Run away from a Tiger and into a Crocodile

Bangkok Royal

215 S University Parks Drive
Waco, TX 76701

(254) 757-2741

Mon - Sat:11:00 am - 10:00 pm

            So last night I was hangin’ with a couple of my cousins (Rob & James McAttacks), just sitting around watching the Air-Force v Toledo Bowl game (I picked wrong… damnit), we started to get a little hunger. So after little thought we settled on Bangkok Royal, my younger cousin wanted to take his GF there to try it out. I had eaten there only once before with some friends; I don’t really remember what I got… but I believe it was ‘PAD KANA’ =meat sautéed with broccoli & house garlic sauce.
        
           Both my cousins have been here several times before, the oldest one frequents here often with his GF. Their favorite things to usually get are the PANANG CURRY & YELLOW CURRY. But I decided to snag something different from last time and so did Rob. Rob went with their PAD PRIG KHING & I went with their GAI YANG. James picked PAD GRA PROW & Robs girlfriend went with the YELLOW CURRY. All came with Steamed Rice, brown or white.

            So after placing our orders, we chill out & discuss the same ole same ole shit, make fun of the other customers, wonder why there is a stranded Santa on a lonely wall… you know. It’s a really nice place; the wait staff is very nice and on top of it, the place very well decorated and the joint is not very loud, but we decided it wouldn’t hurt with a little back ground Thai music to set the mood some.

So the food arrives… looks and smells delicious. So what is GAI YANG? It’s “Famous Thai style BBQ thighs with sliced cucumber, tomato, and broccoli on the side. Served with house chili sauce.”  Real quick let’s clear one small thing up…. It isn’t what American’s consider BBQ, it’s not smoked, it has been grilled and that is Thai BBQ. The chicken was nearly perfect; It was cooked well, it was juicy and tender, not chewy or burnt or dry. The flavors were very nicely blended and worked very well. The chicken was served over a nice bed of fresh lettuce for appearance and add a little crunchy texture without an over powering flavor. I didn't really touch the cucumbers or tomatoes, but I did enjoy the fresh broccoli dipped in the house chili sauce provided. The house chili sauce was great; I was pouring that on everything on my plate and the rice. It was sweet, a light heat and smokiness to it. The brown rice was pretty good too, I mean it’s just rice, right? Well No, but that another story… but It was cooked just right. Not soggy or too crunchy like many places serve it.

            Both my cousins’ dishes looked pretty tasty, minus the weird green beans and shrooms thrown in. My cousins girlfriend’s dish looked pretty dang good and I believe I’ll try that dish next time- The Yellow curry.

            Over all we had a really most excellent evening to finish off the Old Year; with some great family time and a great meal. Those 3 are off to go skiing for a week, while I stay in town to work and dog sit their mongrels. I highly recommend this Authentic Thai Restaurant for just about any occasion, especially dates….

Green Curry

Yellow Curry

Forgot, but was good

Oh and DONT touch the awesome moving fountain they have by the door as your walk in…..

Southern Baptist Cafe

Olive Branch
215 South 2nd Street

Waco, TX 76701

(254)757-0885

Olive Branch

Mon - Fri:7:00 am-3:00 pm

Sat - Sun:8:00 am-3:00 pm

            

So it has been a while since I’ve posted a new article up, and I feel really bad about it. Its just been chaotic with all the renovations, work and the discovery of Imgur…. Really should avoid that site…. It will devour your soul. I digress, kind of, then again that’s what you get with me and these blasted reviews. But seriously let us get onto the important stuff. This is about another local eatery I learned about from the best of the best- Waco Win Board.

The Olive Branch; A locally owned and operated (by a Baylor Graduate non-the less) Bakery & Café that specializes in fresh breakfasts, a diverse lunch menu (including home-made soups and freshly made sandwiches), homemade desserts, and specially blended coffees. They are located in the heart of Downtown Waco, in a huge building that they easily fill up with college students and workers there to chill, dine and study.

I have dined here only a couple times; once I dined in, the second time I snagged something to-go. For their lunch menu they have a pretty nice, but select men, that consists of salads, soups/pasta, sandwiches and combos of the aforementioned. The both times I gone by, I went a little early to beat any rush they might have… and man did I time it just right. Only a few minutes after I placed my order and sit down did the rush hit and the place start to fill up (and they are a roomy place.)

The first time I dined in I chose their Specialty Combo: which is ½ of any Branch specialty sandwich served with a cup of soup, &/or a small salad-Caesar, garden or fruit cup. The sandwich I chose was their Santa Fe Sandwich: Guacamole mayo, sliced turkey, chipotle jack cheese, tomato, & lettuce- Served on our homemade wheat bread. I got that sandwich with their small Caesar salad. The sandwich was served on their homemade wheat bread which was pretty tasty… not bland or chewy like you get at some places, with fresh lettuce, and other veggies. It came with a decent amount of turkey & cheese…. But I was a tad disappointed on the guacamole mayo spread. A big part of any Santa Fe sandwich is a nice guac kick, but I didn’t really get that and I was a tad disappointed on that front. Not to say the spread wasn’t good, it was alright. So over all on the sandwich I was decently pleased. The salad was filled with nice fresh & crunchy lettuce, little bit of cheese and a nice homemade Caesar dressing… it was alright as well. It was a filling, nice & light, slightly healthy lunch… which is what I was aiming for that day and I decided I’d come back at least once more to try some other stuff. Oh and did I mention I chowed down on one of their giant homemade cupcakes…. I honestly can’t remember the flavor name of the cupcake. But I do remember strong hints (aroma and flavor) of fresh french vanilla, a nice creamy frosting and a touch of ground cinnamon. That was the best part of the healthy lunch.

The second time around I kept it simple and went with their Traditional Combo: Choose 2 or 3 items; ½ Traditional Sandwich, Small salad: Caesar, fruit cup, or cup of soup. I chose a Ham & Cheese sandwich and a cup of their freshly made Broccoli Cheese soup (also came with a bag o’ potato chips & pickle spear). I ordered my Ham n Cheese sandwich on their freshly bake croissant bread (next time I wanna try their French), topped with lettuce, marinated shredded carrots and mayo. The croissant bread was nice and flaky and good flavor. The sandwich had a nice amount of ham, slice of fresh cheese, nice fresh lettuce and handful of shredded carrots which added nice crunch & slight flavor pop. The soup was the best part. I love Broccoli n Cheese soup. This soup had a nice consistency and creamy texture, had nice fresh chunks of properly cooked broccoli, which still had some nice bite to them, not all soggy like some places. The soup had a great fresh cheesy flavor. I wished I had ordered an extra bowl of it and another hunk of sandwich, as they went very well together… great for dunking. Will definitely be getting that soup again, especially with this cooler weather upon us.

            Over all I give this place a pretty good rating. They focus on freshness & quality over quantity & ease. They are always friendly & efficient; they want to make your experience enjoyable. I can’t wait to get up one more and try out their breakfast menu. If you are ever looking for something a little on the lighter, maybe slightly healthier side this is a nice little deli to hit up… and then ruin it all with one of their huge cupcakes and sweet tea… cause that’s how you roll. Look for them on FB and Waco Board, you can win free soups off them.

Dont the Pictures just make your mouth water? Making my hungry right now just uploading them.



PART DUEX: BREAKFAST

           Yesterday after pulling a major workout I decided to go snag some breakfast, but I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go. After some minor thought I decided I’d try Olive Branch, I had to go by there for a gift card anyway (more on that soon).

            After browsing their breakfast menu; they have French toast (with their special custard batter), pancakes, omelets, quiches, and you can order off their lunch menu as well, I chose their French Toast Meal. The French toast meal comes with a few slices of toast, 2 eggs (over easy), and crispy bacon.  They tell me it will take a little longer to prepare, and that lunch items will come out faster… that’s fine, I’m in no hurry. So if you are in a hurry, I probably wouldn’t recommend this place for a regular breakfast meal, or call it in To-Go.

            So after a while my breakfast comes out. Looks pretty tasty; got 4 1/2 slices of sourdough French toast, 2 eggs cooked perfectly and 2 skimpy crispy pieces of bacon, and two small containers of “syrup.” The first thing I tried was the French Toast, dusted very lightly with powdered sugar: It was nice and hot, fresh, light buttery savory flavor, but it was a little soggy in on one side of each piece. They didn’t fry it long enough on their griddle, and I like mine crispier with more ‘crust.' Don't get me wrong though, it had great flavor and by frying it a tad longer, I think it'll be EVEN better. Next time I go, I’ll have to request that they cook it longer. The eggs were well cooked; nice and fluffy outside, nice and runny inside… went real well with the French toast. I like to dip my French toast in the yolk. The bacon was really good too, nice and crispy, but unfortunately it was only 2 small pieces… I was expecting more than that. The most disappointing thing of the meal was the “syrup” they provided for the French Toast. The Olive Branch prides themselves on their fresh ingredients and for the healthiness of it all. Then they go and serve you 2 little packages of; corn syrup, H.F. corn syrup, caramel color and flavoring, etc. I know it’s a way to control cost, but I’m sure they could find a better way to do it. I honestly wouldn’t mind paying even a little extra for REAL Maple Syrup. But the simple syrup they provided was passable and got the mission done.

            The entire time I was eating, they had a steady flow of people dining in for breakfast. Some people would get breakfast eatings and others would get lunch eatings; both are great choices. I think its cool that you can order off their lunch menu for breakfast, since many places don't. I will definitely grab breakfast at the Olive Branch again, Id like to try their omelets and their pancakes. I’m also sure I’ll grab their French toast again, but will just ask for them to cook it a tad longer… and I of course can live with the syrup they provide…. It tasted just fine. I ate every last bite and was quite full. So if you are ever down town and are in the mood for some decent breakfast or wanna grab a fresh sandwich, head on over to the Olive Branch.

Their standard French Toast and fried eggs.

Their Delicious Stuffed French toast. They rotate the filling every weekend. Well worth checking out -08/22/12

Spinach Pasta Salad; Fresh and Delicious.

Month Without a Kitchen

Month Without A Kitchen.  P1

Right now we are having our entire kitchen remodeled; everything has been pulled out, down to the floor (which is also being replaced) and walls (which are getting a new texture and new paint. Most of my kitchen utensils and just about the food has been packed up.  I do have my grill, smoker and dead fryer still; but believe it or not, I don’t want to have to grill every other night… due to lack of prepping space and good place to wash the dishes. So I’ve been eating out a whole lot more.

            Most of the places I’ve hit up for chow I have already written an article on or I am in the process of. (keep an eye out for some new ones on 2 local favorites)

One of the top places I’ve been eating at is The Salty Dog, Sports Bar & Grill. They finally have their new 6 page menu out with all kinds of goodies. Their older menu was pretty basic with burgers and plenty of fried items. Now you can choose from so much more- everything from blackened tilapia, plenty of different sandwiches, new burgers, wraps, and their now popular dog bowls (Big dog bowls filled with tots and covered with some greatness.) I haven’t tried everything on their new menu, but what I have tried was pretty delicious. 

            -The first thing I tried out was their meatloaf sandwich; “homemade meatloaf served on a bed of mashed potatoes, topped with mix cheese and covered in a special sauce on Texas toast.”   I love meatloaf, and can be very picky about it. This was pretty good, and extremely filling, I almost couldn’t finish it all… but I was hungry. The meatloaf itself had good flavor and wasn’t dried out, the mashed potatoes were of good consistency and flavor, and their special sauce added a nice little sweetness touch. If you like meatloaf, this is something I would recommend. 

-Another one of their new menu items I really liked is their Dagwood Sandwich; “Chicken tenders, Philly meat, ham, turkey, bacon, veggies, Swiss & American cheese, all between toasted sourdough bread.” That alone must strike a nerve! How can you not want to try this? This is what America is all about, making sandwiches which most people wouldn’t fathom! It was pretty dang tasty, everything goes together very well and it ain’t exactly on the small side so you can easily spilt it between two people are save for later, like I did. 

-Some other new menu items I’ve enjoyed and would recommend: Buffalo chicken sandwich, buffalo chicken salad, Bacon, egg n cheese burger, Grilled Mac N Cheese Sandwich, Philly Cheese Steak Dog Bowl, Salty Balls, and their Hot Wings (They have great wings). But I’m not done trying stuff yet, there are still plenty more items on their new menu I’d like to try like: Mac N Cheese Burger, The Chicken Philly, Burger from Hell, their Blackened Tilapia, and their Caesar wrap.   So next time you wanna grab some grub for lunch of dinner… hit up the Dog!

Tell'em DavieG sent ya ;)

Mission: Community & Food

World Cup Café
1321 N. 15th Street— The Corner of 15th & Colcord
254-757-1748
Mon-Fri: 7am-2pm Sat: 8am-1pm
Website

World Cup Café is a local joint that has been around for nearly 5 years. I had never really heard of them until I saw their advertisement on Wacoboard.com. They opened around the same time I headed off to college at TAMUG. They work with Mission Waco and apparently TSTC to help train students from the culinary department (something I noticed both times I went in, as I knew both chefs); which is great deal I think, since it isn’t always easy to find a good job right away in the food industry.

I’ve eaten there twice now; once for lunch and once for breakfast. For lunch I chowed down on their “World Cup Burger” and some sweet potato fries. For Breakfast I chowed down on the Colcord and some French toast.

The first time was lunch, they had a decent crowd. I sat at a side booth and glanced over their menu. They have burgers, sandwiches, chicken fried steak, melts, specials for the day, a kids menu, even a light and healthy section and plenty of side items. I ordered their World Cup Burger, which they claim is their customers #1 choice. The burger consists of a seasoned 8oz patty, American cheese, pico be gallo, mustard/mayo all between grilled parmesan sourdough bread and one side of your choosing (I chose the sweet potato fries). The fries are above average run of the the mill sweet potato waffle fries; sweet, nice and crispy with good sweet potato flavor. Now the burger… that was something to be reckoned with. The cheese was nice and gooey, the pico was fresh and flavorful, the meat was nicely cooked with slightly crunchy edges… and the bun was just awesome- great cheesy parmesan flavor, nice and crunchy… a great bun indeed. Altogether, it’s probably one of the best specialty burgers I’ve ever eaten and I can see why it is a local favorite. When you take a bite you get a hit of the crunchy parmesan, then you move down into the soft and gooey cheese all melted into the pico which carries a little kick of its own.

I usually almost always order pancakes when I go out to eat for breakfast, cause I love my own French toast and waffles too much to eat others…. But today I decided to venture out and try some one else’s. For the breakfast I ordered the Colcord, which consists of; 2 eggs cooked to order (I ordered mine poached, runny), hash browns, toast/biscuit, and you can add a meat for a little extra. I decided not to add any meat to stay one budget. But I did order some French toast to go with it… it’s a carb kinda day. I ended up with a full plate; The eggs were cooked just perfectly, nice and runny so I can sop it up with the hash browns and toast. The hash browns were pretty good, not as crunchy as I usually like them… but they still had a good texture and great flavor. They went real well with the eggs and a little bit of ketchup… just a touch. The regular toast was nice and toasty, wasn’t burnt nor really dry, throw a little hash browns or eggs whites on it, was delicious. The French toast was really good; 2 full slices of Texas toast, battered up and fried, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with syrup on the side. It was good to eat with just the powdered sugar, it was good with the syrup, but it was best with the egg yolks and a tad of syrup. Near the end of my meal, I wasn’t sure what I was going have as my last bite… so I made it a little of everything- hash browns topped on the French toast and soaked up what was left of the egg yolk…. Was one last delicious bite.

The atmosphere is pretty nice; the customers are all generally pleasant; the manager is very nice and courteous, and most of the customers seem to be regulars and like to chat it up with everyone, even the cooks. The only downside to this is if it gets busy, it seems the employees get kinda caught up in the moment (if that makes sense)… -- the first time I went it took a while to get my check and my to-go order for my pop; cause they seemed more focused on chatting. But even I get caught up sometimes at my job, and get a tad behind, but not very often. It comes with the territory of the business. So, besides that one time wait, I’ve had two very good experiences while dining in at World Cup Café, and suggest you give them a try… and Ill will be going back soon to try some of their daily specials and to snag another one of their World Cup Burgers.


-Oh and apparently they have plenty of coffees to choose from. Obviously I am not a coffee drinker, can barely stand the aroma of it.

BBQer Cookoff Adventure

The

National Championship

Barbecue Cookoff

http://bbq.htcomp.net/

Last month I read in the Wacoan about a National BQQ cook-off in Meridian, Texas…. A city only about an hour’s drive from Waco. I have never been to a cook off—not as a cooker or as a foodie, but I had always wanted too… just could never get off in time for one. So for this one I put in a request off nearly a month ahead- and the stars aligned; No Baylor Game, No Big Caterings, and nothing going on with the family. So I was all set and ready.

Meridians National BBQ Cook-off has been around since 1989. It was created in an effort to promote the communities of Bosque County. It is an invitation only event for cookers who have won or placed in a recognized barbecue cook-off during the past year. I believe last year over 200 cooking teams competed for roughly $19,000 in prize money.

For the general admission, which was only $6, you are enabled to quite a bit of fun stuff; You can sample several of the cookers Q and vote for your favorite (for people’s choice), you can be picked to judge one of the main Q’s (Chicken, Ribs, and Brisket- apparently they are always looking for general judges), you can watch the tractor pulls, there is live music, and several venders you can hit up.

I went down with my friend Lunar and cousin Nick. They decided to come along at the spur of the moment… which was most excellent. It was a great day for it too, not too hot, not really humid, had a nice breeze all day. As we pulled up you see a thick plum of white smoke covering the area, you step out of your car and the beautiful aroma whacks you upside your head… LOVE It. We couldn’t wait to get in and start the day.

One of my favorite parts is not really trying the Q, but checking out the types of rigs people use. You see people with the simplest oil drum smokers, some with the ceramic eggs, and a few with these monstrosities of a smoker. You have people who have built their own, who have turned them in to creative designs and those who have bought pre-made ones and put a wicked customized paint job on them.

I did try some of the Q, mostly the pulled pork samples and the ribs. There was some really good pulled pork out there…. But sadly to say, one of the items I ate had something in it that I’m apparently very allergic too and it caused my throat to swell (Go Figure). No fun at first, but I coped with it. Lunar and Nick did plenty of eating for the three of us. As I mentioned earlier, you can sign up to judge the meats; Lunar was able to judge Chicken and Brisket, Nick was able to judge the Brisket. They pigged out, judging 18 chickens & 19 briskets, and all the cooks samples, they were too stuffed to judge the ribs.

But before the throat problems one of the last tents I hit was a porker. They had a badass buffet line; Pulled pork sandwiches with home-made sauce on the side, spicy buffalo wings, baked beans and Adult snow cones (they doused the snow cones with a liqueur of your choice). It was all pretty good. Their smoker was pretty cool too, as they made it to look like a pig- they were smoking ribs on it. They also had a full bus painted up like a pig, and one of the team members kid was wearing a pig suit… yes I took a photo with him/her. Did I mention I love pulled pork? It’s by far my favorite BBQ; second would be brisket then pork ribs.

There were other cool teams as well; There was one team that had there station all pimped out with a dance floor, TVs, speakers & mic system, a huge pit and for 2 tickets ($1) you could get a sample of their ribs and a beer. A lot of these guys partied pretty hard the night before, as I heard one guy admit he could barely stand he was soo hung-over. Awesome.

After checking out most of the BBQ teams, we headed over to the vendors section; picked up a National BBQ Cook-off koozie, listened to some live music, watched some wicked modified tractors, and watch a “gun show”. Later on I met a real nice lovely girl, Laura, who just moved here to Texas and she was working the snow cone stand. Talked to her for a while about BBQ and why she wasn’t fond of Dr. Pepper. Good times. There was also a live blacksmith, working his magic with cast-iron making all kinds of stuff. Nick picked up a bracelet from him and john wanted a ring, but they were all too small (he has big ole Goliath hands)

Over all it was a great experience and will be going to these more often and hopefully soon I’ll be on the contestant’s side rocking my BBQ skillz and new barrel smoker. John and Nick are ready for me to put a team together (which they want to join), a team name, make shirts and find a local event that we can enter into it. These other BBQers won’t know what hit them, that’s for sure!!!

Can Food Save Your Mortal Soul?

Beatnix Burger Barn & Cafe
1700 Colcord
Waco, Texas
254-235-9555
Mon. - Sat.: 11:30am - 3:30pm
Fri. & Sat. Nights: 1:00 am to 4:00 am
Website

I am still without kitchen, except my grill & smoker. So I go out to eat for breakfast and lunch most days. Early last week I decided to pop in to Beatnix try their Texas Philly & their Funnel Fries (funnel cake batter made into the shape of fries- who can say no to that?). They recently just got done remodeling their joint; new floor, new ceiling and new chairs- all of which looks really good and fits the joint perfectly. Especially love the new seats and the crazy man that was staring down my chow the whole time.

The Texas Philly is slice beef, pepper jack cheese, mayo/mustard/ and jalapenos on a small French baguette. When I say small, it’s about half the size of a regular Philly cheese steak; but a foodie knows that its Quality not quantity that makes the food. The quality is all there; a good portion of well-seasoned and tender meat, nicely melted & slightly spicy cheese, freshly sliced jalapenos all on a fresh crispy baguette. Very filling and carries a punch. Will definitely be grabbing another one of these soon.

Now those funnel fries were MOST EXCELLENT. Hot, crispy, great flavor, with honey drizzled over them. Who’s ever idea it was to make and serve these- Hit the jack pot. I told my dad about them, and he asked me to bring him one to try. I fought over whether I should eat the last one and just order another batch…. Which was very tempting… but I was able to resist the urge and save one for him to try. Was probably the hardest decision I had to made all week.

Together these items really hit the spot, great combination; the crispy, the sweet, the spicy…. Yum yum. I highly recommend that you try them together; but if one doesn’t fit your fancy and the other does, dig into the one that does.

Ben and Penny are two of the friendliest restaurant owners out there, I think. Always glad to see ya, tend to remember you and what you like to eat, keep the atmosphere going nice and calm with their banter. If you haven’t hit up Beatnix yet, you are definitely missing out.

One Delicious Lunch

A skit from my cousins sketch comedy act- MooseStache.

Checkk them Out

Bánh mì club

Club Sandwich
400 South 4st.
Waco, Texas 76710
254-304-9424

Tue- Fri: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

https://www.facebook.com/clubsandwichwaco?sk=info

I wish I knew ever joint in Waco, especially the good ones, but Im generally a little slow on learning about them. I learned about this place last week on a “freak” happening. One of the guys who runs WacoFork.com had some extra Baylor v Iowa state tickets, and would gladly trade them for some golf balls. I had some spare golf balls from when I used to play and I had the weekend off, so I called him up. He went for it and we discussed where to do the trade; Star Bucks (cant stand smell of coffee) or at a joint called Club Sandwich, that doesn’t serve club sandwiches.

We decided to meet up at the Club, trade items, then chow down on some Asian inspired food. Club opened up 2 years ago from tomorrow; which they will be celebrating with special deals on their menu.

It is owned and run by Youngdae Moon, who decided to try his hand at food and really impressed his friends with the dishes he perfected. He seems to be there almost all the time, very friendly guy. Likes to chat it up and check on how you enjoyed the food, like every owner should be. The rest of the staff is also super friendly; makes you really feel welcomed there. Probably has one of the best atmospheres in town when it comes to friendliness and relaxed.

They are a little tricky to find, if you don’t know what you are looking for. It took me a couple passed and thinking about beating my iPhone to death for “lying” to me about the directions. But I found it; while you’re driving down 4th street, look for the Phoenix Ball room and Orange over hangs in the parking lot next to them.

It’s a pretty roomy joint, plenty of seating for a party or big crowd of any kind. They have a simple menu; 7 items, 1 of which they only serve on Fridays- The Flied, I mean Fried Rice. The rest of the menu consists of a couple Korean tacos, wraps, pasta and a couple sandwiches- including the traditional Banh Mi, which is a Vietnamese sandwich that consists of grilled cuts of thinly slice pork marinated in lemon grass, sweet pickled carrots, cilantro and cucumbers served in a crispy baguette. Simple menu and a delicious menu from the looks of it… I love Asian Food! There is a Vietnamese sandwich shop down in down that I always hit while visiting to snag me a Banh Mi…. sadly I haven’t had a chance to eat one at Club Sandwich yet, but that’ll hopefully change tomorrow after work. After I chow down on one, Ill definitely post my thoughts on it.

What I have chowed down on is their Kalbi Jjim (Beef short rib taco) which consists of; “beef short ribs slow-braised in a mixture of sugar, soy sauce, mirin wine; shredded and served in a warm tortilla with fresh cabbage, cilantro, onions and choice of sauce.” They have two sauces to choose from- Lime Cilantro or Blackberry Chipotle Vinaigrette… and we’ll get to those here in a bit.

The short rib tacos, to say the least are Most Excellent! The first time I went, I just ordered one, just to try it and since I wasn’t really hungry. Well after eating the first one, I went and ordered 2 more. They are decently sized tacos, with ample portions of meat and veggies.. and for just $2.25, they can’t be beat. The meat is cooked perfectly; nice and tender, very juicy and wonderful flavor. You can taste the sweetness of the sugar, the light saltiness of the soy sauce and the savory mirin wine…all combined it is just great. The cabbage, onions and cilantro are all fresh. I must admit I’m not a huge fan of cilantro since it can be overwhelming, so I pick most of it off.

I have tried both of the sauces, and the Blackberry Chipotle is by far my favorite. Homemade sauces are always great additions, and this brings a slight smokiness & bitter-sweetness to the meal. Really really good, I bet it’d be good on plenty of other items as well.

Over all I’ve really enjoyed both experiences there and plan on going back several times more. The only “down side” to the whole deal is, since they make it all fresh and use local products, they can sometimes run out of items on the menu. Like today they only had 3 items still available. But if they are selling out of stuff, they must be doing something right in the flavor department. It’s what some of the best BBQ joints do, so why not a sandwich shop? Snooze ya loose!!!

If you are ever in Down-Town Waco or over on Baylor campus and looking of a good Asian sandwich you gotta hit Club Sandwich…. And tell’em DavieG sent ya! You wont be disappointed. One of Waco’s hidden Gems.

Oh, and if you are a non-beef eater or vegan; they also have tofu that can replace the real meat. But don’t expect to ever catch me near that spongy odd stuff.

Whos Your Popper?

Off the Cob- Gourmet Popcorn
5301 Bosque Blvd Suite 150
Waco, Texas 76710
254-776-7800
Website

Mon: 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Tue - Sat: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sun: 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Today while running errands I decided to FINALLY stop by Off the Cob to snag some popcorn for the season. It is right next to Target, which is a great location, central to Waco and who doesn’t shop at Target these days? It is a locally owned and operated joint that opened up earlier this year. Appears it might be a mom and daughter business, but that’s just a guess based on what I observed… I didn’t go into too much detail while talking to the nice lady behind the counter.

When you walk in you are greeted with a light scent of sweetness and of course popcorn- it isn’t over powering, just a nice hint of it all. To the left you got your counter, to your right you got shelves covered with tin cans to choose from, sample views of the popcorn sizes and plenty of other sweet treats to satisfy your sugary needs, in the back there are dozens of tubs filled with a variety of colorful and tasty popcorn.

So while scanning over the many flavors to choose from, the lady explains to me how the whole deal works. There are 3 main categories to choose from: Savory, Sweet and Specialty; and they are each priced differently. Example; A small savory is $1.75, while a small specialty is $2.25. I’m sure it’s due to complexity of flavors and ingredients. They also have classic popcorn, kettle corn, several different chocolate popcorns, nut blends, popcorn balls, gift boxes and tins.

So after looking over the choices and sampling a couple of flavors I settle on a 2 Gallon Tin that comes with 3 Flavors (minus chocolate & nut), I choose; Mac N Cheese, Carmel Apple and of Course Dr. Pepper (had to get Dr. Pepper, this is Waco after all). This runs me about $18, and next time I come in I get it filled for half price. Good Deal.

First I try the Mac N Cheese; its powered cheese popcorn. The popcorn tastes fresh, the cheesiness is definitely there. Much better than the cheese popcorn you get in those premade ones at the super market around this time of the year. Next I try the Caramel Apple- which is a mix of two different flavors; part of the popcorn is Apple, the other half is classic caramel. The apple alone looks like something out of a sci-fi movie with its bright neon green glow with a great aroma. It tastes pretty dang good, a lot like a green apple candy. The caramel is your classic, but it is a lot fresher, and the kernels are covered much more… unlike the prepackaged stuff that has a lot of gapped corn or pieces not really covered. Together it is a pretty awesome combination… this is one of their Seasonal Specials. Last but not least the Dr. Pepper. To be honest, upon looking at this I had my reservations… It’s a rather solid Purple glaze on the kernels with a sweet aroma to it. At first bite you get sweetness and popcorn, then a medium-strong lingering of… Dr. Pepper. It reminded me of the Dr. Pepper bubble gum I used to buy at the Pepper Museum. The Dr. Pepper was my favorite. But the whole time I was trying to clean my room, I kept going back to the tin to snag some more of each flavor. I finally had to move it to another room to keep it from distracting me. This is great for snacking, for the munchies, for a gift, or just for the hell of it.

So next time you want some flavored popcorn, forget the stuff prepackaged at HEB or Target stop by Off the Cob. Not only will you be getting a much better product and more choices, you’ll also be supporting one of Waco’s fine Locally Owned and Operated Joints.

And we all know its popcorn season with Halloween (horror movie nights and parties), Thanksgiving (great way to end a big ole meal), and of course Christmas. So stop on it and tell’em Davie G sent ya.


I can’t wait to go back and try more of their flavors… I hear they are working on a Pumpkin Flavor.

Not Healthy? Says Who?

Health Camp
2601 Circle Road
Waco, TX 76706-3805
(254) 752-2081
Open Mon-Thu, Sun 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat 11am-10pm
Website

As most of you already know, Health Camp isn’t exactly healthy. Instead it is deliciousness, greasiness, fried and plenty of ice cream. They have been a part of Waco community since 1948, living on the Circle, and have become a local institution of quality food. Locals, Baylor students and tourists driving off I-35 all love to visit this great joint. I’ve eaten here a few times with family and friends. I must admit, I used to hate driving here cause I can’t stand the Circle. But let’s face it, it’s totally worth it to snag a good ole fashion burger and malt or shake.

It’s a decent size joint, which can probably seat a little over 30 people… and on Baylor Game days it can get packed, before the game starts. They have a pretty simple menu of burgers, hot dogs, fried sides, malts, shakes and if you bring in a banana they’ll make you a Banana Split for $2.99… pretty shweet. When it comes to their malts and shakes they have a bunch of different flavors to choose from, which is pretty awesome since most joints only have the basic- vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

I get pretty much the same thing every time I go; A bacon cheeseburger or cheese burger, a RC Cola, fries and a Butter scotch malt to finish it off. I do have to say I eventually stopped getting the bacon cheese burger, since I always felt that the bacon was too chewy… and I don’t like chewy bacon. They might have changed since I left had one with bacon… but I can’t say for sure. I think next time I’ll try one of their chili dogs and different flavor malt. Gotta break away from the routine every once in a while.

I have only been maybe once or twice since I left TAMUG, which was roughly 4 years ago… that’s a long time to go without visiting Health Camp. So I went earlier today to get my fix. I ordered their cheese burger, fries and butter scotch malt. The burgers are pretty good; fresh, good flavor and properly cooked. The veggies used are nice and fresh, not soggy or old. The cheese is nicely melted and gooey. The bun is your run of the mill, hamburger bun. All together it makes one damn fine Burger. The fries are alright, nothing special; throw a little salt n pepper on them with some ketchup and you gott’em made. The malts are pretty good. I usually get the butter scotch malts, they are pretty tasty, but I wouldn’t mind if they made the flavor stronger. The peanut butter malts are also pretty good. MY dad prefers to get the vanilla shake. Both are nice and think, with good flavor, made to order.

Waco has more burger joints than I can shake a stick at, and Health Camp is definitely one of the tops ones. Not just in quality but in historic value and a great atmosphere. If you haven’t been to Health Camp yet you really need to make time in your schedule to hit them up… you definitely won’t be disappointed. Then pick yourself up a burger and a shirt from them that claims “You Survived the Circle.”


Malt/Shake Flavors I have Tried So Far:
Score 1-5

Toasted Marshmallow  3
Butter Scotch     4
S'mores     3

Breakfast, Burgers and Drive

Cupp’s Drive In
1424 Speight Ave
Waco, TX 76706
(254) 753-9364
Mon-Sat

Today I was in the mood for some breakfast, something I don’t eat very often… cause well, I like to sleep in late. But I had to get up early this morning anyway… there are a couple of places I usually snag it, but I decided to try a different joint. Last week I ate lunch (and enjoyed it) at Cupp’s Drive In and noticed they also served breakfast… so Cupp’s it was.

I get there around 8:30am and it looks closed, so I call’em up. Apparently the cook is running a little late… So I wait outside jamming to some Darius Rucker. He arrives in a few minutes later, and while Im finishing up the song an older couple pulls up and a nearby resident stops in to eat there as well… now I don’t feel completely awkward. These people timed it just right. So I pop in and glance over the menu; I decide to order 2 flapjacks, bacon and hash browns with an ice cold Coke. While waiting for our food, we all discuss Dallas and Baylor’s catastrophe the day before… let’s not get into that though… no fun.

Halfway through taking orders they realize they need to make a quick run to the Heb for a couple of supplies… been there, done that. I know how it goes. Least they had enough to make my order… cause we ALL know, the world revolves around me and I get MY food! Right? No? Dangit!

My food arrives not to long after throwing it down… looks and smells delicious. 2 decent sized flapjacks, 3 good strips of bacon and a mound of hash-browns. One thing I noticed while chilling is the brand of pancake mix they used… it’s one of the most common household brands used… but not every house has a flattop that’s been seasoned with bacon fat, burger grease, egg run off and everything else they throw on it. Giving everything they cook on it bits and pieces of that awesome flavor. I dug in; the flapjacks were pretty good, for the previous reasons, they were also nicely cooked… not runny and not burnt. Just the right amount of crispy edges. The bacon was really good, nice and crispy with good flavor. The hash-browns were a tad disappointing- crunchy on the outside but a little soggy on the inside. Still, with a bit of pepper and some ketchup they were just fine. I munched it all down, left feeling deliciously full.

Earlier in the week I stopped in to try one of their burgers and pick one up for my dad while he sat at home waiting on the guys to finish up fixing our laundry room. They had a nice crowd when I pulled in. I order a bacon cheese burger for myself, a BLT for my dad and a large fries to split. The burger was pretty good; they use fresh patties that they pound out on a marble counter and then throw on the flattop. The meat has good flavor, and the way it’s pounded out, it forms crispy edges around the meat. The bacon was pretty good too; good flavor and crispy. The fries were alright, I’ve never had this brand before. They weren’t anything special, had decent flavor… with a little salt and pepper they were good. Will definitely be grabbing another burger there soon.

The people there are super friendly and it has a great atmosphere. I talked to the manager there a bit and apparently she and her brother run the place for their mother. Their mother bought the place back in the early 80’s after working there under different owners for a couple decades. Since she bought it, its been family owned and operated serving up great food to Baylor Students, Travelers off I-35 and local Wacoans.

So if you are every down by Baylor or traveling down I-35 and are craving some good breakfast or good ole burger stop on by Cupps Drive In- Another Great Breakfast & Burger Joint Waco has to offer. The only down size to the place- limited seating. But even that can be a blessing in disguise sometimes.

Dont Wake The Bear

Dancing Bear Pub
1117 Speight Ave
Waco, Texas 76710
254-753-0025
TDB

After hearing about this place on Facebook and from the guys at Wacoboard, I decided it was time to give the place a try. They are a nice little local Waco pub, with a wide variety of beers and food from the place next door- Food For Thought. From the outside it doesn’t look like much; but when you walk in… bam. They place is really nice, clean, nicely decorated. Very calm atmosphere.

I finally hit them up yesterday, but I didn’t really do my research so I ended up there about 20 minutes before they opened up (4:00pm). Well instead of leaving and wasting gas, I just decided to wait it out in my car and catch up with a couple of my cousins. Once they opened I was obviously the first person in, but not by much. By around 4:30, there were already 8 more people. That’s pretty cool.
I sat up at the bar to watch tv and so I could see who all comes in and what they drink. Im generally not a big beer drinker besides Dos Equis Lager and the occasional Killians. When you go to a pub like this, you gotta give it a whirl. I ordered one of their Oktoberfest beers; I believe it was Schlafly Pumpkin Ale. It was light orange color, not very foggy, small head. The aroma hit me with cinnamon and light pumpkin & vanilla; was pretty awesome. The flavor was a lot like pumpkin pie, but much lighter and sweet. While enjoying my beer I ended up talking to a guy about what is going on in the Big 12…. Pretty interesting talk, always gotta appreciate different views and insights… cool guy. Jeff, the bartender seems to really know about beer, which is obviously good. Most of the guys who came in just asked Jeff for a recommendation, and 9 times out of 10 he nailed it. They also let you sample the tap beers first, which is nice. I sampled the beer of the day, but it was too hoppy for me.

I never did order food, for two reasons; 1) I didn’t realize they didn’t start serving food till 5 and 2) they get their food from Food for Thought (which I haven’t eaten at yet). I really wanted pizza, but didn’t want to order a full one for myself or wait till 5. So I talked to a friend of mine, and hopefully we will be hitting the bear this weekend for some more beer and a homemade pizza.

For my first time there, I really enjoyed it and I’m disappointed it took me so long to try this joint out. They have a nice selection of beer, supposedly good food and game night once a week. It’s not far from my house, so I’ll definitely be going more often. So if you are a beer lover, you should really give this place a try and tell'em DavieG sent ya.

Drive In Walk Up

B.C. Lees Drive-In
104 Hillsboro Dr
Waco, TX 76704-3108
(254) 799-6916


For the next 3-4 weeks, I’ll be eating out a lot more. Finally having the kitchen totally revamped; new floor, new appliances, new lighting, new walls, cupboards, counter-top…. new just about everything. Once it is done, it should be really awesome. Today was the start of it… started ripping up part of the floor boards. So pizza delivery for dinner, cereal for breakfast and for lunch I tried Lee’s Drive-In.

You can find this little joint over off Elm, right behind Jasper's BBQ. In this little square half block you can get the best of both worlds- BBQ and Greasy Goodness. Lee’s is a literal drive in—not drive though, not walk in… you actually drive up, park, get out and go place your order at the window. They give you a ticket, and then you either go back to your car or chill out side till they call your number over the speaker. Pretty nifty.

They have your basic menu; Burgers, ham & cheese sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, Korny dogs, fried fish, etc. Also got cookies, sodas, and shakes. One of their newer items, which seemed really interesting, is Chicken Tails. I love chicken tails, Ill snag them at work every once in a while when our rotisserie chickens still have their tails. But I was in a burger mood today; ordered me a cheese burger with mayo, lettuce and pickles with a side of fries.

On the way home I notice the bag my burgers in is starting to get a grease spot… always a good sign. Got home and dug in. It smelled great, just like a burger should. It was a pretty dang good burger; the meat was cooked perfectly, tender and juicy with great flavor. The veggies were fresh, the bun was nicely toasted and something about the mayo was really interesting. The mayo had a light golden hue to it, and was really sweet. I wonder if they mixed honey mustard or something else into it… but it was really good. It was a pretty tasty burger, and will definitely being going back for another one. The fries were your run of the mill plain fries that need salt, pepper and a little ketchup. Next time I go I really wanna try their Chicken Tails and maybe one of their shakes.

So over all it was a pretty good meal. There aren’t many burger joints in that part of town, so if you are every down there and craving a burger, hit them up. Just something a little different than usual.
---And Ill update this once I try the Chicken Tails and whatever else I might try next time.

Gonna Miss Their CFS

Just found out this weekend that Bill & Bobs will be closing their doors, only to stay in the Catering Business. They have some of the best Fork Tender, Flavorful, Chicken Fried Steaks in Town... now we will have to settle for second best; They also had a great, basic, American menu. They have been part of Waco for decades and it will be sad to see them close down. Hopefully, someone will buy their location and keep it open as a locally owned and operated restaurant with the same drive and quality as Bill & Bobs.

~My Hat off to you Bill & Bobs~


You can find my original post on them here:
http://davieg-ga.blogspot.com/2010/08/hearty-and-home-stlye.html

Best Burritos in Town

Lolitas Restaurante
1911 Franklin Ave
Waco, TX 76701
254-755-8008


One of the best breakfast & lunch joints in Texas. I’ve been eating here for as long as I can remember. The place is owned and run by Jerry & Lolly Bergstad; but as of recently due to health reasons, it is mostly Lolly & their oldest son that you’ll be seeing there. Whenever you go in, you should definitely say hi to them, they are great people. They have been a part of Waco's restaurant scene for decades, and I hope they stay around for decades more.

Gerry is German descent and I believe from North Dakota, where Lolly is Hispanic… so go figure. They serve authentic Mexican food and burritos for lunch and breakfast, with a menu and pricing that can’t be beat. My favorite thing to get there is their breakfast burritos; their Bacon, egg, cheese and potato and their chorizo, egg, and potato. There are also plenty of items I haven’t had a chance to try yet like their enchiladas, menudo, barbacoa, and their guisada. But today I am gonna talk about my usual breakfast.

This morning I called in a pick-up order of; 2 Bacon, egg, potato, and cheese burritos, 2 chorizo, egg, potato and cheese, and a slice of their cake. All of this cost me $10.99 on the dot. That isn’t bad for 4 freshly made burritos and homemade cake. A lot better than that crap you get from a chain burrito place that moved here a while back, that gives you more filler than anything else. Quality is more important than quantity… and if you think about it, about 3 of Lolita’s burritos is equal to the size of the other others place and come to be about the same price. If you wanna get a giant burrito you can always grab one of their "Elephante", which is a 10inch burrito filled with; sausage, bacon, beans, egg, potato and cheese...and what a deal.

The chorizo burritos are great; they are tender, have great flavor that balance well with whatever you throw in there with it. If you don’t know what chorizo is, don’t look it up until after you’ve downed one of these babies. The potatoes carry their own with the . The eggs are freshly cooked and aren’t over cooked like many places I’ve been. No single ingredient really pops alone, but when they morph together; it is perfect harmony. The B/E/P/C burritos are my favorite; I get these more often than anything else. The eggs are tender and flavorful, perfectly cooked. The Potatoes are tender with no real seasoning, but the way they cook them adds some major flavor. The cheese is warm, gooey and awesome. They don’t use American cheddar or Velveeta or any of that crap. It looks like they use a white cheddar or pepper jack. The bacon is my best part; perfectly crispy, never chewy, cooked in its own deliciously great fat/grease. LOVE IT.

The tortillas are delicious and soft with great flavor. I usually hate flour tortillas, but these don’t have the over powering flour flavor that many do. Oh and did I mention it seems that they seem to cook just about all their foods in good ole fashion Lard… the flavor and pop definitely show that with each bite. Their freshly made pico and house salsa are also most excellent. My dad always orders a bunch of pico, and I always snag their salsa. The salsa has a great bite, I could pretty much drink the stuf... okay so I have... like I did this morning. -Dont judge me-

Last but not least their desserts; cookies and cake. When I was younger I used to always get a slice of their pink frosting cake with my burrito. Today was the first time Ive eaten a slice in probably 4 years… insane I know…. But it tasted just as awesome as it did from when I was a kid. Slightly crumbly, moist, mild cinnamon flavor, great smooth vanilla frosting and some sprinkles for crunch; Some great cake. My parent’s favorite dessert to snag there is their sugar cookies. These babies melt in your mouth delicious. Baked fresh with plenty of butter or lard; which lends to the smooth and melty texture of the cookies. To bite in them, they have a slight crunch… then dissolve away to a sugary sweetness, with just a slight “bite.”

If you haven’t tried this little joint out yet, you definitely need to. I’m sure you will greatly enjoy whatever you order from them to chow down on. I have yet to get a bad order from them and love the atmosphere when I dine in. They open up pretty early in the morning and close around 2 every day, but they are close on Mondays..

I do have one little peeve though; If you decide you wanna go through the drive through… please call in your order. Many people will go through the DT and place their order at the window. These orders are made to order… not pre-made… so the drive through can be very slow. My recommendation is, if you want some grub to go; call ahead, then go inside. Will be much faster and much appreciated by the Jerry and Lolly. Jerry used to actually have a sign that requested people to call ahead their orders, but people kept tearing it down. Apparently dialing 7 numbers and giving your order is too difficult for most. My dad always joked around saying he “would stand outside the window and program Lolitas number into everyone’s cell phone.”

254-755-8008

Texas Flavor

Heitmiller Steak House
4509 N. IH 35, Ext. 339
Lacy Lakeview, Texas
(254) 867-1400
http://www.heitmillersteakhouse.com/

So after a week of having fellow employees telling me that I need to try Heitmillers, a place Ive driven by probably 100 times, and I didn’t even know it existed. They are a locally owned and operated steak, who has been in Waco for decades, and only changed hands of ownership once. Apparently they are well known for their selection and cooking of steaks, as well as their giant chicken fried steaks.

On my first day off, my father and I decided we go try it out. He had been to the original one, but not this new one. Apparently they used to be hole in the wall with great food; but due to expanding the highway and the government had right of way or whatever it was called, they had to close the old one and relocate. Turned out to be a great deal for them it seems; they got a great location right off I-35 and right between 3 Local Colleges (TSTC, MCC and Baylor), and their new place is just huge and max out. Big enough for over a 100 people, huge ole cast chandeliers, frosted windows, even a big ole gift shop. The only big down side to the size of the place was the acoustics; not exactly nice on the ears… really messed with my dad hearing aids.

As we walk in I notice to the side, a sign with the daily specials- CFS or CFC with corn or green beans and mashed potatoes. Which is perfect, cause I wanted to snag one of those. I almost will never order a steak at a restaurant… only on very special occasions and only if I know the chef… cause I can cook a steak like there is no tomorrow. Since there are two of us we split it up; I get the CFC and my dad gets the CFS. I order mine with corn and loaded mashed potatoes, he orders green beans and regular mashed potatoes.

While waiting for our food, we chill and talk about politics and football. Notice a few movers and shakers of Waco are enjoying a lunch there, together. Blow bubbles in our chocolate milk. Check out the cute waitresses. You know, the usual stuff.

Our food comes, looking delicious and all… couldn’t really smell it, the place is really well ventilated. The first thing I notice is the size of my dad chicken fried steak… it is about the size of a football. My chicken fried chicken is only half the size, weirdly enough it looks like a pre-made frozen one. I try my CFC; it is fork tender, juicy, good flavor and the batter is nice, flavorful and crunchy. It was a pretty decent chicken fried chicken, but not the best Ive ever had. Next I tried the corn, which, just by looking I could tell it wasn’t fresh corn… even tasted like canned corn…. Which was really disappointing, too many places used canned over fresh or frozen. Then I snag a bite of my dad’s chicken fried steak; fork tender, good flavor, very nice batter. Definitely one of the best CFS I have eaten. Last but not least, the loaded mashed potatoes- gravy, bacon, cheese, chives; The mashed potatoes were made from scratch, they alone had really good flavor and mashed texture. What was odd though was the use of freshly chopped chives, but they used canned bacon bits…. Kind of a downer. But Bacon is Bacon…. Except to-bacon and tur-bacon.

Over all I had a really nice experience and enjoyed the food, and will be going back to try some other items on their menu…including the Calf fries. Who knows I just might even snag a steak; as I do recall they have a ½ a CFS with a Steak deal. So ya, if you are ever down in the MCC/ TSTS area or are heading to/from Dallas or maybe you just want a giant CFS or Steak… go ahead and give Heitmiller a try. I doubt you will be disappointed.

for once my co-workers were right ;)

Definitely Not Hippie Food

Beatnix Burger Barn & Cafe
1700 Colcord
Waco, Texas
254-235-9555
Mon. - Sat.: 11:30am - 3:30pm
Fri. & Sat. Nights: 1:00 am to 4:00 am
http://www.beatnixcoffee.com/home

Earlier today I saw a picture posted by Wacoboard.com of a burger from Beatnix Café & Burgers. Id never eaten at Beatnix before, just the burger joint that was there before them. So I decided I would go snag lunch from Beatnix today… this is that story… dunh dunh dunh…

The place isn’t very hard to find, its right off 18th street and Colcord, and with its wildly colored Graffiti it sticks right out. I pulled around and parked in the back, as I got out of my car I could smell the delicious grease from the flattop and fryers. Always a good sign.

As you walk in you here 70’s rock in the background and are hit with the aroma of fried goodness. They weren’t real busy, only 4 other people in there… which was kinda nice not having to deal with a line. I’m greeted by the owners and while chatting, I glance over the menu. They have burgers, different types of cheese steaks, vegan meals, plenty of sides, coffee stuff and plenty of other items. I go with their Bacon, Egg and Cheese Burger- crispy bacon, American cheese, fried egg, pickles, lettuce and mayo on a toasted bun. Sounds Most Excellent, Right! I also get a side of their sweet potato fries and a sweet tea.

While waiting for my food, I look over the menu to see what all I missed out on and what I will get next time- The Texas Cheese Steak. I also notice that they are open on Friday and Saturday nights from 1am-4am, to serve food coming from the bars and whatnot. I know what I’m doing next time I go out for heavy drinking with my friends… Beatnix for French Toast and burgers. I talked to Benn for a bit, while my food was prepping. About how they were slammed with a line out the door last Friday and the register broke down, so he had to use a calculator to make change. Two of the guys enjoying a burger there, were the two first guys to every come to Beatnix’s mid-night opening.

My burger and fries arrive, open faced so you can see all the awesomeness. Lets start with the sweet potato fries first: they were steaming hot, crispy and sweet, seemed like they might’ve had a layer of brown sugar on them. I liked them a lot better that the Ore-Ida style sweet potato fries so many places serve. If you like sweet potatoes, definitely need to order yourself a batch of these babies.

The burger: Nicely toasted bun. The bacon; perfectly cooked, crispy, hot, Smokey and flavorful. The pickles and lettuce were nice, crispy and fresh tasting. The cheese was melted, warm, gooeyness. The meat was nicely cooked, hot, juicy and great flavor which had taken on extra smokeyish greaseyish awesome flavor from the greatly seasoned flattop- almost indescribable awesomeness. All coming together to make one most excellent burger, a mini orgasm in the mouth. OH yes, I went there, a mini orgasm.

While eating my burger, Benn asked me how my burger was, I replied that I “really liked it” he replied with a totally hippie “sweeeeet.” Haha Damn Hippies….. just kidding ;)

Definitely one of the best burger joints in town, and will most definitely be going back there soon. Great people, good atmosphere, and great food… and apparently BYOB. If you haven’t been here yet, make a date in your calendar, and check them out- whether it be for lunch, a Fri/Sat night, or one of their live music/poetry nights. There is just so much to this place.

Tell’em DavieG sent ya.

No Reservation BBQ

Rusty Star BBQ
10600 N River Xing
Waco, TX 76712-2523
(254) 848-7827


The Eyes Of Texas Are Upon You
P XII


After a morning of working out at my ranch (finally had some great weather), with only a cold McGriddle & hash brown to fuel me, I obviously got pretty hungry. So I decided to try this BBQ joint right off Highway 6, on the way back to Waco. They’ve been there for years, I just never bothered trying them, and Im not sure why… I think partially could I have heard some complaints about them, but that shouldn’t have stopped me. ALL BBQ MUST BE TRIED.

This is the Rusty Star; Ted Nugents choice for BBQ and was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s- No Reservations. I haven’t seen the episode yet, so I’m not just what the point blank and sarcastic Tony thought… but this is my opinion on the joint.

So I pull up in their lot, and as I get out I get hit with the smell of sweet BBQ smoke. You walk in; it’s a quaint little place, greeted as you walk in, there are already a few people sitting around enjoying some Q. I walk up to the counter to stare over the menu; they have your basics- brisket, sausage, turkey, pulled pork, ribs…. All of which you can get by the pound, on a sandwich or a plate with sides. They have plenty of sides to choose from; potato salad, jalapeno salad, slaw, beans, etc… as well as deviled eggs and desserts.

I go with the 2 meat plate; Sliced brisket, pork ribs, jalapeno potato salad and slaw… With the amenities of pickles, bread and sauce. I pick up a couple of pulled pork sandwiches for my folks, and a couple deviled eggs for later. Im not sure if they weigh it out, of just eye it, but my plate came with two long strips of brisket and a single rib. It was enough to fill me up, along with the sides.

The first item I try is the brisket; it has a nice smoke ring, good amount of fat, good bark, good flavor… but unfortunately it was a little dry… kind of seemed like it had been precut. Next was the rib; juicy, tender off the bone, good seasoning on the bark… was really good. One of the better ribs I have eaten lately. Now for the potato salad I could’ve got plain or jalapeno… well I just had to try the jalapeno. This is actually the first place I’ve seen offer it, so I had to jump on it. It was pretty good; creamy, flavorful, with some slice jalapenos thrown it. I could’ve eaten another serving or two of that. I think next time I make some potato salad I’m going to though in some Sweet & Spicy jalapenos. The slaw was pretty good too; fresh, not dry, crunchy, seasoned well… maybe a little much on the pepper, but was still good. The BBQ sauce was alright, your run of the mill sweet with a little spice, good consistency.

Later that day I tried the deviled eggs… but ultimately disappointed in them as all I could taste was egg and mustard. I like mustard, but this was too much and I couldn’t tell if there was anything else in them. I also snagged a bite of the pulled pork from my dad’s sandwich. It was alright, a little dry, but good flavor. If they had thrown some of their BBQ sauce on it while it was still warm, it would’ve been a lot better.

So over all I thought it was pretty good. The atmosphere was nice, the food was good, and they have some items most others in town don’t. I’ll be stopping by there more often on the way to/from my ranch. It’s not too far outside of Waco, so if you ever want to give them a try don’t hold back, it’ll be worth it and you might even run into the Motor City Mad Man.


Now time to go find the episode where they are featured on No Reservations, and see how it stands up to Tony.

Gut Pack Snack Attack

Vitek’s BBQ
1600 Speight Avenue
Waco, Texas 76706
254-752-7591
http://www.viteksbbq.com/



I’ve been eating lunch at Vitek’s since I was a little kid. I remember going there with my father and cousins, ordering the Gut Pack and chilling outside on the bench tables. I remember one time we were all chilling out side, and a bunch of very pretty Baylor students sat across from us; one of my cousins cracked a joke so funny, I ended up shooting big red out my nose... so NOT cool... but ya.

Back then V’s was a pretty small place; a single line for food, limited seating inside and out, a smaller menu… a perfect little BBQ joint. The Baylor students loved it, the locals loved it, and people would come from out of town to try’em out. Then while I was living in Galveston, I believe they had some family difficulties and closed it down for a bit. They eventually reopened it and then soon after remodeled the entire joint; now it’s a giant, nice, clean looking joint, with a bigger menu, more seating, live music, etc. Its great what they’ve done to the place, and they are doing better than ever.

They are known around for their Gut Pack which consists of; Fritos, beans, cheese, brisket and BBQ sauce. It’s like a super deluxe Frito Pie. I’ve always gotten the Gut Pack, sin frijoles. The name sure does fit; it fills you up and tastes delicious. If you don’t think you can devour a full one, they do sell a smaller version…. Wah wah wah.

Today I decided to try something else. So after looking over the menu, I choose to go with the 2 meat plate; Grilled Turkey, Homemade sausage, potato salad, slaw, wheat bread and a large Dublin Dr. Pepper. Sounds delicious... be jealous.

The first thing I try is their homemade sausage; this was some of the best sausage I’ve ever had. It had nice texture of a mild grind, the casing wasn’t too chewy. The sausage was nicely seasoned with pepper, garlic and other spices that were less prominent. Next I tried the grilled turkey; it was pretty good, nothing really special about it. They must just grill the whole turkey breast, and then slice it, since the grill marks were just on the side. It wasn’t dried out or bland, it was good for what it was. The potato salad was very good; nice and chunky, with some potato skins thrown in, a nice amount of mustard and with a hint of jalapenos or tabasco sauce…something gave a nice little kick to the potato salad. My least favorite dish was their cole slaw. It was fresh, too fresh in my opinion. The slaw looked juicy enough, but it hadn’t set long enough so the veggies weren’t very flavorful. All I could taste was the cabbage and other veggies, I couldn’t taste the dressing. I think cole slaw should be allowed to sit for a while so the cabbage can absorb the dressing.

Over all Viteks is a great place to grab lunch and a Waco Institution. The food is great, the service is excellent and friendly, the same goes for the atmosphere of the place. I think next time I’ll try the Brisket Tacos that Luke from WacoBoard told me about; didn’t even know they had them.

So if you are ever looking for some good Q, should definitely check this place out.