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

Manuel's Steakhouse - Del Rio, Texas

Wrapping up a few days on the road with one workday sandwiched in between I finally got a chance to get to a place to blog about. We stopped at Don Marcelino's first but, my wife wasn't feelin' it so we took off and then we stopped at Manuel's Steakhouse. Well as far as blogging is concerned and when it comes to food 1) I am all about taking chances 2) hoping for surprises, and 3) ready for an adventure whether it's good or bad. From the street Manuel's doesn't look like a whole lotta anything until you slow down and smell the roses, er fajitas. When you do get a chance to stop and take it all in you notice they have a beautiful stained glass door. The facade of the restaurant is rock and definitely all the rage in Texas as you see many homes and businesses "rocked out" as Manuel's is.

We were greeted promptly as we came in and were seated very quickly. They had just had a bit of a rush and we were whisked away to a table that had just been cleaned and wasn't quite set up yet. A waitress came by and placed appetizer plates on the table but didn't say anything until I gave her a big smile and a hardy, "HELLO!" She obviously wasn't our waitress and it took a while for us to get our menus and I was starting to get a bit concerned that maybe we had made a mistake by coming here. Here are a few pics of the inside:

Rock Wall and Candle Chandelier

Colorful Crumples Ceramic Plates on a Rock Wall.

Beautiful bottles along a dividing wall.

Candle Chandelier.


Well, I noticed an old school Mexican waiter sweating up a storm and taking care of quite a few tables. He had just dropped off a ticket to one table and was preparing a flaming dessert (more about that later) for another table. He was extremely busy so as a fellow food service worker I cut him a little slack. Salvador, our waiter was about to save us from our hunger as he brought out two big baskets of hot, fresh out of the fryer chips, with salsa. He then brought out the menus and we looked at them for a bit while we munched on the chips and salsa. First impressions on the food were good. Chips hot, corny, a little thicker than
usual, and very tasty. The salsa was more fruity than fiery but had just enough heat to keep me coming back for more. Our waiter was what I would call an "old school Mexicano". He spoke with an exotic Spanish accent and he gesticulated when he asked us what we wanted to drink and when he took our food order. When I received the menu and looked it over he came over and moved his hand from his chest with palms facing up and fingertips towards me as he asked, "What can I get for you, sir?" Of course he gesticulated in this way to all of my family and this reminded me of an era gone by when waiters were more elegant and refined.

The menu was full of Angus steaks cooked Mexican and American style. 10, 14, and 16 oz. Ribeyes along with various T-bones, a Chicken Fried Steak and other types of Angus Beef. They had some Mexican plates including Enchiladas, Fajitas, Quesadillas, and a Naked Chile Relleno (I tried not to be risque on this blog but sometimes it's just too hard!) They had some other offerings that you don't see everyday like Frog's Legs and Quail. The kid's menu has 3 items on it which was a bit disheartening for Jonah. Chicken Strips, Quesadilla, and a Beef Burrito Plate. Appetizers and Desserts had much more to choose from including Flan, Cheesecake, The Flaming Dessert (more on that later I promise) and my favorite dessert of all time: Creme Brulee. Prices seemed very comparable to other local steak houses. For the food we got I would say they were definitely reasonable and made me confident that we had chosen well.

I ordered a 14 oz. Ribeye and it came with a Baked Potato, a Salad of Mixed Greens, and a bowl of Borracho Beans. Elizabeth and Jonah ordered Enchilada Plates that came with beans and rice and 4 red, cheesy enchiladas per plate. Jared and Kandra ordered Cheeseburgers that came with the standard french fries. We gave our customary thanksgiving for the meal and we dug in.
Lets just say at the first bite into my steak I had an other worldly experience. It was afternoon so the only song that I can say would describe this first bite is "Afternoon Delight"! Sky Rockets in flight had nothing on this steak. This was a flavor that was meant to be savored all day long. To look at the steak you wouldn't have thought it was any better than any other steak I had eaten in the past but that first bite almost made me fall out of my chair. Here's a pic:
I wouldn't say the presentation was phenomenal but what it lacked in eye appeal it more than made up for in flavor. I would have expected to see some greenery on the plate but in this economy there isn't a lot of room for extra greens that aren't going to be eaten anyway.
Here are a couple of pics of the other food at my table.

Salad of Mixed Greens w/Ranch.

Everything here was very fresh and the dressing was tasty albeit a bit overwhelming for the amount of greens that were on the plate.

I tasted the Enchiladas, rice and beans and they were solidly home style. Notice the peas and carrots in the rice. Nice touch.


Enchilada Plate

Here's Kandra (with Jared in mid bite) having,"oneof the best burgers ever!" She apparently was very impressed with it.

We thoroughly enjoyed our entrees and then it was time for dessert. I ordered Creme Brulee but unfortunately they were out. As my mother in law likes to say: "Rats, Rats, and Double Rats!" Well they also offered Flan, Cheesecake, and the previously parenthetically mentioned Flaming Dessert. We decide to share some Cheesecake and a Flaming Dessert. The Flaming Dessert is Vanilla Ice Cream topped with pecans, flambeed in Brandy. After being wowed by the presentation we tasted both the desserts and they were undeniably scrumptious!



Here are the pics:

Well, as the cup was about to runneth over I must say we were completely satisfied with the food. On the basis of food flavor alone I would definitely recommend this place. Service was lax in the beginning but the appropriately named Salvador definitely acted as a savior for Manuel's as far as my blog is concerned. I don't know how much he's getting paid but I am sure he could use a raise. Atmosphere was definitely more adultish and as such I'm recommending this as a date place more than a family eatery. There is a fully stocked bar right as you walk in. This place is beautifully furnished with black wood grain tables and chairs. Walls are a dark chocolate brown below the chair rail with a salmonish orange color above it. This place is dark inside almost like a cave with much candle light and low electric light emanating from around the restaurant. One thing that I didn't care for in the atmosphere is the huge TV at the bar. Manuel's is trying to serve to sets of clientele here. The Sports Bar Crowd and The Romance Rendezvous folks. If that's the case I definitely think they should have a little bit better division of the two so that there can be a more intimate meal for those that desire the romantic setting.
Expect to spend no more than $25 a plate for the steaks and not more than 10-12 bucks for the Mexican plates. For 2 people you will definitely get out of here for less than $70 including your appetizer, main courses and desserts (barring any major drowning of alcohol.) Next time you are in Del Rio stop by and ask for Salvador. Manuel's is lucky to have him and the great food they provided.

Here's a video of Salvador preparing the Flaming Dessert.

Joe Cotten's, Robstown Texas BURNED DOWN

The last time I blogged about a restaurant I was not very impressed with service or food quality. I was out of town. Last week I found myself on the road again and I was pleasantly surprised by Joe Cotten's in Robstown. Joe Cotten's ends up on all kinds of BBQ lists and must eat at places in all kinds of publications and websites every year. I had heard from many people and from one person in particular that Cotten's was the best BBQ ever. Based on those types of glowing reviews and the fact that we were on a trip to Corpus Christi for a church conference I practically begged my pastor to take us to eat there. I was very excited as we drove up and I saw the big sign and the rustic look of the place. I was thinking to myself this place could be the real deal, Holyfield. With wooden porch swings and a faded wood exterior I was definitely feeling the kinda vibe you can only get from this type of place which is BBQ Buzz. When you walk in and see plenty of locals eating there you know it's well worth it. Just an FYI, this place only takes cash. ATM is right in the doorway as you walk in which is totally out of place in this throwback to the old school type of place. Saddles, barbed wire, old metal soda and gasoline signs abound in here and give it a certain charm that you don't see in most places today. Atmosphere here plays into the whole BBQ theme. I just wish I had taken more pictures of all the interesting antique items they had on the walls. There is no menu here. WHAT? NO MENU? I wasn't really that worried but some people might be. Our waiter came out and told us what was available. Dressed in a black bow tie, a maroon jacket, and black pants it would seem totally out of place but it definitely adds to the quirkiness of this place in a good way. There was a 12.99 special with 3 meats. OF COURSE I had that, right after we had some of the cheese and crackers they offered as an appetizer. Spreadable, yellow cheese, and a "delightful selection of gourmet crackers," I think. LOL. I had a link of sausage, a pork rib, and some of the tastiest brisket I've had in a while. All of this was served on a sheet of butcher paper with a few slices of onion, a tomato, a radish, and a pickle if I remember correctly. I had a bowl of beans and let me tell you this place knows how to make beans! Right before the meal came out around the corner came a guy I used to go to school with. WOW, it's a small world. I hadn't seen him since around 1997. He manages Joe Cotten's and I'd have to say he's doing a great job. Brisket was very tender, by the way, and flavorful. The sauce was more like a salsa but was an interesting addition to say the least. I liked the sausage and the ribs but the star of this meal was the brisket. It so nice to discover that after I had eaten up the first big slice of brisket the waiter offered me another one. VERY NICE! How much? Nothing extra! Even nicer! After all the cheese, meat, and beans I noticed they gave the young man in our entourage an ice cream. Kids get ice cream free. Being the big kid I am I had to have some but of course I had to pay for it. Strawberry ice cream cone with a cherry on top. The waiter even brought out some extra cherries for the ladies. We had a great time and the meal was enhanced even more due to the wonderful company I had to share it with. I'd definitely eat here again as service, food flavor and cost, as well as the atmosphere were all to my liking. Joe Cotten's is old school that's way too cool. This is definitely a place you will want to visit when you are around this area!