Month: March 2022

Gus’s Fried Chicken – Memphis, TN

Years ago, I was visiting Memphis, Tennessee and had some of the best fried chicken at Gus’s. They are a Memphis institution. When I visited recently, I wanted to go back. To my surprise they had a new location. It was a bigger restaurant, and it was packed when I got there.

Their menu is still simple, but there is no reason to complicate it.

I got a 2pc white meal that was a breast and wing. You can pick two sides to go with the chicken. I went for the baked beans and potato salad.

My boyfriend got different sides so I could try those too. He got the fried okra and mac and cheese.

The chicken was exactly how I remembered. It was extra crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. There was so much meat on this chicken breast. The breading was not spicy but had some seasoning to it. It was perfectly cooked fried chicken. The wings were plump and juicy too. They were slightly larger than a typical chicken wing.

The sides were the perfect accompaniment to fried chicken. The baked beans provided a nice sweetness to complement the slight saltiness from the chicken breading. The potato salad was creamy and had a slight tangy taste because of the mustard they put in. The fried okra was soft inside and crunchy on the outside. They were perfect for popping in your mouth. The mac & cheese was my favorite side. It was super creamy and salty from all the cheese they used.

Gus’s Fried Chicken was just as good as I remembered. There might be a wait for the chicken because they are making it fresh but it is totally worth the wait. They have a bunch of locations now, so check out their website at www.gusfriedchicken.com

Enjoy!

T

Jake’s Burgers & Beer – Dallas, TX

I have been to Dallas, Texas many, many times. Usually when I visit, I am looking for some authentic Tex-Mex or BBQ. This visit I was wanting a nice juicy burger. So that is why I visited Jake’s Burgers and Beer, voted best burger in Dallas/Ft. Worth.

Since I was there on a Sunday, I started off by ordering a mimosa. It is not the best pairing with a burger, but I still enjoyed it.

There were a few starters that were shred around the table.  The Hot Hatch Cheddar Tots was a great sharable. They covered crunchy tater tots with Hot Hatch chilis and then melted a ton of cheddar cheese. The cheese was creamy and crispy from the oven. The chilis were not that spicy and gave great flavor with the mild heat they did give off. There was a slight sweetness to them as well that was off set by the sharp flavor from the cheddar cheese.

Another starter that the entire table agreed we had to try was the Kickin’ Chicken Fried Bacon. We could not wait to try this unique item. With all my travels, I have never seen anything even remotely similar.

This was center cut slices of bacon that were battered and deep fried to a golden brown. The bacon was so crispy not just on the outside but the bacon itself was crispy underneath all that batter. They served a side of maple syrup and gravy for dipping.

The gravy was that white country gravy that normally comes with chicken fried steak/chicken. It had a peppery taste that complemented the outside batter. The maple syrup, which was my favorite, complemented the bacon. Tis was a unique item and very delicious. I am glad I had other people to help me eat this because I would have felt so guilty eating all of this by myself.

The main reason I came to Jake’s was because I wanted a burger. I ordered the Double Cheeseburger. This juicy, double patty was a perfect medium and served on a poppy seed bun. I got American cheese on top, which is my favorite cheese on a burger. It was also loaded down with onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mustard.

I took the onion off halfway through eating the burger because it was just too strong in flavor for me. The pickle was my favorite condiment. The dill flavor went perfectly with the grilled flavor of the beef patty. The poppy seed bun helped make this the best burger. The poppy seed did not add a ton of extra flavor but there was a nuttiness that really worked with the burger as a whole. I was afraid that a double patty would be too big, but it was the perfect amount.

I loved the unique menu items that Jake’s Burgers offered. I can also see why they were voted best burger. Jake’s is a must visit when visiting Dallas/Ft. Worth. They have several locations now, so check out their website at www.jakesburgersandbeer.com

Enjoy!

T

Hole in One Donuts – Lakeland, FL

I love freshly made donuts. There is something special about biting into a warm don’t and having it just melt in your mouth. These are the types of donuts that Hole in One Donuts makes daily. They open super early each day, before the sun even rises. They do close early in the afternoon, so it is important to get there early so they do not run out.

I got there a few hours after they opened. They will had a decent amount of donuts to choose from. Plus, they had a few other items too.

I tired one of their sausage rolls. These are very similar to kolaches that I get in Texas. Their yeast roll was so sweet. The sausage on the inside was not spicy but had a great flavor from the seasoning. The saltiness from the sausage complemented the sweetness from the roll.

Now the reason I came to Hole in One Donuts was for donuts. I did get a classic glaze. It was larger in size than what you would get from one of those national chains. There was a nice amount of sweet glaze on the donut. When I took a bite, I noticed right away how soft and gooey the dough was. The glaze did not crack and fall off as I continued eating the donut. It stayed attached to the dough. It showed just how well this donut was made.

The second donut I got was the éclair. I shred this one because it was so big. The soft donut was topped with a sweet, creamy chocolate icing. It was a nice, thick layer of icing. On the inside was a creamy vanilla pudding. There was a generous amount that was piped through the entire éclair. Every bite had the perfect ratio of dough, filling, and icing.

The donuts were amazing. The sausage roll was a great, warm breakfast item. I cannot wait to go back and get a dozen of each.

Check them out of Facebook at www.facebook.com/holeinonelakeland

Enjoy!

T

House of Pies – Houston, TX

I was in Houston for the holidays, and I was told I had to visit House of Pies to kick off the holidays properly. This restaurant is exactly what it sounds like, a place dedicated to so many different homemade pies. They also have a great menu of breakfast and lunch dishes. They have been making Houston residents and visitors happy since 1967.

The line was out the door when we got there. Now part of the line was customers just picking up pies to go. The other line was for a table. Luckily, we did not have to wait too long. I was starving.

Inside the restaurant, it still had the vibe from the 60s when it opened. I loved it, very retro. Their pie flavors were on the wall so that you could order easily.

Everyone at the table ordered something different to eat. That was good for me because I would get to try different dishes. I ordered the Griddle Platter. I got French toast with scrambled eggs and bacon. I did get something traditional, but I figured the French toast would be great since this was a bakery. The bread was sweet, even without the powdered sugar on top. It was slightly crispy from being on the griddle. I loved how the center of the bread was gooey and soft. The bacon was nice and crispy. I broke it up and mixed it into my scrambled eggs.

A Griddle Platter Deluxe was also ordered. This was a stack of freshly made buttermilk pancakes, topped with chopped up pecans and banana slices. The pancakes just by themselves were delicious. They were light and fluffy. The pecans and bananas mixed with maple syrup made the pancakes more like a dessert.

The other breakfast dish ordered was the Eggsadilla. This was an egg quesadilla. They scrambled eggs with sausage and O’Brien potatoes. They put it all in tortilla shells with Cheddar and Pepper jack cheese. They put it on the griddle to help melt the cheese and make the tortilla a little crispy. They also served it with a side of frijoles (beans). I liked the potatoes that had peppers and onions chopped up. Those mixed in with the sausage and eggs made this a hearty breakfast. I was easy to eat with your hands. This was a different take on a breakfast sandwich.

There was a sandwich ordered as well, the Patty Melt Deluxe. The lean beef patty was cooked up on the flattop to a nice medium. They melted American cheese and topped the patty with grilled onions and tomatoes. They added a special sauce to each side of the herb bread. The bread was amazing because it too was freshly made. They grilled it up and was crispy on each side. The patty was juicy, and the onions were caramelized nicely. The cheese just made each bite creamier.

Now we made sure to order pies but there was no way we could eat them there. We were just too full from breakfast. We thought they would be good for later in the evening. They had pies staged everywhere, so many choices.

Their menu was large; they have something for everyone’s tastebuds.

The first pie we got was the Strawberry Rhubarb. This was a tart pie filled with fresh rhubarbs and sliced strawberries. The tartness hit you when you took the first bite, but then got sweeter as you took the remaining bites. The crust was buttery and flakey. It helped tie the whole pie together.

The second pie was the Bayou Goo. This is a house specialty. This really was a gooey pie. There were chopped pecans in a sweet cream cheese. All of that was under a mix of vanilla and chocolate pudding. They covered the top with a fluffy whipped cream, powdered sugar, and chocolate shavings. This pie was crazy. It was super sweet and really creamy. The pecans added a nice crunch with a hint of saltiness. This was a rich pie. I could not eat too much of it. But it was a hit with everyone.

I cannot wait to go back to House of Pies so I can try something else. I will have to go after the holidays, so they do not run out. They also have some awesome looking cakes and pastries to try.

Their food menu was great, and they portions are big. Everything truly is “Bigger in Texas”. It is a great place to go with family.

Check out their menu at www.houseofpies.com

They are a must visit in Houston. They do have two locations!

Enjoy!

T

The Broadmoor Seven Falls – Colorado Springs, CO

Not far from The Broadmoor hotel is a privately owned attraction called Seven Falls. These seven cascading waterfalls from the South Cheyenne Creek have been entertaining guests since the 1800s.

There are climbing paths and zip line activities that can be done during the day. It is a fun place for the whole family.

I was lucky enough to have a private dinner there. We were set up outside at the based of one of the waterfalls. It was a spectacular view, especially once it was lite up with colorful lights.

The meal started with an appetizer of Wild Mushroom Risotto. The risotto was amazing. I wanted more of this dish, I could not get enough of it. The earthy wild mushrooms were chopped up and mixed in a Parmigiano Reggiano broth and aged Carnaroli rice. The rice was tender and soaked up the flavor of the broth, which was creamy.

Out next was a salad. This was baby greens with Prosciutto di Parma, melon, and herb mascarpone cheese. There was a delicious lemon vinaigrette tossed on the salad. The prosciutto and melon combination went so well together. It is the yin and yang of sweet and salty. The mascarpone cheese added a creaminess that balanced out the tanginess from the vinaigrette.

For the entrée, we got a grilled beef tenderloin and garlic poached jumbo prawns. The tenderloin was cooked perfectly and was tender. On top there was wilted greens, broccolini, an apple chutney, and a cider scented beef jus.

The slight bitterness from the greens went well with the garlic in the prawns. There was a sweet potato cake also on the plate. It was hidden a little underneath the tenderloin. It soaked up some of the beef jus. The sweetness of the potato made this a welcomed flavor in the mist of the salty accents from the steak. The apple chutney also added a slight sweetness with a hint of cinnamon.

I made sure to leave room for dessert. It was Death by Chocolate Cake. The cake was a flourless chocolate biscuit with a creamy milk chocolate cremeux. Cremeux is a French dense, soft pudding. They layered the chocolate biscuit with the cremeux, making three layers. It was very rich. I enjoyed it with a nice cappuccino. The cremeux was very creamy and rich with milk chocolate tastes.

I really enjoyed my dinner under the starts and waterfalls. It did get chilly as the sun went down. I would recommend taking a jacket. If you have a chance to visit Seven Falls, you will love the views. Being able to get in does depend on the time of year, so plan accordingly.

Visit the hotel website to learn more at www.broadmoor.com

Enjoy!

T