The Keg – Irving, TX

Texas is famous for a few food specialties, Tex-Mex, BBQ, and steak. On a recent visit to the Dallas/Fort Worth area I was hungry for a steak dinner. I made a stop at The Keg in Irving for a bite to eat.

The hostess staff was very welcoming when I walked through the door. The interior of the restaurant was warm and inviting. They have a beautiful stone fireplace that probably looks even better lite when it is not 100 degrees outside.

  

The menu was filled with lots of options for starters and steaks. I started off with the baked brie. The melted gooey cheese came with a basil pesto spread and a red pepper jelly, plus fresh made crostini.

The pesto added a little salty element but it was not my favorite. The pepper jelly was a combination of sweet and spicy. I spread that on the buttery bread and then topped it with the cheese. I thought this was the best way to eat it.

The calamari was another great starter. It had a great herb accented breading that was lightly fried. It came with two dipping sauces, a ginger garlic and a Greek feta. I did not try the Greek feta sauce. The ginger garlic sauce was amazing. It was sweet and had a little heat.

The Keg is known for their prime rib. Though that was tempting, I went with the bacon wrapped filet mignon. They have two sizes but I went with the smaller 7oz. The bacon was not very crispy; it was kind of chewy so I left that on the plate. The filet was cooked to a perfect medium – warm on the outside and pink in the center. It was covered in The Keg’s special seasoning. It had a great pepper flavor and slightly spicy without being salty.

It came with a side of fresh green beans and red peppers. I was also able to select another side. I went for the twice baked potato; it had been years since I have had on of these. It was creamy with chunks of bacon and chives mixed in. There was a hint of sour cream whipped in the potato. They put it all inside the potato skin and then baked until the top was crispy.

I could not pass up a chance to try some desserts. The table got two so we could each have a taste. The Billy Miner Pie was a mocha ice cream on a chocolate crust that was drizzled with hot fudge and caramel sauce and sprinkled with sliced almonds.

The ice cream was light and fluffy. It melted quickly in my mouth and on the plate. The chocolate crust tasted like chopped up Oreo cookies. I could have eaten just that chocolate crust as a dessert. The hot fudge and caramel added extra sweetness and the almonds simply added crunch.

The other dessert was the Margarita Key Lime Pie. I could not wait to try this because they make it from scratch with fresh key limes. It had a graham cracker crust and raspberry coulis (sauce) drizzled on the plate. The key lime was tart but extremely smooth. It was so fresh because of the texture of the filling. It was amazing.

If you are wanting a great steak dinner while visiting the Dallas area then check out The Keg. They also have a few other locations across the country. See for yourself at www.kegsteakhouse.com

Enjoy!

T

 

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.

DSC09475

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.

DSC09466 DSC09468

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.

DSC09465

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.

DSC09472

Check them out at: www.doughpizzeria.com

Enjoy!

T

Big Lou’s Pizza – San Antonio, TX

They say everything is bigger in Texas. Well Big Lou’s Pizza lives up to that! I was not expecting to see a 42 inch pizza when I stopped in. I was just there to order a 12 inch pie to go.

DSC03080

While I was waiting for my pizza, I was shocked when I saw 2 people bringing out this enormous pizza to a family’s table. In reality it could have fed at least 2 families. I knew I had to take a picture because no one would believe it.

DSC03078

My reasonably sized pizza was just the perfect size for me.

DSC03092

If you are hungry for pizza for yourself or the whole neighborhood stop by Big Lou’s Pizza.

DSC03081

www.biglouspizza-satx.com

Enjoy!

T

Twisted Root Burger Co. – Dallas, TX

If you have hung out in Dallas in recent years, you have probably seen the area of Deep Ellum undergo a transformation. It is the place you have to visit for great food. This is where you will find Twisted Root Burger Co.

DSC03151

This place has won multiple awards for their burgers and you know they are proud of it because it’s written right on the wall.

DSC08633

They have a great selection of burger combinations on the menu. They have options like: “Southern Comfort” – bourbon bbq sauce, fried green tomatoes, bacon, & cheddar -or- “The Kevin Bacon” – bacon & blue cheese. If these combinations don’t fit your taste-buds you can build your own burger. They also have selections for the vegetarians and gluten-free customers.

DSC03147

One of the other nice surprises that they have is homemade Root Beer. This is a MUST TRY! It is awesome on its own and as a special treat you can get the Root Beer Float.

DSC03148

Twisted Root Burger Co has become so popular they have multiple locations around the Dallas area. Check out their website for a list of locations: www.twistedrootburgerco.com

Enjoy!

T

 

 

Taste of Texas – Houston, TX

About 10 years ago I had the pleasure of trying a local steakhouse in Houston called Taste of Texas. The steak I had was the BEST I have ever eaten. I was recently back in Houston and I had the opportunity to go back. I took 3 friends with me so that they could experience the mouth watering steaks for themselves. Let’s just say there was not a lot of conversation at the table when dinner arrived.

menu

This place is a Houston institution. It’s been around since 1977 and is the largest Independently owned restaurant in the state. They serve Certified Angus Beef and to add to the experience, you can actually visit their butcher shop and select the steak you want to eat.

IMG_7553

To start your visit off right, you must try their salad bar. It is loaded with fresh ingredients so that you can build the salad exactly how you want – including an assortment of salad dressings to choose from. Do you like cheese? Then you will be pleased to see the Texas size blocks of white and yellow cheddar that you get to slice yourself.

Now for those folks that are not watching their carbs, the restaurant offers 3 types of freshly made breads: Jalapeno corn bread, Asiago cheese roll, classic yeast roll. It is hard to decide on just one, so grab a bread basket and try all 3. If you like butter on your dinner rolls, they offer 2 homemade choices: apple butter & cinnamon apple butter.

For the star of the show, I chose the 6 ounce center cut filet. You can get it bacon wrapped if you want but it is not necessary. I like my steaks medium so that it is still a little juicy when it comes out. The trick that Taste of Texas does is they serve the steaks on a sizzling plate, it helps not only keep the steaks hot, but it finishes them off just right. From a seasoning stand point, you have the option of adding a lemon pepper or you can try the melted garlic herb butter or melted blue cheese butter. My favorite is the garlic herb, it adds a dynamic flavor to the steak that sets it apart from all others I have ever had.

steak

I know that the steaks are the star of the show, but you can’t overlook the supporting cast – the side dishes. They have so many to choose from including: macaroni & cheese, Texas Au Gratin Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts with bacon jam, fresh asparagus with Hollandaise sauce. I went for the Brussels Sprouts, mainly because of the bacon jam. The jam really complemented the bitterness of the Brussels sprouts.

brussel sprouts

If red meat is not your thing its ok – they have a nice selection of chicken, tuna, salmon, and shrimp to choose from, all of which sound delicious and are cooked with the same love as they do their steaks.

I was lucky to be at the restaurant during the Christmas season, so I was able to see their beautiful decorations.

IMG_7554

I was so happy to get back to Taste of Texas and I was thrilled that every bite was exactly how I remembered. I recommend this to anyone heading to Houston. See their full menu at www.tasteoftexas.com

Enjoy!

T

sign

Dallas Aquarium – Dallas, TX

I enjoy visiting different aquariums when I travel. My visit to the Dallas Aquarium was quite fun. They have an indoor rain forest that have tropical flowers, birds, and monkeys.

DSC04688

There is a cool walk-through tunnel of water where you can see the fish swimming all around you. They have so many different types of tropical fish.

I was very excited to get to see several different turtles. I love turtles!

DSC04738   DSC04744

The best surprise that I found at the aquarium was an alligator.

DSC04695  DSC04725

If you are visiting Dallas, make sure to take some time and visit the aquarium.  Check out their hours and exhibits at: www.dwazoo.com

Enjoy!

T

DSC04735

 

Green Mesquite BBQ – Austin, TX

Texas and BBQ go hand in hand just like Wisconsin and cheese. Austin has several fantastic BBQ options to choose from. For my taste-buds today I chose Green Mesquite BBQ. You know the place is authentic when you smell the smoker from the parking lot.

I made sure I showed up with an appetite. I had to try their wings because they are smoked not fried. It was a great change from the typical wings you find in other restaurants.

DSC03119

For my main course I decided to go crazy and try the pulled pork, the traditional type BBQ dish from the Carolina’s. I was curious how it would taste prepared the Texas way. The pork was very tender and retained its moisture. The smokey flavor was in every bite of the pork that it really didn’t need any BBQ sauce – but you can’t help but put the homemade sauce all over the meat.

DSC03122

When I go back again I am making sure I try the brisket because it looked so mouth watering. Check them out at: www.greenmesquite.net

Enjoy!

T

DSC03116   DSC03118