Chef's Corner - San Angelo, TX

After much hullabaloo on Facebook about Chef's Corner from lots of different people (not mentally challenged or psychotic people, but people with differing tastes) I decided it was time to take the proverbial plunge.  I figured I would give them a good amount of time to get over opening jitters which usually causes a few issues when first opening a restaurant. Once a place gets in their groove you can get a good idea about how they are going to cook, serve, and generally wow the customer.  Unfortunately, for Chef's Corner, there seem to be some major issues.  Now if you don't mind trash on the floor, lack of atmosphere in the way of decorative pictures on the walls, slow service, and some unfriendly wait staff then Chef's Corner is definitely for you!  I'm almost certain I've talked about this before but there is a stereotype in the restaurant business that Hispanics (namely Mexican Hispanics in my experience) don't tip well and I just wonder if maybe that is some of the reasoning behind the way we were being served.  Who knows?!?! At any rate let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start . . . uh yeah. 

We came in just after their Saturday lunch rush and there were at least 9 tables empty in the restaurant with 3 waitresses.  Since there were 3 rooms I assumed that the waitresses were assigned 1 to a room.  This restaurant had maybe 4-6 tables per room from what I could see.  Another young lady (more than likely the owner's daughter or granddaughter) was dutifully cleaning tables and helping in whatever way she could which was a sign to me that this place is family owned and that this child was learning the ropes which I find really great.  I am impressed with young kids working hard at their family restaurant.  My daughter has helped me with catering jobs and parties on numerous occasions so I have a very soft spot in my heart for these young 'uns learning the trade.  One of the things that struck me in the restaurant was the vibrant Southwestern style colors on the wall with white trim.  This was nice but there were no pictures or decorative touches to distinguish this restaurant's style and I think I know why.  When we received the menu I noticed they are serving 3 types of cuisine: Mexican, American, and Italian.  One of the biggest mistakes you can make when opening up a restaurant or doing catering is to do too many things.  Three types of cuisine (plus a breakfast service) give this place a multiple personality disorder.  I wanted to give this a chance to see how they would pull it off.  Our drink order was taken quickly but I sensed a bit of tension from the first waitress. She asked if we wanted an appetizer and as is our custom we ordered one to get the full experience of the restaurant.  I noticed some chips and salsa on other tables so I assumed we would get some which we did not. Another one came over and asked if our drink order was taken and she seemed a bit friendlier than the first one although she did tell us the wrong special for the time of day we were there. Our drinks came out and we waited for our appetizer.  We waited. Then we waited some more.  In fact I'm still waiting for my appetizer.  It never came out.  The waitress that asked us if we wanted it never brought it out.   Her attitude just plain stunk.  No smile. No personality.  In fact when she came back to refill drinks she was very curt and as I stated before no smile on her face, no kindness in her voice.  She practically barked at us, "DO YOU WANT ANYTHING ELSE TO DRINK?" Uh, yeah.  We had not had any refills yet so it was a definite yes.  In stark contrast the friendly waitress smiled a lot and although she was inexperienced I could tell she was trying hard.  Here's a professional hint for those people desiring to be wait staff though:  don't make excuses about this being your 4th or 5th day on the job, don't tell me I didn't get my appetizer because you didn't know that we had ordered it, don't tell me every time I see you that your new.  I don't care if you are new.  A head waitress can train people to do the job that needs to be done unless you are just not meant to do this kind of work.  You usually know that after 3 or 4 services though.

I ordered beef fajitas, Kandra and JJ ordered Chicken Alfredo Pasta, Jonah ordered a bean burrito (surprise surprise) and my wife ordered an enchilada plate.  Service was VERY slow.  There were more than 9 empty tables in the restaurant which should have meant that we would have our food or refills very quickly.  At many points during the hour and a half we were there I didn't see either of the waitresses for 5-10 minutes at a time.  When we did get out food I was pleasantly surprised by the presentation.  Beef fajitas were served with grilled onions and bell peppers, beans and rice.  My first bite was tasty but the meat was very rubbery.  There were some pieces that were not cut very small which didn't make for a good taco as the meat was too stretchy to bite off.  OH I see this fajita meat was not cut across the grain for maximum tenderness so there's part of the issue.  Luckily I still have fairly good teeth and was able to chew it up with the tasty guacamole and slightly bland pico de gallo.  Rice was tasty but had a few clumps in it.  Beans were bland and dry.  My son loved his bean burrito that benefited from a good amount of cheese and the fact that it was wrapped in a tortilla which helped his beans to retain their moisture.  My wife stated that the enchiladas had a tomatoey type twang to them and that's not something she particularly cares for.  My other 2 children decided on the Chicken Alfredo pasta and my daughter being the resident connoisseur of this particular dish was quick to praise the presentation and the flavor of the toasted bread that came along with it.  The pasta sauce itself didn't look creamy but looked more like what would happen the day after you have this dish, where it sat in the refrigerator overnight,  and then been reheated it in a microwave.  She whispered in my ear that it had no flavor so basically the Alfredo sauce was more like a paste keeping the noodles together.  My wife's enchiladas didn't come out til JJ was almost done with his pasta and after Jonah had been sitting there for a pretty long time.  That is a kitchen issue.  The food should come out at the same time and therein lies the multiple personality disorder problem that this place has.  If anything the enchiladas should have been first out. 

Prices here are very good (you get what you pay for in my estimation) and I think if they focused more on the Mexican food they could really be a better restaurant.  I'm not even going to put down any of the regular ratings I normally put in my reviews because my own inclination is to stay away from this place for a while.  I'm seriously hoping that they will hire a good head waitress to train the rookies.  Here are some tips in case YOU are the one that is going to train them:  1) PERSONALITY - Smile, speak kindly, listen, I said LISTEN to the customer and what they want. 2) Promptness - greet your guests quickly. 3) Pop in regularly - don't be gone from any of your tables for more than 5 minutes at a time.  4) Pride - take pride in what you do i.e. don't make excuses for mistakes you are making, just make it right! 5) Privacy - The fact is that unless a person is generally interested in seeing you (waitress) on a personal basis we don't want to know your business, where you came from, how you came to work in this restaurant, or what you did last night with your boyfriend.  6) Proficiency - be proficient at knowing specials, be able to answer questions about the food, study the menu and know what the price is, the ingredients (to some extent), if substitutions can be made.

Until necessary changes are made in atmosphere, wait staff, and deciding on what cuisine they want to focus on I can't in good conscience recommend this place. 

Miguelito's Mexican Grill

My recent forays into south Texas’ oil boom areas searching for sustenance have until last weekend been very unfruitful in the areas of quality and flavor not to mention cleanliness.  I happened to be in the Carrizo Springs/Crystal City area due to a death in our family but it was also Father’s Day and so I would be eating out as is our usual tradition.  I was in need of something new and unfamiliar.  I had eaten at Lee’s Steakhouse, The Balia Inn, The Royal Palace, Yolie’s Steakhouse, Rosita’s, in addition to all the fast food staples like McDonald’s, Sonic, Subway, Pizza Hut, and Dairy Queen.  I have thus far been unimpressed with the food in this area, as far as full service restaurants are concerned.  That these fast food joints are even in these small towns is a testament to their consistency and their overall quality at the national level.  You can go anywhere and basically get the same food, and I’m not particularly into eating at a national chain when I go out of town. Especially not for Father’s Day.  Having said all that I am pleased to report that Crystal City, Texas has helped me.  It has helped me to maintain my hope that even in a small town you can find a good quality local restaurant that does things right.  Miguelito’s is a place that I had passed by many a time and usually because they were closed on the days that I happened to be in the area.  Now that they are open on Sundays there was no reason not to try their cuisine.  The restaurant is located on Veterans Ave. in what I would deem to be the middle of town.  The building outside is built up with stone and with all of its colorful signage would seem to be a festive place.  The inside of the building turns the atmosphere up even more with bright colored walls, Piñatas, Latino and Chicano art and festive streamers.

 
When you first walk in the building looks deceivingly small.  Once you get around the corner though you do see another dining area with quite a few tables that will seat at least 4 people each and a few that seat 6-8.  As we stood waiting for a place to sit the first thing I noticed was that the plates coming out of the window played on the theme of festivity. Lots of colorful veggies and nice bright sauces adorned the plates as they came out.  My first thought was: well at least it looks good!   

For it being Father’s Day we had a very short wait of not more than 10 minutes so I was pleased with that.  After we were seated,   I perused the menu and was glad to see they had some of my favorites there.  Beef Fajitas, Steaks, Mexican Plates, and even Catfish.  Then I saw Menudo on the menu.  I like to try Menudo at places just to see if they have done their due diligence which in this case means 1) thoroughly cleansing the meat of hair and unsavory smells, 2) correctly seasoning the dish, and 3) making it look appetizing.  So I ordered a small bowl of that along with another Texas stand by beef fajitas.  I’m looking for something in a Mexican restaurant with these two dishes obviously.  Can they pull off 2 of the hardest dishes to make?  Are
they able to put out a consistently good product?  Fajita plates usually have the standard Beef, Chicken, or Shrimp (Chicken and Shrimp aren’t really fajitas but that’s another story) along with some beans, rice, tortillas and either some guacamole, pico de gallo or some other hot concoction and sometimes sour cream and shredded cheese depending where you are.  Miguelito’s fajita plate comes with pico de gallo and a lime right on top of the meat as the top layer with sautéed onions and bell peppers mixed in.  This is served (as is customary in many places) on a sizzling cast iron comál or hot plate. My personal preference is to have the pico on the side but this particular set up works well also.  The beef had great flavor with a tinge of lime.  If I had a complaint about this it’s that the meat was slightly overcooked for my tastes.  I prefer medium rare to medium on any steak that I’m eating.  The Borracho beans served with the fajitas were the best part of the combo.  They were perfectly cooked and were garnished with a small bit of cilantro.  The rice was notable in that it had authentic flavor and was moist but just a bit overcooked.
My wife had a green chicken enchilada plate and I did get a small taste of that and the chicken inside was very moist.  The green sauce was mildly piquant and very tasty.This was a good plate.  She really enjoyed it.  We shared a bowl of menudo just to see what it tasted like and the flavor was great.  I would have preferred less fat on a lot of the meat and there was very little hominy.  Had those two things been remedied it would have been an excellent bowl of soup.  It came with the standard accoutrements of lemon wedges, fresh jalapeños, and onions along with a few tortillas.  Jared has his standard Cheeseburger with everything on it….lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, mustard and mayonnaise.  He seemed to thoroughly enjoy it.  One of the most remarkable flavors I tasted at Miguelito’s was that of my daughter’s grilled Catfish.  Being a person raised in Texas and having had Catfish at home and at many restaurants I must say it has always been deep fried in a cornmeal batter and usually served with some French fries and hush puppies.  Miguelito’s gives you a choice of having it fried or grilled and my daughter opted for their grilled version.  The fish tasted very fresh and light and was grilled perfectly.  It was served with the traditional fries but no hush puppies.  She made an excellent choice and I think between my wife’s chicken enchiladas and her plate I would have to say those were probably the best 2 meals on the table. My fajitas were a close second.  On this trip to south Texas my faith was restored.  I really didn’t think that would happen in Crystal City but I’m so glad that I gave it a chance.     

Food:

But for the slightly overcooked meat and rice and a bit of fat on the tripe this meal would have been excellent all the way around

Atmosphere was great:

The piñatas and streamers really added to the festive atmosphere at Miguelito's. The colors pop and it is an upbeat type of place.

Excellent Prices:

Prices are what you’d expect in just about any Tex-Mex restaurant but I’d have to say getting a fajita plate for $8.99 is really a good deal.  

Service Good: 

Service was good but the waiter seemed green. Being so new he seemed a bit apprehensive and nervous about serving.  He just needs some more time doing it and he’ll become a pro.  I do have to say that although it took him some time he did bring everything extra we asked for.


Overall:

I’d definitely eat at Miguelito’s again. In fact I may have to stop there the next time I’m in town on the way to my Mother In Law’s place. 

Check out the website for more info: www.miguelitosmexicangrill.com

The Eagle - San Angelo

There's an old song by the Steve Miller Band called Fly Like An Eagle. Needless to say it is a cool song that has lyrics that say: "I want to fly like an eagle to the sea, fly like an eagle, let my spirit carry me." The song links two things that (considering my present circumstances) I believe go hand in hand. The majestic eagle flying high, summoning his eagle powers, using his acute visual perception to search for and draw out the best of the best of the sea's bounty. In many ways this is exactly what The Eagle on Howard is doing. The Eagle is yet another one of San Angelo's restaurants housed in an old Dairy Queen location (the others being Corner Stop #2, Wok and Rice, Cozy Kitchen, and D-Rays.) The Eagle has murals painted on the walls but sitting here (and maybe because I used to frequent this DQ as a child) I can't seem to forget it was an old DQ. This fact makes also more astonishing that this place is a legitimate seafood surprise. I also relish the chance I have to use these research opportunities to practice a bit on my Espanol (Spanish for the "Gringos") in a friendly environment. I like to eat at an establishment a couple of times before I pass judgement either way on it and it was highly recommended by my Pastor and friend, Jehu Hernandez. My first trip out we had a beef fajita and Camaron Con Ajo (Shrimp with Garlic) plate. I was really impressed by the Shrimp but the fajitas were not my favorite. The garlicky shrimp were sauteed nicely and had loads of flavor. They were perfect with a bit of the thin salsa and some guacamole on a corn tortilla. The Fajitas although visually pleasing, and tasty on the palate were very chewy and weren't really cut through all the way. A marinade would do these fajitas some justice in the way of breaking down the spongy fibers. I was impressed enough with the seafood side of this surf n turf meal that I decided to make another trip out today to focus my attention on what their true strengths were and I wasn't disappointed. This time out I gravitated towards the Shrimp Diabla (Devil's Shrimp.) This shrimp is cooked in a spicy red sauce that you get a salsa buzz from but is not overstated in the least. The sauce starts off light and ends with a slight heat at the end. It looked to be about 10 to 12 medium shrimp along with some rice and beans and a little lettuce and tomato. Here it is:
Since I WAS doing research, far be it from me to stop at just this plate. I also ordered a Ceviche Tostada appetizer. I have to say that on a hot summer day this Ceviche Tostada is refreshingly light fare. The fish was marinated in lemon and/or lime juice and was mixed with tomato, onion, lettuce, cilantro, avocado, and peppers served on a flat deep fried corn tortilla and drizzled with a white sour cream sauce. Ceviche is "cooked" through a process of marinating raw fish in an acidic juice for up to 24 hours before it is served. The acid kills all bacteria and "cooks" the fish so that it is safe to eat. Sounds like Mexican Sushi to me so AriGracias to The Eagle for that. It was a beautiful dish as you can see:









My wife also sampled the shrimp fajitas today and seemed to be impressed with them.
They were served (as many are) on a cast iron skillet and brought to the table sizzling for maximum effect. These shrimp were tossed with garlic, green bell peppers, some small bits of onion and something I haven't seen before with this Tex-Mex staple: mushrooms. My wife practically begged me to taste one and I protested for a bit but after I had tasted them I wish that I had taken her up on her offer sooner and had a bigger bite. Totally delicious. Here is some video with the little "sizzlers" making some noise (along with my son singing in the background.)



Service here is very good and the standard appetizer of chips and salsa comes to the table piping hot. That is a real plus in this day and age of getting cold stale chips. The rice and beans are nice compliments to the seafood and balance these plates out. Sooner or later I will go back and get breakfast burritos and menudo and maybe even the Caldo De Res but that is for another time. I won't lie and say this is a place that is very romantic or that it has great atmosphere. It doesn't, but one thing it does have is great seafood. This is an out of the way hole in the wall joint but well worth your time and money as long as you stick to the seafood.