I spent the last few days in Texas, it was a super quick trip but it was wonderful to be back for a few days. The best part about going home is catching up with family and friends, and the second best part is the FOOD! I've been meaning to write this post for awhile:
Food that I Miss From Texas (in no particular order)
Chik Fil A- I get the chicken nugget kids meal with lemonade and polynesian sauce. It costs less than four bucks. Technically, there's one on the NYU campus but it's not really advertised. I found out when I was lamenting the lack of this chain in the city to Daryl, who informed me that he ate Chik Fil A every couple of weeks when he works down by NYU....wait, WHAAT? Major withholding of important information... Oh, and I forgot to tell you all about Cow Appreciation Day (you don't know what that is? neither do I). In honor of this day, (which was a few weeks back), Chik Fil A handed out free chicken sandwiches to New Yorkers on the streets and I got one! I also scored a cow shaped Pez dispenser from these people dressed as cows on a bus.
Taco Bueno- It's a fast food chain (on par with Taco Bell if you're not familiar). Is it that great? Probably not, but I crave the hard shelled taco platter with rice and beans. I'm craving it right now. In college, I ate that meal twice a week.
The Pantry- One of my favorite local restaurants located in the downtown Mckinney. I've only ever had their quiche w/tortilla soup special because that's all I ever want when I go there. They also have delicious homemade pie. My favorites are the apricot pie and the strawberries and cream pie.
San Miguel- This is a Mckinney restaurant that serves delicious Mexican food at an amazing price. It has a lot of nostalgic history as well. Daryl particularly adores this place. He asked me to senior prom here. His signature dish is the four cheese tacos, (which is not on the menu), and this is his signature San Miguel pose. We try to make it to there every time we come home.
Steak and Shake- Another college staple; good burgers and fries. cheap. enough said.
Culvers- I love this place! Butterburgers, Custard and Cheese Curds....Mmmmmm.
La Madeleine- This is a quick service French food chain. I don't want to know how many calories are in the tomato basil soup, but it's worth it. I'm also a fan of the bowtie pasta salad, strawberries romanoff. and the all you can eat bread and jam.
Pei Wei- I love PF Changs, and this is his cheaper little brother. I would eat here weekly if we had one in the city...because I did when I lived in DFW.
Jason's Deli- Another regular food spot for me back in the day. They make a mean baked potato and I love their salad bar.
Souper Salad- Speaking of salad bars, this one is all you can eat. Up here, salad bars are sold by the pound, which is 5x more expensive (but better at controlling the gluttony, I suppose). Man, I miss this place.
Cheddars- This is a chain restaurant (a la Fridays or Applebees), but it is so inexpensive and I think it's tastier. I love it despite the fact that I worked here one summer and hated it. It was my first waiting tables job, ever.
Pappasito's- This is a Mexican food chain known for serving amazing fajitas. I waited tables here for awhile in college. It was hard. I hated the job but loved the food and still do.
Spring Creek Barbecue- Those rolls! Those warm, buttery rolls!! Oh, and they have good barbecue, too.
Dairy Queen- I would like a Hawaiian Blizzard right now. Or maybe an Oreo one. Or a Snickers one.
Or maybe just an ice cream cone.
Manny's- This is a Mexican restaurant in Uptown Dallas that I discovered after college. I'm not sure that it had been around long before that. Two Words: Brisket Tacos. Amazing.
Blackeyed Pea- Home cooking at reasonable prices. I could eat a whole basket of their cornbread all by myself.
Fazoli's- This is an Italian fastfood chain. I don't love their pasta but they make one of my favorite sandwiches ever; a tomato and mozzarella panini on ciabatta bread. In college, I was so poor at one point that I went and recycled some cans for a few dollars in change. I had just enough quarters for a panini.
Whataburger- I get the burger and fries kids meal with a shake. Whataburger gets bonus points for providing ketchup containers with the most practical dipping design.
Jack in the Box- Another bad-for-you-but-tastes-so-good fast food joint that I frequented back in the day. I should have been enormous. Luckily I danced many, many hours a week. My body would not appreciate a fast food diet these days, but it's fun to stop in and get a bite for old time's sake, i.e., 99 cent twin tacos w/fake cheese that are soaked in grease.
Tin Star- This is another place that I discovered in adulthood. Their unlimited chip bar with corn salsa is awesome.
Blue Mesa- THE BEST BRUNCH...but only on Sundays. Sadly, we learned this when my sister and I tried to stop by before she took me to the airport on Saturday morning.
Whew! Can you think of any that I have missed? I'm sure that I've overlooked a few places. These days, we are never in Texas for longer than a week, if that; It's hard to get back to a lot of these favorites, let alone discover new ones. In recent visits, we have dined at Babes (family style comfort food) and Los Cucos (Mexican), which have become new favorites.
Stay tuned for my next restaurant run-down, which will include a list of places that I would miss in NYC if we no longer lived here.
