Taqueria El Crucero

After a lull of mediocre Tuesdays, we finally found a diamond in the rough! Taqueria El Crucero is a cute, little Mexican place off the Circle on Old Robinson Road. The nicest people work there and they have great suggestions if you need help ordering. They also accept CREDIT CARDS! Glory hallelujah.

The food was great and we all ordered off the great lunch menu they have! Casey ordered fajitas and they came with the most amazing tortillas. All of their tortillas are homemade and so light and fluffy. Megan and I order the combo platter that came with enchiladas, a flauta and a tostada. The gaucamole was delicioso and the flauta was especially good. The tostada was a little toasty but we still ate every bite.

All in all, we will definitely be visiting this little mexican dive again in the near future. Maybe for breakfast – the huevos rancheros looked amazing!

Insider’s Tip: Ask for a mix of flour and corn tortillas – aye carumba!

“The food was great! I ate so much I still haven’t recovered.” ~ Daché – 4 Dean-Os

“The corn tortillas made the meal.” ~ Casey – 4 Dean-Os

“The green sauce is a drug. It’s so addicting.” ~ Megan – 4 Dean-Os

Cafe Viejo San Juan, Waco, TX

“Two blondes and a ginger going to a Puerto Rican place.. let me know how that goes”

After a quick drive through Baylor to pick up Daché’s hubby, Curtis, we made our way to Cafe Viejo San Juan on La Salle. Parking was easy- there was only one other car near the ‘domino table’ that sits under a tarp outside the place. So here’s the breakdown;

The Good: The waitress and cook were both very friendly; we heard stories about Puerto Rican lobsters and learned how to bet on horse races (betting on the prettiest horse isn’t the right way to do it apparently). The best part of the meal, undoubtedly, was the dessert Rum Balls the waitress gave us that were covered in coconut. So good!

The Bad: The food was bland and we were definitely expecting some flavor & spice from a Puerto Rican place! Although not too expensive, the price didn’t match up with the quality of food. The artwork of Cafe Viejo San Juan was definitely unique… I’m guessing they painted the mural of fisherman themselves. Go check it out; you’ll see what I mean.

Curtis gave Cafe Viejo San Juan 2 Dean-Os and said, “The plantains were pretty good, but I was expecting a bit more flavor and spice. And who would’ve known the cook’s a horse betting junkie? Now I know where to go when I need my next tip…”

Daché gave 2 Dean-Os as well, and said “I liked the plantain appetizer with the dipping sauce and my rice and pork dish wasn’t bad. For the price and uniqueness of the place, I was expecting more flavor and maybe another patron or two.”

And yes, we now smell like Puerto Rico.

Selection Monday – 5.23.11

We’re going to Cafe Viejo San Juan! Meet us there at 11:30!

1428 La Salle AveWaco, TX 76706-3524

Olympic Family Restaurant, Waco, TX

Notable things to remember from Tuesday:

1. You get a variation of chicken noodle soup for an appetizer instead of chips and salsa. Good news: it’s free! Bad news: it’s summer time, we were hot, and it did not sound delicious to anyone but Daniel
2. You can choose between Mexican and regular Coke which is awesome.
Mexican > regular because it has real sugar in it.
3. They have burgers AND TexMex food. And they serve breakfast all day.
4. Casey and I gave a table of old men whiplash as they checked us out upon our departure. Cyber high-five ya’ll!

Less notable things which will soon be forgotten:

1. My bacon cheeseburger came with a Kraft single that was not melted. woooooomp wooomp
2. We thought the food was bland and generally flavorless. Maybe they should think about adding some ranch…
3. You have to pay in cash which is usually annoying and inconvenient if you don’t know ahead of time. But now you do. Thankfully, I’m a baller and could cover the team.
Side note: you guys all owe me money.

Here’s what the team had to say:
“Not as good as advertised. However, if there is ever a choice between regular Coke and mexican Coke, always go for the mexican! ALWAYS.” ~ Daniel – 2.5 Dean-O’s

“They need to spice it up!” ~ Casey – 2.5 Dean-O’s

“Meeeeh. I’ve had better” ~ Megan – 2 Dean-O’s

“The Kraft single just resting on top killed it for me.” ~ Daché – 2 Dean-O’s

Insider’s Tip:
Bring cash…and a bib. Not sure how, but I dropped food in my lap on three separate occasions.

Address and Directions:
If you want to give this place an Olympic try, get directions here.

1901 North 18th Street
Waco, TX 76707-1513

Selection Monday (on Tuesday) – 5.17.11

HEY YOU GUUUUUYS!

Today we are going to…Olympic Family Restaurant. We are pretty excited, so join us at 11:30!

In the meantime – check it out – WE ARE FAMOUS!
http://www.kwtx.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=5857807&flvUri&partnerclipid

1901 North 18th Street
Waco, TX 76707-1513
(254) 714-1311

Real Deal Soul Food, Waco,TX

COMFORT TO YOUR STOMACH

A few weeks back, we went to Real Deal Soul Food, ordered some food stuff and drank some of their Kool-Aid™ (I’m pretty sure that’s trade marked!!!). Being the resident ‘ethnic’ of the group, I guess it was up to me to do the write up, so here I am.

It was really only a partial grouping since Casey and Daché couldn’t make it. They had other plans. So Megan, myself, and our design intern, Colton, went to meet up with Chris McGowan from the City of Waco Chamber of Commerce.

The restaurant is a bit off the beaten path, but if you go looking for it and find it… be prepared, because you are about to enjoy one of the best meals you have ever eaten!

First things first, when you get there, you can be subdued and order water, or one of the ordinary and grab a soda or tea, but why would you want to when you can order a TALL GLASS OF RED KOOL-AID!!!! I can hear you now… “Danny, did you order Kool-Aid?” and my response to your innocent query would be thus: OF COURSE I ORDERED KOOL-AID!!!

After enjoying a glass, the waitress came to take our order, and she was very helpful in assisting everyone with his or her selections for food. Megan ordered Beef Tips and Rice (but I’m pretty sure the waitress said it came with mashed potatoes), with three sides, which consisted of Mac N Cheese, Green Beans and Stewed Okra. Colton had the Fried Fish Stewed Okra, Mac N Cheese and Mashed Potatoes. Chris ordered Meat Loaf, Mac N Cheese and a DOUBLE ORDER OF COLLARD GREENS!?! WHAT THE WHAT?!?! Gotta admit, Chris is the whitest dude I know who will throw down on some soul food, so that makes him alright in my book! I ordered the Smothered Chicken with Mac N cheese ( I feel a trend here with this Mac N Cheese), Mashed Potatoes with Gravy and Collard Greens.

Some of the other items listed were smothered steak (like Salisbury Steak, only better) Pork Chops, Pot Roast, Baked Chicken (same as Smothered Chicken), and Chicken Spaghetti. The other sides were Yams, Cabbage, Potato Salad, Black Eyed Peas and Pinto Beans. Dessert was also on the menu and consisted of various cobblers and cakes… depending really on the day.

I thoroughly enjoyed my food and I need to get back there soon to enjoy some more. Colton liked his fish very much, and he even proclaimed that it was hard to find fish cooked correctly the way they had prepared it. I tend to agree with him, because good catfish is hard to find, but not impossible. Chris said his meal was great as well, stating that he loved the greens.

The only person who came away with a less than stellar impression was Megan. She said her meal was decent, but on the salty side to the point where couldn’t finish it. I can see that. I know that with soul food, there is a tendency to over season some items. But it’s part of the comfort food aspect that is soul food. It is an indulgence food and one should only eat it if they don’t really care about their health/blood pressure/diabetes/overall quality of life. Should you not care about any of that (like me!!!) then by all means, go there and go there often!!! It will be well worth your money and time trying to locate the place.

Though there was one item that everyone could agree was well worth the trip, and those were the cornbread pancakes that were served with all of our meals. These things were truly the icing on the cake; as I’m sure I witnessed everyone around the table completely devour them as soon as they came to the table after the food was served.

Here’s what the teams thought:
“Anytime you can get two different kinds of gravy in one meal, it is indeed a glorious day”~ Daniel 5
“I would eat that cornbread ALL. DAY. LONG.”~ Megan 3 (I definitely ordered wrong, everyone else’s around me looked so good!)
“Outstanding home cooking, thanks for letting me tag along lunch bunch”~ Chris 4.5

Insider’s Tip:
Take a friend, because someone is going to have to drive you home… because once you eat there, you will get really, REALLY sleepy!

Address & Directions:
Need a little more soul in your life? Get directions here.

821 Clifton St
Waco, TX 76704

Selection Monday – 5.9.11 – We’re Back!

We’re back! Check out the video and join us tomorrow for lunch! We’ll probably be over there around 11:30 or so…

Pho Cafe Saigon,Waco, TX

IT’S ALL AUTHENTIC HEre

Everyone always wonders if Asian restaurants in Texas are really that great because let’s face it, all we are good at cooking down here are big burgers and steak. 

However, after hearing about the authentic and delicious Vietnamese food at Pho Cafe Saigon, we knew we had to try it. 

We brought along our honorary guest Chris McGowan, aka our personal food guru, to show us the ropes on what to order at a Vietnamese restaurant. Chris gave us some great suggestions, but what really made us go out of our comfort zone was how the owner of Pho Cafe was willing to explain any dish on the menu we had a question about.

Some of the dishes we loved were the vermicelli salad, pho soup, chicken wings, and if you’re feeling extra daring, the combination beef pho soup with a side of tongue.

If you’re anything like us and addicted to coffee, Pho Cafe has a very unique twist on the normal cup of coffee. The Café sua da (very strong) coffee is brewed right over the top of your cup like tea and at bottom of the cup is condensed milk, after the coffee is ready just mix and pour it over ice.

Even though it made Daché hyper all afternoon, it was a unique way to get our coffee fix for the day.

So, since we left feeling inspired to try new foods and were satisfied with the authenticity, we are giving 3.5 Dean-O’s to Pho Cafe Saigon!

Here’s what the team thought:
“It was nice to see something new come to the area, but I wish it was closer to downtown”~Megan 3.5
“I like that it was light and healthy, but nothing beats a greasy spoon”~Daché 3.5
“It’s really out of the way when there’s more options in town”~Daniel 3.5 Dean-O’s
“Will I go back? Pho sho!”~Casey 3 Dean-O’s
“Pho-licious, tastes like tongue”~ Chris

Insiders Tip:
Ask for the Café sua da coffee!

Address and Directions:
Feel like trying something different? Get directions here.

10412 China Spring Road
Waco, TX 76708

Jaspers BBQ, Waco,TX

NOW THAT’S BARBEQUE

Jasper’s, like many of the places we frequent on Tuesdays, is not
somewhere I normally go. I’m short-ish, white-ish, and a chicken. Come
to find out, Jasper’s is totally legit. That does not mean that I
didn’t have a lot of trouble and three almost-accidents while getting
there and parking. I don’t know why they let my drive. I’m pretty sure
my three passengers also had three almost-accidents.

We allowed Curtis to accompany us on this weeks excursion. He cracks a
few jokes, buys lunch and we all feel better about ourselves. Since
I’m writing this post I feel at liberty to share that Curtis is now
Mr. Daché. Feel free to congratulate him if you see a tall guy that
looks like Jim Halpert walking around and missing me.

Anyway, down to the food-review part of this food-review blog.
Jasper’s barbeque is by far the best barbeque I’ve had in Waco. I
know, that’s saying something, but the ribs and brisket are simply
amazing. The meat fell off the bone and the sauce was unique and
delicious. We all left with sticky fingers and barbeque breath, but
oh-so-satisfied. The potato salad was also good, but I was
surprisingly impressed with the beans the came with the Rib plate.
Delish! I also loved the atmosphere. The quaint little restaurant had
throw-backs to a simpler time decorating the place, the staff was
friendly and helpful, and the bottomless soda was self-serve. Need I
say more?

Here’s what the team thought:
“Hide yo kids. Hide yo wife. ‘Cause I’m going back for dinner.” ~Mr. Daché 4
“I woke up drooling the other night ’cause I was dreaming about the
ribs.” ~Megan 4
“Loved the barbecue, the potato salad not so much.” ~Casey 4
“I usually stick to a strict diet of carbs and chocolate, but for
Jasper’s I’ll eat a disproportionate amount of meat.” ~Daché 4
“The ribs were delicious. I only wish they served them in Flintstone
size portions.” ~Daniel 4 (only because I didn’t get a side of brisket
with my ribs)

Insider’s Tip: 
No matter what you order always get a side of ribs, even if your main dish is ribs.

Address & Directions: 
In need of a barbeque fix? Get directions here.

105 Clifton Street
Waco, TX

Honorary Guest!

We had a honorary guest join us for lunch last Tuesday at Real Deal Soul Food…

Please welcome Chris McGowan! When we both aren’t preoccupied eating the great food in Waco, Chris helps work on projects with us for our clients through the Waco Chamber of Commerce in the economics department . Right now his big project is turning downtown Waco into a great place to live, work and play. And, since we love downtown Waco so much, we appreciate all the work Chris is doing to improve the city.

We wanted to get to know Chris a little more so we asked him a couple of questions. Check out what he said…

What are your favorite local places to eat in Waco?

American: 1424, Real Deal Soul Food
Thai: Bangkok Royal
Chinese: Happy Wok
Vietnamese: Pho Saigon Cafe
BBQ: Jaspers, Old School BBQ
Burgers: Double R, Kitok, Slippery Minnow
Mexican: Olympico, La Familia
Mediterranean: D’s

What types of restaurants would you love to see come to Waco?

Generally speaking I’d like to see more variety, we definitely need an
Indian restaurant, a tapas bar and a proper New York style deli.  I’d
also like to see some more creative upscale local eateries…also a
desert bar would be great.  If I ever opened a restaurant it’d either
focus on tiraditos (Peruvian sushi) or something with lots of pork
products maybe a Charcuterie/sandwich shop.

Can you tell us a little about 1000 Friends of Waco and your vision?

1000 friends of Waco is a virtual organization we created to empower
people to get involved in the renaissance that is occurring in Greater
Downtown Waco right now.  It seems most people really identify with
downtowns and urban areas and it’s been said that downtown is
everybody’s neighborhood so we want to allow everyone an opportunity
to participate and get involved in making downtown a better place.
Our website www.1000friendsofwaco.com provides information on a
variety of urban issues and also serves as a place for people to come
talk about what’s happening.  Right now we’re in the process of
revamping the site so stay tuned for a better user experience on that
front. Additionally every month we have a roundtable discussion that
is open to the public where we discuss urban development activities
and issues.  You can go to the website and register as a friend to get
on the mailing list for newsletters and meeting notices and what not.

In short my vision is to transform Waco.  I want Waco to be the place
we all know it should be.  We are working hard to actively grow the
Greater Downtown area into a great place to live, work and play.  Much
of this work revolves around supporting existing and creating
opportunities for new local businesses like the great local
restaurants you guys are supporting through your dining club and blog.

What are some of your hobbies outside of eating and cooking?

I go through lots of hobbies because I guess I’m a curious person who
likes to try different things.  I’ve dabbled in home brewing, cheese
making, and all sorts of strange mostly food related hobbies (this
past weekend I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to perfect
the bloody mary using only fresh ingredients).

Currently I enjoy working, spending time with my wife and son, disc
golf, barbecuing, and charcuterie.  Charcuterie is the ancient art of
preserving meat (mostly pork) with salt and smoke.  That is making
bacon, salami, confits, pates, naturally fermented pickles, weird
stuff like that.  Thousands of yeas ago we preserved things to sustain
us as a species, today I do it because it’s delicious.

Just like we did with Chris, we love having guests come with us for lunch. We will give you all a heads up on where we are going next and hopefully you can join us! Thanks for hanging out with us Chris!