Lucia

Lucia is well worth the wait! It isn't easy to get a table at this South Dallas spot, but if you can swing a reservation, I won't divulge all my secrets on just how, you will not be sorry! The simple flavors and attention to detail are spectacular, to say the least. Small plates offer a taste of everything, and believe me, you will want to taste it all. There were four of us, and we each ordered an appetizer, a pasta course and a main dish, each were shared and sampled by all at the table. Thank heaven we were eating with friends! It would be TOO difficult to choose just one.


We started off with a platter of the house made salamis, the Lardo which just melted in your mouth is something to dream about!
Salumi misti – a tasting of house-made cured meats 14/23
Rabbit and pistachio pâté, fennel/orange salame, porchetta, soppressata,
Duck salame cotto, lardo and chicken liver crostini, Fritto misto of baby squid



Crostini with chicken liver and black mission figs, pork belly with greens and soft egg

The Pasta Course
Rabbit tortelloni en brodo,Spaghetti with zucchini, rock shrimp, chili and mint
, bay scallops and Atlantic smelt with a green almond aioli


The Dinner Course
Pork Shank

Lamb


Quail

Home Slice

White Clam Pizza: OUR FAVORITE!


The logo says it all . . . Home Slice is the QUEEN of pies. There is nothing like it, you have to know it to enjoy it. I don't know what else to say, if you go one place in Austin to eat, GO HERE!


I am not sure what we enjoy more . . . the food or the T-Shirts, they are both fabulous and we can't get enough of either one. Clever, silly and cute, the shirts, not the food always spur conversation.


Start with the garlic knots, especially if you have to wait, most likely unless you visit on a very OFF hour. Chewy and served with a side of pure tomato sauce, they are a great preview of what is to come.


Pizza by the slice is amazing, Bo loves the calzone, but Beep and I can't resist the white clam pizza, WOW! If you had told an Indiana farm girl that she would be one day eating clam pizza, I would have said, "NO WAY," but I must admit it is a mouthful of happiness.

Smarties: The perfect way to end the meal.

Green Mesquite

A family and Austin favorite we have at least one meal per visit at Green Mesquite! Casual and quick, this joint offers great food and funky, only in Austin, atmosphere. Dine inside in the summer, but sit outside in the "picnic" dining area when the weather is mild. Enjoy live music while you dine on this perfect blend of BBQ and comfort food.

I left MY comfort zone and tried something different this trip! I tried the cheese steak taco basket, recommended by our waiter. Soft tortillas filled with tender well seasoned beef, gooey cheese, caramelized onion and pico de gallo, they were fantastic.
Paired with perfectly lightly dressed slaw and fresh cut fries, need I say more. Beep stuck with his staple, as did Camille, half a chicken with fried okra for him and the pulled pork sandwich for Camille.

Bo stuck with a comfort food favorite, the chicken fried steak. Big hit, an Austin home town favorite, he polished off every last bite.


Cam had the chopped beef sandwich, yummy!


Other don't miss items on the menu if you have a crowd to help you out are onion rings, po boys and chili cheese fries with chopped beef. Save room for dessert, a cobbler or pie with Amy's ice cream of course. It might be tough! A hospitable staff and old school atmosphere, Mesquite is a must visit in Austin.

Mai Kai

No matter if you go for dinner and a show or happy hour and appetizers in the Tiki Bar Lounge, you visit to this Fort Lauderdale landmark will be a memorable one.
Happy hour at the bar is the best deal, enjoy half price drinks and appetizers, live music on Wednesdays and Fridays and you can still take a stroll and tour the grounds before you leave. Arrive early or call by 4:00 pm that day and reserve at table. Serving up a bounty of food, fun and libations since 1956, they must be doing something right. Labeled mild, medium and strong there is a tropical cocktail for every palate! Some of the best people watching in town, you'll see tourists and locals who never cease to entertain, sometimes more than the paid entertainment.


Beep's roast duck and fried rice. Dinner and the show are a must see, but honestly, the appetizer menu beats the dinners hands down for quality and taste. Don't miss our on the pressed duck!

Aunt, Mike and the kids enjoy our beverages in the bar.

The Pu Pu Platter, best on the planet. Crab rangoons, egg rolls, ribs, cheese tangs and more. You get the perfect taste of everything.

http://maikai.com/

La Bonne Crepe

One of our favorite Fort Lauderdale restaurants! Pictured here, is Bo's favorite . . . the escargot crepe.


Mike and Cam giving the Vana White treatment to Cam's crepe, Bacon and Scrambled Egg.

Beirgarten Restaurant, Epcot

A great find during our visit to Epcot a few years ago was the Beirgarten Buffet. We had always stopped by for a quick brat, beer and pretzel in Germany, but had never even thought to enter the dining hall. Since our first visit, The Beirgarten has become a must on our Disney itinerary. All your home cooked German favorites at an all you can eat buffet, accompanied by a lively band and delightful waitstaff from various areas of Deutschland.

Beep's plate of Sauerbraten and spaetzel, two of his very favorites!


Beep's other plate of schnitzel, red cabbage and saurkraut.

My plate of Saurbraten, dumplings, green beans, brats, cabbages and our very dainty beers. You'll be ready to walk the entire park after this German feast!
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/biergarten-restaurant/

Grilled Artichokes

One of our favorite dishes from Houston's, the chain based out of Colorado, is their grilled artichoke appetizer. Camille requested them at home, so I decided to give it a shot. What a HIT!
The kids like them paired with the traditional melted butter, but I improvised and made my version of Houston's remoulade.

INGREDIENTS:
Artichokes
Water
1 Lemon
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

PREPARATION:
Begin with a large deep skillet with about a half inch of water in the pan. Depending on the number of artichokes you may need more than one pan. The artichokes should fit in a single layer and just sit in the water, you want to steam them, not boil them in the water. Juice half of the lemon into the water. Next, cut the artichokes in half and remove the choke (the furry part by the stem), using the tip of a sharp knife cut just under the furry part and use a spoon to scoop out all the furry pieces, removing any of the small inner prickly leaves too.



Bring the water to a simmer. Place the artichokes in a single layer and top with a lid to steam. Allow to steam until tender, about 15-20 minutes, depending on the size. I just test them with an knife at the thickest part of the vegetable. Remove from the water and drain any water trapped in the leaves. Place the artichokes on a platter and drizzle with olive oil. I like to use a brush to spread it more evenly. Season generously with salt and pepper.


Finally, grill artichokes, cut and seasoned side down on a hot grill. You don't need to grill them long, they are already cooked so just get a little color on them and serve with melted butter or remoulade. (see recipe below).
REMOULADE INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C Mayonaise
1 tsp. Mustard, preferably a grainy dijon style
1 tsp. tomato paste or ketchup
cayanne pepper, to taste
Salt & Pepper
A pinch of sugar
I don't measure this very accurately, this is one I just eyeball and taste to get it right. If you aren't comfortable with the "eyeballing" technique, there are very good recipes if you google remoulade.



PREPARATION:
Mix all ingredients together and chill. Taste for seasoning, I like mine with a little kick, but be careful the cayenne will strengthen as the remoulade rests, so it is best to check just prior to serving and make any adjustments. Serve with the yummiest vegetables you will ever put in your mouth!

Herb Saint

Let's start with dessert, because often that is the best part of the meal. Beep and I had one of the most memorable meals ever at Herb Saint in New Orleans! Every part of this meal was amazing. Check out their web page, the pictures, not surprisingly show off the food slightly better than mine. It will make your mouth water. They have a delightfully, fair priced offering of small plates as well as larger main dishes to sample and share.


I don't remember the fancy name they gave this, and unfortunately it is no longer on the seasonal menu, but it was basically the lightest, yummiest version of a panna cotta. Pray for the quick return of this decadent treat.


Banana Brown Butter Tart with Fleur de Sel Caramel


Fried Brussel Sprouts, perfectly seasoned and crispy, like a potato chip, you can't stop at just one, it was the vegetable of the day, so you might not be as lucky as we were. Worth a repeat visit if they are not offered.


Duck Leg Confit with Dirty Rice and Citrus Gastrique.


Louisana Shrimp and Grits with Tasso ham and okra.


Pork Belly with sticky rice cake, greens and cucumber salad.


Two small plates: Pasta Carbonara topped with a panko crusted poached duck egg and Crab salad with beets and grapefruit.

Gumbo of the day.

New Orleans

Our recent trip to New Orleans, or as I like to call it . . . How to O.D. on pork belly and confit! Featured dishes from Herbsaint. The entire meal was delightful. Starting with Beep's favorite the crispy poached egg over taso ham carbonara, my crab tower with beets and grapefruit and just because two appetizers are never enough, the grit cake with taso ham, tomato mushroom okra sauce with shrimp and the gumbo were must haves. Main course, none other than the king and queen of New Orleans, pork belly with Louisianna style sticky rice and perfectly cooked sweet and tangy greens and confit that was a combination of moist and crunchy over a delicious cajun rice. One of our favorite additions to the meal was the marble-sized fried brussel sprouts, perfectly crisp and finished with salt, they were addictive. To top it all off we ordered two desserts, Beep, the Banana Brown Butter tart with Fleur de Sel Caramel and I thoroughly enjoyed a marshmallowy pillow of creaminess, Ponchatoula Strawberry Balsamico with Creole Cream Cheese Mousse. The certainly don't skimp when naming these dishes and they don't skimp on the flavor either.
Herbsaint is upbeat while at the same time very cozy with wonderful staff and the intermittent rumble of the trolley passing by reminds you that you are in a very special town.

Summer on Fort Lauderdale Beach

As always on a recent family trip to Fort Lauderdale, we hit all our favorite food places. I have listed a few in the past, but will list a few more here along with a collage of some of the dishes and items we love. I am also including a recipe, pictured in the center. A long time favorite of Beep and mine is Cafe Maxx. A staple on their menu for 15 plus years is a snapper dish that I happened to score the recipe for while creating the Junior League cookbook in 1999. The dish is a compilation of 4 parts, the fish, the onion compote, the sauce and the garnish. (Preparation, therefore, is done in stages). I don't bother with the waffle potato chip garnish at home, but they are wonderful!

INGREDIENTS:
5 Large red onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 T. Olive oil
1/2 C Brown sugar
1/3 C Balsamic vinegar
3 T Butter
Salt & Pepper to taste

4 Yellowtail Snapper fillets
2 T Olive oil
Salt & Pepper, to lightly season fish

1 Shallot, minced
1/4 C Butter
1/4 C Madeira
1 T Lemon juice
3/4 C Whipping cream
Salt & Pepper to taste

1 Large russet potato, peeled & waffle cut on a mandoline
Canola oil for frying
Salt

PREPARATION:
Begin with the potato if you are going to make it, thinly slice the potato on your mandoline. Heat an inch of oil in a deep skillet and fry the waffle chips until brown and crisp. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with salt while they are still hot. You can prepare these up to a day before and store airtight.

Next, the onions. Heat a heavy bottom pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and sliced onion rings to the pan. Saute, stirring occasionally until caramelized. Caramelize slowly over medium low until dark brown. Add the sugar and vinegar to the pan and continue to cook until the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper. These can also be prepared a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator. Reheat over low heat and keep warm until ready to serve.

The fish and the sauce need to be prepared right before serving the dish. Saute the butter and the shallot in the butter until the shallots are tender and slightly caramelized. Heat pan to medium and add the wine and lemon juice, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Allow the sauce to reduce by about half. Add the cream, season with salt and pepper and simmer 30 minutes on low heat, stirring often.
Meanwhile begin to prepare the fish and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cooking time for the fish will depend on the size of your fillets so check a food chart or ask your fishmonger. I like my fish with a crispy crust, flaky and slightly dry on the inside, so possibly too well done for some. Pat the fish dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat an oven proof skillet over high heat add olive oil and then the fish, sear fish quickly on both sides then place the pan in the oven to finish cooking.
To Serve:
Spoon several tablespoons of the Madeira sauce in the center of each plate, top with a snapper fillet, top fish with caramelized onion and potato chip.

Other favorites pictured above, from upper left corner moving clockwise:
Steamed Clams, Cafe Maxx Turkey Gruyere Mushroom Bechamel Crepe, La Bonne Crepe Foie Gras, Cafe Maxx Gumbo, Chez Porky's Assortment of Cookies, The Cookie Shop AKA, "The Cookie Lady" to those who have been visiting for years, Chili dogs and a 3 way, Skyline Chili Creme Brulee, Cafe Maxx Curry and Raspberry wings, Chez Porky's Turkey Hogie, Lapada's
Not pictured, but equally wonderful places to eat while in Fort Lauderdale: Peter Pan Diner, Wings & Things, Kelly's Landing, Chuck's Steak House & Il Mulino

A Quick Trip to the Big Easy

Beep and I had a short weekend trip to New Orleans and Baton Rouge, check out the video/food montage and this list of wonderful restaurants. We always hit the standard fare in New Orleans, this time we branched out and in the little time we had tried a few new places. We ate, drank, napped, then ate, drank and napped a little more.
Our first food stop was Lüke, Chef John Besh welcomes you to Lüke, his homage to the grand old Franco-German brasseries that once reigned in New Orleans. We started with spicy and wonderfully garnished bloody marys, followed by a not so light lunch, as we had intended, but I wouldn't have changed a thing. It was perfect! We had a reservation at Cochon, where chef Donald Link combines his German heritage with Cajun cuisine, in other words, MORE PORK. Well, long story short, we hit the Ritz concierge room and ended up missing our reservation. Some things happen for a reason. We ended up at the Davenport Lounge, downstairs and enjoyed some wonderful small plates and live music from Jeremy Davenport. A quick walk down Bourbon for some interesting people watching and an obligatory drink at The Old Absinthe House, we were home shortly after midnight. We awoke the following morning and enjoyed a light breakfast back at the concierge lounge, and headed north to Baton Rouge. Lunch at a great little Mediterranean spot and dinner at Jubans. It is worth repeating, if you only have one chance to visit New Orleans, you must visit the regulars, but if you are lucky enough to visit the crescent city more than once, change it up and get off the beaten path!
THE STANDARDS: (I wish we would have had time for!) Brennan's, Antoine's, Arnaud's, Mother's, Cafe Du Monde, The Pelican Club, August, Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar. These are just a few of our favorites in the Big Easy, as you can see it takes more than one weekend or one visit to enjoy all this city has to offer. I didn't even cover any of the spots on Magazine or the Garden District!

Austin Eatery Adventures

School is out and we had a quick family trip to Austin, one of our favorite weekend getaway destinations. We hit most of our favorite places, but it is difficult to fit them ALL in, only being there for a long weekend. Check out the links to our favorite spots and some photos of the yummy food we could fit into our busy schedule.
First stop and favorite pizza at HOME SLICE! The king of pizza parlors. Beep and I split our favorite, White Clam pizza. The kids filled up on Calzone, Cheese by the slice and Garlic Knots. Go early or be prepared to wait, even with the newly expanded spot next door, getting a seat is no easy task.
Day two: a late breakfast, early lunch of Crepes and we were off to South Congress for some family shopping adventures. Where else can you find cowboy boots, candy shops and Lucy in Disguise. Check out the the costumes, they never grow up!
We skipped our favorite local BBQ joints, Green Mesquite and Salt Lick and opted for a short drive to try something new. We headed over to Lockhart, with only minor amounts of whining from the backseat of, "How much further, are we there yet?" I suppose it was worth the drive, Beep had a beef rib that rivaled Fred Flintstone's famous carside treat and the family style food, history and atmosphere were an experience. We rounded out the trip with a Texas Steak House, Eddie V's. Texas has so many steak houses, this one is not much different from the rest, great selection of seafood though and Beep and I shared what was possibly one of the best desserts we have ever tasted. It was a variation on Bananas Foster that I don't even know how to begin to describe. We just thought it was YUMMY! Another late lunch at Juan in A Million was a must and well worth it. Again, go in between breakfast and lunch so you may not have to wait???? The queso with guacamole and ground beef is wonderful, AKA in Dallas as Bob Armstrong Dip.

Legal Seafood

 

This one was just for Beep. Pissers, or long neck clams are one of his favorites and not easy to find, so we had to stop in once we spied this Boston chain. They are quite yummy, even though you might not think so based on their appearance. Bo did enjoy a lovely piece of swordfish with Bearnaise butter, however. Cam and Camille ate about a dozen warm rolls with butter, and I had a salad, all we did was eat and eat, I needed something light.

Crepes A Go Go

Our saving grace for keeping food in Cam's belly. We visited twice in one day. Quick, easy, located in China Town just steps from the metro and only a couple of blocks to the spy museum, the crepes are a perfect quick lunch, snack or dessert. Camille's favorite is the dark chocolate, strawberry and banana. Beep gobbled up the avocado, egg and cheese. Bo went for his staple combo of spinach, mushroom and swiss. Cam's highly nutritional favorite was butter and white sugar, he ordered two at a time. I can only hope that one day he will develop a more complex palate and show a little diversity in his diet. I must give him credit for ordering an egg and cheese, but nothing green!  

The Dancing Crab

 

Blue Crabs are a must when we visit this part of the country and Beep will seek them out at all cost. We discovered The Dancing Crab on our last visit to DC and it has become a can't miss destination. Not only are the crabs fantastic, but getting there is fun too. Depending on your place of origin, we are always somewhere near the White House, it is a spectacular drive through embassy row on the way to the "blink and you'll miss it," tavern.

Ben's Chili Bowl

Way off the beaten path, in a not so picturesque area of DC, you will find chili nirvana. The neighborhood is quickly improving however, big changes since our last visit and there is a metro station right across the street if you don't want to make the drive. We were lucky, only had to drive around the block once and we scored a spot right in front. (Kim Schuh luck)
We arrived to a short line filing out the door, but it was a quick 5 minutes to the counter to place our order and find an open table in the back. Camille ordered a giant basket of chili cheese fries and thankfully let us all dive in for at least one bite. Cam opted for the plain dog, of course. Bo and I chose the basic chili dog and loved every chili dripping, snappy dog bite. Beep had the Bill Cosby favorite, a Chili Half-Smoke. Some day we need to get down there for breakfast! Pictured Below, the Advice Bum with Beep & Bo and all our good eats.