Regalia Update

A drop in visit to check out the market revealed an expanded menu for the cafe. This is something I hoped would happen. They are getting feedback and reacting to it. While I think the final menu will have a few more items on it, the menu will never be extensive. Also it will change a bit every once in awhile as Ouida likes to keep things lively. This place is more like sitting in your mother's kitchen and being feed. Nothing happens fast here as she does everything to order. Products are made fresh everyday and it shows it. As I intend to do another review in the future I will not comment on the food merely show you it Below is a new item Falafel Wrap.


Walnut Baklava

A Spinach Pie which may be a menu item for Lent. I was given a free sample

Hot Dogs

In my Usinger order I got some natural casing wieners because you cannot get such things at the supermarkets here. On shows that feature New York, Chicago and Los Angles dogs they talk about the snap of the natural casing. I had to try it for myself. I got a mixed beef and pork wiener. Below is two variations. The one on the right is my special salad dressing, sweet and spicy mustard topped with a riff on NYC onion sauce. The left has the dressing and mustard plus a kalamata tapenade and shredded Mexican cheese. A bit weird but tasted great. I got the snap and that was ok. The flavor was good. Next package I may get the all beef

Donde Tonio

OUT AND ABOUT
Donde Tonio
425 7th St
Lake Charles, LA
337-421-1400
Seven day a week 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM $3-$15
This establishment owned by a Columbian family touts Latin Cuisine on their sign. Located in the former Mama Rosa little has been done to the building. It seems to be a barebones operation that offers tasty well seasoned but not spicy food.
Starting with breakfast my particular friend, his artistic wife and I opted to split a Breakfast Tamal not on the menu. It consisted of shredded pork in white masa wrapped and steamed in a banana leaf. It could have been a meal by itself. The masa was moist with a distinct flavor and aroma and filled with tasty sweet meat. My artistic friend ordered Fried Egg, Ham and Chorizo with a baked pistolette. The chorizo was not a cured Spanish product or a wet Mexican product with paprika. It proved to be a link sausage like Louisiana smoked sausage but with a unique flavor profile, quite tasty. My particular friend opted for Scrambled Eggs with Onions, Tomatoes, and Chorizo with a bake pistolette. They both expressed satisfaction with the meal. I got the Pork Leg Sandwich with Lettuce and Tomato. I received on a half loaf of wonderful bread (nice crust, firm but soft crumb) somewhat like Italian bread two huge slices of griddled roasted pork. Delicious and tender with great flavor, I would get it again in a second.
For lunch they have daily specials which have not changed yet. Friday I ate a red jambalaya/paella with shredded chicken, peas and rice with a side of sliced avocado and fried ripe plantains. It proved OK but fairly bland. On a Wednesday I ordered Tortilla Chicken Soup, way too much tortilla with not enough of the tasty broth. My lunch companion (I ran into someone there I knew and we shared a table) got the Avocado Salad. A bed of lettuce topped with avocado and radish surrounded by red onion, tomato and cucumber slices. She loved it. I got the lunch special of shredded beef, rice, lentils and patacones (unripe plantains double fried like potato chips). Again OK but somewhat bland with the salty patacones standing out. I ended with a tasty piece of Flan with a citrusy caramel, delicious
Dinner was more successful except for the horrible tortilla chips brought to the table. A complimentary shredded beef empanada with a spicy green chile dipping sauce made up for that. Each one at the table got one of these mini empanadas. Everybody enjoyed it. My royal friend ordered what was called pulled pork. It turned out to be pork, chicken, and beef grilled then served fajita style with sauteed onions and bell peppers on an oval cast iron skillet with flour tortillas on the side. My bite proved tasty and flavorful and she ate it all. My sister and our enthusiastic friend opted for Grilled Salmon served with potatoes in a parsley butter sauce (declared delicious by all) and just right vegetable medley (green beans, carrots and broccoli). Again my taste of it revealed a different and wonderful flavor profile. Our baking friend got a grilled pork loin filet. It proved tender with lots of flavor. Finally our new food-board friend and I went with Bandeja Paisa. It is a Columbian dish of griddled then minced steak, chorizo sausage, strip of fried pork belly (cracklin), slice of fried ripe plantain, a egg fried sunny side up atop rice and a cup of red beans. I attacked it by cutting up the egg and mixing it with the rice then adding the minced steak and topping with beans. I ate this ensemble between bites of sausage and chicharron. Don’t know if this was the correct way but it worked for me. Again good flavors and something I would order again
Pricing is quite moderate. Service is erratic and a bit slow. They seem to be willing to please but likely have had little experience. The food is not spicy (I did notice Tabasco on the table last time in) but most items seemed well seasoned and tasty with a flavor profile I have not encountered before. I recommend this place for a change of pace but to enjoy it approach it with patience

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/21247623

Fake Crab Mixture Pic

Here is a picture of the crab roll mixture on a garlic bruchetta. Happen to have the camera in the house yesterday

Store Tamales

These I find at Kroger's. They are pretty good for a frozen microwave product. I basically use them for afternoon snacks and such but today I made a meal out of them. I have seen a couple of other flavors but these were the ones that were at the McNeese store, which by the way is the best of the Kroger's in town in my opinion


Here they are laid out to be microwaved. At the top of the place is the Poblano con Queso (poblano pepper and cheese), next Pollo Y Salsa Roja (chicken with red salsa), next Purco Y Salsa Verde (pork with green salsa) and Tamalito de Elote (sweet corn)

As you can see some masas are flavored. In the corn one it is basically masa with corn mixed in it. It has no core. It is my favorite. The poblano and chicken are very good. The pork seems a bit dry. For a buck and change they are not too bad for a late afternoon snack

Surmi Roll

This riff on a lobster roll just came together yesterday. Lobster roll is not necessarily a sushi item. In the Northeast they boil lobster then shell the meat. This get chopped and mayo, celery,celery salt, and lemon juice get added and stirred in. It is put in a hot dog like bun that is split from the top and toasted. Voila a lobster roll. I used fake crab mixed with my spicy salad dressing (chipotle and nuoc cham), roasted red bell pepper, olive spread, capers, and sweet pickle relish. I toast a couple of hot dog buns in the table top appliance. It turned out very good. It was just a happy happenstance of everything being at the house.

Pho Tien

On the west end of town to get gas my thoughts always turn to Vietnamese. So it is no surprise I dropped in for lunch. Below is my standard opener of Steamed Pork and Vegetable Dumplings (Banh Xep). The Spring rolls are too much for one person, the Imperial too greasy and meat sticks are not exactly what I want. I spice up the soy dipping sauce with sirachi and all is well with the world. Nice clean taste of pork with the sauce giving the right amount of salt and spice

This is Caramelized Shrimp (Com Tom Rim Man Ngot). The shrimp are lightly glazed with the sauce which is the main carmelization. The sauce with addition of some sirachai is sweet, salty, spicy and sour. The perfect combo. The way I eat this is to dip the shrimp in the sauce then lay on top of the rice so some the sauce gets on the rice. I then eat the shrimp with some of the rice. The Pho Tien salad which consists of lightly pickled carrot and daikon atop cucumbers and tomato slice on lettuce, I eat piece by piece. Again this is my way which I do not know is the correct way but I enjoy it. I understand this dish is considered home fare and rarely seen in a restaurant situation. I enjoy it thoroughly so I am happy these people put it on the menu

Below is Cafe Sua Da. I got little sleep last night so I knew I need a jolt for this afternoon. In an individual brewer CDM (Cafe Du Monde coffee with chicory) is dripped over sweeten condensed milk. When done you stir it up and pour over ice. Super sweet and super bitter in one sip. If you are a coffee freak you have to try this. It will give you a buzz

Kyoto Rolls

I had not been to this place in awhile. I happened to be on this end of Hwy 14 at lunch so I popped in. I have done sushi, bento box and dinner here. This time I wanted to try the rolls. Fortunate it was after 1 and the sushi guy was not busy. So I struck up a conversation asking him what the most popular rolls were and which rolls he considered the best. Below is miso soup


Here is a pot of hot green tea. It was a lot better than one I got previous on a prvious visit. I am thinking not enough water was put in the first one

I must have at least one Nigiri style piece when I go. This is sea bass. Rich and quite mild. Good starting point for a newbie.

Below is one of the popular rolls. Mardi Gras with Cajun style cooked shrimp and crawfish with avocado. The roll is then tempura fried and cut. Then topped with spicy tuna, spicy mayo, cream sauce and eel sauce.

This is one of the best rolls according to the sushi guy there. Summer Beach Escolar tempura and avocado inside. Topped with crazy tuna, snow crab, jalapeno masago (smelt roe), eel sauce and spicy mayo.

I am pretty much a hard core sushi eater. I like fresh as possible raw fish and seafood with good rice. Having said that I do like the super rolls ever once in awhile. These two were great. Next time in I will probably go with sashimi.

Monday at True Mexican

Monday is Posole day at True Mexican this month. I love this hominy and pork soup and have made it myself several times in the past. I just had to try it here. You get the soup in a Styrofoam cup. I transferred it to a bowl. That is the picture below. I brought up some hominy and pork. I have a problem with shredded meat. I usually find it a bit tougher than cubed and dry. That pretty much held true here. What comes next was something I had never encountered but have been assured is standard procedure. Learn something new everyday


Posole evidently is like Pho in that it has accoutrements to add in. The refried black beans and rice are not those but the standard sides for any dish she serves. Below it you have lime, chopped raw onion, chopped lettuce and chopped radish. Interesting

I like the soup just as it is so I ate some of it before putting in the add ins. I just dump them in instead of trying a little of each. This did not make the best of it. If she runs this again I will experiment more. The combination of some of the soup being gone and everything into the diminished pool made something while edible was also a little off. However not off enough for me never to try it again.

If you want to try this you have only one Monday in the month to do so. I cannot wait to next month to see what she comes up with.

Burns Dinner

Last Sunday night I attended a Robert (Bobbie) Burns Dinner. It is the 250 anniversary of his birth. Don't know who he is,well in all likelihood you sing one of his poems set to music on New Years Eve. Yes in the mid 16th century he wrote Auld Lang Syne. In his short life he wrote many other poems. The thing about him is that he wrote in the vernacular speech of his time. A mixture of Highland Scottish and English. In his time he was looked down upon because of this. However his brilliance was recognized after his death. As a tribute every year dinners all over the world are held in his honor by Scots. They follow a loose protocol. The picture below shows the end of the Pipping in of the Haggis.

This one shows the man reciting the "Address to a Haggis". This is a poem that Burns wrote. During this the man takes his dirk (knife) and cuts the haggis open in the shape of a cross. What is Haggis you ask? It is a traditional dish of sheep innards, onion, barley, oats, and blood stuffed in a sheep's stomach and then steamed. Don't worry most dinners do not follow this recipe. The haggis that night was a canned product bought on the Internet and was Highland beef without the blood. It was stuffed in a pig's stomach and steamed. Think Ponce or Boudin. Barley instead of rice, beef instead of pork.

This was the dinner that followed. Usually Roast Beef, Tatties, Neeps, and a vegetable. The cook here outdid himself. The roast was plastic fork tender, moist and full of flavor. Tatties are potatoes and here are mashed. Neeps are suppose to be yellow turnips (swedes) or what we know as rutabagas. Somewhere along the line they became white turnips in the US. They were cooked Cajun style as was the green beans with bacon and medium spice. All in all quite delicious for banquet style

A scoop of peach cobbler. They also had blackberry and bread pudding.

Finally a plate of haggis was brought to each table so that people like me who wanted to taste it could. As you would suspect I loved it. I would like to taste the original but that is not likely to happen.

The evening ended with recital of some of Burn's poetry, bagpipe music, and ballads from a minstrel on guitar. Quite enjoyable and something I would consider doing again. The Celtic Nations Foundation sponsored it and it was held at the Monsignor DeBlanc Center

Bacon and Pain Perdu

I bought some Hawaiian Sweet Bread aka Portuguese sweet bread. Last night I cut three thick slices and let get stale overnight. This morning I fried some bacon and made the egg dip using less sugar than usual. In the bacon fat I fried the soaked bread. This bread being along the lines of brioche really soaked up the mixture. I then cooked them on a medium heat which gave a nice crust on the outside and a creamy custard texture on the inside. This is so good I am adding it to my repertoire and weekend and holiday breakfasts that I some times indulge in. Tonight I am going to the Burns Dinner. I will report on that in the future.

Rest of the Blackeyed Peas

Nice thing about beans is that they will keep for awhile and even improve with age. Such was the case with the peas I cooked around new year. Stashed in the back of the frig I got to them last week. The flavor was such I just did a few embellishments and did not even need rice. First bowl was a good dose of hot sauce with lime. The spiciness and vinegar complemented the earthiness of the peas. Put a little spark in them. The vinegar got me thinking so the second bowl I doused with Steen's Cane Vinegar and a touch of fish sauce. The vinegar punched it up and the fish sauce added a unique saltiness. The last portion I stick blended adding beef broth to make a soup consistency. I then finished off with chipotle in adobo puree and nuoc cham. It made for a spicy, smoky, and twangy soup that I ate with biscuits. So ends the story

Abbeville

Abbeville Ahoy
Adventures in Oyster Eating
I needed to be out of my house for repair work being done inside on a Saturday. So to kill as much time as possible I took the scenic route (Hwy 14) to Abbeville to eat oysters. I hit the three best-known oyster houses. During that day I ate 3 dozen raw and 3 1/2 dozen cooked. That was a good day.

Black’s
319 Pere Megret
Abbeville LA
866-443-8019
www.blacksoysterbar.com
Monday - Sunday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
They reside in a two story brick building with murals on one exterior wall. The interior is just as picturesque and historical as the exterior. The raw oysters here were a bit bland and because they use cube ice not as icy as I like. However they offer a lot of cooked oyster dishes more than the other two venues. After the raws I went to Char Grilled. They were good but contained too much granulated Parmesan, which made them too salty. I think shredded cheese would have been better. However the juices contained great buttery flavor and they had French bread to soak it up with. Next up came Baked Oysters. On a base of an oyster shell they started with an oyster then stack up cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, butter, pickled Jalapenos, crumbled bacon and parsley. These were good also but I think the jalapeno taste overpowered them. After taking them off they were much more enjoyable with just a hit of heat and tang. The fried oysters I ate next proved perfect. Crisp cornmeal crust and juicy inside. That finished the mission here on to the next venue.

Dupuy’s
108 South Main St
Abbeville LA
337-893-2336
Tuesday - Saturday 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM $5-$20
5:00 PM - 9:00PM


Established in 1869 and operating in its original location, this is certainly the oldest of the three. On fact it is just across the street from Black's. The building is low-key but cozy. The oysters here were a bit small but plump and briny served over crushed ice. All the accoutrements for putting on top were there but I found a few drop of lemon juice perfect. I like the taste and texture of oysters so I do not normally bury them under ketchup, horseradish, hot sauce and crackers. Here I opted for Pan Broiled Oysters. Cooked in a garlic butter sauce they contained great flavor although some of the smaller ones were overcooled. The sad thing here was no bread to sop the excellent pan juices. I use crushed crackers as I not one to let such a superb thing go to waste. While they have fewer prepared oyster dishes they make up for it by having superior oysters. The rest of the menu is heavily seafood oriented. On to the last venue
Shuck’s
701 West Port St
Abbeville LA
337-898-3311
www.shucksrestaurant.com
Monday - Saturday 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM $5-$20
This new construction is across the Vermillion River and the youngest of the three. The exterior fashioned to resemble an old oyster house; it contains a light and airy interior with plenty of windows. Again I started off with a dozen raw. These were cold, plump, and briny also. They put the condiments on a lazy susan in middle of the table. Besides the expected ones, it also contained Steen’s Cane Syrup Vinegar and a proprietary Oyster Hot Sauce. I tried both and liked the vinegar (not as strong as most vinegars and with an underlying sweetness) best although the hot sauce was not too bad. Next came one of the winners of this trip, oyster stew. Plump oysters just curling from the heat in milk based broth that probably had oyster liquor in it. It possessed excellent flavor with a spicy kick to it. Finally came the clunker of the trip, Stuffed Oysters. A nice concept of oyster surrounded by an oyster dressing then fried. However when I cracked open one to cool, I got a big nose of oyster gone bad. Further examination proved it was the oyster itself and not the dressing. My conclusion is that they use leftover oysters for this dish. Basically you can not win them all. Over all I was quite satisfied with my oyster expedition.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/18443775

Regalia

Regalia Cafe & Market
411 West College
Lake Charles, LA
337-764-9831 (Temporary)
Tuesday - Friday 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM $7-$12.50
Saturday 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Located in the former Spain's it looks like this will be another work in progress. The menu here at this point is limited, as is the seating. It leans more to take away than eat in. The Regalia Platter and Shawermah (chicken and beef) are the only full meals the rest has various dips, grape leaves and kibbies in more bulk quantities (8 oz to 32 oz and by the dozen).
The platter consists of 2 fried Kibbies, 4 Grape Leaves, Tabouli, Hummus, Pita bread, Tzatziki, and Shawermah. My first time the tabouli was not ready so they substituted Baba Ghanouge. This is a roasted eggplant dip that in this case was a bit dense and full of eggplant flavor. The kibbie took on that familiar double ended pointy feature, fried grease free and containing meat, onion, and pine nut filling. The grape leaves were rolled tight and possessed a rice and meat mixture. Notably lacking in these filling are the sweet spices that you encounter in Lebanese versions of this. My understanding is that these are Syrian versions different but just as good. The hummus was excellent, the tart tzatziki went well with both the kibbie and grape leaves, the pita thinner than most store brands, the tabouli a bit heavy on the parsley in my opinion and the meat a chicken gyro loaf sliced thin and sauteed. Everything tasted excellent and you leave there full. I took my sister and my particular friend and his artistic wife joined us. We were all in agreement about the quality of the food eaten.
They have not fully stocked the market and are just “dabbling their toes” on the cafe side. I will keep this establishment on my radar and as they progress I will give you reports.


http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/21155468

True Mexican House January

Time to change the daily plate lunch. She faxed me the following

Monday Pozole (Soup made with gauajillo pepper and hominy)
Tuesday Chicken with Poblano Mole (dried peppers, chocolate and different Mexican spices)
Wednesday Beef Fajitas (Beef seasoned with bacon, bell peppers, onions, poblano pepper & Monterey cheese)
Thursday Spicy BBQ Ribs (Check December for a picture of those)
Friday Beef Milanesa (thin beef steak breaded and fried)


Below is the Chicken Mole. Baked leg quarter with the mole over it. This mole is from Pubela. It was slightly sweet, slightly spice, full on flavor. Went very well with the chicken. You also get three corn tortilla. I made tacos with the refried black beans and meat. So good

Her version of Tres Leches. Includes a caramelized milk. Surprisingly not that sweet.

Mama Rosa Dinner

Don't why I did not post this last month but better late than never. I had dinner with friends at Mama Rosa. Below is the line up. Enjoy

Calamari Fritti

Saltibocca alla Napoletana Veal layered with prosciutto ham, mozzarella and provolone cheeses, and served with fettuccine and mushroom marsala sauce

Linguine Fradiavolo Linguini cooked with Italian bacon, mushrooms, black olives, onions, garlic and jalapeño peppers in spicy marinara sauce, served with fresh herbs

Ravioli all"Aragosta (Lobster) Ravioli stuffed with lobster and cooked in Mama Rosa's special pink sauce, served with parmigiano cheese and fresh herbs

Penne Caprese Penne pasta cooked with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil

Desserts. In house Tiramisu and Bread Pudding made with Panettone (traditonal christmas bread. Rich egg bread sorta like brioche but contains candied fruits) Both desserts were soaked in rum

Cafe Annie

ABOUT AND BEYOND
Cafe Annie
1728 Post Oak Blvd
Houston TX
713-840-1111
www.cafe-annie.com
This former French restaurant has been turning out upscale Southwestern food for at least 20 years. I know because I went there in the late 80s. Last fall I had a chance to go there again. I meet with two friends and a new acquaintance. For a restaurant situated in a strip mall, abet a high end, with a plain exterior the interior proved magnificent.
Service began with the arrival of some delicious French bread and butter. When I do get to go to superior restaurants I make the most of it. Doing it from soup to nuts. I started with an Avocado and Fennel Salad with House Smoked Salmon. I am a sucker for in house smoke products. On a bed of thinly sliced salmon equally thinly slice fennel and avocados with Argula made a pile with a creamy dressing drizzled on top. The anise flavor complimented the salmon and the textural mouth feel of smooth versus crunchy made it interesting. The avocado boosted both the salmon richness and smoothness, my kind of salad.
My friend and his wife ordered Roasted Corn Soup with Smoked Chiles while the new acquaintance got Wild Mushroom Soup with Tuffled Croutons. My taste of the corn soup revealed an intense corn flavor with slightly spicy kick. I suspect the broth was made with corncobs. The new acquaintance expressed delight with her soup. My Black Bean soup with Pico de Gallo and Queso Fresco come out pureed with a nice spice level with a chunky pico and chunks of white cheese. Very satisfying as it was a cold dreary day.
My friend’s wife went for Pan Roasted Stripe Bass with Sautéed Greens and Green Mole Sauce. My taste showed flaky moist sweet fish with a crispy seasoned skin. The new acquaintance got Wood Grilled “Center Cut” Skirt Steak with Potato Enchilada and Spicy Salsa. My taste of this steak was juicy and well seasoned. My friend ordered a Wood Grilled Hanger Steak with Bitter Chocolate and Almond Abobada. Again the steak cooked just right and the mole like sauce complimenting it all the way. I opted for the Texas Farm Raised Red Fish Roasted in Banana Leaves. Presentation was splendid. On an open banana leave I received a perfect cooked fish filet with a spicy rub crust. On top grilled grape tomatoes and a very spicy guacamole with a side of spectacularly creamy white grits. The various combinations of flavor and textures I put together while consuming this fabulous entree worked wonderfully, spicy versus bland, tart versus unctuous, etcetera. A world full of taste
I did not take pictures of desserts but looking at the menu I probably went with a cheese plate. Service was perfect. This place is well worth a visit but get reservation even for lunch ahead of time. They have had overflowing crowds for nearly 20 years, a classic that constantly reinvents itself.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/18826586

Dana Kaye

OUT AND ABOUT
Dana Kaye’s
4453 Nelson
Lake Charles, LA
337-477-3262
Monday - Friday 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM $7
This new plate lunch place occupies the old Quizno’s in the Market Basket Plaza on Nelson and McNeese. The exterior and interior seem to be pretty much the same except for the Dana Kaye signage everywhere. I concentrated on the plate lunches here. She also serves soup, salad and a couple of short order items like fried shrimp along with desserts. It is basically counter service. You order on one end of the lane then pay and pick up on the other end. Everything comes out in disposable ware. They were kind enough to bring me my order and get my drink. She has a weekly menu. Call them to find what day it is. I went in on Pork Jambalaya day, Pork Steak day and Seafood day (items on this day vary).
The jambalaya proved true jambalaya with the rice being cooked with the meat. Every grain possessed the flavor of the whole. The meat seemed to be chunks of pork loin. They were plastic fork tender and held just enough spice to make it interesting. “Mashed potato” potato salad with chopped eggs, black-eyed peas, and a hunk of cornbread accompanied it. The potato salad tasted excellent, the peas just a little undercooked for my taste (I do not care for firm beans), and the cornbread a little on the dry side.
The pork steak seemed to be a thick slice of pork loin roast. They braised it to perfe4ction (plastic fork tender, juicy, and spicy) with a killer au jus (what I call grease gravy) that seemed made for rice. I was quite pleased with it. The sides were mac & cheese, spring peas, and a yeast roll. All proved excellent especially the mac & cheese. Mixing the peas with the rice brought me back to my youth
The Seafood day consisted of fried shrimp and fried catfish strips with shrimp macaroni salad, cole slaw, and a roll. Both the shrimp and catfish were not greasy with a firm crust and succulent flesh although the catfish coating seemed a little salty. The tartar sauce was what I am calling Welsh style (mayonnaise and seasoning with a touch of ketchup). Frey’s formerly of Welsh was where I first encounter this variation. It goes well with fried seafood. The salad laden with shrimp possessed a perfectly balanced dressing. The cole slaw, mayonnaise based, (not my favorite) was fresh enough to still be crispy and I enjoyed it.
These people are friendly and down home nice. They serve good country food, as I would expect from someone originally from Welsh. Well worth checking out if you are in this part of town at lunch.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/21054965

Fausto's

I went Iowa way last Friday to scout a new venue and wound up at Fausto's for the plate lunch. Talking with Brian I found out he is doing plate lunch 5 days a week. Here is the line up

Monday Chef's Choice

Tuesday Chicken Fried Steak

Wednesday Pork Chops

Thursday Hamburger Steak

Friday Seafood

Below is Fried Catfish Fillet, Peas and Catfish Courtbouillon. Crisp greaseless crust with moist interior on the fillet. Killer peas with bacon. A nice not too spicy red courtbouillon with loads of flavor and tasty catfish pieces

Pronia's

I wanted to eat at the taco truck but they were out of the two proteins I was interested in so I begged off. I started think about what was in the area. Pronia's popped into my head. It has been years since I been there and so off I went. This is a 1/4 Eggplant Capri. On a in house bun I received slices of fried eggplant layered with mozzarella cheese and topped of with a spicy marinara. I love eggplant and this was a good sandwich for me. The tomato sauce add a nice touch. I was less impressed with the bun. I liked it better when they quartered a muffaletta loaf for the sandwiches. This bread does not have the heft of the loaf they used to use. A sandwich like this needs the sturdiness of that bread


I also got two of their lemon teacakes. In the last week or so I have had another teacake similar to this one. This is not the teacake of my youth. They were more cakey. The last two I have had have been very short to the point of being greasy with a coarse crumb like interior. Not bad but not what I think of as teacakes

Mrs Johnnie's Pies

You might have seen these pies at a convenience store or grocery store. They now have a retail space where they bake them. This is at 720 Alamo just east of a dollar store on the corner of Kirkman and Alamo. Their hours are 11 AM to 4 PM on Wednesday thru Friday. I have been meaning to stop by for awhile. I happen to pass it this Wednesday and went in. All they had at the time was Gingerbread Cake and Sweet Potato Pies. The lady at the counter say they have the full range on stuff on Thursday and Friday. Their dough is not so much dough but cakelike. Slightly sweet and possesses some sweet spices (cinammon, etc) it makes a perfect foil for the their in house sweet potato filling. Next week I will probably stop by on later in the week to see what they have

This is the Gingerbread Cake. I enjoy ginger in any form. This cake is moist with intense ginger and molasses flavors. I loved it. I would assume this is the freshest you can get these things as you do not know how long they have been sitting on the shelf at the stores.

Fast Food Day

Just because I do it on occasion especially when they come up with something different. Below is Burger King's "Angry" Whopper. Added to a basic Whopper Cheeseburger with bacon is fried onion strips, jalapeno slices, pepperjack cheese instead of American, and a mild pepper sauce. This is actually pretty good. It eventually builds up to a medium heat level but the combination of ingredients make for excellent taste along the way. Good concept Good execution


This is Popeye's new Bayou Buffalo Wrap. Same premise as the Delta Wrap except they dip the chicken strip in a spicy buffalo sauce. While ok the dipping sogs up the crust and takes away from the gestalt of the original wrap. To me the crunch was a big part of what I liked about it.