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An Old Favorite
We arrived before dusk and found the entrance already decorated for Christmas. 2001  We remembered the festive decorations from 15 years ago, when my mom came for Christmas. But as you can see, the entrance was different then... with stairs. In Back Before it got dark we took a peek at the deck and the landscaped acre of land below.  I remember in 2001, thinking it was odd to have such a woodsy setting in the middle of the city.  The country setting with white lights, looked as lovely as I remembered. Only this isn't what I remembered at all! Evidently the restaurant moved to a new loaction 10 years ago! Cabin in the Woods  Rainbow Lodge left the Buffalo Bayou setting in 2006 and moved to another wooded area, this time beside the White Oak Bayou. The restaurant was built around a log cabin that had been sitting on the land for about 100 years. Interior
Once inside we could see how the newer parts of the building blended with the old log cabin. There were 3 beautiful stone fireplaces and the original log walls. Dining Rooms  This room with the 18- foot celing was once a living room. A stone fireplace covered one wall and the stairway, using Cypress knees was at the other end. Cozy Hallway  This is the cozy space we passed through to get to the bar. I'm not sure if the leaded glass windows were original, but it gave a dramatic peek into the cabin dining room. The Tied Fly Bar
Cheers  The parents posed with glasses. We are too old for selfies, but not too old to ham it up. Scott and Heidi  Heidi and Scott are young enough to handle the close ups! We had a few toasts and laughed as we recalled our last time together at Rainbow Lodge. Our Past Feast
Room of Windows  The original cabin rooms were reserved for special parties, but the other dining spaces had great views of the trees and lights. I don't have a photo of our exact table from this visit, but we do have a few food photos. The Day of Food Pics 15 years ago, people didn't snap so many food photos. I love discrete cell phones.
Heidi and Scott have grown to enjoy a wide range of foods, so they were excited about the wild game choices...and they did check prices! Heidi and Don went for the rainbow trout with lump crab and pecan brown butter. Scott had the Wild Game Mixed Grill with elk loin, venison medallions, wild boar chop and Lockhart quail. And I went for beef tenderloin with fried oysters.
Our wonderful waiter, Jim, should have been exhausted after a huge serving day on Thanksgiving, the day before. But he was in talkative spirits and seemed quite excited that we wanted to order a burger, as an extra plate. We wanted to experience a sandwich using elk, venison & bison! We invited him to join us, but he declined. All was wonderful and we left stuffed. Heading Home  We paused for a photo on the way out. A lot has changed since our last visit... besides the setting of the restaurant. So wish my mom could have been with us, like the first time!
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Why World Bank?  This was taken last summer, when I had some fun posing with my future daughter-in-law, in front of The World Bank. Her dad was working that day and invited us to meet him for lunch. That's an opportunity you don't pass up! Driving in D.C.  In the morning, after we did a little museum wandering, we found the perfect parking spot near The World Bank. It takes up an entire city block, so we still did a little walking to find the right entrance. Visitor Entrance
We waited outside for our host to greet us at the proper door. Then we checked in, getting special badges. It was quite a thrill, since tourists can't exactly decide to eat lunch at World Bank. And Don and I were defintely tourists in D.C. Security  We were checked through security, as we walked by a colorful wall of flags. Each flag represented a country involved in World Bank, since it's beginning in 1944. Atrium  First we walked through the beautiful glassed in atrium with a vaulted skylight ceiling. This sleek, modern building has evidently evolved over the years, by using materials from past World Bank buildings. World Bank's Goal The goal of the international financial institution is to reduce poverty, by providing loans to developing countries. This exhibit gave us something to ponder.
Dining  Just getting to the cafeteria was an adventure. We walked over a bridge, where some were dining above a blue pool.
It was a Friday in July, so the atmosphere was quieter and more casual than usual. There was an option for a more formal dining room, but we'd heard great things about the cafeteria. So Many Options  Once we got our trays and utensils, our group of 5 scattered, in search of our favorite foods. There are thousands of employees of World Bank and most aren't U.S. born. So it made good sense that there would be food stations representing foods from all over the world. Dining on Trays
I chose a station named, "Green Apron" where I picked out a salmon patty with zucchini and squash, along with some African Spice Eggplant. We carried our trays to a huge dining area, broken up into cozy spaces. Everyone seemed to have the routine down. Eat on your tray and then bus your own table afterwards. Doors of the World  I managed to find one empty area to snap a photo. There were many beautifully decorated areas, using bright backgrounds to display carved doors and shutters from around the world. I wanted to be invisible and wander through the space, listening to all the different languages. Time to Go  After we took our trays to be emptied, we crossed over the bridge again. I noted the clocks and realized we'd finished our lunch just before 2, but it was about happy hour in London! I wish we'd had more time to explore because there was so much besides food. There was a classy gift shop, that sold wine. There was even a cleaners, which is obviously more handy for employees, than guests. I heard there was a daycare somewhere in the building. We're Off  Don and I had to do a pose with our special badges. You could tell we were first timers, because we weren't any too eager to take them off. What a fun experience with delicious food and wonderful company!
Lunch in a Factory  Don and I have eaten meals in train cars and boats, old churches and schools. But we've never eaten in an old factory.  Rice-Stix Factory This is how the old shirt factory once looked. We know, because we stopped by the museum, also inside the building. We were traveling through Missouri last fall, when we needed to stop for lunch. Factory Diner popped up on an internet search, so we pulled up to the big brick building. Picket Fence 
A Stage Set?  The set up was a little odd. We entered the tiny "patio" and walked through the back door. A few diner tables were lined up against the partition-type walls. I felt like I was on a movie set. Lunch is Served
The Museum  After lunch we wandered through the mall-like setting of the old shirt factory. There were a few mostly closed shops and a free museum. It was actually interesting peeking at the old photos and news clips that gave us a glimpse of the once lively building.
Royal Navy Dockyards  Last March, Don and I stayed in historic St. George's, Bermuda. We spent one day taking buses and a ferry to get to the historic Dockyards. From the ferry, we had a good view of the old clock towers and the lovely blue water.
Beer and Cricket  I thought eating in an old Cooperage would be a dining adventure, but the place was empty on a Wednesday in March. We sat at the bar, which offered many traditional English beers and we wondered where everyone was.
The Cooperage Room  I wandered into the Cooperage Room with its giant fireplace, once used for working the iron hoops, which bound the barrels. The barrels were made to hold perishables, which were then salted and sealed inside. I loved the history of this building from 1831. I loved the stone walls and the flags... ... And Bottles
The Dockyards Bistro and Pastry Shop  Just steps away, we found another option, this one with a walled in patio.
Hot Cross Bun With Codfish  It was 2 days before Good Friday, so I was able to order a food traditionally eaten on that day. The tall, rounded bun had to be squished a bit to get a mouth around it! The sandwich was yummy which was a relief, since codfish initially sounded scary.
People Encounters  The Frog Pub had offered no people encounters, so this was a nice change. We chatted with the women on horseback, who asked about the food. One laughed and said the horses wanted burgers. Finishing Up  After I finished my Hot Cross Fish Sandwich, I headed inside to the restroom. When I came out, Don had met a young couple with a baby. The man was from Spain and they were spending 3 years in Bermuda, since he was with the Oracle Team USA. Sailors and Horse Women! I was feeling inspired! Horses and Boats
We'll save the horses and sailing for next time.
Dim Sum on Sunday
What to Wear
Sunday Walk
Impressive Interior  The sleek modern decor was a nice change. I'm used to waving kitty statues and fish aquariums and Chinese lanterns, so this was a treat. The host was friendly and ushered us past the jade colored community tables, towards the curtained wall in back. Cool Austin Meets Traditional China
The Space  The crowd at Wu Chang looked very different from the diners in my Houston area. Houston's "Asia Town" caters to a mostly Asian crowd. Our go-to Panda Garden near Sugar Land gets an after church group, where you still see some suits and Sunday hats. This was a young Austin crowd, sporting fedoras and tattoos, drinking mimosas, instead of green tea. Different Menu  But I was delighted with the change, because I knew I was going to have my first Shanghai Soup Dumpling Experience. My Teacher
My Turn
Lots More!
I kept the receipt to help me remember all our orders and of course I can't find it and I can't remember. But Heidi did most of the ordering and all we tasted was delicious. Most of these items are only available on Sundays, when Dim Sum Chef, Ji Peng Chen oversees the kitchen. Evidently all the pinching and folding of these little food packages is too time consuming to make them daily. Slowing Down
By the end I was finally growing full, but we had to sample the dessert, sesame fritters! It was a perfect ending. Much better than fortune cookies, which really aren't a Chinese thing anyway. Quick Explore
Beautiful Walls
The Best Wall  The place had emptied out by the time we finished, so I was able to get a look behind one large seating area. The whole wall was decorated with hand-laid mahjong tiles! One server saw me gasping as I recognized what the tiny rectangles were. She told me the exact number of tiles that were used, but of course I can't remember. It made me want to go home and pull out my grandmother's old game... and do a little artwork!
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The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
August 2020
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