Review: Hamburger round up – Shaw’s on Magnolia

Ok so as it turns out I haven’t actually eaten a burger on my most recent visits to the last two burger joints I have written about.  I have eaten burgers at both of these places in the past if that helps.  Shaw’s is located on Magnolia Avenue — one of my most favorite avenues in Fort Worth — and they recently started offering a Sunday Brunch so I had to check it out.  Boy oh boy am I glad we went.  I rounded up some newbies to Texas and headed that way last Sunday.  I’m so glad I went with people who are originally from the north east because they spotted cheese fries served with brown gravy on the menu and immediately said we had to try them.  Have you ever had cheese fries with brown gravy?  No? I hadn’t either. It is ridiculously/weirdly good.  Probably like Wendy’s fries dipped in frosty weirdly good.  Ok maybe not that weird, but delicious nonetheless.

I had to try the eggs Benedict because, besides huevos rancheros, it is my favorite thing to eat at brunch and every restaurant likes to put their own unique spin on this traditional brunch fare.  Shaw’s serves them on portobello mushrooms with a tomato slice, spinach, and topped with a basil pesto sauce.  So yum and it almost made me think I was being healthy.  Except for the side of bacon and aforementioned plate of cheese fries with brown gravy.  Let me put in a special word for their bacon because as we all know, much like butter, bacon makes everything better.  Theirs is yummy, easy-on-the-fat bacon cooked to crispy perfection.  Others at the table commented on how good it was so I’m not the only bacon fanatic — just so you know.

Shaw’s also offers a unique selection of burgers – bison, crab, lamb, portobello- with a choice of white or wheat buns (love it when a burger place offers wheat.  Makes me feel less guilty about the fries.).   They use FRESH, never frozen Angus beef and the toppings are always fresh.  Molly ordered one of the hot dogs, which they also offer a wide selection of and a side of WAFFLE sweet potato fries that come with a side of basil aioli.  We’re not in Kansas anymore, Todo.

Shaw’s is definitely worth checking out for brunch, lunch, dinner, or any time you find yourself on Magnolia Avenue and if you aren’t quite convinced, Molly told  me that I had to mention on here that they slice their lemons in circles instead of wedges.  See below:

And if you STILL aren’t convinced, those mimosas are complimentary.

Let me know if you’ve been to Shaw’s and if you’ve tried one of their shakes or gourmet root beers.  I have to go back soon because I still haven’t tried either.

Recipe: Mexican Cocktail

Lori and Hastings are two of my very best friends.  Lori and I have been friends since Mrs. Baker’s 5th grade class.  I’m sure it was the hours spent working on various school projects together that really cemented our friendship (or maybe it was Lori’s incredible ability to imitate our teachers’ eccentricities).  We were lucky enough to go the same middle school and then high school where she met the love of her life our senior year. At this point we went our separate ways, but  thankfully we are back in the same town now.  As it turns out, Hastings is one of the absolute best cooks around and they are kind enough to have me over for dinner on a regular basis.  And I gladly accept because it usually involves something like this:

beef-stuffed chili relleno w/ a poblano cream sauce

Recently, I went over to Lori and Hastings to watch a show I’m too embarrassed to admit to watching, but it involves vampires and Louisiana.  Don’t judge.  Our friend Erinn joined the fun because it was the season finale and boy did we have us a food fest.  She made these delicious little crescent roll pockets filled with cream cheese, bacon, and jalapeno (Is there anything better than a recipe that involves crescent rolls and cream cheese?).  Hastings made chili verde with rice and beans and I made Mexican cocktail because shrimp seemed like the right thing to bring to a party that involved a show set in Louisiana.  Of course, I had to bring the Mexican-inspired version.  This is a very popular dish that you can often find at seafood restaurants around Texas.

Mexican Cocktail

1 lb peeled, deveined, uncooked shrimp

1 small red onion

2 serrano peppers

2 cloves of garlic

1 cup tomato puree

2 teaspoons horseradish (more or less depending on how much you like it)

cilantro

2 limes

hot sauce

avocado

1 bag of Julio’s chips

Poaching the shrimp: In a medium skillet, fill it 2/3 with water and bring to a simmer.  Add 1/4 of the red onion, 1 of the serrano peppers, 1 clove of garlic, a handful of salt, and the zest and juice of 1 lime.  If you have time, allow the water to simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Remove the onions, pepper and garlic and add the shrimp.  Cook until the shrimp are pink and curl up, about 2-3 minutes.

The sauce: In a bowl, combine 1 cup of tomato puree, 1/2 cup finely diced red onion, 1 serrano pepper finely diced, 2 teaspoons horseradish, juice of 1 lime, a few dashes of hot sauce, a handful of chopped cilantro, and salt & pepper.  I added 1 Tbsp clam juice, but I think I will omit this in the future because after the shrimp cooked, I added a couple ladles of the cooking liquid which adds enough of the shrimp flavor.  Besides, what else are you going to do with clam juice?  Test the sauce at this point to see if you might want to add more hot sauce or horseradish.

Chop the shrimp up like this:

Add the sauce and allow the flavors to meld in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.  Because I never really plan ahead, I did not have 2 hours to let it marinate, but it was still good.  Remember to add a couple ladles of the cooking liquid because you want it kind of soupy.

When I got to their house, I added a diced avocado and garnished with thinly sliced serrano peppers and cilantro.  I also brought along a bag of Julio’s tortilla chips.  Have you tried Julio’s chips?  Do yourself a favor and find a retailer that sells them. Or don’t.  Because my friends and I have decided they are the crack of the tortilla chip world.

I kind of get really nervous cooking for Lori and Hastings because Hastings is such a good cook, but he gave it the best compliment.  He said he doesn’t particularly like shrimp, but he really liked this.  I don’t think it hurt that the shrimp was from Central Market and is usually very fresh.  Try it and let me know what you think.

Road Trip: San Angelo, TX

I absolutely love West Texas.  Like with all of my heart and soul.  I had always planned on marrying a rich cowboy and living out there, but my uncle told me I might need to rethink that as rich cowboys aren’t all that easy to come by.

sigh

San Angelo, like Abilene, holds a special place in my heart.  My dad’s side of the family is from this area and I spent many a summer fishing, exploring, and getting into any kind of mischief possible with some of the best cousins a girl could ask for.

We hit the road Friday afternoon to head out there to visit them and happened to leave at just the right time so that we would be in Brownwood by dinner time.  Funny how it always seems to work out like that.  I should also mention that if you find yourself in Dublin, TX you must stop by the Dr Pepper museum and soda shop.  It is an absolute must for the Dr Pepper purist who prefers the 23rd flavor to be pure cane sugar.

Now on to Underwoods.  It is a cafeteria in Brownwood that we have been eating at for as long as I can remember.  And I have been eating the fried chicken at Underwoods for as long as I can remember, but this time my mom talked me into sharing and she got bbq beef and I got chicken and we split it up and I gotta tell you, the bbq beef is pretty good. It’s not traditional bbq so don’t go rating it against Rudy’s or County Line, but it has an interesting slow-cooked flavor and the potato salad and pickled okra are the perfect compliment. I think what keeps people coming back are the rolls.  They are light, airy and just delish.  You really don’t need butter, but as we all know it doesn’t hurt.  They also offer 3 types of cobbler – cherry, apple, and peach.  In my family, we all get cherry.  Isn’t that weird?

Next time I’m out that way, I’m going to keep on truckin’ it to Rowena, TX which is between Ballinger and San Angleo on Hwy 67.  My uncle told me about a steak house there called “The Turnrow.”  There aren’t many reviews out there about it, but when it comes to steak houses I’d take the word of a cattle rancher any day of the week.  If you’ve been let me know what you think and what you like to get there.

Now on to our destination – San Angelo, TX.  This little city was formed along the banks of the Concho River and has grown to about 90,000 people.  They have a nice downtown area which is where my mom and I spent most of our time shopping.  As many times as we have been out there to visit family she has never been to Eggemeyers.  It is a shop that has been in business for about 30 years and the store is filled with toys, Christmas ornaments, gifts, coffee, jewelry, dishware and a whole side dedicated to kitchenware.  This is where I spent most of my time.  They only buy the best of the best so some of the items can be pricey, but at least you know your money is going towards something of quality.  They have a bar in the back that serves wine, beer, and root beer in a frosty cold mug.

said root beer

There are quite a few other shops along Concho street that are definite must-sees.  Sassy Fox is a funky clothing boutique that sells the flip flops that cost $200 as well as moderately priced clothing, shoes, and jewelry.  J Wilde’s is worth a visit just to check out how they have decorated the store.  It is so cool! The clothing is reasonably priced and they also have a back room that handles upholstery.  A new shop that has opened since my last visit is Gypsy Trunk.  I found the cutest top at their sidewalk sale as well as a really fun birdie necklace.  Their prices are as great as their clothes.  For the antiques lover, there are about 3 shops in the strip for you to check out. Concho Confetti Antique Mall being the largest.

Luckily my cousins Stacy and Christy are avid shoppers and Stacy told me about Random Acts which is not located downtown, but isn’t too far.  Such a fun store and decorated as uniquely as J Wilde’s.  Hopefully my cousins will comment about any other stores that are worth checking out because this is all we had time to see.

I apologize for the glare, but this is to show you how cute the store is decorated

Dining in San Angelo. We ate lunch at Fuentes, which is located downtown.  I have better memories of it than what we lived out on this trip.  Christy recommends Armenta’s.  Stacy’s husband Matt says they have the best tres leches cake which is reason enough to give it a shot.  I have always been a big fan of Henry’s and the Dunbar, but there was no need to go to either because unfortunately for ya’ll the best meal in Tom Green County is found at my aunt Cathy’s table.

My aunt and uncle, Dan and Cathy Brown, own The Hummer House in Christoval, TX.  It is a place where people can visit and see the hummingbirds as they migrate through this area.  I have never met anyone who is as knowledgeable of the land and its feathered inhabitants as Dan.  And I have never met anyone as talented and creative as my aunt Cathy.  You must check out her facebook page to see what she can do.  They have 3 cabins available.  This is the first time I have stayed in one and they are so comfortable and accommodating.  This is a great place for a couples get-away.  They also have a cabin that would easily accommodate a group of girlfriends.

there are usually more than this, but I did a terrible job taking pictures this trip

I love it there.  It is the same kind of feeling I get when I visit the coast.  There is a calm, quiet, starry sky that for whatever reason helps me know that no matter what is going on in the real world everything is gonna be all right.  There are also some pretty great cousins who, along with their children, make me laugh.  And a cool gal named Val that is joining the mix.

Oh and as you all know my aunt Cathy is the one who makes the best pie around.  Let me also throw in a word for my granny’s pecan pie.  It is equally delicious.  I have learned a lot from both of these ladies about cooking and if you would like to learn how to make incredible food you must check out my aunt’s cookbook.

As most Texans know, this has been an especially difficult summer.  3-digits temps and no rain have left the people of this area in a rough spot.  Ranchers are having to sell off their cattle or relocate them.  The prayers at the small town churches all invoke the Lord to send rain if it is His will.  It is the resiliency of the people in West Texas that inspires me.  That and the sunsets.  Pray for rain.  They need it.

Let me know where you like to go in San Angleo. What are your favorite shopping and dining spots?

Random: Why I love cooking

One of the many reasons I love cooking is that I took this recipe

 

and I subbed chicken thighs for duck because I don’t eat duck

and I added asparagus because I like asparagus and it was on sale at the store

and I didn’t use red bell peppers because they were $3.99 a pop so I used green

and I was able to find the red curry paste at my local Target

and I decided to leave off the pineapple and tomatoes because …well just because

and I used brown rice instead of jasmine because I have about 4 bags of it on hand from times I have bought it not realizing I already had it

and I used canola oil because I got home and realized I was out of olive oil

and here’s the finished product:

and it was amazing. incredible. out of this world. and my very first attempt at curry.

This could also be titled “Why I do not like baking.” Baking requires you to have every ingredient on hand with little give on how to prepare it.  I’m working on liking it.  Some day I will make a coconut pie with meringue so high you won’t be able to see over it, but until then I’m going to work on perfecting my salsa verde and will make mole for the first time.

I’ll leave the coconut pie up to the professionals (i.e. my aunt Cathy).  Bet you wish you had an aunt Cathy.  I wish you did too.   She’s pretty great.

Here’s a little teaser for my next post “Road Trip: San Angelo, TX.”

My apologies to any english teachers who had to endure all the “ands” at the beginning of each sentence.  What’s that called -“artistic license?”  Yeah, I’m trying that out. 

Review: Burger round up — Love Shack Edition

I think I’m going to switch this series to Burger round up.  Luke said I cheated by already declaring Fred’s as my favorite so I’ll just report on all the different places and types of burgers you can find here in Cowtown. Next up is Love Shack.  Love Shack is owned by Chef Tim Love and has two locations – Stockyards and 7th Street.

We visited the one on 7th on a recent Sunday for my friend Luke’s birthday in August and sat outside on the patio.  I know you think we’re crazy, but they have some mega-powerful fans so it really wasn’t too hot.  Live music kicks off around 1:00 which makes the heat bearable.  Someone told me they had brunch, but they lied, however the regular menu will do just fine. Their signature burger is the dirty love burger which is topped with a fried quail egg and their own special love sauce.  They also top a hot dog with a fried egg and here’s what that looks like:

hot diggity dog

Now that’s a hot dog.  Luke said the bun was good and I’m pretty sure their bread is made in-house.

We started off with some nachos and they are outta this world good and it will be hard to go back and order a burger instead of the nachos.  I tried the chicken sandwich this time around and it was quite tasty considering chicken sandwiches can sometimes be a little on the boring side. I’m not wild about the pickles and sauce they use, but most people I go with like it.  One thing I’ve noticed about Tim Love’s restaurants is that his dishes are rich in spice and flavor so it makes sense that he wouldn’t serve a regular pickle or mustard on his burger.  I always order their thin cut fries, but if this is your first time you should try the house-made parmesan chips.

Let me also put in a good word for their catering.  They are really great to work with and the burgers are a real crowd-pleaser.

And let me also go ahead and put in a good word for his steakhouse, Lonesome Dove.  I think I’ll go out on a limb and declare this as my favorite steakhouse in Fort Worth.  There is a lot of competition here, but it really is an exceptional dining experience every time you’re there.  Whenever I meet someone new in town or only here for a short time I insist that they eat at this stockyards establishment.   Here’s another helpful hint I’ll share with you since I like you so much, find someone else to pay when you go.

Let me know if you’ve checked out the Love Shack and which one you prefer – 7th street or stockyards?

UPDATE: I’ll continue my Tim Lovefest and show you what I discovered on my bike ride down the Trinity the other day.  Right after you pass under the University bridge you ride up to his new restaurant – The Woodshed:

Here’s a great article with more details about his new restaurant. Can’t wait for it to open!!

Road Trip: West Fest 2011

West, Tx is actually not in West Texas, but happens to be situated 1 hour south of Fort Worth on I-35 in what some might say is near the beginning of the hill country.  It is a town that has been influenced heavily by Czech immigrants- hardworking farming people.   My friend Erinn and I set out early on Saturday morning to get there in time for the parade and to check out the food at their annual festival.

Here’s why I love these little road trips – it’s in the small towns that you really get to feel what it’s like to belong somewhere.  There was a huge crowd gathered to watch the fire trucks, trailers, tractors, and souped-up cars travel down main street while passing out candy and waving to family and friends.  You don’t get this in the city.

How cute is that?  Hard-working farmer with his wife by his side.

After the parade, Erinn and I headed to the festival grounds and endured the longest train ever to cross over to where the party was.  Sidenote: the train here runs right through the center of town which should give you an insight into the origins of West, Tx.

West Fest has rides, arts & crafts, entertainment, and food & beverage all at the price of $8.  Although I must say that I was a little disappointed at the lack of Czech food that was offered. I had a sausage and sauerkrat sandwich served on white bread, but the best thing I had was the fresh-squeezed limeade and twister potatoes.

I think the highlight of West Fest may come Saturday night when the pivo is flowing and the polka is in full swing, but no trip to West, Tx is ever a loss because here is the reason people stop:

From students headed back to Waco/Austin or businesspeople headed south for work, everyone knows you stop in West, TX for one thing and that is the most delicious kolaches your tastebuds have ever known.

My favorite is cherry. What’s yours?

Review: Brownstone and an evening with Dolly

Groupon had a little deal on food at Brownstone so I thought what goes better with a night of Tennessee mountain music than fancy Southern-inspired fare?

We tried the puffed okra and mini chicken pot pies as appetizers.  The batter for the okra reminded me of funnel cake batter at the State fair.  It was light and airy and was complimented with a side of mild green pepper sauce.  The chicken pot pies were served as individual pie pockets.  It was a nice way to serve them, but the filling was a little bland (I’ll convince my friend Erinn to share her chicken pot pie recipe with ya’ll.  It will knock your socks off).

My mom and I split the grilled chicken sandwich, which sounds incredibly boring, but it was so good.  The chicken was seasoned well and layered with arugula, roasted peppers, and marinated tomatoes.   The best part of the sandwich was the bread.  It is a rustic, crunchy bread that they purchase from a bakery in Dallas. My dad had the daily special – pork tenderloin served over polenta.  It was good, but I thought the price ($30) was a little steep.  We ordered waffle fries which are hand-cut and good (as fries usually are), but the sandwich comes with chips.  I feel like they should tell you that, but our waiter didn’t.  The fries were better than the chips, but still not necessary to have both.

I’ll definitely go back to try the Porker sandwich and one of the salads (and well I have another groupon coupon).

Let me know if you’ve been and what you like to get there.

As I mentioned, we ate here before heading to the Dolly Parton concert.  If you haven’t had the chance to see Dolly live you really should go.  She is everything you think she’ll be — beautiful, funny, entertaining, uplifting.  My favorite songs include “Jolene”, “Little Sparrow”, and “Better get to living,” but I am always in awe when I hear “Coat of many colors” live and it was great to hear it with my mom sitting beside me.