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April in Jefferson Last April, Don and I spent one night in this north Texas town. Jefferson is a cute place, with lots of historic buildings and a lovely brick Main Street. General Store I really wanted to have a dining experience in the General Store. We at least knew they had Jams and Jellies! Candy! We stepped inside and I spotted the candy right away. I could have dined on Bit-O-Honey and peanut brittle! Cafe There actually was a cafe in the back! More candy at the dining counter! I believe we could have ordered a microwaved hot dog, or something. But we gave it a pass. Cowboys and Bikers We browsed around the vintage store before heading off. We spotted some interesting people hanging out and walking along the sidewalks of Jefferson. We headed across the street to check into our hotel. Who might hanging out there? Jefferson Hotel We knew the Jefferson Hotel was going to be an entertaining place. That's why we booked. There were lots of dolls waiting for us in our guest room. We were amused by our bizarre hotel for a while, but then we needed a break. We love eccentric hotels. We seek them out. But this was a little overwhelming after a while and there was nowhere to sit and relax. We needed an escape! McGarity's Saloon Just a block or two away, we found this charming little building with a cute patio and couple iron balconies. The pre-Civil War structure seemed pretty isolated on the edge of town. But back in the 1850's, Dallas Street was lined with saloons and bustling with activity. Big Cypress Bayou was just steps away, with lots of riverboat activity. Over the Years James McGarity was one of the first owners of the building. He and his partner got into a little trouble with booze and gambling and sold the saloon in 1868. In 1916, the building became home to the Jefferson Masonic Lodge. There were numerous other businesses in the building... a confederate hat factory and a brothel and some point. All the buildings on the street dealt with fires, but somehow this one survived. The most recent owners have done a nice job making the place feel welcoming to locals and tourists. Cozy Interior I didn't get a great photo of the impressive bar, which is really the focal point. But the brick walls, high ceilings and spotless tables were inviting. There were lots of nice little perks, like our complimentary basket of homemade potato chips. And a fresh carafe of water. And pretty dishes. And packets of disinfectant wipes, along with our utensils. All very un-saloon-like! Yum! Don ordered the Cali Grilled Chicken Sandwich, which was insanely good. The crazy huge chicken barely fit on the brioche bun. It was smothered in Swiss cheese, tomato, avocado and ranch! Since I had big plans to eat half of Don's fries, I ordered a house salad which was pretty deluxe, with shaved Parmesan, avocado and cucumber. We soaked in the good flavors, while we enjoyed a nearby singer, performing on guitar. No saloon honky tonk at McGarity's. Good-Bye Beasts This wasn't exactly a dining adventure, but it was a dining escape. There was something truly odd about our hotel stay (written in my 90 Nights blog) and we needed this little getaway, before we faced the night. Just like our hotel, the saloon was full of knickknacks and treasures and oddities. But there was something absolutely okay about the moose and the buffalo watching us eat. We said good-bye to them and headed back to our hotel... where nearly 100 sets of doll eyes watched us sleep!
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Best Sign! Last May, I was thrilled to have an excuse to experience this fun place in North Austin. The 4-part sign itself, was worth a visit. At the bottom, I spotted important info, including...Curb Service! A little higher, I saw the word CHARCOAL, with little flames beneath! Further up, I'd admired colorful letters spelling, TOP NOTCH. They were surround by lightbulbs. All was topped with a burger! Too bad the burger wasn't spinning! T-Shirt The reason we stopped, was actually to purchase a t-shirt and hat for our son. Scott lives in California now and misses his Austin days. Words on the shirt reminded us, that Top Notch turned 50 last year. That is actually pretty darn young. Beer & Burgers If we hadn't needed to do some shopping, we could have enjoyed carhop services outside. But it was fun peek inside the homey place. We ordered burgers off the illuminated menu and studied the Lone Star chandelier, above! Beer at a fast food place? Kitchen View There was lots to look at and watch, as we waited on the order. We could enjoy the decor around the window. Longhorns and longhorn art! We also could watch the cooking through the glass. Top Notch isn't your typical fast food joint. They cook on a charcoal grill, just like the sign said. Displays There were other decorated walls, with curious goodies to study. I'm sure there's a story behind the coach & horses, displayed on the shelf. The display was too high up for me to get a good look. But it looked old and appealed to my love of antiques and miniature things. I wish I could have bought that instead of a t-shirt. Dazed & Confused There was a glass case dedicated to movies that have featured Top Notch. I guess the props are from the film, "Dazed and Confused"? Not sure. I'm confused. And maybe the term film, is too classy for the 1993 cult movie. I'm afraid I have never seen the classic, starring Matthew McConaughey. Actually, McConaughey didn't star in the movie. He was a film student at UT, when he landed a bit part. I haven't seen the movie, but I've seen the classic clip, where M.M. pulls into Top Notch and speaks in his distinct voice, "Aright Alright Alright..." This image from the scene amuses me. Matthew looks nothing like the Oscar winning actor we all know. He does however look very much like my hubby, Don... in the 1970's. Another Celebrity The celebrity I really wanted to meet was Mr. Mike Fresch. Here he is, grilling our burgers on the indoor charcoal grill, beneath an awesome set of giant utensils. I spoke only briefly with Mr. Fresch and he was incredibly friendly and also very busy. He's been working over this grill for 27 years. He's earned lots of fans and respect. Mr. F. was given a trip to Vegas for his 20th anniversary! Since 1971 The dining room looked like it hadn't changed much since Ray and Frances Stanish opened the place, in 1971. I graduated from high school in 1975, so I know the Dazed and Confused/Top Notch Era, well. Further Back But some parts of the restaurant felt even older. The photo booth may not have been 50 years old, but the idea of teens and photo booths, made me nostalgic. The skinny little bathroom doors, looked like they could have gone back to the sixties. Very possible. Before Top Notch opened, there was another restaurant in this building. From 1963 to 1971, Burkhart's Motor Dining, was under this roof. I couldn't dig up any photos. Poultry By the time Mike had finished our burgers, I had pondered enough to realize I'd failed to order all the proper things. I took the steaming bags happily, but wished that I'd ordered onion rings and fried pies... and fried chicken! When I stepped outside, I saw a white van delivering poultry. Evidently fried chicken is one of the best foods served at Top Notch. Or was that van, just a customer getting curb service? Our Feast We raced home with our food and didn't waste a second, jumping in! Almost forgot to snap a photo. This pic is hardly giving my burger meal the spotlight it deserves. But I loved the charcoal burger with all the cheese and fixings. My fries were not limp, even after the drive. And my cold soda tasted extra fine, in my waxy-woodgrain cup!
What a top notch fast food adventure! Texas Diner in an Alsatian Town In May, Don and I returned to our small town dining adventures. We found ourselves in the curious small town of Castroville. The community was established in 1844, by a few dozen European families that came from Alsace. On this visit we didn't find any options for Alsatian dining. So, we went for Sammy's, with its busted sign. Signs of the Past Sammy's didn't look overly exciting, but it had good reviews and a good history. The same family has owned Sammy's for 3 generations, since 1948. I'm all for family owned restaurants. Sammy's was a drive-in, at one time. And Sammy's brother Leon was also part of the biz, long ago. I prefer the retro look of the old Sammy's. Weathering Pandemics and Tornadoes When we arrived, we could hardly read the sign. The white letters on top, had been sucked right out by a tornado, that came through Castroville a couple weeks before. We were greeted by another sign when we entered. It was kind of nice to see a sign encouraging masks, in small town Texas. Don and I are vaccinated, but the pandemic isn't really over. We're happy to wear masks a while longer. Empty Counter Dining I love the nostalgia of dining at the counter. This counter looked lonely. Were people avoiding the counter, out of covid caution? I'm guessing not. These stools brought back some funny memories. I remember getting reprimanded by grandmother for spinning on a similar stool, while I enjoyed my malt in 1970. Closed Bar The cocktail lounge was closed off, but I took a peek. I heard that this was the only place in Medina County with a full cocktail bar. The cushioned bar-top looked like it was designed for guests who might have had one too many, and needed a little nap. In the far back of the lounge, I spotted a decorated fireplace. The cozy stone hearth looked like it belonged in a lodge somewhere. It seemed oddly out of place. Locals Dining The main dining room was fairly busy. No fireplace there, but I saw some golf on TV and some alcoves with flowers and plenty of tables, crowded with dishes. I had a feeling we were the only non locals at Sammy's. I also had a feeling that these local diners weren't just now coming back to inside dining like Don and me. Fish in a Mask Maybe Don and I looked like nervous diners, who are unsure about navigating the dining world in 2021. Maybe that's why she put us in a little side room, not far from a mounted fish head, on the wall. The head of the 64-pound catfish, was wearing a face mask. The plaque seemed to give credit to Sammy and his brothers for the catch, in 1998. Sadly Sammy and Leon are no longer with us. Daily Special Our server was efficient and friendly. I told her I was going for the daily lunch special. She asked me lots of questions, because I had lots of choices. I was pretty giddy when my feast arrived. I clearly chose the world's most unhealthy lunch. A Better Look You can catch a glimpse of Don's breakfast tacos. They were quite good. But my plate needed the real focus of this photo. Fried shrimp, macaroni and cheese, onion rings, fried mushrooms, ambrosia salad and iced tea. I don't adore ambrosia, but I picked it because I wasn't sure whenever I'd see it on a menu again. Good choice! Coconut, juicy oranges, nuts! A tropical treat! The bread came from Haby's bakery across the street. Another treat! Heading Out Our simple dining adventure was just that. Simple and pretty tasty! As we headed out, I noticed a few masks and it felt good to see others being cautious along with us. Tricky times, as we ease back to normal. I'm glad to have Sammy's as one of my 2021 back to dining adventures experiences.
Texas Steak House in George West, TX After a year plus of being Covid-Cautious, Don and I got back on the road and opened ourselves up to inside dining adventures. A year ago, I would have cringed at the thought of dining in small town American diners, before every U.S. citizen was vaccinated. Well that day is never coming. Don and I were vaccinated in March and back to exploring by May. We spotted this steak house in the town of George West. So Texan! George West There's not much to see in the George West, the town that I want badly to call West George. There are fewer than 2,500 people and very few of them were out and about. I did spot a few painted cowboys (and animals) on some boarded up buildings. We learned about the town from the owner of our hotel, in Port Aransas. We had a fun time gabbing with Mr. Hoskins and hearing about his youth, growing up on a ranch near George West. Busy Place It was lunch time when we passed through town. We spotted this fine establishment, across form the court house. We figured it was a good sign that there were so many trucks parked in front. We pulled over and headed in. Steaks and Deer Don and I stood out a bit, when we walked in wearing our masks. Maybe we looked like stubborn city folks, who insist on wearing masks, even after Governor Abbott says we don't have to. Or probably we looked like nervous travelers, who wanted an isolated table. The hostess seated us in the far back, next to a display case holding snake skins and a window that opened to the kitchen. It was an odd place to be seated, but I was happy with my view. It was ideal for a little people watching. Menu and Bread The plastic menu amused me, with its wooden appearance. It reminded me that the steak house is known for Legendary Mesquite Steaks. When our young and chatty server brought the menus, she also brought a basket of rolls. I asked what was in the container. It looked like pate or tuna salad. Surely not. "Oh, that's our very own cinnamon butter, made daily!" Oh my! The combo was heavenly! The sweet butter melted on the warm squishy roll, like a bakery treat. That's really all I needed for lunch! Chicken Fried Steak Our server was so enthused, she could have sold us a car. I had planned on a sandwich, but she talked me into the chicken fried steak. "Would you like us to to carry the cream gravy over to your mashed potatoes?" She asked. "Well... sure." I later found a 49-cent charge for that privilege, but that's fine. The meal was pretty tasty. Crispy on the outside and moist meat on the inside. The potatoes were yummy with bits of skin, the way I like. And the dinner salad was a step above diner salads. Crunchy sweet croutons. Gigantic Onion Rings Don ordered a cheeseburger and our energized waitress asked if he'd like fried onion rings with that. Don answered sure, with the same whatever you say voice, I used about gravy. A $2.99 charge was added to the bill, but that's okay. Those rings were monster-sized, but they weren't dripping with oil like some. They were dangerously hot and the onion was surprisingly juicy-sweet. So filling that we could have split just one. That's lots of onion focus, but the burger was just as good. It tasted like a summertime burger, grilled up in the backyard! Furry Friends We watched a few customers come and go, during our stay. A couple of mask wearing policemen, a young mom with a baby and quite a few men who looked like they might have come into town, from a nearby ranch. There were just about as many furry friends mounted on the wall, as there were people seated for lunch. I admired the cowboy art and western decor. I wonder how long these longhorns and deer have been looking down on diners in this restaurant? Heading Out This wasn't a huge dining adventure, but it came with some nice surprises. The food wasn't gourmet, but it seemed pretty top notch. Especially for a small town. We headed through town and I spotted a fine sign that added a little exclamation point at the end of our dining adventure. George West has a snazzy sign and a snazzy steak house!
McAllen, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley On May 19, Don and I ventured to McAllen, Texas. This was our time in the city, at the southern end of the state. Mexican The historic hotel and restaurant, just 5 minutes from the Mexican border, was the reason for our visit. Since 1918 The 103 year old mission/Spanish revival-style building looked pretty good! The towering palms were neatly trimmed. That was a nice surprise since most of the palms we'd seen on our 5 hour drive, looked dead. The February 2021 Texas Freeze did a number on palms throughout the state. The Hotel in 1950 I guess a hotel named Casa de Palmas, should try to keep their palms healthy. This is how an Harry Borgman depicted the hotel, 71 years ago. This is the image in our 1950 cookbook, put out by Ford Motors. Once again, our old book lured us to a destination! Renovated Lobby Much of the hotel had been renovated during 2020, while pandemic healthcare workers took over some of the hotel. The Satillo-tiled floors and swirling staircase, had a retro feel. The furnishings and fixtures were all fresh and modern. It was hard to imagine Marlon Brando and Anthony Quinn staying here in 1952, during filming of Viva Zapata. It was even harder to picture this lobby filled with families, taking shelter from the 1919 hurricane. The Bar I'm not sure what the bar looked like, 100 years ago in the 1920's. That's when tourists and traveling salesmen came by train. You can tell this photo is from the 2020's, since the bartender is wearing a face mask. Drinks First After checking into our room, Don and I headed in search of a good Happy Hour. In mid May 2021, we were just getting back to inside dining. We weren't quite ready for gabbing with strangers at a bar. We ordered 2 glasses of wine and headed to a lovely porch. There were a few to choose from. This was our view! The Spanish Room Later in the evening, we headed for the Spanish Room Restaurant. This is not how the restaurant looked. I found this old photo on the internet. After Renovations I took this photo in the late afternoon. I wanted to take a capture some of the new decor, without disturbing diners. Later I didn't have to worry about disturbing anyone. There was only one other couple. Like us, they were seated in a cozy booth, out of sight. Our waiter Oscar, was attentive and gracious. He apologized when our food was a little slow coming out. He brought us two complimentary salads! Dinner is Served! We were perfectly content with the pace. The wine and bread stick rolls kept me happy until our meal came. Chef's Ravioli of the Day I went for a the ravioli of the day. It was stuffed with Osso Bucco and topped with mushrooms and a rich, thick sauce. It was worth the wait! Catch of the Day Don went for the catch of the day. His grilled salmon came with fingerling potatoes and fresh zucchini & squash. Don hardly wanted to share, but I stole a bite. Chef Avi Chef Avi stopped by our booth and we raved about our meal. I decided it was time to dig out the cookbook. "Have you seen one of these books before?" I asked. He looked surprised as he studied the recipe. He pulled out his phone to record the image. Its always extra fun, when we get to share the old cookbook with the chef! Oscar and Turkey Mornay Recipe Oscar came over to check on things. We were both wearing masks when I got up to pose with him. Then we had that funny exchange. that's becoming common, these days. "Oh, I'm vaccinated, too. We can pull our masks down." Oscar had been a gracious and serious server. This silly book paved the way for a fun conversation. It was heart warming to hear his stories of getting through the pandemic. He talked about his joy at seeing the hotel coming back to life. He was excited to know that families were planning weddings and quinceaneras again. Night Time We had such a lovely and quiet meal. It made me a little sad to see that there weren't more people dining. We wandered a little after dinner and imagined how busy this hotel might become in a few months.
I hope so. This iconic hotel and restaurant has worked hard to reopen! |
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
November 2023
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