street while getting gas and just had to stop by for some chow. Now that’s just plain awesome.

So why they are placing their orders, Im glancing over the menu. I already knew what I wanted, so I didn’t read too much on it. But they do carry the classics- brisket, ribs, sausage, links and chopped beef. Can get individual plates, or 2/3 meat combos, sandwiches and family packs. They have 3 sides- yellow potato salad, beans and chips and then every plate comes with 2 sides and bread.

So its finally my turn to order, I choose the 2 meat combo with brisket and ribs. The guy working the window is real nice and easy going, wouldn’t mind talking to him more next time I go. Get their back story on the BBQ and what not.

So I get my food and head on home. I noticed the meat is just covered in sauce and the YPS looks amazing. The first thing I try is the potato salad, cause it looks really good. And it was, its probably my favorite YPS so far- its creamy with some chucks, sweet, not too much mustard, can taste some may, and they didn’t over do it with the pimentos or onions… as there were almost none. It was really good. Next I tried the brisket.. which isn’t sliced like most places. Its kinds just hacked up and threw in there, like they used to do in the older times. It was juicy and tender, had a very nice subtle flavor…. could tell it was fresh off the pit. The ribs were short pork ribs, I got about 3 of them.. and they were cooked to perfection. The meat just peeled off the bones with extreme ease and had a nice smoky flavor. If they used a rub on either meats, it’s a very subtle one that was easily masked by the sauce. Next time, Ill have to ask for sauce on the side so I can try it dry (and ill update y’all when I do that). The sauce was a vinegar based BBQ sauce, and was very sweet. Im usually not a fan of the vinegar based, but I really enjoyed this one and kept using my bread and brisket to mop it up with The plate also came with beans, but I’m allergic to them and too be honest not a fan of beans in the first place (so even without allergies I would eat them… haha). But I had my dad try them, he said they were decent, and had a bit of a pepper bite to them. He compared them to bushes baked beans with more bite. This entire meal only cost me 8.50, and I didn’t even finish it all… they piled on the meat.

Over all I really enjoyed it and will deff be going back to try more of their meats and for more of their delicious potato salad. So stop on by one day for lunch, they open at 11am and tell’em DavieG sent you by…. haha.

Hearty Food and a Hearty Pint

Barnett's Pub
420 Franklin Avenue
Waco, TX, 76701
254-714-1356
http://www.barnettspub.com
And can be found on Facebook



So after a day of running around looking for wood to BBQ with and then sanding & painting my smoker, I decided to finally hit up Barnett’s Pub for some grub and a pint.

I had been to Barnett’s once before for a friends birthday. It’s a nice little place on Franklin, with a little outdoor seating area and a dart board in the back. Currently all they serve is beer right now (as of 11/04/10), but I hear they will soon be serving Top Shelf liquors.

For food they have a small and simple menu, appetizers, some heartier items and dessert.
While there I try a new beer, a Hearty Oat Stout, recommended by my friends Casey and then place an order for their Home made Shepherd’s Pie and their Guinness 4 cheese sauce on the side. The beer was fine, fairly mellow, with a slight bitter aftertaste. Not bad, and I’m not usually a stout fan.

After hangin’ out a bit with Casey and sippin’ on my beer, my food is ready to dine down on. The Shepherd’s pie comes out in a while large gratin dish, and both are piping hot. The pie consists of ground beef, carrots, onions, peas and topped with mashed potatoes and green onions. The potatoes are fresh and creamy but with a flaky top from being in the oven. They had a nice mellow flavor and topped the dish nicely. The meat is flavorful, well seasoned, tender and juicy, while the veggies have a nice flavor and good texture, not all dry and bland. Wasn’t a big fan of the peas, but I just hate peas. lol The cheese sauce I had ordered on the side incase I wasn’t a fan, but I ended up really liking it. The guy who makes it also tends bar there. Told me a little bit about it while I was eating, he makes it fresh every day. Using 4 different cheese and Guinness beer. It had a nice consistency, you could actually taste the beer and the cheese flavors mixed well. I finished it all, minus most of the peas ;) and was stuffed. Great dish for this slightly cool and wet weather…. warms your body, heart and even soul.

But I still had enough room for their Bread pudding… oh yeah. I actually usually don’t go for dessert, but Id heard a lot of good things about this one, so I had to give it a try and besides who can pass up home made Bread pudding! Its comes out in a little dish, it’s a pretty nice helping. Smelled awesome, you could smell the cinnamon and freshness of the ingredients, and it looked just as awesome. The pudding had a great flavor, just the right amount of seasoning and “sauce” and nicely sweet. It was warm and delicate and creamy in texture with just the right amount of raisins. Was the best bread pudding Id ever had and will definitely be getting it again.

Next time I go back I’m going to try a new beer and their Club sandwich, which Casey told me is pretty good. Over all I had a great dining experience and good company.

So if you are in the down town area and are looking for a place for some hearty food and a pint, check out Barnett’s Pub.

Dont Have to Cross the Ocean

D’s Mediterranean Grill
1503 Colcord

Waco, Texas 76707

(254)-754-6709

New Website

 

The first time I ate here was with my dad, he really likes the place and has taken several friends and family members there. It’s a nice quaint little joint down on Colcord, in a little metropolis of other joints like Beatnix, World Cup Café and a few shops.

You walk in, it’s a nice quite atmosphere (even when packed) and is decorated with pictures of their home country. They have their Mediterranean menu and an American menu. All of which is made to order and from scratch.

The first time I went was with my dad. We walk up to the counter to look over the menu and talk to the guy…. asking him what’s in everything and how to pronounce it all. He was real nice, helpful and informative. After looking it all over I settled on the Lamb Kabob on a bed of rice with two sides- spanakopita (sautéed spinach & feta rolled up in buttery filo dough) and I had to try their mashed potatoes, it also came with 2 slices of unleavened bread… and for dessert I ordered one of the lady fingers.

So I place my order, go sit down and wait. Wasn’t very busy when I first got there, but by the time my food rolled out, the place was nearly packed. They call your number and bring over to you. First thing I noticed was the awesome aroma filling the air from my dish as it approached. You could smell the bell peppers, the seasoning, the lamb… was awesome.

The first thing I tried was the mashed potatoes, I like mashed potatoes a lot so I had to give them first shot. They were alright, nice texture, decent flavor, served with classic white gravy. They weren’t anything special but… they definitely weren’t bad either. They serve a chicken fried steak, so I bet they go better with that than my lamb. Next I tried the spanakopita (he told me how to pronounce it a couple of times, I still can’t get it… hahaha). It was freaking great, the dough was the flakiest dough I’d ever eaten, lightly sweet, crisp, was just amazing. If I could’ve made my dough that flaky in pastry class I would’ve been set ;) . The spinach and the feta cheese stuffing had a great flavor, nice and creamy texture, these were definitely made from scratch. Then I tried the rice on which the main dish rested upon. It’s not your plain white or brown rice, its Mediterranean style rice I suppose. It was pretty good, welled cooked and a decent flavor. Now we come to the main dish… lamb kabob with grilled squash, zucchini, shallots and red bell peppers. The lamb was well seasoned, perfectly cooked with still a little pink in the center, tender and flavorful. Some of the best lamb I’d every had. The veggies were seasoned as well, nicely grilled, nice and sweet. Really loved the bell peppers.

The second time I went was lunch with the guys who started Wacoboard.com, Luke and Kyle. This is one of their favorite places to chow down at in Waco. They eat here about once a week; Kyle loves their Chicken Tenders, while Luke got a Gyro and loves their Baklava (s a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey). I got their lamb gyro as well with a side of their fries.

We had a good time talking about local businesses, Wacoboard, my blog and of course food. D’s has some great food, and I can see why they come here so often. I really enjoyed my Gyro, but I fear there was something in it that I was allergic too… so I wasn’t able to finish it all. The lamb was flavorful and tender, well-seasoned; the lettuce fresh, the sauce had a great savory flavor, the wrap was good too. The fries were also excellent; fresh, perfectly crispy, great flavor and steaming hot. Some of the best fries in town. We spent a good 5 minutes alone just talking about how we think they make them.

About the time we were finishing up, kyle let me try one of the chicken tenders… "O.M.G"….. They were most excellent. The meat was juicy and tender, the seasoning was great, and the batter was nice and crispy. I was originally afraid of ever ordering off their American menu; since I figured they’d focus on the Mediterranean menu and half ass it with the American one like so many other places. But man was I wrong. They put just as much effort into making these tenders awesome as they do their Main food. Next time I hit this joint, Im gonna have to get a batch of these babies for myself. Best chicken tenders in town… hands down.

Over all I had several great experiences and will most definitely keep going back, and often. They have all kinds of interesting things on their menu... and wanna try as much of them as I can.

*If you live in Waco and surrounding area and haven’t joined Wacoboard.com yet, you should really 

look into it*

 

The Eyes of Texas are Upon You: Part1

The Eyes of Texas are Upon You
Part 1
Georgetown Bar-B-Que
723 W. University Ave.
Georgetown, Texas 78626
(512) 864-7389
Open: Monday - Saturday 10am-8pm


So for my Bar-B-Que Adventures I started it off down in Georgetown. Not too far from where I live and it’s a nice small town, and its right off I-35... real easy to find.

But first I gotta go off on a small tangent and say odd people should have their depth-perception tested at least once a year, for most of the way down there I had this 80 year old fool tailing me… Id pull away and put some distance between us weaving between what cars were on the road, Id start cruising again… and *blam* the old fart is back on my tail. Not sure what was up, but it was Annoying. Just wanted to get that off my chest.

Alright, back to the Que. So pulled into the joints little parking lot, first thing that hit me is the smell of Bar-B-Que.. who would’ve guessed. It looks like a very moderate place, nothing fancy. So I walk in, its nice and quiet, dim lighting, ample seating and I got there before the rush. I take a look at their menu, there is plenty to choose from- sandwiches, meats and plates, and packs for to-go and of course desserts (which I failed to get this time). it’s a cafeteria style service. I stare at it for a while before I decide on their 2-meat plate; which is 2 meats of your choice, 2 sides, bread, pickles, onions and bbq sauce. For the meats I chose brisket (non-lean) and pork loin. For sides I picked potato salad and slaw and a cup of bbq on the side. I also order a big ole glass of Sweet tea to top it off (and better yet, they have the awesome crunchy ice). You go through the line, one person cuts the meat and weighs it out in front of you, then a second person piles on the sides, gives you your drink and rings you up. I pick a booth to sit in, so I can eat in peace and relax a little after my drive.

I start with the potato salad. First thing I notice is that they leave the skins on the potatoes… which I love. Second, I notice it looks smooth and not chunky. It has a very good flavor, its mustard potato salad, but they don’t use a lot of mustard. The mustard flavor is very light, they didn’t use too many pimentos or onions and the texture was great. Really loved their potato salad. Next I tried the cole slaw. Thick and hearty, looked well dressed. The dressing wasn’t very sweet, but that’s fine, it had a very nice mellow flavor. The texture was great, not soggy at all, but crunchy and fresh. Now the pork loin, I love pork loin. I cook it more than anything else… smoke it, grill it, roast it, etc. I didn’t notice a smoke ring, so I am guessing they roasted it. It did however have a hearty crust formed from seasoning and maybe a baste. It was nice and moist, the meat it self had a nice and mellow flavor, the crust is what had the pop & zip to it. Over all the pork was good. Next was the Brisket, Texans meat of choice. The brisket was definitely smoked with a seasoned crust… similar to the pork. Was tender, could almost cut it with my fork, moist and had a very nice flavor. Some of the best brisket I have had, besides my own. ;) Last but not least I tried the BBQ sauce. Man, I have tried all kinds of bbq sauces in my life. Tomato based, vinegar based, ones with whiskey, ones with beer, ones with even fruit in them. But this one, I swear had red wine it in. It was tangy with a aftertaste of wine. It caught me totally off guard, but I like it. I kept eating it, it was just amazing and new. I was probably making all kinds of weird faces when I ate it, just trying to figure out what all was in it. Ill definitely being going back, just to have another crack at that sauce.

Overall I had a great experience at this BBQ joint, and if you are every traveling down or up I-35, or are even in the Austin region.. if you got the time stop by this place. You wont be disappointed. I know I wasn’t.

Good Big Ole Breakfast

Kims
2600 W Waco Dr
Waco, TX 76710-7443
(254) 756-5951

Kim’s restaurant, been in Waco for longer than I’ve been alive… serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is on Waco drive and 26th street, almost in the center of Waco, so it’s a great place to stop by for a bite to eat wherever you are. I eat there a couple times a month… usually lunch or dinner. But their breakfast… their breakfast is one of the best.

Well today I was lucky enough to get my ass up in time and have enough cash on me to buy a big ole breakfast from them. Oh yeah.

So I ordered the Texan- 2 large pancakes with a big pad of butter, 2 eggs cooked your way, hash browns, home-fries or grits, and 3 strips of crispy bacon. If you get it to go you also get two little cups of syrup. This is very well priced too, $7 for the meal. The pancakes are fairly large, as big as the to-go box and decently thick. They are hearty, yet soft and sweet, with a little crispiness around the edges. They are pretty damn good. The eggs can be cooked in any way you want, I used to get them scrambled, but now I get them poached. They were always good scrambled, but after trying them poached I feel in love. So I can be very picky with how they are cooked. I don’t like them too runny and I don’t like stiff… I get them done medium. Kim’s cooks usually get it right, once in a blue moon Ill get one over cooked. For the potato dish I usually get their home-fries without onions. Chucks of potatoes, sautéed till golden brown.. good flavor and texture. I’ve tried their hash browns, and they are very similar to McDonalds hash browns… but better. I like their bacon, its always fresh and done very crispy and greasy… got to love that. I could just eat their bacon, sometimes I order a few extra slices even.

They are one of my favorite places to eat for breakfast and have turned several friends onto this place. When you decide to go eat there in the morning, they have a very nice atmosphere. Real nice old ladies work behind the counter, and a couple of younger women too… who carry a little attitude. Usually there is a big group of older men who eat breakfast there, lawyers, judges and retired men who eat breakfast together almost every morning there. Reminds you of an old style diner, which I guess it is. Since I don’t think they have renovated it since I’ve been alive.

So If you wake up one morning and are a little hungry for a big old breakfast, head over to Kim’s!

(addition)
--I live just a couple blocks from Kim’s, so I not only get breakfast from them occasionally I also pick up lunch and dinner from them when I really don’t feel like cooking. Ive had their burgers, their steak sandwiches, their Philly cheese steak, chicken fried steak, chicken tenders, steak fingers, and even their Rueben.

They have pretty decent burgers that are probably 6oz patties, always a good flavor and never dried out. I really like to get their steak sandwich or Philly cheese steak…. Both are pretty tasty. Their CFS is alright, Ive gotten great ones and Ive gotten really chewy ones. The chicken tenders are a good meal with the addition of a baked potato, their steak fingers aren’t anything special… premade and frozen. My dad really likes to get their Rueben, has great flavor.

If you are ever in middle Waco and craving some lunch or dinner, pop on in and give them a try. They have a pretty nice diner style menu and good prices for the food and I usually get my food to go… but its just as nice to eat there with friends and family.

Una Bella Serata

Avanti Ristorante

2720 McKinney Ave.
Dallas, TX 75204

Phone: 214.871.4955

Website
Website 2

So today my friend, Ale, and myself went up to Dallas, Texas to see Shakira in concert. We took the whole day off so we could go up there early and do a couple of other things as well- visit the Dallas Museum of Art and eat dinner at a nice restaurant. I searched on the web for hours looking through all the restaurants around the Airline center, as I am not very familiar with Dallas yet and wanted to keep the driving simple. So I stumbled upon Avanti Ristorante, a nice Italian/European style restaurant, with the use of Google Maps. I checked out their web page and menu, I liked what I saw. But before making reservations I emailed them to see what their ‘dress code’ was…. didn’t want to show up too casual. So I got the go ahead and made reservations, I was looking forward to it.

So we leave Friday afternoon, but you first got to get through Waco traffic, specifically the Waco Dr & 29th street intersection, where we almost get killed by some moron who runs a blatant red light and nearly hits us. But enough about that and kind of getting lost in Dallas, lets get to the restaurant.

The restaurant is very easy to find, they have a small parking lot but still have valet parking for when they get busy and the front lot gets full. We got there early enough that we didn’t need that, truth be told we were the first people there since they open at 5, we got there at 5:15 and our reservation was at 5:30. So we go in and get seated. The place looks really nice, nice dim lights, yellow roses on every table, nice subtle music and friendly staff.

They brought us our menus and our water (Which they never let get half empty throughout our meal). They have a nice selection of appetizers, salads, pastas and entrée dishes. I ordered one of my favorite salads the….. Caesar salad (romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, and garlic croutons with classic Caesar dressing) for starters and The Long Island Duck (boneless breast braised in calvados with caramelized Washington apples) for the entrée. Ale ordered their Arugula Salad (roasted pear, crumbled gorgonzola and candied pecans with hazelnut oil dressing) and their Chicken Limone (sautéed chicken breast with chardonnay lemon sauce and capers). Both of our entrees came with a side of Potato and Cheese Au Gratin and some asparagus. For dessert we both had Crème Brulee.

I didn’t get to try either of Ale’s dishes cause she is STINGY ;), I can only comment on how good their presentation was… which was excellent and that she really enjoyed the food.. ate every last bit.

I am very picky with my salads, as many places either over dress or greatly under-dress them. Put they nailed it, the greens were fresh and crisp, it was perfectly dressed, nice amount of cheese and home made croutons… so I ate all of it. Then after finishing our salads our entrees were promptly brought out. Both looked and smelled amazing. My duck was perfectly cooked, still a little rare and the right amount of sauce.. I love apples so it was pretty amazing. The skin was nice and crisp, the meat juicy, and you could taste the duck since the sauce wasn’t over powering. The gratin was very thinly sliced potatoes and a couple types of cheese. The cheese was creamy in the center, crunchy on top and the potatoes were tender. The best Au Gratin I have ever had. I don’t like asparagus, so I didn’t bother with them. I couldn’t finish all my Duck, cause as most of us know, duck is a very fatty animal and is very filling. Too bad I couldn’t get a doggy bag ;) .

After we finished eating our entrees it was time for dessert. At first we weren’t sure what we wanted. It was either the crème Brulee, the tiramisu, or peanut butter and chocolate pie. Once I discovered Ale doesn’t care for coffee flavor we axed the tiramisu. My mom makes a heck of a crème Brulee and I figured she would love that… so I convinced her, with the hosts help, to order the crème Brulee. Usually most places serve them in ramekin dishes, but these were served on plates… no ramekin. They had a raspberry and lemon sauce laid out on the plate for presentation and a little extra flavor. The rust was nicely caramelized and crunchy, while the inside was nice and creamy and sweet and had some strawberries “hidden“ inside it, which I’ve never had before and it surprised me. It was very good, and Ale loved it too.The picture shows a hole in the crème Brulee, that’s my fault, I got over eager and attacked it before taking the picture

If you are ever in Dallas, this is a great place to take a date… great food and good atmosphere. I will definitely be going back again, even Ale wants to go back.

As we left the host told us to have a nice evening and to have fun at the concert… which caught me off guard and surprised Ale, since we hadn’t mentioned that to them while we were there. BUT, I had mentioned it in my original email. So not only does the host read the emails, but he pays attention and remembers. That’s one heck of a job well done. That left a very good final impression on me.

Damn Good Burger

Dubl-R Burger
1810 Herring Avenue
Waco, Texas 76708
(254) 753-1603

UPDATE COMING SOON (2/8/2012)

So today my dad & I went to Duble-R burgers. It had been a couple of years since Id been & I was craving a burger so what better place to go.

When you first walk in you’re hit with the aroma of fried food and burgers. Then you are greeted by a couple of nice ladies who seem to enjoy their work and have a good time. I ordered their double-double with cheese, pickles and mayo with a side of onion rings. Before I sat down I noticed they pulled their patties out of a large plastic tub stacked up, fresh not frozen… as they should be.

Went and sat in the back where they had some air flowing, was a little warm in the front where the cooking is. As we waited, there was a rather loud table behind us of these older folks. Couldn’t figure out how to arrange the table for everyone to sit down. Then out of no-where, one of the ladies pulls out a hand full of diet Dr. Peppers, like the bloody Mary Poppins of soda. Was freaking hilarious, then half way through our meal I see her pull out like 3 more. Craziness.

The food came, wasn’t a very long wait… and it got busy while sitting there. The burger was hot and steaming the rings were fresh, looked like hand battered… not like any frozen I’ve ever seen. Once the burger cooled down enough to bite down on, it tasted pretty damn good. The meat was flavorful, juicy, well cooked and still steaming minutes after words. I noticed they toasted the buns, top and bottom… a lot of places don’t toast the top portion of it. The onion rings were nice and crispy, had a good flavor and the onions weren’t chewy. Really enjoyed the meal, and believe they have the best burgers in Waco, will definitely be going back again soon.

Blast Off

Rocket Cafe
305 S Robinson Drive
Waco, TX 76706
(254) 662-0720



Tried a new place today, again with my father. We have been meaning to eat here for a couple of months, just never really got around to it till now. Boy have we been missing out.
He learned about it while working at the post office, a few of his co-workers ate there for lunch. Heard that they were regularly busy and crowded (packed) during lunch, with good food.
From the outside it looks fairly small, but once inside it’s a lot larger and ample seating. When you first walk in, to your right there is sign with the daily specials. You can tell the regulars, cause when they first walk in the first thing they do is stand there to read it. I didn’t notice it till I sat down. Today’s special was Roast Beef with brown gravy, corn, green beans, mashed potatoes, and corn bread. Or Roast beef served “open face”, which is roast beef laid on layer or toast and either a side of fries or mashed potatoes “smothered” with gravy.

After reading the special I ordered my drink… they didn’t have sweet tea… so Dr. Pepper it is. Picked up the menu, glanced over it, they have burgers, chicken fried steak/chicken, BLTs, etc etc. I had already made up my mind, I wanted the special.

She asked me if I wanted the regular style or “open face,“ I wasn’t sure if I could handle the “open face” after a night of drinking, but Ill definitely order it next time. So I ordered the Roast beef with two sides of corn (no green beans), mashed potatoes and corn bread. My father ordered their BLT with fries.

When it came, which wasn’t a very long wait, I first tried the corn. The corn wasn’t anything special, tasted like canned. The mashed potatoes were very good, good texture and flavor and they weren’t dry… I should’ve ordered two orders of mashed potatoes instead of corn. The corn bread was a small square, but it was very good and had a nice sweet flavor. Wish I could’ve gotten a bigger cut of it, Ill ask for more next time. The Roast beef was very good. I was able to cut the meat with a fork, it was juicy, the gravy sauce complimented it very well, the overall flavor was very good. It also went very well with the mashed potatoes. I finished my entire plate, and I wasn’t even that hungry.

My father also really enjoyed his BLT and I snagged a few of his fries, I loved the fries.
So all in all it was a great lunch. I will definitely be going back to try the Roast beef “open face” and to try other items on their menu including their breakfast menu. I highly recommend this place if you are in the area.

(addition)
---Ive come back here several more times for lunch, with my dad, and even got up early one day to try their breakfast. Ive always gotten something off their daily special menu, except for the breakfast where I got flap jacks, poached eggs and hash browns. For their lunch specials Ive gotten their chicken fried steak, their Philly cheese steak, and a few other items.

I really enjoyed their Philly. It doesn’t have a lot of steak in it, but where it lacks is quantity it makes up in freshness and flavor. Along with some of their sweet potato fries and some gravy…. It’s a pretty awesome meal and for only like $6. My dad really likes their Chicken fried steak, I think its alright. I will say its always been tender and of nice size, Im just not a fan of the seasoning in the batter.

The atmosphere is always great there, with great service and the regular customers that are just as friendly. Its deff worth the extra drive out to Robinson to give them a try.

Awesome Mashed Potatoes

CLOSED

Tommy B’s
900 North Valley Mills Drive
Waco, TX 76710-4754
(254) 772-3399

Part II

So after trying their breakfast and enjoying it, I figured Id try their an item on their lunch menu. I try the chicken fried steak at every place I can because it’s a southern main stay (almost surprised it doesn’t show up in one of the southern flags) and who can say no to a great chicken fried steak. So… I went with the Classic Chicken Fried steak, mashed potatoes, corn, toast and white gravy with a big ole glass of sweet tea- now I could’ve gotten 2 other sides, but I think these two fit the role best.

The first thing I tried was the corn, which seemed like your run of the mill canned corn with pepper added to it. Maybe it was just the way they prepared it, but I doubt it. [I feel that if you are going to serve plain or creamed corn, that you should use fresh or even frozen, not canned.] Next was the mashed potatoes, these were by far the best mashed potatoes I have had in a long time… the best I have ever had outside my home. They were made from scratch, they were creamy, not at all dry (didn’t need any gravy), with a bit of garlic flavor. If you like mashed potatoes, you should definitely try these. Last but not least was the chicken fried steak. Tender meet (only a chewy bit or two), good flavor, and a flaky crust… probably the second best Chicken fried steak I have had in the Waco region.

So next time you are in the area, stop by give their mashed potatoes and chicken fried a try, it’s a good and filling meal and for only 7.99 or… currently on sale 6.99.
I think next time I will try their chicken tenders.

Tommy B's

CLOSED



Tommy B’s
900 North Valley Mills Drive
Waco, TX 76710-4754
(254) 772-3399



I enjoy a big breakfast as much as the next guy, but I being a college student also enjoy sleeping in on days I don’t have work, which tends to deprive me of a real breakfast. Today I actually got up early enough to get some, so I decided to try our new Tommy B’s.

They serve breakfast all day at Tommy’s and have a pretty decent menu for lunch as well, that seemed fairly priced. I have to go back some time to try a few things on their lunch menu. But today I wanted breakfast.

I ordered their “Tommy B’s Favorite” which consists of- 2 eggs cooked your way, hash browns, bacon/sausage/ham, pancake/toast/biscuit. I specifically ordered- 2 eggs poached, bacon, has browns, pancakes (1) and one extra pancake. I was rather disappointed that the original order only came with one pancake and not two, like other places I’ve eaten at, and the cost ($1.49) of the extra pancake was kind of ridiculous. I had just mowed my lawn and I was hungry, other wise I wouldn’t have ordered the extra.

The food is brought out to you, like most places, and is on two plates- one for the pancakes and one for the other dishes. The first thing I noticed was the smell of the pancakes, they have a rather sweet aroma. Second I noticed their texture and thickness, looked very nice. The bacon was well crisped, the eggs poached in a poacher, and the has browns are shredded and layered out nicely. The first thing I tried were the eggs, to see how well they were cooked before they cooled down. They were a little more done than they like, but that’s probably because I didn’t specify how runny I wanted them… but none the less they were good. Second I tried the pancakes, I figured since they smelled sweet, they would have slightly sweet flavor and I was right. The pancakes were fluffy, yet kind of creamy melt in your mouth. They were pretty good. The bacon was your run of the mill bacon, but it was cooked nicely, not chewy and not burnt. I love hash browns, any style (sin onions), and these were fairly good. I don’t think they were freshly shaven, probably frozen, but if cooked and seasoned right they should be fine… and these were.

I ate pretty much every single bit, except a cut or two of the pancakes.
Besides good food, the place has a very nice atmosphere created by a nice and friendly staff as well as a wide variety of customers.
Over all I enjoyed it, and will most surely go back to try breakfast again as well as other items on their menu.

Awesomely Different Fries

Kitoks
1815 North 18th Street
Waco, TX 76707-1511
(254) 754-1801


UPDATE COMING SOON (9/12/2012)


Today after a couple of years, I have finally made it back to Kitoks. Already considered one of the best burger joints in Texas and with several great reviews… I just thought Id go ahead and throw my 1cent in.
The last time I ate here was before I moved to Galveston for college, so that was a while back and don’t remember much expect the Awesome “fries” and pretty good cheese burger. Today I went with my dad and brother. Driving up to it, my dad worried that it might have closed… boy was he ever wrong. The place was packed, thank god my dad is a ‘crippled old fart’, so we were able to park in the handicapped space.
Upon entering there was an awesome aroma in the air and a line and wait of about 8 minutes, not bad at all. Once seated, the waitress took our drink orders and was prompt on bringing them, and took are order soon after that. I ordered their Egg Burger, which is a cheese burger with a fried or scrambled egg, with a side of their Oriental Fries. My brother their famous “Lip Locker” and my father a plain Cheese burger, they split an order of the Oriental Fries.
The fries were as good as I remember. Pour a little soy sauce on them and some ketchup on the side, I ate the whole bunch of them. My brother was trying to figure out all the different vegetables they used in the batches, so he could count them as his serving of vegetables for the day.. figures. Personally I could care less what veggies they used, they are awesome. The burger was pretty damn good. Toasted bun (inside and out), freshly fried egg, fresh and nicely seasoned meat, and topped off with American cheese. Needless to say it was pretty damn amazing, finished every last bite. Though my brother did give me shit for eating it with a fork, but my other hand was being used for my phone- ha-ha.
The place has a great atmosphere, friendly service and great food (they have food other than burgers as well, I have yet to try). it’s a place I highly recommend.

Hearty and Home Stlye

Bill & Bob's Restaurant
3600 North 19th Street
Waco, TX 76708-2009
(254) 753-2478



This week is the second time I have visited this eating establishment, and for good reason. Bill & Bobs in a little hole in the wall restaurant here in Waco that’s been around of a while and has plenty of loyal followers. This place attracts people from ever bid of life, from the young high school student to the 80 year old that probably shouldnt be driving, from the business man to the construction worker, and everything in between… which is a great sign in my opinion.
They are open for breakfast and lunch, sadly I haven’t gotten up early enough to try their breakfast. I’ve only had a chance to eat their lunch a couple of times, but I enjoyed them both thoroughly.

The first time I went with my father and brother, they had eaten there once before and really wanted me to join them this time. So how could I resist a free meal and time with my father. They have plenty of items to choose from and it was hard on what to eat, but I ended up choosing the Pulled Pork Sandwich with pickles and fries. I love pulled pork, so I had to give it a try. My father ordered their small order of chicken fried steak with green beans, corn, and Texas Toast. My brother stuck by and ordered a burger.

The pulled pork was rather good, it was juicy and flavor full. I was fairly impressed, since most places cant serve a good batch of pulled pork. The fries that came with it were the thin fries, seasoned with salt and were nicely cooked and crispy.

The second time I went, I ordered their large order of chicken fried steak with a side of mashed potatoes, corn and Texas Toast. My brother I talked into getting their Steak sandwich, and my dad got the pulled pork sandwich. I must say when we first arrived, there was only a maybe 10 people in there (all with chicken fried steaks & sides), by the time we left the place was full (of people and chicken fried steaks.)

The chicken fried steak, was one of the best I’ve ever had. The batter was flaky and crispy, the meat fork tender, and the seasoning was fine. I ate every last bit. Id like to know how they do their batter, to get it flaky like that. {Time for me to experiment and make a mess in the kitchen.}. The corn and mashed potatoes unfortunately weren’t anything to write home about, if you get my drift. The reason I talked my brother into getting their steak sandwich, is obviously so I could give it a try. He did, after a little coaxing, let me cut off a piece. I was impressed with that too, since the few I’ve had here in Waco at other places haven’t been that good. Id definitely order that on my own some time.

But next time I go, I think I should try one of their burgers or I saw an old couple eating what looked like Liver and Onions, and if that’s the case.. I have to order that.

So if you are ever looking for a good place to grab a hearty home style lunch, this is a great place to drop by.