Chuc Wagon

Doug Hazlewood came up with a picture of one of the Chuc Wagons in Houston. Not the same one next to Waltrip High School on 34th, but close. Thanks Doug!

De Paul's Italian Restaurant

I recently received this post:

Amara De PaulNovember 29, 2012 2:35 PM

I am so glad that I stumbled across this..I am Amara De Paul. Vence and Connie were my grandparents who owned the place. 

I have asked Amara if she might have family recipes from her grandparent's restaurant. I suggested we could possibly start a De Paul's Recipe Page in honor of her grandparents. We'll see what happens...

Houston - The Burger Shack

Rich and I are big on Groupons these days. That's how I learned about The Burger Shack on I-10 between Bingle and Wirt (north side). The menu sports 10 different burgers with lots of extras to add. I would have loved to try the BLEU Cheeseburger (think I'll have to go back), but the Groupon offer got us 2 cheeseburgers, 2 orders of homemade fries and 2 drinks.

On a rating scale, I'd give it an 8. (Note: I reserve the remaining 2 points for spectacular, outasight, over-the top delicious). The cheeseburger was a good, decent, juicy burger. The fries are hand-cut. I would probably have given then another dunk in the deep-fryer for more crispiness (is that a word?).

The Burger Shack also offers Shack Salads, Shack Dawgs, "Teasers", Fish Meals (just noticed the shrimp poboy on the menu:), Kids Meals and hand-dipped Blue Bell (for non-Texans, Blue Bell is ice cream). Also serves breakfast (dang, no biscuits and gravy:)

The walls are lined with nation-wide license plates, neon signs, as well as community, college and professional sports memorabilia. A fun place to visit and have a really good burger.

The Burger Shack Grill
8412 Katy Freeway, #310
Houston, TX 77024
713-461-7900


www.BurgerShackTexas.com
Facebook - BurgerShackTexas
Twitter - TheBurgerShack

Gone But Not Forgotten - Houston

Dear Anonymous,
The one picture I had was of Gizmo's Drive Inn on Oak Forest near the railroad tracks. Unfortunately, I can't find it. Fortunately, I remember who sent it to me. Will see what I can do.

Thanks for reminding me of Gizmo's. We always went there when I was little for hamburgers and Chuc Wagon for hotdogs. Not sure why..

In the late 60's and 1970 (the year I graduated), Gizmo's was called Mr. Jeff's. Best homemade onion rings ever.

Field Store BBQ - Hwy. 290 @ Field Store Rd.

I understand Field Store BBQ is the new owner of the old Rocky's BBQ. And from what I understand is bigger and better. Let's see who can post the first comment after a visit.

Menu starts with BBQ (of course), baked potatoes, cheeseburgers and seafood. And I believe the Ice House should be up and running by now.

Ready. Set. Get out there folks! Bring us some news after your visit.
Thumbs Up?
Thumbs Down?
1-5 Star Rating: How many stars would you give the Field Store BBQ?

Note: Chevron gas pumps are also up and running

Three Rivers, TX - Sowell's BBQ

March, 2011

Three Rivers, TX (population 1,878)

The old building, transported from Boerne to Three Rivers in 1902 used to be a bar/saloon. The original “bar” remains, but the premises is now home to the diner, Sowell’s BBQ. We ate lunch at Sowell's for 5 straight days (I’ll tell you why in a minute). After the 3^rd day, I asked a big old friendly guy in overalls, who’s there every day, if he was the owner. He responded, “was it good?” “Excellent,” I said. Rick Sowell, owner, he said with a smile, and extended his hand.

Rich and I dined at Sowell’s every day because we were on spring break and camping at Choke Canyon State Park, 11 miles away. Why eat out, you ask? Why not? We like our daily outing and ice or some other item always appeared on the list for the Super S (grocery store). Did we tire of the same food everyday? Heck no. Too many choices.

Three Rivers is also home to the Valero Refinery, a Dairy Queen, Super S Grocery store, public library, post office, a federal prison and a handful of other businesses. Lots of farm and ranch land in the area. Saw a spray-painted sign posted near the gravel drive to a farm that read, “pray for rain.”

Three clear reasons drew us back to Sowell’s: the food, Rick and the wait staff. My kind of place. A large blackboard mounted near the kitchen (probably a good 6’ tall x 8’ wide) spells out the daily specials in colored chalk, though I'm sure the gesture is more for us non-Three-Rivers-people. The locals come early, know what the special is for the day, and also know when it's gone, it's gone, demonstrated by a line drawn through the item on the chalkboard.

Sowell’s BBQ serves breakfast, Mexican food, cheeseburgers, loaded baked potatoes, chicken fried steak with daily specials like King Ranch chicken, fried pork chops, fried chicken, fried catfish, loaded chalupas and meatloaf. The specials usually include several sides, a salad, roll & drink.

Brisket is a mainstay at Sowell’s. Rick uses only mesquite wood and smokes the meat a good long time at a low temp. Ribs, sausage and chicken are also part of the BBQ section of the menu. A big pot of pinto beans sits on one counter and is a side to many of the menu items (I loved the beans).

Peach cobbler, the specialty dessert, sits in a big old dutch oven on a table up front. Buttermilk and pecan pie are also offered.

A solid pine table, probably 6’ in length, sits near the kitchen. The sign (upper left corner) is a permanent fixture to the table, mostly designated for the owner and locals. Sunday, a handful of people sat with Rick, Monday all seats were taken (probably 10 total). And if you’re lucky enough to land a table nearby, you’re likely to hear some pretty interesting conversation.

Memorabilia line the walls as well as mounted deer and wild boars. Hunting is serious business in Three Rivers, which by the way, got its name because the Frio, Neuces and Atascosa rivers come together here.

One day (can’t remember which one) I ordered the cheese enchiladas (excellent). The menu read “2 cheese enchiladas with rice and beans.” I got 3 and hadn’t yet introduced myself, so no favors given for a good review. Sowell’s is just that kind of friendly, down-home diner.

On our last day, an empty table was hard to find. I think we came before the first crowd finished and after the second crowd arrived. The locals usually arrive early, between 11 & 11:30. The second crowd (people like us and lots of oil tank drivers lined up down the road at the Valero refinery) moves in around 12:30.

I used Spring Break to accomplish a lot of writing, but with my unusually large lunches, I should have removed my buttocks from the pop-up and walked...daily.

PS – if you find yourself in Three Rivers, TX and ready to push the panic button because you’re starving and dining options appear few…drive to 114 West Thornton and stop at Sowell’s BBQ. Tell Rick, “Terry said hello.”

PSS – don’t forget to try the onion rings:)

Sowell’s BBQ (can also be found on Facebook)

114 West Thornton

Three Rivers, TX 78071

361-786-3333

2011

Happy New Year to all. Every year Rich and I do a "year review" to help us remember exactly where in the hell the year went. And it wasn't until a good week to 10 days went by that we even "remembered" to do the review. Most of the time I don't mind growing older, however, lately I feel I'm losing IQ points every time I sleep (I say as I stifle a yawn).

Rich's sister died in June which was definitely on the sad part of the review. On the happy side of the 2010 review, we had a birth into our family. Joshua Douglas (Josh) was born May 26th. In a couple of days he will be 8 mos. old and he is a "Shrek" in the truest sense of the word. Unlike his big brother Jackson, Josh started pulling himself up at the ripe 0ld age of 7 mos. and that was after he had already mastered crawling. He's into everything, eats everything, and will probably be my grandchild to test my recipes out on. He's a hoot.

Our interpretation of Josh's progression is as follows: he wants to be and do whatever Jackson is doing. Period, end of paragraph. His world looks much different. He sees a 2 yr. old running around (Jackson), playing with trucks, 18-wheelers, ambulances (and anything Hot
Wheels produces), and that 's exactly where this little guy wants to be, much to Jackson's dismay. But to Jackson's credit, he's working on the concept of sharing. Not easy for a 2 yr. old (will be 3 on Feb. 8th).

Texas Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives has taken a hiatus (blowing out air). I had a friend of mine last fall say something like, "you look pretty good considering all the crap you've been eating."
It was one of those comments I had to stop and really think whether it was a compliment or a slam. Knowing the person, I think it was probably a compliment (not 100% sure) but that's what I'm going with.

And for the record, it's kind of like Guy Fiari on the Food Network. It looks like all he does is eat, but that's only the part that's being recorded. Yeah okay, I enjoy comfort food. So shoot me. Somebody please. There's nothing I like better than Tex-Mex cheese enchiladas, chicken fried steak, fried chicken, macaroni & cheese, fried okra...okay what have I left out? Damn, it's not easy being me (I say with a smile on my face). Oh, have I mentioned my fondness of wine? Yeah, I think I've mentioned that.

Back to Tex-Mex. For about a year or so, I've been on a quest for a really good enchilada chili recipe. I don't want one with meat in it, it needs to be meatless so it can be applied to a cheese enchilada. Anyone out there want to bite on that one? Let me know. I'll try it out and be more than happy to give you the credit. Help end my misery.

It's Sunday night, the Packers and the ? are headed to the Super Bowl. I'll be pulling for Packers since Rich is a huge Packers fan (although not as much as my mother-in-law). So on we go into 2011. I always have gumbo on Super Bowl Sunday. Already have it made, so it's had a while to "sit."

Talk to me. Is anyone out there? What are your plans/rituals for the Super Bowl?

Thanksgiving

Anyone besides me having fried turkey on Thursday? It's become a tradition and it's great because Rich does it all outside and gives me a little more room in my itty-bitty kitchen:)

Skinny Bitch

Okay, I'm up in the Hill Country for a few days and picked up the book Skinny Bitch last week because I thought it would be interesting reading. Started out talking about artificial sweeteners (bad), refined sugars (bad), carbs (not all bad), etc.

Then, I got to the chapter on the meat industry. Thought I'd skip past but a caption said, "if the animals have to go through it the least you can do is read this." I did and I was totally (and I mean TOTALLY) disgusted. Had nightmares, the whole bit.

Rich called the next morning on his way to work and I grossed him out so bad he said he was glad he had arrived at work and would be able to click his phone shut. Those weren't his exact words but I got the point.

So, if you're even contemplating becoming a vegan/vegetarian, I suggest getting the book. Otherwise, skip the chapter...or the book altogether.

Waller - Rocky's BBQ

Have learned from a reliable source that the owner of Rocky's has had some financial difficulties. It is highly doubtful it will re-open.

Maine State Law

As I weeded my way through traffic at the crosswalk at Walmart today I was reminded of something I learned while in Maine. The state has established a strictly adhered to law which states all traffic is to yield to pedestrians in all cross-walks. Rich's son had been stationed for a while in Brunswick and had told his dad about the law but I don't think it really sunk in until we experienced it for ourselves.

The rule for the pedestrian is simple. It's the 3 W's. Wait, Walk, Wave...
Wait: make sure the driver has seen you and understands the law (unless they're new to town, say like from Texas and hasn't read ALL the warning signs). Walk: make your way across the street. Wave: acknowledge the driver who has obeyed the law and has allowed you to walk across the street.

Once we got the hang of it, Rich and I decided we really liked this law. It seemed to establish a mindset of courtesy for all concerned. It made us more aware of our surroundings (not like we weren't, for heaven's sake...we were in the beautiful state of Maine!), made us more conscientious of people walking, and more so when we were the one's walking and people stopped to let us cross.

I realize this sort of law would not be feasible for say, a city the size of Houston, but wouldn't it be nice. Nice to not only understand and acknowledge cross-walks are supposed to be safe places for people to walk, but to have drivers to stop at cross-walks instead of barreling through them (either unaware or don't care) as some do. And finally the wave. A simple gesture that says "hey, I appreciate it."

Maine

Flew into Portland, Maine Saturday afternoon. Rented a car and headed north on Highway 1. Ended up in Belfast, a small coastal town between Brunswick & Bar Harbor (were told it's pronounced "bah-hahba"). Stopped at a Lobster Stand in Freeport for lunch. Paid $19.99 for a jumbo, extra-large lobster roll. Guess things are bigger in Texas. Was more comparable to a regular po-boy you could get anywhere in Galveston. Was good though, just a bit pricey.

Stayed Satuday night at the Belfast Manor Inn, with an Atlantic Ocean-view room. These small privately owned inns have a quaint, cozy feel that I don't usually feel at a chain (Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn, Motel 6, etc.). The inn-keeper was wearing a warm pull-over sweater and khaki slacks (not a uniform), leaned forward with his elbows on the counter top to talk about what was in the immediate area as far as grocery/liquor stores or restaurants.

It's chilly here. The low Saturday night was 31 degrees, hence the sweater-wearing inn-keeper. Big shock to my internal thermostat after leaving Houston which boasted a high of 86 yesterday with humidity to match. If it wasn't for this trip, I wouldn't even realize it was fall. Fall in Houston is usually identified by fewer times the yard has to be mowed and not completely drenching in sweat from taking the trash out or feeding the dog.

It's nice to be reminded there are actual places in this country that have true seasons. When I saw pumpkins in yards and fields up here (and there were a lot), they seemed to "fit" in with the back-drop of yellows, oranges and rusts of the turning trees. The majority of Halloween decorations I've seen are tons of scare-crows propped up among a slew of uncarved and carved pumpkins.

Maine to me means lobster. And a lot of it. Saturday evening we drove 7 miles up the road to Searsport to The Anglers Restaurant (recommended by the inn-keeper). Rich went straight for the 1 1/2 lb. boiled lobster. I chose the native Maine fried shrimp which was ear-marked as an "Angler Specialty Choice" on the menu.

Now, I'm a native Houstonian and am no stranger to shrimp. I grew up on eating shrimp. I fry, boil, sautee, grill shrimp every chance I get. What I am used to is Gulf shrimp, which are awesome.

Saturday was my first experience with native Maine shrimp. I ordered the 1/2 lb. size which was $11.99 and came with a salad and a baked potato (salad was actually a true mix of healthy greens, not the typical chopped iceberg). When my platter was place in front of me, I should have counted the number of shrimp before I dug in. I didn't. But if I had to guess, I'd say I had 20-25 shrimp on my plate. Native Maine shrimp are smaller than Gulf shrimp and larger than what we in the South know as popcorn shrimp. These native Maine beauties don't come pre-battered like most orders of popcorn shrimp I've seen in the Houston area. These little jewels were lightly battered and fried to golden perfection. They were tender and had a shrimp "sweetness," if there is such a thing. I was hooked. Turned out the shrimp was much better than the 1 1/2 lb. boiled lobster, which honestly didn't have that much taste. I suggested to Rich a sprinkling of salt to possibly bring out some flavor in the lobster.

I'll comment later on more eating adventures while in Maine but wanted to get this out. It's another deviation from "Texas" Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. I know Maine is not a place people from my part of the country might just happen to drive or drop-in on...however, you never know. I wouldn't have ever probably been able to come to Maine if Rich wasn't attending a conference here. Thank goodness for those conferences. I'm knocking items off my bucket list right and left. Last year I was able to visit Portland, OR and the Pacific NW, the year before I payed my first visit to Washington D.C.

I'm gonna have to start a new bucket list...

Gone But Not Forgotten - DePaul's Italian Restaurant

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine from high school was kind enough to go back through my blog (back to the very beginning), found one of the original topics (Gone But Not Forgotten) and even left a comment.

I'm not blog-savvy enough to understand why this post did not show up as a "new" comment. Instead, I found it buried back in the August, 2009 archives.

It's an interesting post and bears posting again. So Frankie, I'm putting it at the top. Thanks for hanging in there with me.

Frankie Grizzaffi said... did anyone ever eat at DePauls Italian Restaurant on Shepherd Dr. & 16st St.?

Debbie & I spent every weekend eating there at least one night for years (69-?). Great Italian food and pizza. Family owned by the DePaul family. They had a lot of family photos on the walls. Mr. DePaul was a very tall/robust man, Mrs. DePaul was a short, little lady who gave him plenty of hell. They were very miss-matched in size.

The family lived in the large house behind the restaurant. These folks were really great cooks and sometimes their kids would be there working. Their lasagna was the best I have ever eaten. Debbie loved their manicotti. We even got my parents eating there. Daddy loved their spaghetti & meatballs.

The DePauls & Grizzaffi's became very good friends for years even after they closed the business. The building is no longer there. Now it is a used car lot. What a shame.

Waller - Rocky's BBQ

If you find yourself on Hwy. 290 heading out to Hempstead, Brenham, College Station, Austin, etc., you might want to stop at the new Chevron Station/convenient store/BBQ place we found. Rocky's is located on the south side of Hwy. 290 at Field Store Rd. The place is brand new (signs are still being put up) and a hell of long way from Sugar Land (where I live), but I'd certainly stop in again should I find myself in that neck of the woods.

The owner, Ronn Batt (I've known Ronny since high school, and yes I still call him Ronny) is the owner and used to own the Waller Co. Line BBQ/Shell Station nearby. We reconnected at our reunion about 3 weeks ago, that's how I found out about Rocky's. He wasn't there at the time of our visit (darn, should have called first), but we still stopped for lunch. As Rich said, "we've driven out this far, I want some food." So we ate.

Although Rocky's is a BBQ place, I ordered the old-fashioned cheeseburger (which I've been known to do) and Rich ordered the sliced brisket sandwich (which he's known to do). And as everyone is quite aware by now, I like cheeseburgers. This delight took 2 hands to hold and was one of the best so far. A good old-fashioned cheeseburger with a generous, juicy hamburger patty and lots of fresh condiments. I loved it. It was huge and I could have eaten it all except I would have been miserable. Rich said the brisket was really good, had tons of meat on it, but he would have wanted the brisket sliced a bit thinner. Besides that, he called it a winner.

Nice, new, clean, and good food. Stop by sometime and if you see a guy there with a big smile on his face and answers to the name Ronn, tell him Terry Lee said hi...

Texas Triple D Takes a Turn

I've just returned from watching the movie Eat, Pray, Love. I had read the book by Elizabeth Gilbert several years ago and as I sat there alone in the theater (yes, I usually see movies alone & will explain later) remembered for the umpteenth time that I am a visual learner. I need pictures, just like in kindergarten. I need pictures, lots of them, to help with my learning process. I'm not stupid, I say kiddingly, just a slow learner. And by this I mean I keep forgetting that visualization is my greatest teacher.

I NEED PICTURES. I am going to write this message on a colorful piece of paper and post it in obvious places in my life to remind myself I AM A VISUAL LEARNER. The book meant so much more to me after seeing the movie. I don't often feel that way after seeing a movie based on a book I have read. But the story holds a much deeper meaning to me now. I want to buy another copy (can't find my original one) and just hold it to my heart and smile.

Liz (Elizabeth Gilbert, aka Julie Roberts) was asked to come up with "her" word. A word that describes her. For example, when she was asked for a word to describe New York, she came up with "ambition." I don't know what my word is yet but I want to find it.

I sat in a dark theater and made notes on the back of a receipt, using a tiny LED light attached to my key chain. This is a sampling of what I wrote:

We (Americans) understand entertainment but not pleasure
Ocean of regret
When you think of someone, send them love and light. Then drop it.
God dwells in me/within me
Where is Bali? Find it on a map
Sit in silence and smile...in your mind, on your face and in your liver
Forgive myself for mistakes and bad choices I've made
Come a little bit closer to hear what I have to say (song from the movie)
Thank you for letting me be myself again (another song)

As the credits began to roll, I sat. Not wanting to particularly stay in the theater but not quite ready to step back into the world, so to speak. Fight the heat, go to Border's, Walgreens, stop by the grocery store...all the things on my "to do" list for after the movie. I didn't want to lose what I was feeling at the moment. It seems so easy these days to have an "a-ha" brief moment and then it's gone. Gone to that place where all good things inside of us reside and are kept neatly filed. Only I rarely remember where I keep the damn file.

There are 3 basic things I immediately took away from the movie (and about a dozen or more to expand on at a later date).

1. I want to go to Rome and learn Italian
2. I want to sit in silence and get back in touch with the God that resides within me
3. I want to unleash passion in my life. Whether it's the love I feel for my husband, my kids and grandkids, myself or my writing.

I had visions of coming home and clearing the table or desk of everything so I could write this. I didn't want to lose my train of thought or the feelings I had. I was able to get to the computer without having to do much except put a bottle of wine in the freezer, setting the timer for 30 minutes (didn't want the wine to freeze..hate when that happens), and let the dog out so her bladder wouldn't burst.

I want to judge less, critique less, accept more and smile more. How that fits into Texas Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, I haven't a clue. But right now I'm going to sign off and go spend some time with my 2 adorable grandsons. Then I'm going to write my message to myself (I AM A VISUAL LEARNER). And later I will begin my search for the word that describes me.

Note: I enjoy going to movies alone. Some have a problem with it, I don't. I'm sitting in silence for about 2 hrs. and have never felt the need for someone to sit in silence next to me.

Checking In

I know, I know...I've been away from the blogging desk. I've been working on gathering emails for my high school class roster because our 40th (yes, 40th) reunion is coming up this July. And as I've mentioned before, I have just enough OCD to keep me going in that direction.

Summer has finally hit here in Houston. It's May 7th and the temperature outside is 91. That means we had approximately 4 weeks where eating outside was a possibility. With the heat comes the humidity, the flies and the mosquitoes. And it'll probably be in the 90's now until about late September or early October but the flies and mosquitoes won't die off until the first good freeze. The 90's also mean the A/C will be cranking pretty much 24/7 and we can all say good-bye to lower electric bills.

Okay, back to eating. Since I've been "away" I've visited the following:

-Beck's Prime (we went to the Sugar Land location)
-Dry Creek Cafe (Yale St. in the Heights, Houston)
-Lankford Grocery & Market (near downtown Houston)
-Lola's (Yale & 11th Street in the Heights)
-Branch Water Tavern (Montrose/South Shepherd area in Houston)
-Bob's Taco Station (Rosenberg, TX)
-Otto's
-Roznovsky's (near 610 Loop in Houston & my old stomping grounds)
-Barry's Pizza (Sugar Land location)
-Live Oak Grill (Sugar Land)

Have also been to Five Guys (a chain but a darn good burger), BJ's Brewhouse a couple of times (originated in California), Panera's, NY Pizzeria...and I'm sure there's more, much more.

Man, I'm so behind...look at that list! Adios for now. Gotta rest my fingers up.

Kemah - T-Bone Tom's

My bad. Another unpublished post...

Actually saw this on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives back in December. We headed down to Kemah on a Monday, right after the first of the year. Nice homey place with friendly wait-staff and lots of people waiting for a table. They even have a long narrow additional room for waiting. We were told the wait would probably be about 20-30 minutes but 5 minutes later we were seated at the counter, looking over the menu.

When I go back (not if) I want to order the Armadillo eggs which are jalapenos stuffed with chopped brisket and deep fried. They turn out to be about the size of jumbo eggs. A sign at T-Bone Tom's reads "No armadillos were harmed making our armadillo eggs."

The Monday special was chicken-friend steak (Rich's choice), but I was anxious to try one of the rib-eyes I had seen on Triple D, which are marinated for 24 hrs. All steaks are hand-cut (we actually watched a guy trim and cut a piece of beef that probably weighed at least 20-30 lbs. I thought the rib-eye was a little pricey for a lunch menu ($24.99 I believe), but it was good. Although I took part of it home, I wished it had been a bit thicker for the price.

The chicken-fried steak was excellent as was the cream gravy. (I realize what a good old Southern girl I must sound like with my repetitious mentions of cream gravy and chicken-fried steaks...what can I say?). Each plate was served with to die-for home-made biscuits and 2 sides.

T-Bone Tom's started out as a local country meat market back in the 60's and still prides themselves in their long-standing tradition of making their own smoked sausage and serving good old comfort food.

Live entertainment Friday & Saturday nites. T-Bone Tom's can be found on Facebook. Their website also has a You-Tube clip of Guy Fieri making his stop there.

707 Hwy. 146
Kemah, TX 77565
281-334-2133
www.tbonetoms.com

Salado - Johnny's BBQ

Salado is a pretty small town, settled between Georgetown and Temple on I-35. Johnny's BBQ looks like it has been around since God was a child. The building is rustic (under statement), the wooden floors are slanted and bits of Texas are splattered on the many times painted walls.

Daily specials are served every day, all day long or until they run out. Their specialty is mesquite grilled steaks (hand-cut certified Angus beef) and Texas pit barbecue. No liquor license, just soft drinks, tea, water & coffee to go with their large menu. Besides the steaks and barbecue, Johnny's offers fried chicken, shrimp, chicken-fried steak. There was lots more on the menu but we came to a screeching halt when we read chicken-fried steak (small or large option). We chose the large to split and ended up with 2 nice size chicken-fried steaks served with excellent cream gravy. It came with a baked potato that didn't leave me compelled to write much about (packaged butter, packaged sour cream, packaged bacon bits) but the chicken-fried steak made up for what the potato lacked.

Johnny's doesn't offer a breakfast menu (that I know of), so I'm guessing all the cars (I mean pick-ups) in the parking lot in the early morning hours are locals gathering for coffee. No matter what time of day, the parking seems to be full though, which is a good indicator when I'm trying to decide if this is a good place to try out.

301 Thomas Arnold Rd.
Salado, TX 76571
www.johnnyssteaksandbbq.com

Spring Break

This post for some reason never got published. Please excuse...

By golly, I think spring has actually sprung. Finally on the back side of an exceptionally cold and wet winter here in Houston, the azaleas are beginning to bloom, the trees are budding and of course, the pollen has hit. Got to endure it if we are really moving toward spring.

Rich will be spending the week up north with his family and my best friend is heading to the big H. I told her I've made a list of things we can do and most of them involve meals. Big surprise. We'll be hitting places from Houston to Galveston to Huntsville to Rosenberg.

I'm not a teacher, but my husband and best friend are, so spring break is still fun for me because I get to play.

Will be blogging next week or the week after about our new discoveries, so check back.

Anybody out there?

Just wondering. I'm gonna keep blogging anyway. Rich and I went to Beck's Prime which wouldn't necessarily have been on our list, however, Texas Monthly rated it among the top 50 in Texas. Will post soon.

PS - let me know if you're out there...