Liam's Steak House & Oyster Bar

I remember wanting to go to Liam's for the last two "event" dinners...and Mr. Flip Flop groaned about putting on "real clothes".  We have REALLY gotten into the casual mode over our years at the coast!  This year, I thought "heck, it's the island, wear what you want"!  We sure aren't trying to impress anyone. LOL!  If you have 'em, put on some blinged out flip flops and go on with your bad self.  We saw folks in their work clothes, tropical shirts and shorts, dresses, slacks, etc.  The island is well-known to be a "no tie zone" so no one should let the fact that they didn't bring any upscale clothes with them on vacation stop them from eating at one of the finest restaurants on the island.

The service was outstanding, the food was exceptionally delicious, and while a bit pricey, it was worth every dollar spent.  A great addition to our list of places we will go for celebratory dinners.

We decided to skip alcohol since it was a week-night and his shift Friday was likely to be long and arduous.  So, we splurged instead on an appetizer of Calamari - a beloved favorite.  This dish was outstanding.  Light textured crust and a generous plate of perfectly cooked nuggets of squid tentacles and rounds made us both smile!.  Topping this dish with delicious slices of large green olives lightly dusted with Parmesan cheese was a surprising, yet scrumptious, addition to the plate.  A crock of warm and spicy, chunky tomato dipping sauce was the perfect complement for the Calamari.  Two huge thumbs up.

They also served a hot loaf of French bread with a scoop of soft butter.  Delish!  Best of all, the service was prompt and attentive, but never intrusive,  The table setting was minimalist and lovely (you know I'm always checking out the dishes) with a crisp white tablecloth giving it the steakhouse vibe.  The decor was definitely coastal, centered by a gorgeously appointed wooden bar with several people seated there sipping drinks.  Quiet and "restrained" - which is a nice switch from some of the more hectic environments you sometimes find on a tourist concentric island.

Now, on to the rest of our dining experience.  Mr. Flip Flop ordered the Prime Rib.  It was served with asparagus and a loaded baked potato as well as a bowl of au jus.  There was a small condiment bowl of creamy sauce, but I didn't even notice it until I was looking at the photo.

The angle of the photo above (because I'm leaning across the table while my spouse rolls his eyes at my wasting his time with photographs of his plate of food) makes the really quite large piece of meat look smaller than it really was.

This angle gives a better idea of how thick and meaty this delicious prime rib actually was.  He said everything was very good and he had to bring home part of the slab of meat as it was so big and thick.  I'm sure it was the breakfast of champions before work this morning!  The man loves eating leftovers for breakfast.

Now, I had heard the Cobb Salad was outstanding, so my decision was basically made before I arrived. The only thing I had to decide upon was my choice of beef filet, chicken, or shrimp as one of my toppings.  It was a deliciously classic Cobb so my brain wanted to go with the chicken.  However, those who raved about this salad had specifically raved about the Filet Cobb - so I went with that.  I am so happy I did.  It was too huge to finish but I did put a healthy dent in it.  I also made sure to eat every bite of the tender, melt-in-your-mouth filet, the perfectly ripe avocado, the boiled eggs, and as much of the bacon and bleu cheese as I could.  I was about to pop.  I now know why my lady friends raved!

I will have to say I am glad it was a little dark in Liam's... I asked for my filet to be medium and that's a little more edging towards medium rare in my opinion.  However, it was probably the better service for the meat - it literally melted in my mouth.  Really glad I couldn't see it all that well at the time though!!!

Bottom line...go there.  It was delightful and everything I could ask for (except a view) upon the occasion of my 22nd wedding anniversary!  I give it my highest rating and will be back again soon!  They are a small venue, so reservations are recommended during the busy times on the island.  We fortunately didn't need them  - but it wouldn't hurt if you want to avoid a potential wait!  I didn't see a single soul hurrying through their dinner!  Be safe, not sorry!

SPI FLIP FLOP FOODIE RATING:

5 – OMG – that was an outstanding meal!  I can’t wait to go back 

Causeway Cafe - Port Isabel

In our continuing tradition of "ladies who do lunch", my friends and I decided to try a relatively new spot for lunch this month.  Iris had already been before and vouched for it being quite good.  Well, let me tell you, it was better than good!  This is a coffee shop and then some!

Causeway Cafe is on the South side of Lighthouse Square and if you are at the light going towards the island, just look to the right - it's the last shop before the Causeway.  Plenty of parking, outdoor seating, lovely indoor decor.  My friend and I just looked at each other and were both going "wow"!  This is just what Port Isabel needed.

Lovely staff, gracious serene surroundings, delicious food, good coffee, lovely coffee cups and dishes.  I was in happy overload!  Another friend had posted how nice it was to have a place to go and sip a good cup of coffee in Port Isabel and, after hearing that, I should not have dragged my feet in getting there.  I can picture myself with a latte and a book, whiling away a morning.  I didn't even notice the pastries, but I'll give an update when I go back!

I brought home a menu but I'm not going to post my pictures - because it is easy to find on their website which I am linking here.  They have a nice little lunch menu and I selected the daily special.  It included one half of a sandwich and a cup of soup for $7.99.  The soup of the day was a Sirloin Vegetable Minestrone I believe - it was delicious.  I selected the seasonal Albacore Tuna Salad on Croissant for my sandwich. It was described as wild-caught tuna blended with relish, mayo, onions, fresh herbs, and spices. Served on a plate with a pickle it was exactly enough for a light lunch.  The flavor of both the soup and sandwich were really outstanding.  Tea and the lunch special totaled right at $10.

Iris had Vickie's Chicken Salad which she gave high praise.  She said the addition of cranraisins was an outstanding touch to go with the all natural chicken breast, walnuts, gala apples, mayo, fresh herbs and spices.  She opted to have it as described on the menu with tomato, onions, and spinach.  She could have had it as a sandwich or over field greens if she preferred.

Our non-eating friend always has coffee and she smiled happily at the generous clear glass cup and the coffee within.  You could tell we were all having a most excellent time as we grinned through most of our time there and lingered longer than we usually do over lunch!  Causeway Cafe had a great vibe!

I can't wait to go back.  I am, of course, posting this in February, so all I know are Winter Hours - 8:00 to 3:00 Tuesday through Saturday - closed Sunday and Monday.

I didn't see breakfast items on the menu, but I did see mention of Muffins!  This will be a great place for Mr. Flip Flop and I to go on those "on-call" week-ends he has wherein we are land locked and can't go over to the island.  Yay!  Love new places!

UPDATE 2/27/2015
Planned my day of errands and appointments to include a second visit to Causeway Cafe - all alone - so I could just sit and take it all in.  Lunch special today included a most excellent Tomato Basil Soup and my half sandwich choice to go with it was the chicken salad on a croissant (what Iris had last visit but as a sandwich).  OH MY - it was to die for.  There was a lot of foot traffic as I sat there - Winter Texans ending their visit and others just coming in for the first time.  Nice to see the place was hopping.  I was happy to find they did have WiFi and I spent a little time staring out the window and reading my book before I decided to have a coffee for dessert.  I selected a White Chocolate Mocha Latte with Half and Half with Whip. O*M*G!!!  It was beyond delicious.  Next time I'll have a double shot of espresso - in it - but for today it was absolutely perfect.

I also had the opportunity to view, but not taste, an array of desserts in their pastry area.  They have gluten free muffins, pies, bars, cheese cake...and I was told the offerings changed regularly.  If I hadn't been so full from lunch and coffee I'd have wanted a piece of something - likely the lemon bar.  I love lemon!

So, take two lived up to the first visit and then some!  YAY!!! (Pssst... I hear they are soon going to have a deck and wine and beer...I think I heard right.  Can't wait to see that happen. I'm hoping that means they might extend their hours some in the Summer.  They didn't mention that, but I can always hope.) Lovely place.  Check it out if you haven't already done so!



SPI FLIP FLOP FOODIE RATING:

4 – Lip smackin’ - good quality – flip flops will definitely be parked under their table again!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!

La Hacienda - Take Two

REPORTED CLOSED OCTOBER 2015

My first, and only, visit to La Hacienda on South Padre Island's beautiful bay front was less than stellar.  We went on a holiday week-end, during their inaugural Summer.  They were short staffed, it was a tortuously long wait, the hostess bordered on rude (and I'm being generous), and 2 out of 4 at the table didn't care for their food,.  I never wanted to spend my restaurant dollars there again.  For many months I heard nothing but the same sort of thing we experienced...and then I heard "nothing"...crickets.

In mid-winter 2013/2014 I began seeing La Hacienda in Facebook posts again, people raving about the food, the location, and the good service.  I smiled to myself and thought "okay - that's good - they got their act together".  The restaurant and amazing view is outstanding.  I always had hoped it would make it, turning around all of the bad experience into good.  It appears they have!

Mr. Flip Flop came home Monday in a very good mood after winning a very nice prize at work and getting off work early after having spent a grueling two days on-call at the hospital.  After he sat in his recliner for a bit, resting after the work day, he said "let me take you out to dinner"...and I was on that like a chicken on a june bug!

Our original thoughts were going to one of our favorites but as we hit the island, I mentioned I felt bad that we never went anywhere "new" and there were some places we might want to consider.  I told him that I'd been hankerin' to try La Hacienda again and told him about the locals who seemed to really enjoy it.  Being Monday, I wasn't sure they were open (many restaurants close on Monday down here) but it was worth checking.  He was agreeable so we headed over after a quick stop at the Blue Marlin for lottery tickets.  He felt like it was a lucky day so he wanted a ticket.  Fingers crossed!

When we arrived, it was nearly 7:00 and there were only three cars in the parking lot.  We looked at each other and wondered if that was a bad sign.  I took it as a good sign that I wouldn't have to wait this time!  I said I suspected many people might assume they were closed on Monday, like I had wondered and to get out of the car, because we were going in.  I later learned they were open every day.  Yay!

We were promptly greeted by our very friendly and efficient wait person, Graham.  He gave us the latitude to sit inside or out - anywhere we wanted.  Knowing my husband can't stand the sun in his eyes and it was glaring off the water as it prepared to set over the bay, we positioned ourselves so the sun was blocked by the space between two windows.  Glorious view, partially blocked sun.  I know they don't want to block the view, but some sort of sun protection would be nice.  I imagine we are not the only ones bothered by this issue.

We were promptly offered drinks, appetizers, and menus...we ordered our liquid refreshment and began perusing the menu.  Looked pretty much the same as I remembered, which is good for comparison purposes.  Our drinks came PDQ with a small bowl of salsa and really outstanding chips.  I might have mentioned previously that chips and salsa down here are rarely to my taste.  The salsa at La Hacienda was slightly spicy but delicious and the way I like it.  The chips tasted freshly made but not over-cooked like so many chips I encounter on the island.  Excellent start to our second visit.

I really waffled between ordering Chicken al Carbon or a plate called The Saltillo.  I finally chose the latter because it had a variety of items - including a beef enchilada, a seasoned ground beef taco, and two "Yolanda's Peppers" along with beans and rice.  Mr. Flip Flop decided to have the Chili Relleno plate, like he'd had on our first visit.  He loved it then and he really wanted it again!

We enjoyed the view, the nice cloud formations that remind us of puffy Summer clouds, and the sun slowly moving down over the West side of the bay.  More people arrived while we waited for our meals - so we came at just the right time.  Our drinks were refilled and our waiter checked on us, but was not intrusively attentive.  Just right.

Our meals came out, also at just the right time, we were starting to get hungry, but we weren't checking our watches!  Another "just right".

Mr. Flip Flop's Chili Relleno was reportedly wonderful.  I think I kinda heard him moan when he bit into it, causing me to smile to myself.  I'm glad it was as good as he remembered it.

Chili Relleno

My plate was HOT.  I dabbled about with my tasty beans and rice as I allowed things to cool just a bit.  My first bite was the beef enchilada and I have to say it was superb!  The red sauce was perfect, a generous amount of cheese, and the meat was tender and moist.  Two thumbs up there!  I next sampled a bit of the Yolanda's Peppers.  They are whole jalapenos stuffed with ground beef and cheese.  They are dipped in batter and fried, then topped with a light avocado cream sauce.  They were much bigger than I expected!  They were HOT - temperature wise and spicy the closer I got to the stem.  I could only eat one and Mr. Flip Flop ate the other.  They were quite delicious.  I would have been happy with some extra avocado sauce to dip my bites in...the breaded crust absorbed the cream sauce by the time I got to it.  I'll know to ask for extra on the side next time.  I was starting to get full by the time I made it to the taco - served in a corn tortilla, lightly fried, but still soft.  I will say it was good, but not great.  The meat was kind of dry and bland by the time I got to it - I suspect that's my fault for eating it last.  I ate half and Mr. Flip Flop ate the other half.  The other flavors were so powerful and seasoned that I think my tongue was underwhelmed by the less seasoned taco.  I would also have enjoyed some cheese on the taco.  Still, I was so filled by that time, I certainly don't hold the taco against them.  It was certainly generous in proportions - the plate was really large and a reasonable $13.

The Saltillo Platter

Overall, I definitely believe they have gotten their feet underneath them.  I doubt I will go back on a holiday week-end (actually we don't go ANYWHERE on a holiday week-end) but I think we can comfortably add it to our restaurant rotation.  I really want to try the Chicken al Carbon dish - it sounded awesome.  I'm thinking Monday nights are a good night to go out and eat at La Hacienda!

SPI FLIP FLOP FOODIE RATING:

4 – Lip smackin’ - good quality – flip flops will definitely be parked under their table again!

THE CHEF HOUSE - 2014

MAY 2015 REPORTED CLOSED AT THIS LOCATION

I just have to say...WOW!  Talk about "movin' on up, to the East Side"!  The Chef House restaurant has moved to a new location on the island.  It's awesome!  The view is outstanding, the space is maybe 75% larger than the Port Isabel location....lots of changes.  What hasn't changed is the personalized and attentive service and their outstanding cuisine.

The view from our table by the window

My friends and I had lunch there today.  It was a gorgeous day, resulting in an outstanding view of the dunes, beach, and ocean outside their lovely windows.  We hung out for nearly two hours.  Thankfully, they weren't over-crowded and allowed us to sit and chat and sip tea and coffee without feeling rushed.  Since we don't seem to get together often enough, we had a lot to catch up with.

I love the 3 types of salsa and fresh tortilla chips
served before the meal.  Unusual and delicious!

Both of my lady friends had coffee with their meals (actually, one just had coffee - she rarely eats when we go out) and they both were happy with the nice large mug and delicious flavor of the coffee.  My first comment about my iced tea was "this is really good tea".  I hate it when I go out to eat and have iced tea that is bitter or watered down.  This tea tasted perfectly brewed...and I enjoyed having it served in a stemmed goblet.  Just felt more special.


Once we'd had a few minutes to chat, we busily perused the menu.  I had decided on the special of the day (an enchilada plate that sounded delicious) and then I realized we had a breakfast menu to look at as well!  I have been craving Eggs Benedict and I had no doubt The Chef House Eggs Benedict would be outstanding.  True to form, they were.  Prepared with high quality ingredients, the addition of some fresh spinach, both a Beurre Blanc sauce as well as a Hollandaise sauce over perfectly poached eggs....my eyes were rolling back in my head after the very first bite.  Add a tasty little potato cake and my meal was just incredible!

My friend who did eat, also ordered off the breakfast menu.  She had Ham and Egg Tacos on corn tortillas.  She said they were excellent.  It was quite a bit of ham and egg, so it was nice that two tortillas were provided.  Her meal also included a side of refried beans on the plate.  It looked quite yummy!

I'm so happy with the new location and the same fine cuisine.  Their hours are currently 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and they are closed on Monday.  Beginning this very evening, they will start serving dinner on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.


We all scanned their dinner menu and it looks to be delectable!  I can't wait to get there for an evening meal.  Hope you stop in and give them a try.  I don't think you will regret it!

Returned for lunch on January 25th with Mr. Flip Flop. He had a
Port Isabel Omelet (which he said was delicious) and I had
Beef Enchiladas with the Red Chili sauce.  Absolutely outstanding!

SPI FLIP FLOP FOODIE RATING:

5 – OMG – that was an outstanding meal!  I can’t wait to go back.

BurgerFi South Padre Island - a review

I have heard good, bad, and mediocre to describe the fairly new BurgerFi on South Padre Island.  I have not gone over the Summer months because, frankly, I try to avoid most all eating establishments on the island in the high season.  It is not the optimal time for locals to go out to eat!  You vie with hoards of tourists in large groups with crying children.  Not my idea of a good time.  I laugh, because we, at one time, were a part of those hoards and never thought a thing of waiting in long lines with harried waiters taking forever to get anything.  We smiled and toasted our wonderful vacation.  From an economic standpoint, I'm thrilled to see the madness continue.  However, I no longer choose to play the game.

Sooooo, it is now the last week of Summer on the island...school starts Monday...there will be a bit of a bump (ok, maybe a big bump) of visitors for Labor Day week-end.  However, for the most part, the hoards are waning.  You will hear a tremendous sigh of relief from those of us who, while grateful for the economy of Summer, dream of the days of September and October...when the beaches are less crowded, the weather begins a slight (oh so slight) cooling of the morning air, and everything is wonderful once again.  That is, of course, barring some vicious H*rr***ne (a bad word, I can't type it, bad luck).

Today, my granddaughter waited very patiently for me to get my pedicure at Venus Spa so I told her we could go out for lunch after I was finished.  I had BurgerFi in the back of my mind to hit up when the crowds dissipated and it seemed to me that the island was much less crowded today.  Seemed possible today could be the day, so I asked the girls at Venus if they had tried it and what they thought.  Jennie had - and said she and her husband liked it a lot.  There was talk about their recent inspection getting flying colors from Ryan Wolf.  So, I decided to give it a try if it wasn't a full parking lot.

Upon arrival, we found most of the side parking lot available and so we hurried in.  It was nearly 1:00 and I expected the main lunch push was wrapping up.  We still had a line reaching back about 1/3 of the main dining area.  It seemed doable so we stepped into our place in line.  The line was one long one which split to two cashiers.  That seemed confusing to several people who came in after us who tried to step up to one or the other of the cashiers.  I guess they figured it out because they backed up to the proper end of the line.  The line moved fairly quickly.  The grandchild wanted a cheeseburger with pickles and ketchup only and some fries.  I decided on a single patty with fairly simple standard ingredients...mustard and ketchup and mayo (yep, I like all three) lettuce, onion, and pickle - no cheese.  I saw the combo order of onion rings and fries and the little miss and I decided to split that (with me taking the onion rings).  Two sodas and a tally right under $20.  That was a little pricier than I would hope for, since there was not any visible "kids menu", but if it was delicious, I was game.

BurgerFi has some high-tech soda machines.  They were pretty cool - you could mix sodas (yeah, like that's gonna happen) if desired and it was all touch screen.  I was able to figure it out fairly easily since the buttons flashed so you could realize "hey, push here dummy".  The grandkid thought the whole business was pretty cool...until her tiny fingers hit the Sprite Zero button accidentally and she couldn't figure out how to get back to the screen for regular Sprite.  The dude behind us had to walk us through the endeavor...and we were holding up the line...which is right in the midst of the waiting line.  Not an optimal set-up.  That is, of course, what a lot of the complaining was on Facebook when they first opened.  The traffic flow is poor when crowded.  Nonetheless, we got our sodas, lids, and straws and since the grandchild decided to sit outdoors, we headed that way.  Joy of joys...sliding doors...no need to balance drinks and push heavy doors.  I had to go back for condiments and again was thankful for not having to open doors with my hands balancing 4 containers of ketchup! 

We had a beeper for order pick-up and it seemed a bit of a long time for our order to be ready.  I can't imagine what it might be like with a huge crowd.  I had time to look around and observe things while I waited.  I saw big orders of fries passing by, mostly families, a few workers, and lots of happy faces.  That's always a good sign.  I noticed a worker was deep cleaning/scrubbing vacant tables.  A manager came out and reviewed his work and asked if he was cleaning under the table.  He got instruction on scrubbing under the table as well as on top.  Gotta say I liked that!  A few weeks with my grandkid has reminded me what germ mongers kids are! 

Finally, our beeper vibrated and lit up so lunch was ready!  My first thought when I retrieved our tray was "gee, these are pretty tiny burgers for nearly $6" and "damnnnn, that's a lot of fries, we'll never eat all of these".  In the long run, the burgers were actually just the right size for me and...we did not even put a dent in the fries.

I got back to the table and unloaded.  Eating outdoors on perpetually breezy SPI is always a challenge for a child.  Flyaway napkins, flyaway hamburger wrapper...I had to keep on top of where things were at all times.  I snapped a couple of photos.  Miss A. declared them to be really, really good hamburgers (she's a harsh hamburger critic and generally prefers chicken nuggets so that's a big kudo).  My burger was outstanding flavor-wise, albeit a bit dry.  However, since I love a chargrilled burger, I really like that it was well-done.  Many, however, will think it is over-cooked.  I know my younger son would.  The 1-patty burger is a very thin patty...and thin dries out when grilled, it's just a fact. The veg was fresh, the pickle particularly delicious, and the buns have the entertaining feature of being branded (literally) with the BurgerFi name.  That really thrilled my granddaughter!  "How did they DO that Grandma?" was asked repeatedly.  Finding the 7-year-old words to describe branding resulted in several different ways of describing how they might have branded the hamburger bun.  In the end, I finally admitted I just didn't know exactly HOW they did it!  I also tried to discuss with her the benefits of an "all natural" burger patty.  I gave up...just too over her head :-)

I finally got to eat my three HUGE AND DELICIOUS onion rings.  I was full at that point.  I love onion rings.  The fries are "hand cut" and have the skin on them (which was a negative for the grandchild) and were quite limp after a few minutes of being on the table....but, still, surprisingly tasty and had a light dusting of sea salt.  Grandchild only ate 3 of them...so, if you have kids looking for McD's crisp - you won't find it here. (After I typed those words, I Googled their website.  Apparently, there is a "secret menu" where you can ask for extra crisp fries.  Well duh, now I know!)

Over all, I enjoyed the meal.  Another manager stopped by the table to see if everything was fine with our meal.  We said it was very good.  Having a manager walk through...that's a good thing. 

So, in summary...the onion rings were exceptional, fries really nothing to write home about and burgers quite good, but over-priced IMHO.  I managed to keep myself away from the custard/shakes section.  I have heard amazing things about a Red Velvet Cake Shake.    I really want to try that...but it's better that I don't!

We'll stop in again when the season is low and the family is hungry.  I expect, however, my spouse will find that he doesn't want to spend that much money to grab a burger...since we aren't on perpetual vacation (as he frequently likes to remind me).  Say what???  I beg to differ!

This photo has nothing to do with BurgerFi... but everything
to do with being on perpetual vacation :-)

SPI FLIP FLOP FOODIE RATING:

3 – Pretty Yummy - I feel my flip flops wanting to head back from time to time!

 

Lady & The Pit

UPDATE DECEMBER 2014 - 
CLOSED AT THE PORT ISABEL LOCATION - ANNOUNCED MOVING TO BROWNSVILLE - NEVER REOPENED IN RGV.  HEARD OWNERS MOVED AWAY.

I haven't been to a new restaurant in a couple of months so the reviews have been a bit skimpy lately.  I have, however, been hearing wonderful things about Lady & The Pit in Port Isabel and FINALLY I stopped in to give it a try on Friday night.

I am a bit of a BBQ snob as I've mentioned before.  My first job in high school was forced labor working in the pit side of the family Meat Market in Austin.  I wasn't given a choice and I hated smelling like wood smoke at the end of every Saturday....but it gave me a life long appreciation of good smoked meats and yummy sides.

Lady & The Pit lived up to the local accolades - with flying colors I must say!  I only had my cell phone and for that I apologize.  These plates the teen and I had were "picture perfect" and deserved a high quality camera to capture the yumminess.  You'll just have to take my word for it...and my cell phone pictures will give you an idea.

The Pork Rib Plate

I had a pork rib plate with sides of potato salad and some of the best baked beans ever.  The rib meat was succulent and falling off the bone tender...smoked to perfection.  Ooh la la!  I was happy.  BIG, meaty ribs folks.  Delish with a capital D!  When I took the first bite of potato salad I thought "this tastes almost as good as my mom's"....and the baked beans...well, they were worthy of a meal unto themselves.  They taste like "cowboy beans" with the sweet, smoky, meaty flavors I love.  May possibly be the best baked beans I've ever had.  Can you tell I was a happy customer?  Yep, I was.

The teen was not enamored of the previous inhabitants of this space so he was hesitant to try the new business - he didn't like the previous joint's sausage (he's a connoisseur).  HOWEVER, his first words after he tried his first bite were "Mom, this is good sausage!"  and he proceeded to pile up sausage on slices of white bread and ate it with gusto.  His pile of sliced sausage was so big he couldn't even finish it all with the two sandwiches he made.  He said the mac and cheese was quite good too...but he didn't like the beans.  What the heck is the matter with him?  I could have told him he wouldn't...he doesn't like baked beans in general and was expecting the more typical BBQ joint pinto beans.  Lucky me - I got to bring his uneaten serving home.  He could only eat half of his mac and cheese...so I brought that home too!  Saturday lunch will be these wonderful leftovers along with the two ribs I couldn't put down.  I filled my belly with an entire bowl of beans and most of the potato salad and two huge ribs... these are generous plates I tell you!



The Sausage Plate

Also, if you've read my previous BBQ reviews - you know I have to have good sauce.  YES, this is good, thick delicious sauce.  Two thumbs up!

I can't wait to take my husband in - he will enjoy the variety of sides and the generous portions of meat.  The man likes his protein!  I must say thank you to Jackie Wilson - her Facebook photos of the ribs are what drew me in...that and the 100% positive word-of-mouth from all of the locals who have eaten there.  They were 100% keeerect!

I'm so happy to have a really excellent BBQ place in Port Isabel.  Welcome, welcome, welcome Lady & the Pit - you are a fine addition to the offerings on this side of the causeway.  Hooray!!!

SPI FLIP FLOP FOODIE RATING:

(on a scale of 1 to 5)

5 – OMG – that was an outstanding meal!  I can’t wait to go back J

THE MUTT HUTT - Restaurant Review

5/28/2013 UPDATE
Reported to be closed and out-of-business.  

I've been off the blogging trail for a while now.  I'm having a really hard time getting moving...I got very sick the week my Mom passed away - it took two weeks to get over that nasty cold and I'm still coughing a bit.  Add to that, our sunny coastal weather is....well...NOT sunny coastal weather.  The wind is whistling, the bay has a chop, it's 48 degrees and GLOOMY outside...for days now!  I think I have S.A.D. on top of the expected moroseness of a post-holiday-constantly-grieving-post-illness January!!!  Whew - that's a lot of stuff to get over, right?

So, anyway, the teen had an appointment at Venus on the island today for a haircut; so we decided to eat lunch out while we were there.  Obviously every other person in the near, and maybe far, vicinity had the same idea.  We stopped in at one of our favorite restaurants and no parking available...FULL!  I had mentioned as we rolled past The Mutt Hutt, that it was a new restaurant and I wanted to try it out some day.  Therefore, the oh-so-intelligent teen said "let's try that new place".  So we did!

My boy is a huge fan of Chicago-style hot dogs...and he mourned the closing of Windy City Hot Dogs in Port Isabel.  When I told him I had heard they had Chicago dawgs at The Mutt Hutt, I figured that would lure him in.  I find it amazing that a child (ok, young man) who will not eat a raw tomato, will not eat relish, and is not overly fond of poppy seeds, absolutely GROOVES on all of those things when they are piled up together.  Go figure!

I digress. (I know you are not surprised)

It was Tuesday, so I don't know if there was a special...
or not. No notice of a Tuesday special that I could see!

In we roll to The Mutt Hutt and it is "seat yourself" we assumed as we were not really greeted and I couldn't really see a clear place to place an order at the bar...so, we seated ourselves and waited.  They were either short staffed or are still struggling with being a new place.  After a bit, a very nice woman, maybe an owner (?), came and gave us menus and silverware.  She also set up another table and then took our drink orders.  She said she wasn't a very good waitress :-) but she did fine, really.  I feel certain this is a family-owned and operated restaurant.  Sometimes that is a bit more challenging to get rolling.

The teen and I perused the menu and looked around at the decor.  I pointed out a Beatles wall that had some Apple Record 45's, some photos of those Liverpool boys my boy is so fond of...and a really old framed Beatles album cover.  I knew I was going to like the people who liked the music we like!  Finally, about 10 minutes in, we got our orders taken.

Obviously, one of us got a Chicago Dog, which comes with fries (appeared to be hand-cut) and coleslaw.  He won't eat coleslaw and I try not to eat fries (or at least not a whole order).  So, I ordered the Shepherd Dog, which was was with sauerkraut and spicy mustard...and I told our waiter to give him all the fries and me all the coleslaw.  That worked out perfectly.

It seemed to take a while, considering it was just hot dogs...and the place was NOT packed.  While we were there, only 3 other tables were seated.  We arrived at 1:05 and our food arrived at 1:33.  I, unfortunately, was watching the clock because we had a 2:00 hair appointment!

I will say, it was worth waiting for!  The Shepherd Dog was a high quality wiener with just the right amount of mustard and a dry sauerkraut (perfect - no soggy bun) on a delicious fresh-tasting bun.  The coleslaw was some of the best I've ever eaten in my life.  An unusual hint of onion gave it a different taste which was right up my alley.  Mayo dressing - not thick though.  As Goldilocks would say, it was JUST rigggghhht.  Yum.

The teen's Chicago Dog was inhaled.  He said it was very good.  His generous mound of fries were, well... "enough for two people"... duh!  I counted out, and ate, six of his fries.  They were delicious.  It's not easy to get hand-cut fries crispy.  These weren't overly crisp but they, too, were just right!  Yum!
Ian elected not to try the coleslaw - his loss!

We ate everything, paid the bill, and were out the door in less than 20 minutes.  I'm sure that new vibrating fork would have been working overtime if we had one.  We were hungry and running late.  However, it was extremely satisfying and filled our hungry bellies.

As with any new business, I imagine it is hard to get the service issues smoothed out.  I think if they can iron it all out and hang in there until summer, the quality of their food will make for a very successful addition to island cuisine.  I love seafood - but having some alternatives is always a plus!  Their Facebook page says they have breakfast... and I saw alcohol behind the bar, so they obviously have that up and running.  I will need to check them out for breakfast.  I didn't see it mentioned on the menu (but I can't say I was looking for that so could have missed it).  Mr. Flip Flop and I are always on the look-out for a breakfast place that serves after 10:00... it's worthless to us if they stop serving at 10...he doesn't get up until 10!

Good luck to the Mutt Hutt...and we will definitely be back!

SPI FLIP FLOP FOODIE RATING:

4 – Lip smackin’ - good quality – flip flops will definitely be parked under their table again!

Chefs Fresh Mexican Food

Update 2014:  Now called Su Casa Cafe and located at 6200 Padre Blvd. inside the Travelodge South Padre.  Phone number 956-761-0744 ext. 297.  Same great chef/owner - check them out!



I've been trying to get to Chefs Fresh Mexican Food on SPI for months it seems.  I finally made it!  My friend and I decided to meet for a long venting "girls lunch" last week and since neither of us had gone to Chefs, it was the choice of the day! 

So many of my friends had raved about the freshly prepared food, the service, and the good breakfasts that my first attempts were to get there for breakfast.  Getting my crew anywhere for breakfast (beyond the immediate vicinity of the kitchen) is a big trial...I'm the only early riser in the house and I've had breakfast by the time the rest of the lazy bones have arisen.  I tend to just shrug my shoulders and go on with my day!

Anyway, Mary and I hit Chefs at 11:30 on an off-season Friday.  We were the first customers of the day, followed by a slow but steady stream of patrons.  It is a very small place - not a lot of tables - but it worked perfectly for us at a comfortable table by the window. 

We started with chips and salsa and drinks while we caught up.  We warned our waitress we would be there a long time - we had lots to "vent" about!  The freshly made chips and a generous bowl of salsa arrived very promptly (these are not complimentary by the way) .  Now, this is a traditional Mexican food restaurant...and down here, that means cooked, served warm, yellow/orangish salsa.  It is not my personal favorite.  I vastly prefer the red tomato salsa that has fresh un-cooked onion, cilantro, etc. as the highlight.  That said, it was tasty.  It was pleasantly spicy to my white-girl palate.  I am not a fan of the grab-your-drink hot salsa served in some of the restaurants.  The good part of that, I guess, is that neither of us filled up on chips and salsa :-)  However, if you like that kind of salsa, I'm betting you'll love Chefs' salsa.

After we'd been there nearly an hour, we finally ordered.  Our waitress was very respectful of our desire to chat (the restaurant wasn't filled so I didn't feel guilty hogging the table) and she didn't bug us.  That is always a nice thing.  Mary decided on the chicken fajitas.  She said she figures that's a good standard to evaluate a restaurant.  Something simple like "can you cook chicken" without it being dry and tasteless.  She said the chicken was both moist and tasty...so thumbs up.  The plate consisted of grilled chicken, charro beans, rice, and a small pile of lettuce and tomato.  She had her choice of corn or flour tortillas.

I selected my baseline for evaluating Mexican food - beef enchiladas.  The menu term was Enchiladas Rojas and I had the choice of chicken, beef, or cheese.  Three generous enchiladas, topped with a delicious sauce and grated melted cheddar cheese were served on a plate filled to the brim with the sides of refried beans and rice.  It was such a huge plate, I took half of it home.  It was A+ deliciosa!  Slightly more spicy than a traditional plate of Tex-Mex enchiladas, but certainly comfortable enough for my tongue. 

All-in-all, a nice casual dining experience, happily enhanced by a friend I can share all of my woes with who absolutely understands and doesn't judge or condemn my whining.  Thank you to my friend for the conversation and to Chefs for the excellent service and tasty food.  I will definitely be back!

You can find their daily specials posted on their Facebook page - listed ChefsFresh MexicanFood (note the lack of spaces to get to the correct page).  The owner is friendly and wants to ensure you enjoy your food and your time in her restaurant.  If there's a problem, let her know.  She's very nice!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!!!

SPI FLIP FLOP FOODIE RATING:

4 – Lip smackin’ - good quality – flip flops will definitely be parked under their table again!

Chef House - South Padre Island!

UPDATE MAY 2015 - REPORTED CLOSED AT SOUTH PADRE ISLAND LOCATION

UPDATE NOVEMBER 2013:

Chef's House Restaurant is now on the island! At the south end, at 1500 Gulf Blvd in former Padre Bar near the Padre South Hotel. Same owners; same fantastic food. Check it out.

I have been wanting to try this small intimate restaurant that gets such great raves on the various review web sites...and I always seem to be wandering that way on a day or time they are closed.  They are open for breakfast and lunch only and are closed on Monday.  Today, however, my sister and I were "on" for lunch following a mani/pedi at our favorite Venus Nails and Spa on the island.  I suggested The Chef House and she was game.  We are soooo glad we made it.  It has lived up to the raves and every table was filled by the time we departed (there are not a lot of tables mind you, it is a small venue).  We started with glasses of iced tea and they served a complimentary basket of freshly made tortilla chips and 3 delicious salsas.  All were very good - and unusual - and not overly spicy!  Excellent start to the meal.

The have a menu of both Mexican and American cuisine and I have heard everyone say "get the daily special" if you are there for lunch.  My sister opted for a grilled chicken breast with some unknown spice and the waitress offered an alternate of a mushroom sauce if she preferred...which she did.  She was not disappointed.  Beautifully plated with refried beans, an amarillo rice, and a grated cabbage salad, she said it was very delicious.  I tasted a bite and concur! The only thing she didn't care for was the cabbage salad - not dressed, it was bland. Everything else on the plate was outstanding.

I opted for the special of the day.  The special includes a main entree, soup of the day, dessert, and iced tea.  Today it was a pork loin with some unknown, yet delectable, spices and a rich creamy sauce...and the soup of the day was cream of asparagus.  I couldn't have been more pleased.

The soup was creamy deliciousity.  I ate every single drop of a very generous bowl.  Then, out came my stylishly plated pork loin leaning against one of the best mashed potatoes I've ever eaten, topped with fresh greens, lightly sauteed red onions, and a marvelous cream sauce.  The loin was so tender it was easily cut with a standard table knife.  It was simply to die for!  Happy, happy tummy :-)

Feeling full at the halfway point, we boxed up the leftovers for my sister's husband and we were both served the perfect small bite of dessert.  I love to have dessert, but rarely order it out...because it is too much.  This was the perfect little mini sponge chocolate cakelet topped with a sprinkling of finely diced fresh fruit and light sauce on top of chocolate sauce....yummmmm I nearly wanted to lick the plate.  It was "just right" as Goldie Locks would say!

I can't wait to go back - I want to try it for breakfast.  It is likely a spot you have driven by many times and didn't even know it existed.  I learned about it via word of mouth.  I almost didn't want to blog about it - I want to keep the perfect ambiance of unrushed personalized dining that really makes it one of my new favorite places to dine!

Oh yes... one of the best parts...our check was under $25 for all of the above.  WOW!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!!!

UPDATE 10/25/2012:

Went to Chef's House for Brunch on 10/23/2012.  I had the Migas with Eggs and Salsa - side of bacon - side of corn tortillas.  OUTSTANDING.  Mr. Flip Flop had the Florentino Omelet with a tasty potato cake.  He said it was absolutely delicious.  Complimentary small-bite dessert again - awesome!

Then, went to lunch with my lady friends today.  I had the beef enchiladas with red sauce. OMG - the beef was roasted and tender, not ground beef.  The tortillas were tender, the sauce appropriate to my please-don't-burn-me palate and coated with delicious melty cheese.  One of my friends had the carnitas - she said they were delicious.  The dessert was slightly different - still the perfect bite - and so very nicely presented.

Rating remains unchanged from the original visit!  Small venue - patience pays off!

SPI FLIP FLOP FOODIE RATING:

5 – OMG – that was an outstanding meal!  I can’t wait to go back J