Top 5 for June

Although I didn't review all the restaurants on this list this month this is the compilation of where I have eaten recently and what was the best.

5) Paco's Place - This is one of my old time favorites and I eat here at least once a month. Great buffet with Enchiladas (cheese or chicken casserole), Tacos, Beans, Rice, Salad, Tortillas and cookies for dessert. Always tasty and some of my favorite iced tea anywhere.

4) Sunset Grill - Had burgers on a Sunday night after church with our pastor and more of our church family. Service was quick and the food was SOLID....just like our church! LOL.

3) La Esperanza - I ate here twice this month. The first time the food and service was excellent thanks to Ricky's friend Lucia. She did a great job and was very attentive. Yesterday however we had lunch there and they were very busy and orders were made incorrectly (Lucia wasn't there) and they didn't have all the ingredients for what I ordered so I had to change my order. Not a glowing review for this place BUT the food I got was top notch. Enchiladas here are great. Beans and Rice were also very good. I can recommend this place but be careful when they are overly busy because service becomes sketchy. Well I can't complain too much because my Brother-In-Law was nice enough to feed us there after church. He was kind of upset with the service too.

2) River Valley Coffee and Cafe really got me this month with their great sandwiches. These tasty treats are thoughtfully and wonderfully made. Great concepts for making every day sandwiches different and more upscale make this a cool place to eat. The surroundings are very artsy and the decor is interesting. This is a great place to take a date or for a quick lunch that's light. Try it out and let me know how you feel about it.

And the moment you've all been waiting for...we've saved the best for last....the Incomparable SQUIDWARD (it's a scene from Spongebob sorry I just couldn't resist). . .uh I mean our number one.....

1) Community Cafe (in Angelo Community Medical Center) What else can I say.....this food was just awesome. Chef Henry fed us some top of the line eats here. I just wish I could go have some more TODAY! I promise that this place is SO GOOD! You definitely owe it to yourself to go and have a taste of some of San Angelo's best food. This place isn't about atmosphere...it is, however, all about the FOOD!


This month was nice because I received a few free meals. God's watching out for me and helping me keep my blog going. Thanks to all of you who contributed to my waistline and to this blog.

Coming up next month.....I'll be bringing back reviews from Dallas, Texas. Get ready. I hope I can eat at a few places I've never tried before.

Don't forget to send all your tax deductible donations to....well if you know me you where they go and if you don't you can leave them buried in a treasure chest at Glenmore Park at 7 pm every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from now until labor day. Make sure you put them on the left side of the playground 10 paces from the curb. Don't forget to put a huge, red, painted X over the place you bury it so I can find it easily. I'll be waiting!

See you soon.

AFR (AKA The Food Dood, La Critique Gastrique (in Lousiana and Quebec), Armando Criticando, The Sultan of Sustenance, The Knight of Nourishment, El Sharif of Beef, The Bub with the Grub, and all kinds of other unspeakable food and non-food related names. Of course you can call me (Editing has occurred and names have been changed to protect the innocent and even the not so innocent) Thanks for reading.

La Esperanza

I really enjoy La Esperanza on Ave. N and I don't remember if I have blogged about it or not. At any rate we had dinner there tonight and I had the Enchiladas Mexicanas. The plate consists of 3 enchiladas, one with a tomatillo based green sauce, a sour cream sauce, and your standard red sauce. The tomatillo based sauce was very tasty and had some fire in it. It was situated perfectly on the plate next to the sour cream enchilada because when mixed it took the edge off the green sauce. My favorite however was the red sauce. The word enchilada comes from the word enchilar which means to add chile pepper or "in chile". Ground red peppers (Anchos) and liquid make the sauce. In Tex-Mex cooking the sauce usually has some meat in it and is sometimes just chili. Chili and chile are not necessarily interchangeable. Chili has chile in it and Chile may have Chili or chile in it but chile does not have Chili in it. Is that straight? Did I mention I really like Enchiladas? The beans and rice were also very good and rounded out the meal quite well. The chips were cool the first time but the second time she brought them out they were warm. Great recovery. I'm ashamed to say my kids had burgers and chicken strips or (chikenehstreeps as they are usually called in most Tex-Mex joints) but THEY DID! The fries here are always fresh and not frozen. EXCELLENT. The family had a little taste of Flan which all of us except Jared enjoyed. He spit his out. Oh well. Live and learn. This place is very good and it is highly recommended for its low prices and great food. Waitstaff is also usually very attentive as Lucia was today. Great job. Enjoy.

Win a PRIZE!!!!!

Tell me about your best meal ever......in graphic detail. The best story wins a prize. So don't skimp on the details and if you include pictures all the better for you!

Two categories on this one too....Best Home Cooked meal and Best Restaurant Meal....choose one or both but make it good!

I'll be waiting!

Winners and Corrections

First a correction on the BURGERS....The name of the place is Roadrunner's Burger DELI not Bistro. Sorry....I had the alliteration in my mind for some reason. NOW on to the WINNERS of our polls

Favorite Concept TIE Wingstop/Logan's

Favorite Pizza Pizza Hut (this didn't surprise me)

Favorite Seafood Red Lobster (Cheese Rolls WOW)

Favorite Burritos Diego's (UNANIMOUS)

Favorite Ethnic Olive Garden (probably should have gone under concept but it works)

Favorite Burger Charcoal House (Good and Cheap)

Favorite Fast Food Chik-Fil-A (YAY JOEY!!!!)

Favorite Sandwiches Subway (Jared lost weight I guess it works)

Favorite Steaks TIE Western Sky/Twin Mountain

Favorite BBQ RJ BBQ

Mexican Food Paco's Place ( I love this place but I was surprised by this)

Thanks for voting.

River Valley Coffee and Cafe

River Valley Coffee and Cafe is a great new downtown establishment. My wife and I were on a little date and we decided to try it out. I was totally hungry after watching the latest installment of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I was a bit disappointed with that movie but that's a different time and a different blog. ON to the food. My sandwich was a club sandwich. Ham, turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, Pepper jack cheese, and cheddar on sourdough bread dressed with mayo. It was excellent and was served with some chips and a pickle spear. The Pepper Jack added the extra little nuance that made this a great sandwich. Here it is:







YUMMY SANDWICH!






Looks good doesn't it?

My wife's sandwich was a Mediterranean chicken sandwich. Normally it would be served with Ciabatta bread, romaine lettuce, pesto, and an artichoke heart and if I'm not mistaken Provolone cheese. She omitted the artichoke heart and it was a very tasty sandwich. The chicken was grilled and my only complaint was that it was not very hot. The flavor was very good though. Of course it was my wife's sandwich but she did beg me to take a bite. The pesto made this sandwich really burst with flavor. Awesome idea. Here's a blurry picture of it:














It was a good looking sandwich. Speaking of good looking, they have some great art in the restaurant that can be purchased from the local artists themselves. The art ranges from watercolors, to oils, to pen and ink. Portraits of people and places abound here. The atmosphere is really cool and open. I love the stained concrete floors and high tables in the area we sat in. They also have a huge magazine and book rack. They serve coffee and desserts as well although I didn't have either. This may require some further research. For you coffeeheads go in and try it out. Hey it's not that far if your are in the downtown area. I'll add more info about it when I go in a couple of more times and try some other stuff. I recommend this place for it's eclectic sandwiches, friendly staff, and cool atmosphere. Enjoy it.

June 10, 2008 Community Cafe

Community Cafe is a place I've been wanting to try for some time. I had heard numerous reports about Chef Henry Wiens' cuisine and how great the new "hospital" food was. I'll tell you that I wasn't disappointed. Chef Henry hosted my friend John and I for lunch today. The menu consisted of Chicken Fideo Casserole, Beans, Rice and a deep fried jalapeño with cheese. I had never actually eaten a deep fried jalapeño before and it was most excellent. The breading was crisp and not in the least bit greasy. The melted cheese inside was warm and slowly oozed when I bit into the jalapeño. The Chicken Fideo was also a great mixture of spices, cheese, and noodles. Everything melded together quite well and was seasoned perfectly in my opinion. Chef Henry let us know that he has a preference for a bit more heat but he'd hear no complaints from me. I'm sure that a little more heat would have been wonderful but it was just great the way it was. Beans and Rice rounded out the meal and were cooked very well. The rice was just moist enough for me and had great Spanish flavor. The pinto beans were also cooked to perfection with a thick broth that would have been soothing on a cold day in winter. Even though it is summer everything provided here was very tasty and with some more research I'm sure this place is going to be in my top 10 very soon. The peanut butter cookie was also very good and I'm just sorry I missed the French silk pie. It's one of my favorites. Chef Henry was very accommodating and took care of our every need. Thank You Chef for a great lunch! We'll be back with our friends and family. Trust me folks this place is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Check out the menu here: http://www.sacmc.com/services/food_nutrition/ and note the hours of operation. Enjoy!

Top 10 Restaurants (not exactly)no longer in existence

START READING FROM THE BOTTOM...OTHERWISE THIS WON'T READ RIGHT!


Other places that were here (San Angelo) you might remember .....Penguin Point, Uncle Charlie's, Barney's Burgers, Juan and Only's, Kung Fu Restaurant, Jack in the Box (COMING BACK SOON), Bonanza, El Patio, Blimpie's (CURSE YOU SUBWAY! Not really but I sure miss Blimpie's), Memo's Hacienda, Catfish Haven (by the base), Kasey's BBQ, Harlowe's Steakhouse, The Kettle, and El Amigos. Wow San Angelo's restaurant scene sure has changed a lot.

#23 - Emery's ....San Angelo, Texas....This place should be ranked a lot higher than it is. They had great rolls and had excellent Mexican and American food.

#22 - Pizza Inn.....San Angelo, Texas...Located where Pizza Hut on Sherwood Way is now. Great place for a pizza alternative to the HUT. Great salad bar too back then.

#21 - Popeye's Chicken..San Angelo, Texas..They haven't been gone too long but I sure miss their spicy chicken. They should have eaten their spinach!

#20 - Pancho's Restaurant....Southwest Plaza...San Angelo, Texas.....Another great Mexican Food spot that I enjoyed very much in the 80s and 90s. Muy Bueno Mexican Plate.

#19 - Dunkin' Donuts....San Angelo, Texas....Another place that exists elsewhere but just not here anymore. Diego's Burritos is there now. Hot chocolate and coffee with great donuts during the cold winter. The kid in me still remembers.

#18 - Las Dos Hermanas....San Angelo, Texas....Located where Chilango's is now. Great homestyle Mexican food. Great hot sauce and excellent fajitas. Another great spot I used to eat at when I was in College.

#17 - Original Fuentes Cafe on Ave K in San Angelo, Texas. Fuentes had some great Mexican Food and some cool mini juke boxes at each booth.

#16 - Furr's Cafeteria in the Hemphill-Wells Building downtown San Angelo. Great cafeteria food in downtown area. Another after church treat for us.

#15 - Corn Dog 7.....San Angelo, Texas.....Great corn dogs at the Mall. It's very much missed.

#14 - Mule Creek BBQ ....San Angelo, Texas....Another one I just couldn't leave off. This used to be located where Bodacious is now and where Taco Villa used to be many years ago. Great BBQ and excellent sides. I wonder why they went out of business.

#13 - Short Stop and Puffin Billies and RJ Express TIE...San Angelo, Texas...These 3 places were staples for ASU students back in the late 80s and early 90s. I used to work at Short Stop (now Starbucks) and we would eat at Puffin Billies (Wienerschnitzel on South Bryant) all the time. RJ Express was where El Vay Ven is now. Cheap food that was very tasty.

#12 - Mejor Que Nada....San Angelo, Texas.....Now Chilango's City....Mejor que Nada in the late 80's and early 90s was one of the best restaurants in the state. Ray Zapata made some great homestyle food and the fajitas couldn't be beat back then. I used to work there too. My uncle Andy was the best waiter in that place. He used to handle 15 tables all by himself. Those were the days!

#11 - Vic and Sal's ....San Angelo, Texas. I know I said top 10 but this place had the best sopapillas I have ever eaten and I just couldn't leave them off. They also had great Mexican food. They were located where Franco's is now but they moved across town back then and it never had the traffic it did in the old location. Too bad you can't taste it.

#10 - Don Juan's .....San Angelo, Texas.....Another take out place. Don Juan was an elderly gentleman who made some of the best barbacoa and other Mexican dishes I can remember. This was another place we'd pick up food from after church when we were little. My dad knew some great places.

#9 - Villareal Grocery...San Angelo, Texas....This was really a take out place where La Kinta is now on Ben Ficklin. Barbacoa was my favorite here.

#8 - Ole Coach Motor Inn Buffet....San Angelo, Texas .A great Sunday buffet with all kinds of food. I distinctly remember Jello Molds with fruit in them. Oh memories.......

#7 - Mr. G's in San Angelo.....Mr. G's was located where Autozone is across from HEB now. Great burgers and fries.

#6 - Sambo's Restaurant in San Angelo....Sambo's was where our Dad used to take us to breakfast after we had gone to church early in the morning on Sundays. They had breakfast food that was so good. It was located where Action Pawn is now on Sherwood Way.

#5 - Ricardo's Restaurant in San Angelo....(Now Don Oscar's) Ricardo's used to be the place on the edge of town where you would go eat LATE LATE at night. They had great nachos from what I remember.

#4 - Dairy Gold in San Angelo, Texas....Dairy Gold (Now HBF restaurant) on Chadbourne was a great burger and Ice Cream place. Grandma used to take us to Dairy Gold to have an ice cream every once and awhile.

#3 - Jumbo Burger in Ballinger, Texas. Jumbo Burger had a great combo meal before they were popular with all the fast food joints that are all over the place. Huge greasy cheeseburger and hot freshly fried tater tots and a huge root beer would fill our bellies when we worked out at Chayo's Ranch just outside Talpa. This was a burger you could dream about.

#2 - Little Hipps in San Antonio, Texas....Little Hipps was not really named very well although it did attract attention. You see if you ate there very often your Little Hipps would become HUGE Hips.....GIGANTIC burgers and a sack full of fries or tator tots served in a giant basket...almost too much to eat. The burgers seemed to have a half a head of lettuce, 10-15 tomato slices 25-30 pickles and plenty of onions. You had to cut it into 4 pieces to be able to get a handle on it. It was so good. I ate there the same week my daughter was born.

#1 - Shakey's Pizza....San Angelo, Texas....I worked here during college for 4 years. I miss the chicken, pizza, and subs we used to make there. They were fun times. Shakey's still has restaurants in the world just not here anymore. ROJOS were the best. I can still make them.

My ALL TIME top 10 Restaurants

Drum Roll Please.....

#10 - Shogun Restaurant in San Antonio, Texas They serve Tappenyaki (Japanese food with a show including knives, fire, cool shapes, and smart alec chefs.

#9 - Tink A Taco in San Antonio, Texas.....Homemade tortillas, fresh ingredients, awesome breakfast with great tacos.....QUICK SERVICE.....SOFT Tortillas....

#8 - Fernandez Restaurant in San Angelo, Texas.....Try the Gordy's Special...Awesome Chile con Queso...Awesome Salsa..Great all around place. Try it....you'll understand!

#7 - Pappasito's in San Antonio.......My friend Mario took us here when I was living in San Antonio over 10 years ago. This place is consistently good and they have great Fajitas as well as The Plato Fiesta that has a full rack of ribs, six Brochette-style shrimp, two mesquite-grilled quail, jalapeño sausage, beef & chicken fajitas. Beans and rice are great too.

#6 - Abuelos Mexican Restaurant in Abilene, Texas....Another excellent Chile Con Queso....Great entrees....Try the Fajita Trio Beef, Shrimp, And Chicken......

#5 Cooper's Pit BBQ in Mason, Texas......Great BBQ in an out of the way place and on the way to the big city. I love the brisket and sausage.

#4 - Paco's Place in San Angelo, Texas....this is one my sentimental favorites......I've been eating here since I was a young child. Atmosphere is not what you come to Paco's for...you come for the FOOD....The rice, refried beans, enchiladas, and tacos are my favorite. Did I mention it's a buffet? Salad and coleslaw is also on the buffet along with a few other great dishes. Hot sauce is a great family recipe and during the winter Josh will tell you to try the Caldo, "It's so good my Grandma doesn't allow any of us to make it," and Josh is right......it's very good.

#3 - The Wharf in San Angelo, Texas.....I've had many a meal here and the seafood and prime rib are excellent but one of my favorite things to eat here is the TURTLE PIE.....WOW....Chocolate and Caramel taken to the extreme......My cousin introduced me to this place years ago and it was the site of my very first date with my wife. Try Mahi Mahi, Swordfish, Shark, and I really wish they would bring back the fried gator tails. Very very good!

#2 - Cattleman's Steak House Near El Paso and Fabens, Texas.....Awesome steak cooked to order....great pineapple coleslaw (I hated coleslaw until I had this one), excellent sides and service. Ribeye is my favorite but the T-bone is also excellent. Great views and a zoo on the grounds make this a FUN place to take kids and family.

#1 - Rudy's BBQ in Leon Springs......Advertised as the WORST BBQ IN TEXAS and I couldn't disagree more. Brisket, Ribs, Sausage, Turkey, Chicken are always moist, tender, and tasty. Creamed corn, beans, potato salad and other side choices are great too. This is my number one because the food has ALWAYS been consistently good. The service is just as good. You won't be disappointed here. I never have been. *BE AWARE I AM TALKING ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC LOCATION...This is the original......

La Familia Mexican Restaurant-Junction Texas

Today was a day that was a bit difficult for me as we dropped Jared off to spend a few days with his Grandma Paula before school starts for him. We hadn't eaten all day and so on the way back we stopped in at La Familia Mexican Restaurant in Junction. Now you all know if it's up to me that I would love to stop and eat BBQ if it's available but since we had it last week I agreed to a compromise. My wife wanted Mexican food so we decided to stop by and have a bite to eat. I discovered that chicken fried steak is Mexican Food today for the first time in my life. I was thinking that it was Southern cooking but of course my wife proved me wrong! She wanted Mexican food and then ordered a Chicken Fried Steak. WOW! Mexican FOOD! Well I decided to stick to the plan and of course I had 100% authentic TEX MEX food. We entered the building and were greeted promptly and with a great smile. The restaurant was very clean and the smell of Fabuloso filled the air. They took our drink order and brought out fresh, hot chips. Not cold, not lukewarm....HOT....with 2 different salsas. This is what is known as "attention to detail" and goes a long way in my book. Hot chips, 2 salsas delivered promptly with the drinks I was impressed. Of course I was on my last leg because I hadn't had a drink all day long. The song came to mind we are hungry, we are hungry, we are hungry for more of you, we are thirsty, we are thirsty....ENNYWAIS I drank all my tea very quickly and the waitress filled again quickly and then brought more...yes you guessed it HOT CHIPS!!!! I ordered what was known as the Super Mexican Dinner 2 that had a taco, beef enchilada, cheese enchilada, cheese taco (not a quesadilla and by the way different than anything I've ever had before) chalupa, rice and beans. The food was very tasty. The plates were presented very neatly and the food was hot. I put some of the Pico de Gallo style salsa on my chalupa and wow what a combination. I'll bet my tea was empty 5 or 6 times and every time I finished my glass was filled again. I had a bite of Elizabeth's "Mexican Food" ur uh Chicken Fried Steak and it was also very tasty. I asked each of them how they liked their food and they were all satisfied. Food tasted great, service was great, atmosphere was nice, and staff was friendly. Smiles abounded and the food was moderately priced. I highly recommend this restaurant. If you are driving through Junction and want to stop to eat forget about the McDonald's on the Interstate (you can eat their food at home ANYTIME!) keep traveling south on the main road and you will find it on the right side. Be careful you don't miss it.

Kenny Blanek's Village Cafe

Kenny Blanek has been in the restaurant and catering business for many years and his experience with quality and consistency shine through at his Cafe in the Village. I have been here at least 3 times and have been pleasantly surprised. From cheeseburgers to steaks and the well stocked buffet with many homestyle entrees you would do well to give it a try! On our last food adventure we decided that we would go out to Kenny's after church. I decided to give the buffet a try. With turkey and dressing, ham, steak bits, mashed potatoes, squash, a nice salad bar, fresh rolls, and desserts including red velvet cake, peanut butter and sugar cookies, and apple cobbler many choices abounded. So did my belly! Everything I had was extremely good. The prices are fair and our waitress Bobbie had a great sense of humor, was quite attentive, and also had a great attitude. She is a person who truly cares about her customers. Ask for her when you go in. She earned every bit of her tip. There is kid friendly food as well as lots of other favorites. Feel free to pray for you lunch here. They don't mind! This place is open until 2 daily. Go after church Sunday.

Restaurant Review-Paco's Place San Angelo, Texas

I've have eaten at Paco's Place for well over 20 years and I've always enjoyed it. Today was no different. Paco's Place originally started as a regular full service Mexican food restaurant. Current owner Frank Diaz is a second generation restaurateur and has continued his family's tradition of serving great food day after day. Back in the early days Paco's had a full menu but the most sought after food was on the buffet. Nowadays Frank and his staff (mostly family) continue with just the Buffet and catering. Wintertime is great too because Frank's mom makes some of the best Caldo anywhere. Frank's son Josh will be the first to tell you, "It's so good she doesn't allow anyone else to make it but herself!" Must be a secret family recipe! Paco's has a few tried and true dishes on the buffet such as Enchiladas, Tacos, Beans and Rice. You will also find some other tempting foods like Chicken Enchiladas, Picadillo, Salads, and cookies for dessert. They have some really great hot sauce and I will be the first to tell you from the time you come in til the time you leave the service is top notch. What this place lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in food taste and service. Paco's always reminds me of my childhood because usually once a week my Dad would take us there to eat. Buffet and a Tea were the usual and they are still my favorites today. The 3rd generation of my family is now eating there. If you are looking for consistently great, home style food, and friendly service try Paco's. Frank, Josh (when he's home from school), Paco (Frank's Dad) and all the rest will treat you just like family. It's nice to know you can still go "home." Enjoy!

Restaurant Review-The Wharf San Angelo, Texas

The Wharf has long been a quality restaurant serving Seafood and Steaks for well over 20 years. I was only 18 years old the first time I ate at The Wharf and it was where I took my wife on our first date. Tonight we decided to go and treat my mother-in -law to some good fresh seafood that doesn't have that generic chain restaurant spin on it. From fishing nets to cargo boxes as well as many live plants The Wharf is made for a good date and has very soft lighting. It's also a great place to take family for a dining experience that rivals many big city seafood places. Tonight we ordered some fried mushrooms and cheese for appetizers. Our waitress Candace (hope I'm spelling that right) brought extra ranch with the appetizers. Very thoughtful! Shrooms and sticks were fried perfectly with crispy crusts and melt in your mouth insides. These are really some of the best fried mushrooms you'll ever have and not in the least bit greasy. The boys split a burger, while my daughter, wife, and mother -in-law had fish. My little girl had fried catfish with fries along with a salad. Mom and my wife had grilled fish. One was Mahi Mahi and the other Halibut. Both were very tasty according to them. I couldn't resist having my favorite steak again. YES the RIBEYE. It was ordered medium and cooked medium and came with a loaded baked potato and a Caesar salad. The ribeye had some excellent seasoning and fresh cracked black pepper on it. Nice finishing touch. The bread is not the same bread they used to serve here. The NEW bread was actually very soft and very very tasty. Yeast rolls fresh from the oven to be exact. Great with a pat of butter and dipped in steak juices. To finish it all off we had one of their famous desserts. WE SHARED! I first discovered Turtle Pie at The Wharf on or around my 18th birthday. My cousin Anthony took me there and said, "Do you want a whole piece?" Of course I said yes and he challenged me to eat the whole thing which I did. It was one of the best discoveries as far as desserts are concerned that has ever occurred in my life. Whipped cream, over chocolate ice cream, pecans, caramel, and Oreo crust with some chocolate syrup really knocks your socks off. Our waitress was EXTRA attentive and very polite. Needless to say she received an excellent tip for her hard work. I don't recall ever having a bad meal at The Wharf. If you want fresh seafood and steaks with great desserts don't hesitate to spend some money and live a little. This is one place that you won't go wrong, even if you order a burger!

Bonsai Garden-San Angelo, Texas

After my recent trip to another unnamed Tapenyaki restaurant here in town I decided I'd give Bonsai Garden a try. We came in and were seated promptly. There is a lot of etched glass at Bonsai with Far East scenes from days of old. Lots of black tile throughout with TVs at the bar. Except for the TVs this place is very elegant. My sons and I had a guys night out and they love this type of food. The waitress came over and took our orders very quickly and brought out our soup course. The soup was warm and inviting as well as tasty with a few fried onion, chives, and mushrooms scattered throughout. After this the salad came out. This salad had some iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, tomatoes and a specialty of the house: ginger dressing. The dressing also had some underlying onion flavor that I really enjoyed. Before our chef came out I noticed a chef named Bruce who was being very creative. He did the common onion volcano with fire but then he gave the room a little bonus. He moved the volcano around the grill like a locomotive while he played the harmonica. I thought this was a really interesting bit of showmanship. The Japanese chefs here really pride themselves on doing a great presentation and going above and beyond to give the customer an awesome experience. I watched Bruce do this twice during the time we were there and he even played a different song the second time. Chef Tony came out and confirmed our orders and he began his masterful presentation. He did some really great fork and spatula tricks along with catching eggs in his pockets. He cracked the eggs and began making the fried rice. It was perfectly seasoned as he announced each spice he sprinkled on it. It required no extra seasoning we discovered as we began to taste it. Portion size was great too. Plenty of food for me and the boys. After the rice he gave us some shrimp and then cooked my steak to perfection. I asked for it to be cooked medium and it was great. Very juicy and tender. Next he cut up some chicken and it was our turn to be part of the show. He started to flip up the chicken pieces and each of us at the table (who wanted to) had the opportunity to catch the chicken. I was the only one at the table who actually caught it but it was funny watching everyone else get hit on the nose, forehead, and hair. Then came the veggies. Mushrooms, Broccoli, Carrots, and Zucchini, were great right at the end of the meal. Chef Tony cooked everything to perfection and we were all quite satisfied. When you go to Bonsai Chef Bruce is probably the best for showmanship. Chefs Tony and Kevin get the salute for being the best at cooking while still maintaining a great show. Very balanced. I don't think I've had the opportunity to eat Chef Bruce's food so I don't really know about how good it tastes. I do know his showmanship is above and beyond though. Bonsai Garden has now replaced the original Tapenyaki restaurant in town as my favorite. Consistency, showmanship, food quality, waitstaff, and atmosphere are all top notch. You won't be sorry spending your hard earned money here. It is a bit on the expensive side but well worth it. Steak and shrimp or Chicken and Shrimp are our family's favorites. Go early in the week and you usually won't have to wait long to eat. On a side note, they do also beat the Asian drum when there is birthday in the house. Lots of fun for the kids. Enjoy!

Restaurant Review: Fernandez Restaurant San Angelo, Texas

Fernandez Restaurant is on what used to be the most major thoroughfare in San Angelo, Chadbourne Street. Today it would be considered to be a hole in the wall restaurant which means some of the BEST food can be found here. On my most recent food reviewing adventure I came into Fernandez and was promptly greeted by a member of the family that runs the place. My favorite dish there is Gordy's Special named after Los Tejanos lead singer and Fernandez family member Robert Fernandez. Steak, tortillas, beans, rice, and enchilada. The steak was cooked as ordered and was quite juicy. Beans were very flavorful as was the enchilada. Rice was a bit dry but edible. I also had chile con queso, chips, and salsa. WOW. They have salsa like no other place in Texas. Lots of great tomato and jalapeno flavor that gets you right in the throat. Awesome. It's really hard to stop eating it. I will usually mix the queso and the salsa together for some extra heat. Queso on a tortilla with the steak is also another of my favorite ways to eat this dish. An added bonus: This place is kid friendly. Kids get good food that doesn't break the bank and that they love eating. Burgers and chicken strips are also quite tasty. This place is on my list of best places to eat in San Angelo. It doesn't have the glitzy glamour of other restaurants but the FOOD (what matters most) is top notch. You won't go wrong eating here. Leave your diet at home though!

Restaurant Review-Casa Rio San Antonio Texas

Originally Reviewed February 2006

Casa Rio-San Antonio, Texas On the Riverwalk I had read quit a bit about Casa Rio in my Tex-Mex cookbook. It was one of the first restaurants to be on the river and also one of the pioneers of the riverboat business on the river. They used to guide gondolas along the river back in the old days. Casa Rio has plenty of seating indoors as well as right next to the river where all the ducks and people pass by. We arrived early and the restaurant had not opened yet. We waited at their outside tables and then when it opened we were ushered inside. The building is old obviously. A lot of the inside was built from stone and was painted white with other festive colors here and there in the room. There were paintings on the walls of "Mexican" heritage scenes. When we were seated we were greeted promptly by a waiter who must have been at least in his late 40s or early 50s. He was very attentive but spoke very little english. Not a problem for us though. We're Hispanic! WOO HOO! He was dressed in a white Guayabera with black pants. The ladies here dress in festive Mexian dresses. A nice touch if you ask me. He took our drink order and brought out some very good homemade tortilla chips and salsa. From what I had read about Casa Rio I knew I was in for an experience that I wouldn't forget. I wasn't disappointed. For $7.95 I ordered the Deluxe meal. Taco, beans, rice, chile corn carne, enchilada, queso, guacamole and a tamal. It was a lot of food! The taco was thick and meaty in a homemade shell. Chile con Carne was made from pork and was very tender and tasty. Rice was moist and was very delicately flavored. Nothing overbearing here. Beans were great. Chile con Queso was perfect. Guacamole was very very good. Tamal had great flavor but fell apart. The Enchilda was also very tasty. Our server was very very good. Kept my tea filled and was very good with the kids as well. My son was having a cow because there was no yellow cheese on his taco. The server calmly walked into the kitchen and came back with a small bowl of it. He smiled at the children as he served them and made us all feel very comfortable. They do have an odd setup however that I have never seen before. A kitchen worker brings the food out and sets it on the fold away service tray then the waiter removes the stainless steel covers and serves your meal. It seems very classy. If I had to give this restaurant a grade I would have to say 99 out of a possible 100. The only downside was that the Tamal fell apart. Otherwise this meal was perfect! If you are in downtown San Antonio be sure to stop by. You won't be sorry.

Restaurant Review-Ruth's Chris Steak House Downtown San Antonio

Originally written AUGUST 2006.

For our anniversary of 11 years I decided to take my wife to San Antonio. We had accommodations at the lovely Emily Morgan Hotel right across from the Alamo. We had heard about Ruth's Chris Steak House for quite some time and there was really no better time to have tried it. I made reservations a few weeks before and everything was in order. The restaurant provides complimentary shuttle service to most of the upscale hotels in the downtown area. We were picked up promptly at 4:45 right in front of our hotel. It was about a 5 minute ride from where were staying. Ruth's Chris Downtown is situated right across from the train station and is in a very historic part of downtown. I tipped the driver and we walked into the restaurant and it was very elegant to say the least. Wonderful paintings, soft lighting, and lots of wood adorn this eatery. The staff at the door introduced themselves and it was off to our table. We sat in corner by a window that was away from everyone else. Of course at the time we got there we had the whole restaurant to ourselves except for the waitstaff and management. Our waiter greeted us promptly and explained everything about the restaurant to us. Jesse was an excellent waiter and knew exactly what to say and how to say it. They are extremely well trained. We ordered Caesar salad and Julius couldn't have been more proud let me tell u whut! They had fresh Parmesan grated on them along with fresh ground black pepper. On to the steaks. Ruth's Chris' claim to fame is 100% Prime corn fed Midwestern beef cooked in a special broiler that is set at 1800 degrees. The steaks are brought to the table on a plate that has been heated to 500 degrees so that your steak will stay hot throughout your meal. I have always loved Rib eye so that's what I ordered. Elizabeth ("Betty"- to some of you) had some filet medallions and shrimp or Tournedos and Shrimp as they were called. I must say they hit her like a tornado because she was absolutely blown away by the flavor and texture of the meat. Her filet was very tender and smooth although it was cooked medium well. The shrimp were coated with spices and were also very tasty. We also shared some mashed potatoes and they were top notch. I have an affinity for smoked and grilled meats and although I enjoyed my ribeye very much , I missed the extra dimension that grilling over a wood fire adds to almost any cut of meat. The flavor was beefy and it was quite tasty. The texture however was another story. The meat was tender but not because of cooking technique. Apparently the cow that my steak had come from had been suffering from some pain and was seeking help from an acupuncturist. My rib eye was tenderized through and through with a blade tenderizer of some sort. This absolutely changes the texture of the meat. I prefer meat that has not been punctured in this manner. Any prime cut of steak can be made tender if proper cooking techniques are employed. It was a good steak but not particularly something I would singing from the mountaintops about. The steaks we had did stay hot during the entire meal as they had promised. On to the dessert! A good meal just got better when our waiter brought out our anniversary gift from the restaurant. Chocolate Mousse with Creme Fraiche was wonderful. The mousse was put atop a cake like crust that was very soft. This was topped with some Creme Fraiche and a sprig of mint for a eye catching presentation. This came out of the kitchen with a candle. Very thoughtful! We had planned to sample the other desserts way before this had ever come out so my lovely wife ordered Raspberry Sorbet and I had some Creme Broulee which by the way is my favorite dessert. She thoroughly enjoyed every last bite of the sorbet (ask her she'll tell you how good it was). My creme broulee was very tasty. I heard the music ya'll....I FEEL GOOD....I knew that I would now! I FEEL NICE ....like sugar and spice. SO NICE SO NICE I got you! My dessert was garnished with a few strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. The caramelized crust was very nice as was the custard. I could see the vanilla bean that had been put in and it was very delicious.

This meal gets the ever unheard of Zorro snap in Z form....OOPS wrong show. Ambiance gets 5 out of 5 points. Salads 5 out of 5. Steaks get a 4 out of 5 (since mamacita liked hers very very much) Mashed Potatoes 5 out of 5. Desserts and Service had to be like off the chizzain though. I just gots ta give props to my boy Jesse and the pastry chef for some of the best service and dessert I have EVER had. In all seriousness this was one of the best places I have ever been to. Of course it was my anniversary and I got to be with my beautiful wife so as far as the overall rating I would have to say a 4.9