Texas Eats

We misplaced ourselves heading from the Houston airport to the American Funeral History Museum.  Spotting a sizeable, free-standing building that promised "Carlo's Great Mexican Food," we wheeled in for some lunch. 

I ordered the #1 which came with:  guacamole salad (a melon-ball sized scoop of guacamole on chopped lettuce,) a beef taco which came in a cup-shaped taco shell - meat on the bottom, lettuce and tomato on top; a chili con queso which is a half-crispy tortilla shell, bent like an upside-down bowl and slathered with melted cheese (Velveeta would be my first guess) and -- after I'd demolished most of the above, here came a cheese enchilada!  Richie had the #2 which substituted a second cheese enchilada for the beef taco.  Both were $5.95!

We met my cousins Jean Ann and Kay and Kay's husband Jim for dinner at Goodd Co. Seafood, 10211 Katy Freeway, Houston.  Kay and Jim had what we call Mexican shrimp cocktails, but which are called "Campechana" there ($14.95)  Jean Ann had the Mesquite Shrimp Dinner ($19.95) Richie Shrimp Etouffe ($19.95) and I had "shrimp pie" which was a flaky empanada-shaped pillow filled with gravy, chopped shrimp and lots of flavor ($3.75) and a Texas Shrimp Appetizer which was four bacon-wrapped shrimp -- with drawn butter as the dipping sauce! ($9.95)  With drinks our meals averaged out to about $32 per person. 

Red and Barbara picked us up at DFW and we went directly to On The Border which is a tradition of ours.  The brisket tacos with onion strings (see above) were great.  We ate so late in the afternoon that all we wanted for dinner was a snack.

We didn't eat anything at the Ft. Worth Sidewalk Art Show, but we did have a drink at the rooftop bar/restaurant called "Reata."  Lovely view (if you like Ft. Worth).  There's a huge glass dome that's probably used for inclement weather, but I know I wouldn't want to be sitting under it in lightning.  Bar tab was $26, add $5 tip and we were outta there.

We then headed over to the Ft. Worth Stockyards to have a beer in perhaps more of a congenial setting.  Reata is kind  of "awl bidness honchos and they-uh ladies, in proper frocks."   The mass of Harley-Davidsons parked along the main drag of the Stockyards were more our sort of thing.  We shared a red plastic mesh dish of French fries, battered onion strings and battered jalapeno slices. 

For dinner, we went to Pappadeux, 2121 Airport Freeway, Bedford, TX 817-571-4696.  It is another favorite place and is part of a mid-Western chain.  pappadeux.com - take a look at their menu.

Red's Half-Chicken

Barbara's lump crab cakes

Shrimp gumbo - Richie