Don’t forget to read Part I of this adventure…
Ok, so where we left off I had just been to Rudy’s for dinner in San Antonio and pretty much fell in love with a moist turkey (the cooked bird, you sickos). That evening we went to a bar called Stacy’s, which was a big pool hall with scantily clad women delivering beers. We played somewhere between 3 and 7 beers worth of pool and then hitched a ride home.
The next morning, we rumbled around and dragged ass until about 2PM; we had a sightseeing adventure day ahead of us in San Antonio, but first I needed to flex my table muscle and get something in my belly. To get things moving, we went to a place called the Alamo Café. I asked the waiter what he thought was the best thing on the menu and he quickly answered back that the fajitas were great and loved by many a patron who has passed through the door. I decided that if they were that great I might as well give them a go. While we were waiting for our food, we were given a heaping mound of tortillas upon which to masticate. They were nice and warm and the butter just melted right in, a true delight. The fajitas came and were very visually disappointing. They tasted alright but were pretty standard; to be honest Chili’s does a better job. All in all, the meal at the Alamo Café was just alright.
Later that day while driving around I had seen a sign for a place called Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers. I was determined to experience this place and suggested that we make a trip the first chance we got. Being the great host that Boot was, he took me there for lunch the next day and it was incredible. The burgers were different than I expected, with patties that were thin and crispy and very flavorful. They were dressed up with lettuce, tomato, onions, and relish; the burger reminded me very much of the way the original Bob’s Big Boy tasted.
We were offered chili fries with our meals and had no other choice but to accept. They were crispy fries smothered in chili and nacho cheese, a total heart stopper but delectable at the same time. It was then time for frozen custard. I was not sure what to expect but being an ice cream and dessert lover I was sure that this was going to be no exception. The offer two flavors, Chocolate and Vanilla, so without any hesitation I ordered up a mixture of both and patiently awaited my treat like a puppy at Petco. Frozen Custard is great, kind of like soft serve that you would get at Dairy Queen, but much more rich and creamy most likely because of the amount of dairy and sugar. I would have a hard time not devouring at least one of these a week if I live by a Freddy’s.
Once we were done gorging ourselves at Freddy’s I had to call my friend to push back dinner by a few hours as we needed to digest and take a nap. She obliged and told us to meet her and her husband at the Gristmill in Gruene, TX. We relaxed for the rest of the day and then showered and got on the road for the best meal of the trip. The Gristmill, set in the Historic District of Gruene, is an area landmark that has been operating for over thirty years and has a great following. They specialize in fresh fish, chicken, and steaks. I had the Ribeye cooked just the way I like it, warm on the outside and cool in the middle, and it was fantastic. For my side I had the Pasta Poblano Salad, which is Penne pasta, fresh tomatoes, poblano pesto, salsa, garlic, and more,
topped with fresh Romano cheese. It was a delight. After dinner we walked down to a bar on the river and had a few drinks. I found out that in the weeks since my trip, the bar has been washed away by a flood.
The next day I had a flight out of Austin in the afternoon so we decided to head up there in the morning and meet our friends Jeff and Sarah for some breakfast tacos. This is an Austin thing, with many of the Mexican places that we passed on the way advertising that they served breakfast tacos. We went to a place called Mi Madre’s which claims to have the “Best Breakfast Tacos in Town”. I am not sure if this is true or not, since this was the only sampling that I had, but they were a treat. I had a #0 (smoked bacon, potatoes, eggs, and cheese), a #1 (Country sausage, potatoes, eggs, and cheese), and a #9 (Machacado which is tender shredded beef, eggs, and Pico de Gallo). My favorite by far was the #0, with crispy flavorful bacon and eggs and potatoes that complemented it very well. Everything is just cooked together like a little omelet and then served in a fresh flour tortilla. I wish that we had someone doing this in the LB because I would be in there every other day. After our meal Jeff and Sarah took us on a tour of their school, the University of Texas, and then we went and toured the state capital building. My stay in Austin was awesome but too short.
That about wraps up my six day trip to the wonderful state of Texas. There is so much good food that I think I gained about ten pounds while I was there, but that is what vacation is all about for a foodie like me. I am looking forward to making another trip back to Austin so that I can check out all the bars and other establishments along Sixth Street, which I hear has the highest density of bars anywhere in the US. Sounds like a great time to me.
Until Next Time, Keep Eating Long Beach (or wherever your adventures take you)!
Cliv