At the top of the heap when it comes to chain burger joints: good buns, okay fries (I personally like thinner fries, but Fudrucker's thick ones aren't bad), good desserts, and they make it easy to get your burger your way.
I tried the steak sandwich this time: I'd recommend sticking with burgers. The meat itself was fair, but the sandwich needed something other than meat: Swiss cheese and mushrooms would have been ideal. (Actually, I think they used to serve a steak sandwich in that style, but I saw no sign of it on the current menu.)
Hamburgers, chain restaurant style. Pricier and better than their fast food brethern; all in all, they're pretty tasty. Their fries and shakes are good but not outstanding. Good stuff as far as it goes, but a little innovation would be nice. How about malts in addition to shakes, thin fries, and some cajun blackened burgers ala Backyard Burger?
Lawrence was at the Worldcon this week. So I went down to Clear Lake and hung out with some friends: the process included a very nice meal at Awash Ethiopian Restaurant and Bar (1520 Westheimer, Houston, (713) 520-9387).
The only thing wrong with this meal was that we spent much of our time bemoaning the lack of an Ethiopian restaurant in Austin, and lamenting the demise of Ethiopian Restaurant.
Please, someone, open another Ethiopian place in Austin. (I'd prefer the former owner of Ethiopian Restaurant, but as long as the food's good, anyone else is okay.)
Not really my sort of thing, alas. The meat's good, but not ambrosial, and I have trouble getting past the lack of sides.
I'd probably like this much better as takeout than I did eating it on site.
Named as one of Texas' three best BBQ places in Texas Monthly, Kreuz Market (pronounced "Kritze's") has a very defensible claim to being the best BBQ in Central Texas.
First, they have that "Funky Texas BBQ Joint" look down pat. They're in an old brick building in Lockhart, and you have to walk past an open pit fire on the side of the huge cast iron smokers to get in line. (You can also stroll next door into the older, un-airconditioned part of the building where they used to chain their knives to the tables.) They don't even have salt and pepper shakers, just salt and pepper mixed together in cardboard trays out on the table.
You can't get any traditional sides like potato salad or coleslaw, just onions, cheese, jalapenos, etc. by the ounce. However, what you can get is some of the tastiest, tenderest BBQ in Texas (and, hence, the World). They serve brisket, shoulder, pork chops, prime rib, and sausage (alas, they were out of the prime rib on this visit). Served on butcher paper with white bread (or crackers) and a plastic knife, all Kreuz's meats are smoked to perfection and utterly delicious. Well worth the 40 minute or so drive.
Indeed, Kreuz is good enough that they don't need BBQ sauce (a good thing too, since they don't serve any). However, I can help thinking that combining Kreuz's smoking process with the right BBQ sauce (my vote would be for the Salt Lick's ambrosia) would result in world-beating BBQ.
(Also, an interstate note for truly hardcore BBQ afficionados: I recently had the opportunity dine at the celebrated Dreamland BBQ in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and while it was indeed very good, there are at least three Central Texas BBQ joints (The Salt Lick in Driftwood, Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Crosstown in Elgin) I would rank better.)
A special Thursday night edition of the SDC, since I left that Friday for a week in Rhode Island. Since it was Thursday, where else could we go but Thai Kitchen? Short take: as good as always.
Instead of dwelling on this, though, I'll give you some impressions of Rhode Island (and the one meal I ate in Boston):
Bob and Timmy's (57 DePasquale Square, Providence): excellent grilled pizza. The BBQ chicken pizza was, I thought, better than Mangia's.
Legal Seafood (Prudential Center, Boston): sitting at the bar wasn't as bad as I expected, and the baked stuffed lobster was pretty good (second best I had on the trip: see below).
Downcity Diner (151 Weybosset Street, Providence): nice brunch within walking distance of the Biltmore Hotel. The cheese pie I had was sort of quiche-like, but superior to a quiche, in my opinion: chedder, walnuts, and sausage baked together, mmmmmmm good.
Union Station Brewery (36 Exchange Terrace, Providence): a nice brewpub with upscale food and fine beers.
CAV (14 Imperial Place, Providence): an unusual combination of antique store and restaurant. The idea that most of the decor was for sale I found slightly offputting, but the fusion-style cooking was quite nice.
Christie's (Newport): the best meal of the trip, and the best baked stuffed lobster. Also good stuffed quahogs. I was very glad that I wasn't paying, though.
Leon's on the West Side (166 Broadway, Providence): very nice service, but the grilled pizza wasn't quite as good as Bob and Timmy's.
The Boathouse (Waterplace Park, 1 American Express Way, Providence): okay but overall disappointing food. Better prices than Christie's, but I'm still glad I didn't pay for this one, either.
Capital Grille (370 Richmond Street, Providence): the dry-aged steak is interesting, but I recommend getting one of the side sauces with it. I think I slightly prefer Ruth's Chris in this range.
The more I look at it, the more I like it.
I do think it's good. The fact is, no matter how closely I study it, no matter how I tear it apart, no matter how I break it down, it remains consistant.
I wish you were here to eat it!
This was Armadillocon weekend (and if you don't know what that means, check out the FACT website), so we really didn't do a formal conspriacy.
We did, however, do barbecue Sunday night at the Salt Lick (which is still the Salt Lick, for whatever that's worth), and the standard Friday pizza lunch at Mangia's (which I missed, not getting in until 9:30 that night).
The Salt Lick seemed fairly good this time around, but I can't really judge it objectively, since I was pleasantly distracted. However, I will note that this time of year, it is best if you call ahead to reserve a seat in the air-conditioned annex.
Return to the main Saturday Dining Conspiracy page.