Southside Market & BBQ

On our trip back from Austin we stopped near Bastrop at Southside Market & BBQ. We had been to the one in Elgin which is on a different route home so this location in Bastrop works out much better for us.

When you walk in the layout is nice you go to the counter to place your order then you walk past the meat counter where you can purchase packaged items to cook at home.

The dining area is great. I loved the long family table style feel and then there’s extra tables and booths if you prefer to sit alone.

We ordered the 2 meat plate getting sausage and chicken $11.99 which also comes with 2 sides as well as the 3 meat plate for $14.99. Their meat is really good the sides on the other hand are bland and just ehh.

We are a fan of their meat so we’ll be back for sure.

Chi’lantro

Chi’lantro has been on my watch list for a while and I’ve been wanting to get my hands on their Kimchi fries ever since I saw them! We lucked out on finding their food truck and the day had finally come.

We ordered The original kimchi fries $6.99 with pork, 2 Chicken Tacos $6.99 and Beef Burger $6.99. After I was so excited to have the kimchi fries these where kind of a let down. The tacos where ok, the burger was the best thing, but it’s super messy with the fried egg so get extra napkins.

Sorry to say, but there’s tons of food trucks better than this one out there.

Newk’s Eatery

They recently opened up a Newk’s out our way and I was interested in trying it. When you walk in you place your order and they give you a number to place on your table to which they bring your meal. I‘m a little 50/50 when it comes to changing their soups each day, because if you really like one you can’t come back tomorrow and get it you have to wait until they make it that day next week.

I ordered half Caesar $3.95 half corn crab chowder (spicy cream chowder is made with sweet corn, crab meat, onions, celery and green bell peppers) $3.75 The soup was amazing! Thick creamy and full of flavor I would love a huge bowl of this when I’m sick! The Caesar was good, I liked that they had a condiment area set up with extra croutons and parmesan cheese as well as peppers and bread sticks so you could add additional items to the dish.

D ordered a half of the Newk’s “Q” (Our signature white BBQ sauce, freshly grilled chicken, Applewood smoked bacon and imported Swiss cheese) and a cup chicken tortilla $8.25. The sandwich was a huge letdown it had the thinnest piece of chicken in it and more bread than anything. You just couldn’t taste anything. The soup was ok, but didn’t wow us at all.

Overall it’s a little over priced and I would probably rather go to Panera Bread or else where instead. I will give it another try or two just to be sure, but as of now I’m not a huge fan.

China Cottage

Today I got to sneak my hubby out for lunch and steal him away from the office. Usually we do Mexican food because it’s quick, but I was craving Asian so we headed over to China Cottage. The place is really clean and nice inside with 2 fish tanks which my son loved. We had a great waitress too that loved talking to my son unlike the usual “omg not a kid” look we get when we go out to eat.

We started out with the Pot stickers $ 4.50

The lunch specials are served with the following:

Soup (Choice of Egg Drop Soup, Hot and Sour
        Soup, or Chicken Creamy Soup)
Crab Rangoon
Rice (Steamed or Fried)

We each got the Hot and Sour Soup which I have to say is one of the best I’ve had. It’s nice and thick and full of ingredients unlike a lot of watered down ones I’ve had elsewhere.

I ordered the Kung Pao Chicken $6.50 and D got the General Tao's Chicken $6.50. My Kung Pao was good, but D’s General Tao’s was omg out of this world good. The sauce had a slight sweetness, but it’s one of the best versions we have ever had.

I can’t wait to go back and get the General Tao’s next time!

Bonefish Grill

I had the opportunity to join some of the other mom’s in our playgroup for a mommy night out. It’s rare to get a chance to get out of the house without a kid in tow so I loved every moment getting to talk to other adults without being interrupted. We haven’t been to Bonefish Grill in a while, but one of the things I love about this place is that they change their menu with the seasons. My only complaint is that if you go in the evening the lighting is turned down really low.

I started out with their seasonal Pear Martini $8.50 (Freshly muddled pears, Absolut Pear vodka, St. Germain Elderflower liqueur + fresh lemon juice. Garnished with an edible flower). I really enjoyed it, but it was a little sweeter than I expected, so I think one is good.

Luckily the ladies where kind enough to let me snap a quick picture of their meals before we dug in.

I ordered the seasonal Atlantic Salmon with Bacon Jam Butter $17.70 sm or you can order the larger size for $20.30 (wood-grilled, served with choice of fresh side item). My smaller portion was just right for me, I just wished they had a little more Bacon Jam on top. I also didn’t care for my pile of spaghetti squash, mainly because instead of the spaghetti part I also had a huge chunk of the meaty flesh part that wasn’t cooked all the way. 

Cold Snap Fresh Ceviche (served in a frozen glass made entirely of ice. Chilled bay scallops, shrimp, fresh fish, vegetables, avocado, cucumber, jalapeño, citrus, cilantro + warm tortilla chips). The dish looks just as it was advertised and seemed to go over well.

Shrimp Pad Thai (rice noodles, green onions, peanuts, egg + traditional Pad Thai sauce) I heard this was a good dish, except they must have added way too much soy sauce to the dish leaving you to chug an extra glass of water.

Sea Scallops & Shrimp (The most widely available of Scallops, the Sea Scallop also has the boldest of flavor. Stemming from the Gulf of Mexico, this Shrimp is sweet and meaty.) I didn’t hear any complaints on this dish. My friend has to have Gluten Free dishes and this place really has a lot of options for her to have.

I love this place and if you sign up for their email list, they have great specials and alert you when they have new seasonal dishes and cocktails. It’s a fantastic place for happy hour to try some of their appetizers and drinks. Can’t wait to get back here soon.

MKT Bar

We where invited by another couple to have brunch at MKT Bar in town before heading to an Astros game later that day. We had never been before and didn’t know what to expect. First of all it’s in the bottom story of a grocery store which above that is apartments. I have died and gone to heaven! If I ever have to move out of my house I’m moving here…..I can’t imagine what my grocery bill would be if I had access to that downstairs!

Ok, moving on from my drooling on the location. We started out with Plantain Chips $8 (crispy, homemade plantain chips with mango salas and chimichurri). The sauces are amazing and the seasoning on the chips is really out of this world yummy. We also got an order of the MKT Queso $9 (melted beemster, sharp white cheddar, Gruyere and kefalograviera cheeses with grilled jalapeno, green olives, roasted peppers and oven – baked pita chips) Oh so yummy and thick and creamy!

I ordered a Cherry Italian Soda $3.50 which is to die for! I also ordered the Squashed Pizza $12 (Roasted butternut squash, roasted garlic, blue cheese, walnuts and fresh arugula on rustic ciabatta crust) The pizza was really flavorful and amazing, I know it looked pretty with the arugula whole, but I wished it was chopped up to make it easier to eat.

D ordered The Butcher Pizza $14 (House marinara, mozzarella, chorizo, Italian sausage, ground beef and sopressta on rustic ciabatta crust). He loved this pizza and all of the meats that came on it. The crust is really nice and not too thick either.

Our friends who where kind enough to let me take a picture of their food which was 2 different kinds of egg dishes. They both looked delicious!

I would love to come back here and try their food again. It was a great experience and I just wish I lived a little closer.

BJ’s Brewhouse

BJ’s is a great place with a huge variety on their menu. We used to drive to Sugar Land all the time until they opened a location closer to us. Be sure to sign up for their rewards card and email newsletter. If you like beer they usually do a monthly beer pairing dinner too. We haven’t gotten to go yet, but if we do I’m sure I’ll blog about it.

Usually when we come we order their Signature Deep Dish Pizzas because they are the best pizza we have ever had. We decided to branch out this time and explore the menu some.

This time we ordered the Avocado Egg Rolls $10.50 (A blend of avocados, cream cheese, sun‑dried tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, pine nuts, chipotle peppers and spices. Served with a sweet tamarind sauce.) This is one of their popular items, while it’s good there’s just so many other better items on their menu to order.

I ordered the Balsamic Chicken $13.95 (Our marinated chicken breasts grilled and served over baby field greens, caramelized onions and white cheddar mashed potatoes. Topped with crispy fried onion strings and drizzled with sweet balsamic glaze.) The dish sounds more exciting that it was. The chicken was just ehh, but at least the sides where good. I would for sure order another dish next time and pass on this one. It’s not one you’ll regret, but if you have never been here before you won’t rush back. 

D ordered the Crispy Jalapeno Burger $11.50 (Fried jalapeños, pepper jack cream cheese, chipotle mayonnaise, Baja sauce, red onions, tomato and lettuce.) It’s big and it’s messy. Not exactly first date food, but it is delicious and cooked just right.

We did get one of their famous pizookie, but if you tell them it’s your birthday you get one for free and save the $3.25 (small if it’s just 2 people at the table or $6.25 for regular size). Sometimes they are spot on and delicious, other times they over bake them. Can’t complain when it’s free, at least they don’t sing a song to you.

Post Mountain BBQ

So I had read a bunch of reviews for the best BBQ in Burnet, Texas and Post Mountain BBQ kept coming out ahead. I though I had seen it had been around for a long time, but when I asked they said only since 1997. Oh well. It’s a charming place inside with seating in and outdoors.

I did find it a little odd they didn’t offer chicken, but who knows maybe because they are a small town they don’t get a ton of options or they just rotate their menu around depending on what room they have on the pit. We ordered the 3 meat combo $14.49 that comes with 2 sides and we also got a slice of Pecan Pie $4.99.

The turkey had a nice smoke flavor, the brisket was really dry and the sausage was really good. I think the best part was their BBQ sauce. I probably would have drank it if there wasn’t anyone else around us. The pecan pie was just ok.

Don’t think I would stop back in but it’s not the worst we have ever had.

BRC GastroPub

I had been talking to a friend of mine about trying out a new place for brunch and we ended up settling on BRC. For those of you wondering what it stands for it’s a big red cock (as in rooster). You can’t miss this place there’s a huge rooster in the parking lot.

D is obsessed with onion rings $6.50 and normally while I fuss at him because we are so full after that and our meal, I have to admit they had a fantastic spicy mayo sauce to dip them in. This time he won and got praise for ordering them.

D ordered the Infamous Coop Style Burger $13.75 (chopped n’ griddled with jalapeno, onion, bacon, potatoes, chile con queso, 2 fried eggs). He honestly thought it was a burger, so just a heads up it’s not haha. He said it was good, but next time he would try something else.

I ordered the Fried Chicken Biscuits & Eggs $16 (Cheddar, cream gravy, sweet jalapeno, bacon jam, crispy fries). They are known for their bacon jam and biscuits so I figure this one would be a winner and it was. OMG the bacon jam is delish!! I ended up eating only half of one of the sandwiches because the portions are so huge and took the rest home for 2 more meals! I would order this again in a heart beat.

I would love to go back. The brunch is a little pricey, but you get nice huge portions so it’s worth while if you take some home. It’s not a very big place so you’ll need to go early or make a reservation.

D’Amico’s Italian Market and Cafe

I’ve had this place on my radar to try for a while now and finally got the chance to go with my mother in law while the boys where out tonight. D’Amico’s opened up a new Katy location which is in a perfect area to do some walking, shopping or let the kids play on the green areas afterwards. The inside is nicely laid out around the market counters and the tables are spaced so you don’t feel like you are on top of the person next to you.

We started out with a glass of wine while we snacked on bread and looked over the menu.

I ordered the Chicken Piccata $14.99 and my mother in law ordered the Veal Piccata $17.99 (sautéed in a lemon butter white wine sauce with artichoke hearts, served with linguini marinara). The meal also comes with your choice of house salad or Caesar salad.

Where do I begin? The Caesar salad tasted a little watered down like they didn’t dry the leaves and mixed in a tiny spoonful of dressing so of course it looked like it was dressed, but it wasn’t. Mother in law liked the House salad and said it was nice and creamy and not under dressed. As for the chicken piccata….the sauce was good, they just needed more of it. You don’t see artichoke hearts in the dish all the time so that was a nice touch. I didn’t care for it being sautéed I like the fried coating that is usually on the chicken. The marinara sauce on the pasta was another item for discussion….It had a tin/medicine taste to it. I’ve never had a sauce this bad. I suggest requesting their other pasta sauce over this one. I added so much parmesan and red pepper flakes and it still didn’t kill that awful taste.

Would I come back? I usually like to give a place 2 visits so I’ll be back one more time. I should have gone with the popular Crawfish Ravioli people on FourSquare raved about. As of now I’m not itching to run back.