gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

Dough – San Antonio, TX

If you have worked up an appetite visiting the Alamo or enjoying the roller coasters at 6 Flag Fiesta Texas – head over to Dough and enjoy their Neapolitan style pizza. They are made with fresh ingredients and are cooked in a giant wood-burning oven.

I would recommend you get a seat at the counter-top area, this way you can watch them make the pizza right in front of you. There is a genuine art to making pizza, especially when it comes to cooking it in the oven – one wrong move and the pizza would be burnt.

I ordered the Fontina pizza (roasted mushrooms, balsamic onions, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and thyme). I thought it was distinctive compared to the other pizza’s out there. The crust was not too thin and not too thick. It had a marvelous crunch that was enhanced by the smoky flavor from the wood. The salty flavor from the cheese worked well with the mushroom and the sweetness of the onions.

Another special treat that you must try is the Caprese salad. It is made with homemade mozzarella cheese that is hand pulled right there in the restaurant. If you have a counter-top seat you can watch it being pulled. It’s amazing to watch the cheese being created. I have never seen that done in person before.

I had an enjoyable meal and an entertaining show at Dough. Their menu is extensive so I definitely want to go back the next time I am visiting San Antonio.

Check them out at: www.doughpizzeria.com

Enjoy!

Drago’s – New Orleans, LA

As I have mentioned in previous posts, New Orleans has amazing choices when it comes to food. I was having a great conversation with some locals and I revealed to them how much I love the charbroiled oysters in New Orleans. They mentioned that before I could leave New Orleans I had to try one more place – Drago’s. This is the home of the “Original Charbroiled Oyster”. Well once they said that I knew I had to go.

What I love about Drago’s is when you walk in you can see directly into the kitchen area where the grills are located. You can watch them shuck the fresh oysters (they go so fast, it’s amazing).

You can see exactly how they cook their oysters. As soon as they drop the Parmesan & Romano cheese on top, the flame on the grill gets higher.

The oysters at Drago’s are similar to others that I have tried. However, they seem to use a little more garlic which is wonderful and always welcome. Plus you get just a little more of the grilled flavor in each bite.

My suggestion is to order them a dozen at a time. You want to make sure you eat the oysters while they are hot because they just don’t taste as good when they are cold.

I went to Drago’s specifically for their charbroiled oysters but realized that they have a full menu of other seafood specialties. I have them on my list to revisit since they have a lot more to try.

Get hungry by visiting their website at: www.dragosrestaurant.com

Enjoy!

Café Du Monde – New Orleans, LA

I remember visiting Café Du Monde when I was a kid. It was the only thing I remembered about New Orleans. Now going back as an adult I have a completely different perspective of the city. However, seeing Café Du Monde and thinking about their beignets made me feel like a kid all over again.

The original coffee stand opened in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market. They are open 24/7, which means whenever you get hungry for something sweet, they are there for you. Their world famous coffee is served Black or Au Lait (half and half with hot milk) although if you truly want to feel like a kid, then get a chocolate milk.

Some people might not be familiar with what beignets are, so for a little background, they are square French donuts that are covered with powdered sugar. You might think they would be heavy, but they really are not; they are light and the dough has a sweet taste, even without adding the powdered sugar. Despite that, eating them with powdered sugar is a MUST. You get 3 per order but be prepared not to share, you will want each one!

There is always a crowd, so be prepared to wait in line. Part of the fun is eating the beignets there in the outdoor café, though if you are in a hurry, you can always get them to go. They are perfect for breakfast or as dessert after eating some awesome Cajun jumbo.

If you want to have a little New Orleans at home you can buy the beignet mix and coffee there to take with you. Depending on where you live, you might be lucky enough to find the mix and coffee at your local grocery store.

If you want a taste the sweet side of New Orleans, check out Café Du Monde. www.cafedumonde.com

Enjoy!

Sugar’s Ribs – Chattanooga, TN

If you’ve ever driven in interstate 75 through Chattanooga, you have probably seen billboards for Sugar’s Ribs. My advice to you is make sure you visit. It’s the perfect spot to stop and stretch your legs from your journey.

They are located at the top of a hill that overlooks Chattanooga and the Tennessee River. If you listen closely you might hear the sound of a steam boat floating by.

When you walk in you are presented with their menu on the wall. Their options are simple but it can still be hard to decide because everything sounds and smells good.

The typical meat I usually try at BBQ restaurants is the pork, so I had to keep the tradition going. Their pork butt sandwich has nice pieces of bark included, which is sometimes hard to find in pulled pork.

I also tried the fajita bites. They are apparently sell out quickly so since they still had them available I jumped at the chance to try them. The flavor of the beef was smokey and crispy around the edges. The meat was very tender considering that sometimes fajita meat can be tough.

You definitely have to make some time to eat at Sugar’s www.sugarsribs.com and while you are there make sure to stop by and see their pet goat.

While you are in Chattanooga, stay a while and explore what this city has to offer.

There is an awesome aquarium downtown. There are 2 buildings – one for salt water fish and one for fresh water fish. www.tnaqua.org

Another place to visit while you are in town is Ruby Falls. You journey deep down the inside of Lookout Mountain to see the largest natural waterfall. A beautiful sight. www.rubyfalls.com

Enjoy!

Glady’s Knights Chicken & Waffles – Atlanta, GA

I knew Glady’s Knight was a Grammy award winning legend but I never knew she was a restaurant entrepreneur in Atlanta.

I love fried chicken – which I have written about on multiple occasions and waffles are a great breakfast food – I had honestly never had the 2 put together until I tried them at Glady’s Knights. This visit re-emphasized to me the importance of trying new things.

The chicken wings that they serve are truly jumbo wings. These are not the typical wings that you get at a bar when watching Sunday football. The breading on these wings is light but when fried up, it creates a nice layer of crunchy goodness that locks in the juiciness of the chicken. I’m not sure how they get the chicken that juicy but it is pure perfection.

The waffle was just the way I like it – crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside. It would be perfect just on it’s own however, I was there to try something new. I took a piece of the waffle along with a piece of the chicken and drizzled both with the warm maple syrup. What a combination! Each component worked so well together. I know I am late coming to the party but I can’t believe I never tried this before. It was the perfect blend of sweet and salty.

I recommend this pairing to anyone who has never had it before. And if you get a chance, try it at Glady’s Knights. gladysandron.net

Enjoy!

Taco Bus – Tampa, FL

When in Tampa, a stop at the Taco Bus (which is actually a converted school bus) for authentic Mexican food is a must. What started out as just a food truck has grown into 5 different locations around the Tampa area.

Their menu is quiet large and includes gluten -free and vegan options. You can choose from classics like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas or try a torta (which is beans, filling, veggies, and cheese on fresh bread) or a tostada (a crunchy flat tortilla loaded with beans, filling, veggies, and cheese).

When you know what you want, just walk up to the window and order.

I wanted to try something different, instead of just getting tacos. I went for the tostada. It was almost like a taco salad, just on the flat tortillas instead of a shell bowl. The fresh fried tortillas were very light and would be wonderful on their own with just a little cinnamon and sugar. I also made sure I got a side of their refried beans and Mexican rice.

While many customers get their food to go, there are plenty of seats for you to sit and enjoy your food while it is still nice and hot. I wanted to make sure I had the full Taco Bus experience so I stayed to eat.

If you want great Mexican food that is prepared fast and well then you need to stop by the Taco Bus. taco-bus.com

Enjoy!

Whale’s Rib – Deerfield Beach, FL

Nothing tastes better than fresh seafood, and what better place to enjoy it than within walking distance to the beach. This is where Whale’s Rib is located. I had driven by this restaurant for years and never stopped in. What a mistake that was. When I finally went in I realized I had been missing out on some great dishes for years.

Let’s start with the lobster bisque; most places I’ve had bisque at only offer a slight presence of lobster – but not here. This bisque had large chunks of lobster meat mixed in the creamy broth. I was only disappointed that I ordered just a cup.

My server recommended I order the “Whale Fries” which are their homemade potato chips. They were thinly sliced and fried to a perfect crisp. They came with a dipping sauce called “Whale Juice”. This was an awesome sauce that is there secret recipe. It was so good I really wanted to know what was in so I could try making it at home but I was not able to convince my server to tell me.

The sauce was so good I got extra and added it to my lobster salad. If you love lobster then this salad is for you. Much like the bisque, there were large chucks of lobster meat that was sweet tasting. I swear I had to have an entire lobster worth of meat on this salad.

So if you’ve worked up an appetite after swimming in the Atlantic, stop by Whale’s Rib for a great lunch. www.whalesrib.com

Enjoy!

The Blackthorn Restaurant – Buffalo, NY

Buffalo, New York, has a rich history that all started as a trading community around 1789. There are many things to do in Buffalo. You can see where Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as President, or walk along the Erie Canal and enjoy a day of shopping. Niagara Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world, is just miles away.

Buffalo is also home to an array of food choices. Most people know about Buffalo Chicken Wings (I previously wrote about the Anchor Bar) but Buffalo is also home to a sandwich called “Beef on Weck”. This sandwich is thinly sliced roast beef with au jus sauce and horseradish, all piled onto a roll. There are so many wonderful places to try this specialty sandwich and I got to try it at The Blackthorn Restaurant.

The Blackthorn Restaurant makes you feel like you stepped back in time, back to a time when neighborhood pubs were on every corner. When you walk in you feel like you are at home.

I couldn’t wait to try the beef on weck. At first I thought it would be like a Philly cheesesteak just without the cheese, however, I was totally wrong. The roast beef was thinly sliced and tender and it took on a unique flavor when paired with horseradish. I’ve never had this combination before but it worked well on the fresh made roll.

I also made sure to try a cup of the Irish Beer soup. I love soup and thought it would be a nice accompaniment to the sandwich.

If you are planning on visiting Buffalo, make sure to check out www.visitbuffaloniagara.com to see everything there is to do.

And make sure you save some time to visit The Blackthorn Restaurant www.blackthornrestaurant.com

Enjoy!

Acme Oyster House – New Orleans, LA

Fat Tuesday is a New Orleans tradition. People flock there to party all night long. If crowds are not your thing it’s ok. New Orleans is a food lover’s destination. There are a variety of choices: Cajun, seafood, Italian, sweets – all you have to decide is what you have a taste for.

One of the most famous places in New Orleans is Acme Oyster House right there in the French Quarter. Naturally they have the classic raw oysters or fried oysters but in New Orleans they do something special; they have chargrilled oysters. This is the ONLY way I will eat them.

The way they are cooked on the grill and topped with garlic butter and parmesan cheese, these tasty treats go down easy. Just when you think one dozen will be enough, you end up ordering another 12. Absolutely wonderful! If you have avoided oysters in the past because you don’t want to eat them raw, then I suggest trying them chargrilled.

While you are at Acme, try a few of their other specialties. The Boo Fries are a must have – French fries topped with beef gravy and cheese. Perfect in the evening after enjoying the sights and sounds of Bourbon Street.

While you wait for your oysters to arrive try their fried crawfish tails. You get to taste the sweet meat of the crawfish without out all the work of getting out of the tail yourself.

Acme is busy all the time but they are worth the wait. www.acmeoyster.com

Enjoy!

Quanjude – Beijing, China

Chinese New Year is a centuries old celebration of the Chinese lunar calendar. It is a holiday that is rich in tradition and a celebration of ancestors. This year is the Year of the Monkey. You might be familiar with this if you have ever gone to a Chinese restaurant in the US and have seen those placemats with all the different animals on them.

To say “Happy New Year” in Chinese, there are 2 main dialects:

In Mandarin (spoken in most cities in China): Gong Xi Fa Chai
In Cantonese (spoken in Hong Kong): Gong Hey Fat Choy

I was very fortunate to get to visit China with my family for a once in a lifetime experience. The fun part for me was experiencing a new adventure in cuisine. To celebrate Chinese New Year I wanted to write about a restaurant that we ate at in Beijing. Quanjude is a popular restaurant because they have an award winning Peking Duck, which is a famous dish associated with Beijing.

The Peking Duck is a whole duck that is roasted until it is super crispy. At first bite you would have thought the duck was deep fried but it wasn’t; it’s just that crispy from roasting for so long. What makes this duck so special is how it is presented and served. The duck is sliced right in front of you.

I could have gone without seeing the ducks head, but I had to experience it the proper way.

The skin and meat are sliced very thin and placed on a Chinese pancake (made from rice). It is served with shredded cucumber, shredded radishes, and a sweet bean sauce. It’s like a Chinese taco. The sweet bean sauce was tasty that I used it on some vegetables we ordered.

Their menu was like a book and there were several dishes we ordered. Thank goodness it had pictures because it made ordering much easier.

We had this wonderful Chinese cabbage that was sautéed in a garlic sauce. It is definitely a dish I would like to try and make at home.

There was a great sweet corn soup. It is basically an egg drop soup with corn in it. Very simple and similar to what I have eaten at restaurants in the US.

Tofu is very popular in China. There were several different tofu dishes to choose from but we went for the sautéed tofu that had red chilies in it for a little heat.

We also tried a sweet and sour shrimp. Clearly you can tell from the picture it was a family favorite. I couldn’t snap a picture fast enough before the plate was empty.

For dessert we ordered a pastry. It was a pastry dough stuffed with lotus bean paste. The presentation was so cute – little ducks – and the filling was extremely sweet. I had no idea that a bean could be that sweet.

Needless to say we were stuffed after this meal. It was completely worth it to get to try so many different flavors. Not everyone will be able to experience China like I was able to. However, there are many Chinatowns in major cities across the United States and every town has a Chinese restaurant. I would encourage everyone to try something different from the menu the next time you visit. You will be amazed at the flavors and you might just find a new favorite dish.

Enjoy!

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Author: gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

Dough – San Antonio, TX

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Drago’s – New Orleans, LA

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Café Du Monde – New Orleans, LA

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Sugar’s Ribs – Chattanooga, TN

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Glady’s Knights Chicken & Waffles – Atlanta, GA

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Taco Bus – Tampa, FL

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Whale’s Rib – Deerfield Beach, FL

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The Blackthorn Restaurant – Buffalo, NY

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Acme Oyster House – New Orleans, LA

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Quanjude – Beijing, China

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