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Rick's on the Square--Tyler, TX

Mike C. Miller — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:16:59 GMT

Good to hear. Has the food changed any at lunch? My impressions at lunch is it's a decent enough place to eat, good blue plate special, better than average sandwiches, but nothing of the quality you're talking about here. (Still, it's one of my two favorite places to eat when I'm in Tyler for lunch. Can't remember the name of the other. It's the soul food place north east of the square.)

Visiting Atlanta Hound looking for options near NW San Antonio, La Cantera, RIM

joond1 — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:50:14 GMT

Hi There, Atlanta Hound looking for some guidance... I'll be in San Antonio on business for practically the whole summer, M-Th. Unfortunately, I'm staying a bit far from downtown, near La Cantera and the RIM. Is there ANYTHING worthwhile nearby? My team and I have done some exploring and it seems the best we've found is Rudy's BBQ in Leon Springs, a good ways out. Would love pointers for some good dinner places to call our own for a few months. ALSO, while it is tough for us to get downtown often, I'll take any suggestions you guys have for young professional 20-somethings... all great restaurant and bar recommendations are welcome. Thanks in advance!

Texas-based food blogs

lluuccyy — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:59:52 GMT

Hi guys, Was wondering if you knew any food blogs or bloggers that are based in Texas? Want to read up on what's good around there, not from a mainstream food magazine/blog. Thanks!

chicken fried steak in texas

maria franzese — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:37:13 GMT

I agree, Pollywolly, we stood in line for over three hours and it was not worth the wait. What other BBQ places are good in Austin?

San Antonio Report on a quick visit

saeyedoc — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:32:14 GMT

Have you been to Sustenio yet? I had an amazing meal there when we did the tasting menu with wine pairings. Expensive, but first rate. Not a big Auden fan. I haven't tried Gwendolyn or Bliss yet, I usually don't care to go downtown to eat, too much traveling during the work week for me back and forth to DT and the southside.

anything interesting on north loop 1604?

saeyedoc — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:01:30 GMT

Nicely said SAhomecooking. I live <1/4 mile from Wildfish and I still don't go. I find the service to be pushy and the food medicore. Have only been to Silo for meetings in the last few years. Will have to check out Tost, haven't been there. I don't get the love for Paesano's either, but they sure pack them in. Large portions I guess. Hopefully the new expansion at Dough will help with the crowds, but without getting another pizza oven, I suspect it will just take longer to get served. Good way for them to sell more wine and apps I guess.

Houston and Hill Country Best Sausage

brucesw — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:42:08 GMT

I wanted to add this new one I just recently discovered. I was checking out the fried chicken at Brookshire Brothers grocery stores for an ongoing thread on the Houston board about supermarket fried chicken ( http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/783156 ) and found a brand I’d never heard of, EJ’s Meat Co. of Shiner. That makes three sausage makers in Shiner; the others are Patek’s and Maekers, both of whom put out some good products. I’ve been very impressed with EJ’s. I’ve tried the smoked pork with garlic, the pork smokies (with garlic) and the pork and beef and jalapeno links (with garlic). The best was the last one, very, very juicy with a moderate amount of heat though very little flavor of jalapeno. They do like the garlic which is fine by me. The grind is a medium, not as coarse as most Central Texas sausage makers go for and they use sheep’s casings for a nice snap and a little chewiness. They remind me a lot of the sausages from V & V in Cistern but there’s no TVP. I have no idea if they have a store-front in Shiner as I can’t find much about them online; I’ve only seen them at the Brookshire Brothers in Katy and Columbus.

Asian grocery stores in San Antonio

HollyDolly — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:23:00 GMT

That may be the Hung Phong Market on Remount.There is also TNK Market on north New Braunfels near Fort Sam , but you have to get there from IH35,as you can no longer cut through Fort Sam to get there.

Prause Meat Market, La Grange

brucesw — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:59:27 GMT

My experience here was not very impressive but I thought I’d post it for others or maybe others have had different experiences. I’d heard about Prause for years and driven by several times but never stopped. I read recently the place is for sale and there’s some concern what will happen under new owners so I thought I’d check it out before it’s too late. It’s an old fashioned meat market, right on the square downtown, with pits in the back and a bare bones dining area. Supposedly it does a brisk business and I got there early as there are warnings they usually sell out. I got some fatty pieces but my brisket was dry and lacking in flavor and still just a little tough. There was more of a burned taste than smoke and there wasn’t enough rub. In particular it needed salt. I thought it was even possible my sample had been reheated from a previous day. The sausage link was better, very nice and juicy, like the wet sausage at City Market in Luling, but also was rather bland. It could’ve used either some more black or red pepper and salt. I noted most of the other people were ordering pork (loin slices I think) but I didn’t go back to try that. There are three potato salads and reviewers say be sure to try them. I went for the baked potato salad with sour cream and bacon and it was very good - best thing on the plate. The sauce was also good, thank goodness since the brisket really needed it. Prices are reasonable. I paid $8 + tax for 1/4 # brisket, 1 link and maybe a cup and a half of potato salad.

Graduation Lunch

dbrownlee — Sun, 06 May 2012 03:40:38 GMT

Ohhh, I see. Wrong spot. Forgive me, I'm new to this. Thanks for the tip Sarah! :)

Good BBQ near Denton TX

SGMasten — Sat, 05 May 2012 13:40:04 GMT

Steve's shut its door many years ago now. Not familiar with Clark's but There is a Rudy's which is very good Now, Great Atmosphere, and very clean

high-end Mexican in El Paso?

Markcron — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:41:25 GMT

I flew in to ELP last night, and headed staright to Burritos Cristósomo. I picked this over Valentine's because it seemed like I could get in and out quicker, and i was pretty tired. I had the pork in red sauce, barbacoa, and steak. All were excellent. I was very full! Hoping to try some of these other recommendations before I head back to Detroit (but I'll be wit work colleagues, so it might not be possible).

Foraging Wild Foods in Central TX?

nosatiation — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:20:24 GMT

If anyone is still into this, check out my most recent podcast on foraging in Austin: http://www.nosatiation.com/2012/05/01/episode-115-urban-foraging/

Marshall Recommendations Help

danieli10 — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 19:40:51 GMT

Without sounding too cheesy...I am forever in your debt for the amazing rundown! You have clearly spent many many moons in Marshall. I will report back in a few weeks.

ROCKPORT TEXAS

James Cristinian — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 23:34:00 GMT

Good to hear the Crab'N is still going strong. I forgot to warn you that Rockport rolls up the sidewalks 9 pm ish, even on weekends. Obviously you made it in time. I love Rockport, but here's a dirty secret, the fishing is better in Galveston (don't know if you fish), and Matagorda destroys.

Tasting menu at Sustenio

saeyedoc — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:30:40 GMT

The tasting menu is $85, wine pairings $50. The hotel hasn't had it's grand opening yet. The lobby still seems deserted. The restaurant was full Saturday night, went back Thursday night for a business dinner in a private room, the restaurant wasn't nearly as busy, but still doing some business. They are having a cooking demo/class and a tasting dinner next month when a fairly well known Thai chef that's friends with the chef will be in town, they sold out the dinner part in a few hours (21 seats, the communal table), but I think there's still space left in the class. Really a first class operation, the sommelier is a hoot and chef Gilbert seems like a good guy. Service is very professional. Expensive, but well worth a visit.

South Padre Island and surrounding area Eats

tessann — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:59:31 GMT

Thought I'd try again...any suggestions? South Padre Island, Port Isabel, Harlingen, Brownsville?

San Antonio and Boerne trip report

looz — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:55:42 GMT

Haha! Well, we didn't go to Boerne specifically for the food, but rather because that's where the people we were visiting live! Next time we'll try to get out to Lockhart!

Agree strongly--Bobby Flay, you got a Texas wife, you should be ashamed of your raves!

RealSlimK — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:12:48 GMT

Justaladyintx: I think when you post in a debate about BBQ with comments about 'the way they served it or the little plastic cups being unappealing' a lot of people from Southern Texas are nodding their heads and saying to themselves..."Dallas people." Are we talking about BBQ or your favorite Jerry Jones plastic surgery options? and really, not very helpful, that you did not cite your prferred BBQ er, serving style place...with its er more superior to-go boxes and whatnot...

Grocery Delivery in El Paso

pacify360 — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:33:55 GMT

I don't think there are any corporate options but there are several personal shoppers available from this web site, and the have a nice online ordering system too: http://www.LoneStarShoppers.com They deliver to El Paso.

Italian in Bonham, Texas

jgokc — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:11:12 GMT

Correction! I made a mistake - the name of it was ROMA Italian Restaurant, not Roma's. Sorry!

Needing a restaurant between Houston and San Antonio on I10!

joedontexan — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:38:12 GMT

hinzes barbecue in sealy is good if your in a bbq mood.

Authentic Mexican in San Antonio

saeyedoc — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:36:04 GMT

Glad you enjoyed it. My favorites there are the Tampiquena plate, Chili Rellenos, Chilaquiles.

Which of these SA Mexican restaurants?

San Antonio Sam — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:47:11 GMT

I've been to Rosario's and Cascabel and they are both excellent. Cascabel has the more traditional Mexican menu and is really laid back with a nice patio and somewhat slow service. I think the lack of margaritas keeps the crowds away so it's a very nice place for a lazy weekend lunch. Rosario's has traditional dishes but also more Tex Mex items. They serve alcohol and it's pretty darn loud in there. Food's good. I really couldn't pick a favorite between those two but I would return to Cascabel more often just because they serve some dishes that are hard to find around town.

Seafood for lunch between Houston and Lake Charles

lillidalla — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:00:32 GMT

I can think of two that are good and have some Cajun offerings....Al-T's in Winnie and Floyd's in Beaumont. Both are right off 1-10.

Where to dine in Amarillo?

adamsonj — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 20:02:15 GMT

looking for a nice dinner in Amarillo, preferably in or near downtown.What do y'all suggest?

SA restaurants that use natural ingredients

Lily Dale — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 03:02:13 GMT

Vegeria is fantastic. When I recently went to San Antonio they were my first stop. Great owners and great food. Local, organic and vegan. They make delicious tamales. I took a dozen home with me.

Trader Joe's

cstout — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:17:44 GMT

Well, you can bet I shall be there to see what it's all about...am going to wait a couple of weeks since I know there will be a big rush to get in there...of course I will look for the buck chuck. Hope they will have a wine called Tree of Life pomegranate wine...it is a collection...dry, semi-sweet & sweet, I believe. My boss served some & gave me a bottle of the semi-sweet...have not opened it yet. No one in the big city of San Antonio carries this wine as far as I know...this came from Austin. Don't know the cost of it, but if you see it, be sure and get some..I think she said it under 10 dollars a bottle. 100% pure pomegranate...can't go wrong with that!! Anyway, I am looking for some fun in a grocery store for a change...don't really know what that is!!!

Must Eats within an Hour of San Antonio with Teenagers?

lillidalla — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:34:57 GMT

If you get to Fredericksburg, I have a couple of suggestions. Hondo's on Main has some interesting burgers that the teenagers might enjoy, and the Fredericksburg Pie Company is a must. The latter is a mom and pop operation on Austin Street (about a block and a half off the Main St. drag), and it serves some of the best pies you'll ever taste. Have fun!

Need help with one week in San Antonio

San Antonio Sam — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:27:38 GMT

For an inexpensive seafood option give El Bucanero a try. It's Mexican but not everything is spicy. They are on the East Side at 2818 S. WW White Rd but they are currently building a new location in the North Central on NW Military near Hardberger Park. From the looks of it driving past, it's almost ready to open!

Best place to stop between Dallas & San Antonio?

BeaN — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:51:18 GMT

I really like Johnny's Steaks & BBQ in Salado. Real Q with great bark and smoke ring, and none of the side dishes are throwaways like so many BBQ places. I've made the tip over there several times and everything I've had has been good. It's right off 35 in Salado - 301 Thomas Arnold Blvd (use the west frontage rd for I-35).

San Antonio: Upscale Interior Mexican

San Antonio Sam — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:10:22 GMT

I don't know if they are quite as upscale but my choice would be either El Mirasol or Sol Luna (owned by same people and have very similar menus) or La Paloma Blanca in Alamo Heights. El Mirasol is my favorite Mexican restaurant in San Antonio. The Chile En Nogada is awesome. Last time I was there they offered a plate with 2 types of enchiladas and a 1/2 chile en nogada. It was so amazing that I'm still struggling for words to describe it, lol. They have handmade margaritas (they call Chispas) which are my favorite in town. Even though it clearly costs more than most other places, there is ofen a wait for a table at peak times. A sure sign of a killer place in uber-price-sensitive San Antonio.

Midland/Odessa places to eat

Jaymes — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:00:02 GMT

I will, and do, drive miles out of my way to go to La Bodega for one of their bodacious chiles rellenos. They're just like the ones I've had in Mexico, stuffed with "picadillo" - a sort of beef hash made with ground or shredded beef, onions, sometimes potatoes, nuts and raisins, etc. The very best chile relleno I've had outside of Mexico. Amazing.

Fajtas- San Antonio- out of the following 4 choices which is the best?

ohso — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:31:44 GMT

Thanks San Antonio Sam From what I see on the web it seems that Piedras Negas attracts locals of Mexican Descent- this might be exactly what I'm looking for.

Best Restaurant Not in a Major Texas City - Texas

bishopsbitter — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 22:59:30 GMT

It's the smoked trout I remember too!!!

H-town to San Antonio - BBQ? Luling/Lockhart?

texasheathers — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 22:04:41 GMT

Hi! Yes, we did. But, my ambitions were a bit too high. We detoured into Lockhart - but everyone was too cranky for any stop offs so we just went straight to Blacks. Not too crowded -but there was a short line. We got brisket and sausage and baby back ribs. I was pretty geared up for some bbq after reading all the stuff on Chowhound. Honestly, I don't even really just love it - I mean - I like it ok - but to seek it out on purpose is rare for me - but of course we do eat it often because my husband loves it - and it's a staple at every single family function - this is Texas after all. I think I just grew up having brisket practically once every other week and I kind of take the stuff a little for granted - it's like "brisket again???" But, my husband is an Arksansas native - and not from a family that cooked a lot - and so to him - any type of bbq is at the top of his list - him and my stepdad - and well all the men in my family are pretty into it. But, reading all the chowhound post had me dreaming about bbq - I kept talking about it to my mother who thought I'd lost my mind - she said she never heard me get so excited about that before - ha! Ok, so that being said the brisket was amazing - totally get what everyone is talking about. Normally that's not something I order, but I LOVED it here. Sausage was fabulous - not that yucky stuff I'm used to seeing in a bbq joint - kids all ordered that and ate their entire link. Baby Back ribs - blah - I should have tried the other ribs. Sauce was possibly my favorite - I am always yucked out by how strong the flavor is on most store bought bbq sauce - so this was great - enhanced rather than masked. :) I'll have to upload my pictures and attach one here. Took a photo of the kiddos standing out front - just for proof we went - ha! Would I go back? Uhhh - not until all my kids can go to the b athroom by themselves - me and my four year old trying to pee in that tiny space was just too much for me - but she really liked the macaroni and cheese. Very bummed we didn't get to try City Market because I'd read some pretty fabulous things about their ribs - but we ended up detouring through San Marcos on the way home and having dinner at Outback and not even leaving the area until after 9 pm. So, next time - going to try City Market on the way in. We'll be back - I bought season passes to Sea World so we could do the new water park this summer. :) You guys rock! I read my hubby Chowhound comments on bbq joints the entire way there - lol - by the time we got there he could barely contain his excitement!

Thoughts on these SA spots?

bronwen — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:51:40 GMT

Bliss is good, I second that. Also Ocho in the Havana Inn is an overlooked gem, it's a quiet part of the Riverwalk and the food is surprisingly imaginative. As for the Monterey, I want to like it but I don't like the design of the place, it is just not comfortable in my opinion.

G'wine to the McNay

veggiedoc — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:00:26 GMT

I'm a huge fan of Order-Up which is in the Lincoln Heights shopping center a few minutes away, it's yummy burgers, pizzas and mexican food. Their guacamole is great, their veggie options are truly veggie, and they use high quality ingredients. They may have the most perfect chocolate chip cookie ever. It's casual, worth the money and everything I've had there is good.

A "Texan" restaurant in East Texas

Mike C. Miller — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 07:29:55 GMT

If you're not shy about driving, half way between Tyler and Kilgore is Country Tavern. Vey, very good ribs.

Best BBQ - Tyler TX?

debojay — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:08:23 GMT

Ptlycldy, Purple Pig has amazing chopped pork, and I love thier sauce. It's tangy with celery seeds. I think I prefer Bodacious's ribs though. Interestingly, the Purple Pig also has some pretty amazing fried catfish! Best in area, white meat, not greasy, generous portions.

Looking for recommendations in or near El Paso (menudo, tamales, fine dining, and anything else!)

ElPasoChowhound — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 16:37:58 GMT

For the westside of El Paso, Texas if you are looking for some really good Menudo the try out the weekend parking lot trailer at the Italian Kitchen West. They have some really primo menudo. Here is the website that will get you pointed in the right direction: http://www.theitaliankitchenelp.com/MenudoPics/ITKMenudo.html

Yummy food near Hyatt Hill Country??

a_s_mackay — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 02:25:11 GMT

Thanks for the recommendations. Have saved both and we'll see what we get time for. Any more suggestions for family meals in the vicinity of the Hyatt Wild Oak Ranch are welcome! We don't go until early April.

Looking for a "Meat and Three" around the Austin area.

San Antonio Sam — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:54:14 GMT

Wow - Mr and Mrs G's has been on my list of places to check out for a while but I haven't been able to get there. I just assumed it was table service like the other places but I obviously should've checked more closely. It definitely seems like the real deal. Now I have to find a way to get there . . .thanks!

SA Lunch - Urban Taco or La Gloria?

rudyfoodie — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:26:07 GMT

Well we've decided to try Urban Taco, all were intrigued by their menu. It seems that most negatives were about cost and we didn't really have an aversion to that. Not because it's no object, but it just didn't seem that out of whack to us (even if it is tacos). I'll be sure to report back!

Texas Coast recommendations please.

TheKaren — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:33:32 GMT

Rockport actually has a new place in Holiday Beach (stay with me) on Hwy 35 that is serving some amazing seafood...snapper, tilapia, seasonal fish, oysters in season, best fried shrimp I ever had. It's called Salt Creek Cafe. It is a dumpy little place with the best food ever, and the prices run from about $7 to $14 for a steak, so the prices are great for the area.

Pittsburg Hot Link Restaurant - Pittsburg, TX

TheKaren — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:41:55 GMT

I grew up in ETX and my grandfather owned a feed store in Pittsburg. I remember the old hot link place downtown where you walked in the back door and the grease just hung in the air. They would plop those hot links on butcher paper, which would promptly become clear from the grease. I would bite the end off, dip it in hot sauce and suck the inside out, followed by a Saltine. THAT is a good hot link. I can't imagine smoking them, though. How did it turn out?

Capirotada in San Antonio

kindofabigdeal — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:32:38 GMT

Where can I get some? There's one place I know at the NW corner of babcock and callaghan that does a good job, but I'm looking for something new.

Good eats in Texarkana, TX

Mike C. Miller — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:30:27 GMT

You might try The Dixie Diner. They used to have a location on State Line, but now the only branch if off the interstate just east of town. Not sure of the exit, but you can look it up. Really good home cooking. Sort of a better version of a Blackeyed Pea if it wasn't a chain. Food is never gret, but is pretty much universally very good. And Bryce's is really good. If I was going to be in Texarkana for six weeks, they'd know me by name at BOTH Bryce's and the Dixie Diner.

oysters in san antonio

rexster314 — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:11:18 GMT

Funny you should resurrect a thread that's over 10 years old..............