Sofia's Kitchen & Burrito Tyme ~ Socorro, New Mexico

First visit: May 2023

In an ideal scenario, we would have liked to go our favorite Perea's for Sunday breakfast, but they are now closed on that day unfortunately. We thought about finding another breakfast house in Albuquerque but neither of us were starving since we didn't run on this morning. So we opted to "eat on the road" as we headed south to Las Cruces. Socorro looks like a pretty cool little town, let's go there.

Socorro is one of those classic former US highway roadside towns with motels and eateries among the usual shops that the town needs to sustain. They also possess a very nice looking university in New Mexico Tech, which no doubt keeps the place young and hopping. After cruising the main drag, the RJG has a new goal to eat dinner at the El Camino Lounge, which looks like the most awesome throwback restaurant I've seen in ages. As if 1971 was the here and now. And maybe stay at one of the retro motels while we're at it. I've circled that for the future as a destination spot. In the meantime, today it's breakfast and we're now hungry.

Sofia's Kitchen appeared to be the best place for that. It's a large restaurant with painted murals, and we grabbed a table and were served promptly. No flavored creamers so we stuck with water. We asked for chips and salsa, which are free. The chips are made there and came out fried and hot. Salsa was medium spice and very flavorful. Just like with Mi Ranchita, the Mrs. went with huevos rancheros and I stuck with the breakfast burrito. Once again, Mrs. RJG went all in on "the hottest" which supposedly was the green. I went Christmas. Unlike Mi Ranchita, I won the battle this time. And it's very debatable on which chili was the hottest. I think the red was - and I preferred it to the also-excellent green. I tried my luck with ham again, but I did get the usual diced deli cuts, which unfortunately do not penetrate the flavor spectrum. Hash browns were used as filler in case you needed more food. Corn tortillas are homemade, and Mrs. RJG really loved them too. There's a good chance we'll be back for breakfast in the future, given what I said above.

5/31/23 (new entry)

Doobie's Smokehouse ~ Albuquerque, New Mexico

Food tent

First tried: May 2023

As noted in the High and Dry Brewing entry, we ended up having an impromptu barbecue dinner. And as you've now surmised that obviously was at Doobie's Smokehouse. A first for the RJG, we tried a place that was essentially a preopening ceremony. This is not a food truck, but rather a business that is about to (soft) open. And that date has been set for this Friday, June 2 (full opening in July). That new location is set to be next to the Public House ABQ, which is at Hermosa Dr. NE and Campus Blvd. NE 

Since it's just a tent, they offered a very limited menu that was made up mainly of brisket and pulled pork sandwiches along with a basket of ribs. We stayed simple and just had barbecue brisket sandwiches with a side of chips. The meat was very flavorful and mostly tender though a couple of pieces were a bit chewy. They'll likely iron out some of the kinks as they go. The key is the seasonings and flavor profile which they have a great start with. We wish them the best and will have to revisit once they're more firmly established.

5/31/23 (new entry)

High and Dry Brewing ~ Albuquerque, New Mexico

First visit: May 2023

Our drive from Pueblo to ABQ was uneventful and we checked into the Sheraton Hotel Uptown. Nice old school "corporate hotel" that had cheaper rates than the Best Western. While I prefer historical hotels, it's not always feasible or practical. The hotel was very nice with none of the usual hiccups we typically experience today.

After that we went to a few antique malls and thrift shops until it was time for a beer. The closest nearby was High and Dry. Perfect as I wanted to try something new. Albuquerque has many nicknames, but I think the best one is Albuquirky. The neighborhoods here in this part of town (near Univ of New Mexico) are all funky, and if you're a Mid Mod fan like Mrs. RJG, there's much to look at and enjoy.

Plenty of parking and once inside, High and Dry offers a very friendly space. Plenty of seating inside and out to quaff your beverage of choice.

We grabbed a beer and they asked if we wanted to start a tab. I said I'm not sure yet, so we just sat down and enjoyed our beer (delicious BTW). While there, a barbecue pit was going. The smell continued to waft under our nose. In other words, their method was working lol. Our original plan was to revisit Thai Cuisine II, but neither of us were super excited about it. No reason why - just our current mood really. So we decided on the BBQ for dinner (see next post). And grabbed two more beers while starting the tab...

5/30/23 (new entry)

Mi Ranchito #2 Mexican & Seafood Cuisine ~ Pueblo, Colorado

First visit: May 2023

It's time for the RJG's annual trip to New Mexico! Working, thrifting, and eating (not necessarily in that order) for an entire week. We started this tradition in 2013 and continued through 2016. For the next 3 years and 2021, we took shorter long weekend trips. Starting last year in 2022 we revived the concept to great success (mostly adding thrifting to the repertoire).

Any good trip to New Mexico involves a stop for breakfast in Colorado's own Pueblo, arguably our finest city in the state for RJG styled cuisine. Since I'd already been to B Street earlier in the year, I thought we'd try something new. That shouldn't be too hard on a Saturday morning right? Wrong. Our first location chosen was inexplicably closed. As in we really have no idea why. Was it closed for the Memorial Day weekend? Or closed for good? Who knows. The next selection lead us to a place where we read the hastily written note on the front door "to-go only". It's a conspiracy I tell ya!. That didn't put Mrs. RJG in a good mood, and she was leaning towards a bag of Fritos for breakfast. That's not going to work. One more try.

Mi Ranchito came up. Looks like a pretty nice restaurant rather than a breakfast slop house, but let's give it a go. Even though it didn't look like it from the outside, they were indeed open. Nice space. We were seated and promptly ordered chips and salsa. Ah - the homemade chips were excellent and the house salsa had a mild kick but was delicious. This put Mrs. RJG back in a good mood. She ordered the Huevos Rancheros with the hottest sauce, which turned out to be the green. I ordered a breakfast burrito with ham and Christmas sauce. The green was definitely the winning chili. Spicy with chunks of green chile. The red was more of an enchilada sauce, but still quite flavorful. And major points for including grilled ham steak instead of diced deli ham. You can actually taste the protein as it's balanced nicely against the eggs and sauces. This is only the second place we've encountered that does that, the other being Valentina's in Santa Fe, which we hope to visit later on this trip.

Overall, Mrs. RJG liked it better than B Street. I'm not willing to go that far, but we have a second breakfast alternative. And it might be really good for lunch and dinner too!

When one names a restaurant xxx #2, we presume there's a number #1. And there does exist a Mi Ranchito "the original". I cannot find any evidence they are linked and since they emphasize they are The Original, we'll presume these two are not on friendly terms, but who knows.

5/27/23 (new entry)

Slim Chickens ~ national chain : Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: May 2023 (Colorado Springs - Interquest)

First visit: May 2017 (North Richland Hills, TX)

Back for another revisit of Slim Chickens. Two years ago our experience was no bueno, but last year's visit was much better. How did we fare this time? Somewhere in the middle I'm afraid. They opened over an hour late for some sort of malfunction, so we piddled around and arrived a few minutes later.  All seemed well upon entry. I stuck with the tried and true crispy chicken sandwich with fries. No issues on my side, mostly the same experience as last time. Mrs. RJG inexplicably went for their seasonal salad. Oh man, that was a bad choice. Backyard lettuce out of the bag, with tiny amounts of feta cheese, a few strawberries, and they were out of ranch dressing (how does that even happen?). They substituted vinaigrette which was decent, but not what she wanted. She should have shifted gears towards the tenders, but really the restaurant has an obligation to do their best with all offerings and they didn't. Many restaurants are closing around the country, but most of them bring it upon themselves honestly. They work so hard via advertising to bring you into the restaurant only to fail at the delivery. Why should we return?

Slim Chickens currently operates in 33 states (+2) plus the international locations as noted below. They added one here in Colorado Springs (Falcon I think) to make 6 in Colorado.

---12/3/22 update

I hadn't intended on going back to Slim Chickens after last year's mediocre visit. But it occurred to me that it wasn't that long after the pandemic, and not everything was going smoothly. I should give it one more chance. Egging me on was Mrs. RJG who suddenly had a craving for chicken tenders. It's close by to where we live, so let's go for lunch.

Happy to say that this visit was far better. I had the crispy chicken sandwich with fries. The chicken was much - much - better than last time. Perfectly cooked with toasty bread (but not enough for Mrs. RJG) and pickles. Good size too - bigger than Chick Fil-A's for example. The fries were as good as last time. They offer an array of sauces, so I went with the "inferno" (of course I did). It's a very spicy, but thin, sauce. Still it was great to dip my fries in. Mrs. RJG went with 3 chicken tenders and fries. She loved them. And her dipping sauce of choice was the mango habanero which we both agreed was too sweet. So she dipped into my inferno sauce. They still charge extra for the sauces which I don't think is a good practice, but OK whatever. We each went with fountain drinks this time, and they have both Diet DP and Coke Zero - and they were actually carbonated with flavor. Another lost art I might add. 

All in all, glad to have Slim Chickens back in the repertoire. Most assuredly we'll go back more than once a year given its close proximity.

As of this writing, Slim Chickens is in 31 states plus 11 locations in England and one at the Kuwait airport. They have 5 in Colorado (3 in the Denver area + 2 here in the Springs) and 29 in Texas. From our old territory of NE Tarrant there are 2 (Hurst and north Fort Worth). Looks like the NRH locale didn't make it.

--- original 3/13/21 review

Slim Chickens is a fast food chicken chain that first opened up in Fayetteville, Arkansas and has seen rapid expansion since, including an impressive international presence. They slipped in on us in NE Tarrant during our waning years there, but I never managed to get a posting up. They're new to the Springs area, having opened around the same time as the nearby In-N-Out, of which I'm sure they get some overflow traffic from.

Walking in, we have a very large and clean location. Very welcoming environment. They go for the same squeaky clean good kids as In-N-Out does for employees. In Texas, we tended to get chicken strip meals. I remember it quite good. On this visit, I decided to try a chicken club sandwich with "crispy" bacon, and substituted for cayenne ranch mayo instead of the regular mayo (there's an upcharge to do this - kind of lame). The flavor of the sandwich and chicken falls into the "nothing special" category. Have you ever noticed that many restaurants advertise crispy bacon, and rarely do they actually achieve that goal? This was the usual hard and mushy bacon. Worse is the chicken wasn't cooked right. It was rubbery. Also I got a "hand spun" chocolate shake. I don't know exactly what that means, but I suspect a machine shake with chocolate added, and stirred with a spoon. It was pretty bland as these things go. On the plus side is the fries were hot and tasty. And thank goodness I got the cayenne ranch dressing, as I used it to dip the fries in. It was the only item with much flavor. 

OK, my curiosity is sated. Not as good as I remember, and not something I need to patronize often, if at all again. It's not bad... just kinda average honestly. Chick-Fil-A and Popeye's are still in the lead for chicken sandwiches from a large chain category.

5/4/17; 4/22/18; 3/13/21 (new entry); 12/3/22; 5/30/23

Reverence Brewing ~ Denver, Colorado

E. 17th Ave. @ Franklin St.

First visit: May 2023

I continued to dig at two more shops after lunch, and now I've built up a thirst. There are a lot of breweries in this area of town, but I don't want to go to any of the major ones that I can easily get back home. Reverence Brewing - there's a completely new name to me. Let's go there. Finding parking is always a challenge in the old parts of Denver, so I finally found a quiet side street. A pleasant 7 minute walk and I arrive at my destination. The walk itself is enlightening. Many very old homes have been lovingly restored or rebuilt tastefully. And other structures are completely abandoned and destroyed. One wonders how they haven't been repossessed, but I'm sure these government matters aren't easy. The sidewalks are in terrible condition, and one has to be careful not to injure yourself.

Once inside, a welcoming environment awaits. Many folks enjoyed the outdoors though the air quality was horrible on this day due to the wildfires in Canada (yes, Canada). I went inside and grabbed a barstool. Of course I choose a spot where a leaky vent suddenly appeared. Fortunately it didn't get in my beer. I like this brewery because they offer items I don't get much like an Extra Special Bitter and a Doppelbock. I had a 10 ounce of the first (it's not a strong beer) and only 4 ounces of the latter (and it is a strong beer), as I still had plenty to do that day. They were both excellent. Good place, good vibes. Denver houses all of these neat neighborhood places. For those who enjoy the city life, they are an essential part of the culture. Mrs. RJG and I prefer more space, but it's fun to go once in a while.

5/21/23 (new entry)

SubCulture ~ Denver, Colorado

First visit: May 2023

I was digging for records in the Capitol Hill area of Denver when lunchtime arrived. Where to go? I didn't want anything too heavy, just a sandwich would be wonderful. And up popped SubCulture (great name!) which was all of 2 blocks away. A quick walk over and we're in your classic inner city hip sandwich shop. To be expected, plenty of cultural references are splashed everywhere and the drink machine is loaded with stickers.

They have a large menu that I took time to peruse outside before venturing in. Order at the counter, and you choose a playing card for your table number. The gimmick here is if you choose the joker your meal is free! I never win these things and picked the 7 of clubs. I think I would have paid anyway, since I'm not a regular customer, and these places can use the revenue I'm sure. 

Any sandwich shop that has a Cuban on the menu is A-OK with me, and that's what I went with. Denver is the king of toasted subs (Quizno's and Snarf's come to mind) and that's what SubCulture offers as well (in addition to cold sandwiches). I sat down at the metal bar (though it doesn't appear the bar is currently active) and they brought the wrapped sandwich to me. Though they get a lot of to-go orders, there's plenty of space to sit and eat. 

Ah - this is a very good sandwich! Toasted perfectly (Mrs. RJG would approve) and piled high with ham. It also has turkey, pickles, mustard, and garlic mojo. The latter is a traditional Cuban sauce. I only had the 6 inch, and I found myself wanting more - but certainly not a footlonger. They should offer a 9 inch lol. Yea, I'm sure that's not economically feasible when considering the bread.

When I'm back in the area crate digging, SubCulture is a great option for lunch. They have many other items on the menu I'd like to try.

5/21/23 (new entry)

Red Leg Brewing ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: May 2023

First visit: Jan 2019

It's been 4 years since I last visited Red Leg Brewing and much has changed since the pandemic. They moved to a larger newly built facility at the western edge of Garden of the Gods Road. Not only is the brewery itself big and spacious, but they also added what looks like a school campus. There are multiple permanent small buildings that serve as food options, while they have a turf area for the kids (or adults I suppose) to play on. The restaurant setup is like an outdoor version of what Bristol did with the Ivywild School, but with a much nicer environment. Immobile food trucks as it were. Ideal since food trucks are notorious for being unreliable, this ensures everyone will have options to eat while imbibing. 

At first it seems they didn't build enough parking spaces, but there's plenty in the back as you wind around the road. Walk into the gated area and you can place your food order at any one of the four primary options (currently hamburgers, deli, seafood, and pizza). There's also dessert and cocktail vendors. Or you can go straight to the brewery and order food at your leisure. Once in the brewery, you order at the counter versus going to the bartender. All the beers are listed on each side of the bar at the top. So I wandered around before ordering. Red Leg cans their flagship beers and are readily available in town, so I was more interested in something limited (listed in the Bier Reise). After that I took my beer over to the deli option (covered separately here in the RJG), received their mini flashing coaster and returned to the bar. I could have also sat outside on any number of the park benches. Once my buzzer went off, I headed on over, grabbed my sandwich and waltzed back. All short walks. Neat little setup. A good brewery to bring families as well, since it's more of a destination than a watering hole. They placed themselves in an ideal nature setting. On my way out, I grabbed a cookie from the dessert vendor...

1/26/19; 5/15/23 (new entry)

Braum's Ice Cream & Dairy Store ~ regional chain : Plainview, Texas

First visit: May 2023 (Plainview, Texas)

Well, believe it or not, I've never been to a Braum's before. Part of that was a story a guy told me in church during the 80s that probably wasn't even true. I'm not going to get into the details, but it was an image that turned me off of Braum's. I really should have made an effort to go here at least once while living in NE Tarrant. But... I didn't.

JL had no such history, and when I suggested an ice cream dessert, he said "what about that place we saw coming down?". Ah yes, Braum's. Sure - why not? This is a large new building, and we proceeded to head straight to the ice cream counter (separate from the food section). I had two scoops of the Cappuccino Chocolate and he had a milkshake of some sort. And a large french fry order. This guy... Anyway, it was very - very good. Creamy and tasty. Best ice cream I've had in some time (that wasn't technically gelato). I want to go back and try their hamburgers at some point. Which should be easy to do if ever driving east. That's because...

Based near Oklahoma City, Braum's operates over 300 locations in Oklahoma and 4 surrounding states including Texas, Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas. They have a hard rule that no location can be outside of a 300 mile radius to their farm in Tuttle, Oklahoma. I said no way that's true, as Plainview must be further than that! Sure enough, Plainview is 288 miles away. Haha - that was close though. They started in 1968. I remember when you could first buy their ice cream in Dallas. That was a big deal when I was in high school.

And this was our final eating stop of the trip. We got to his house in Widefield around 7, and I was home to Mrs. RJG in the northern part of the Springs at 7:30. What a long, but exhilarating excursion. Everything went according to plan. And we made a lot of money doing it. Plus I came home with a pile of records for the collection. Or my next sale...

5/11/23 (new entry)

Taco Villa ~ Texas chain : Lubbock

Last visit: May 2023 (Lubbock 50th @ Ave. T)

First visit: Sep 1983 (Lubbock 50th)

After Cooper's we made it to the next county seat which is Brady. Stayed at a Holiday Inn Express. Much nicer than the Springhill Suites in Austin. Comfortable rooms and very good buffet breakfast. We woke up to a beautiful sunrise. Time to head on home to Colorado Springs. JL said he wanted Taco Villa again. He really liked that quick stop in Amarillo. I try not to "double up" on places when traveling, but it occurred to me that 1) lunchtime will likely be in Lubbock and 2) the Taco Villa there is technically different. See below for the details. So that's exactly what we did. 

Everything went very well, and JL didn't notice too much difference between the two. He tried a steak fajita taco and said it was great - really like a good steak! They skimped on the cheese but otherwise I have to agree. They even use the same hot sauce package, so there's obviously a cobranding agreement. Also their salsa bar lacks any spicier options. So if I were to compare the two, I'd vote for the Amarillo franchise. I first started going to the Lubbock Taco Villa  (which was the same back then) when I entered Texas Tech, which is why I'm confident the 1983 date is correct. That location is also on 50th (near Quaker) and is due west of the one we visited today. I was a regular there for 4+ years until I graduated at the end of 1987.

From here we drove through Lubbock and I got to see Texas Tech. Barely recognized it. So much larger than it was when I attended.

This Taco Villa remains an independent chain from the original Taco Villa. Currently there are 10 locations, 8 in Lubbock with one in Levelland and another in Clovis, New Mexico.

---original 2/14/13 review

Well...Curiosity killed the cow. Ever since the original Taco Villa found its way to the DFW market, I've been curious to see what happened with the breakaway branch. Apparently this Taco Villa is owned by a friend of Bobby Cox, so it stands to reason it will probably be similar. My personal history with Taco Villa goes back to the Lubbock locations (especially the one on 50th - the store closer to Slide), so the Mrs. and I decided it would make for a nice and light Sunday lunch... and to satiate my curiosity.

Just to set the stage here. As we mentioned in yesterday's post, the RJG was a student at Texas Tech in the mid 1980s. A seriously money-deprived student at that. So a cheap fast food meal, especially in those days, could be cheaper than going to the grocery store. In the 1980's, there were basically 3 taco chains in Lubbock. Taco Mayo (yes, the one from Oklahoma that we've covered on the blog recently) arrived sometime in 1985, and they went straight for the bottom of the market. 29 cent tacos. That's right. TWENTY-NICE CENTS. I could have a full meal on less than $2. That's good stuff right there. They were pretty good too, though the chain has changed dramatically since then and offer a completely different product. They exited Lubbock altogether around the same time I did. I would imagine it was tough making any kind of margin on that low of a food cost. As a response, Taco Bell lowered their price from 73 cents to 49 cents. I don't forget these totals, because they were part of my very survival. I'm not one to run for the border these days, but back then, Taco Bell was a Godsend. And then if I wanted a splurge meal, I'd go to Taco Villa, who were coming in at a whopping 89 cents. They were bigger tacos, no doubt, but way beyond my budget. But I always liked them - they had such a unique flavor, and I always loved their salsas in those white coffee creamer type containers.

Well, the original Taco Villa (the one DFW now has) is more like the one that used to be in Lubbock. The new Lubbock stores have decided to go more modern and hip. So they darkened their restaurants, similar to Taco Cabana, and they have traditional taqueria type fare like Street Tacos. If I'm going to have street tacos, I'll go to a real taqueria - not Taco Villa! But whatever, I can see why they made the conscious move to be part of the 2010's rather than the 1970s. To their credit, however, they left the core product alone. So their old fashioned crunchy tacos are exactly like they were 30 years ago. The salsa is similar to, though they don't have a packaged one, which can sometimes affect the consistency. In the end, it probably wasn't worth going to - only because we have one in DFW that is almost the exact same for what we order at these kind of places. But if you're in Lubbock, then consider yourself fortunate that Taco Villa is still around - and that they still have great crispy tacos!

9//1983; 4/16/97; 2/14/13 (new entry); 5/11/23

Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que ~ Texas chain : Llano

First visit: May 2023 (Llano)

After the show our gameplan was to head out NW and knock out a few hours so that the next day's drive wouldn't be so bad. It's truly amazing how much Austin has grown. Just one big suburbia/exurbia that extends for miles. Places like Bee Cave that weren't even on the map when I was in college, are nothing more than extensions of Austin today. Finally the countryside opens up and we enter the Hill Country. This is the Texas I remember traveling around with Dad on his business trips in the 70s and early 80s. Still thousands of acres of untouched pristine land. Hopefully it will stay like that - there's plenty of room in the existing metro area.

Dinner time was set to be around 7. Most places on a Sunday night are closed, and if they are open, they close at 6. Cooper's was the exception going till 8, and we had yet to have barbecue on this trip though it was always in the discussion. The decision was easy. I thought I recognized the name, and sure enough there was a big splash when they opened in the Fort Worth Stockyards in 2010. Mrs. RJG and I never did go there. That was our mistake.

The setup is a bit confusing at first for traditional dining, but it makes sense once you get going. When you first walk into the outside gated area, you will be greeted by a pitmaster. They will ask you what kind of meats you'd like. And there's lots to choose from on the super large grill. So JL and I chose a few - we were wise not to go crazy. From there they hand all the meat to one of the waitresses, and she will proceed to wrap each one and then price it - like a butcher or deli would. Be sure to have a lot of cash or a working credit card, because it isn't going to be cheap - and you won't know the price until after you've chosen your meats. Then you walk into the building and choose your sides. You don't have to choose anything if you don't want and we decided to go Atkins on this visit. You will learn at the cash register that there are free beans - so we tried those too. For seating they offer long picnic tables, so you likely will be eating with locals or other tourists driving through. At this late hour on a Sunday night in early May, it was strictly local which was to our preference. So we begin to unwrap the meats and chow down.

Wow! This is some incredible tasting meat. We tried their steak, brisket, ribs, turkey, and cheese sausage. Every one of them moist and flavorful. JL was quick to proclaim "this is the best BBQ I've ever had!". I have to agree - it was absolutely delicious. They provide a sauce, and it's average at best. And that's because good barbecue doesn't need sauce and that's certainly the case here. The beans were also mediocre. You're coming to Coopers for the awesome meats. Not a place for vegetarians to graze.

Llano is Cooper's flagship location and they've been around since 1962. This is real Hill Country barbeque. Given their popularity within the state, they operate 4 more locations in much larger metro areas. Those include Austin, New Braunfels, College Station, and the aforementioned Fort Worth. 

5/11/23 (new entry)

P. Terry's Burger Stand ~ Texas chain : Austin

First visit: May 2023 (Austin - Barton Springs Rd.)

Locations: 30 in Austin + 5 in San Antonio (metro areas).

Final day of the show has arrived. We knew it was going to be much slower, which gave us even more options for lunch. JL wanted Sandy's again but I was interested in trying something new. At our table someone recommended P. Terry's. Oh I remember - this is the cool looking place we saw coming into Austin! You think Lucy's might have a cool look, P. Terry's beats them all. Their use of space age Googie architecture hasn't been seen since the glory days of 1960s Los Angeles. I sit in awe. If I were to start a fast food chain, this is exactly how I would do it.

As it turns out, not only was P. Terry's within walking distance, but this is their very first location - opened in 2005! I wandered over (further than Sandy's but not too bad). This time we added a chocolate shake to our order. Because you know, we've been eating so healthy, we deserved it! haha.

Brought it back. I loved it. JL did enjoy his, but he said it had a flavor that reminded him of In-N-Out and he doesn't like that chain. Well - he's precisely spot on. In-N-Out is exactly what I thought of too. Which is why I probably thought it was great. And the milkshake was definitely better than In-N-Out.

To me, this would be a destination place when in Austin or San Antonio. Perfect lunch spot. They should expand further. I highly encourage you go to their website and check out the architecture. Look at #11 Capital Plaza as but one incredible example. 

5/10/23 (new entry)

Lucy's Fried Chicken ~ Austin, Texas

First visit: May 2023

After another day of successfully selling records, JL proclaims he wants fried chicken. OK, now is our time to go hipster. Let's try Lucy's in the local neighborhood here. The Zagat styled review states: Elevated Southern eats with a patio. What is with the patio anyway? They all say that as if that's the most important thing. Who wouldn't want to sit outside on a 100 degree humid day in Austin, Texas? Then this: Elevated Southern eats. Elevated. Jeez.

We were greeted by our transgendered host/hostess/hostit. I don't even know what to call them. And they get mad if you get it wrong. Well Jethro and Bubba are here and we want fried chicken dammit! So you figure it out. I was happy because these places always have great craft beers on tap. Right? Wrong. Ugh. Really? Only one "macro craft". Goshdarndamnpoop. OK whatever. We grabbed our patio bench (inside the open space for the record) and proceeded to order.

We each got a basket of chicken and I ordered the red chili and he got cornbread. Oh yea - this is really great. I love that the chicken isn't greasy at all. Crunchy too. Mrs. RJG would have loved it. Only the breast was a bit tough, the sole demerit we could give them. I also loved the chili - meaty and flavorful. It was definitely a Texas red too. JL really enjoyed the cornbread, but it's too much starch for me.

One thing I have to say overly positive about the hipster restaurants of Austin is that they brought back neon lights! Hooray hooray I wish they will stay. They're everywhere here. Look at that logo will ya? Colorado Springs could use a facelift like that. Academy is the most boring road I've ever seen. Spruce it up with a little neon!

Looks like Lucy's has been downsizing a bit. Besides this, they only have one other location left in Cedar Park.

5/10/23 (new entry)

Sandy's Hamburgers ~ Austin, Texas

First visit: May 2023

The next day promised to be more relaxed and it was. Even though the crowds were larger, they were more casual buyers. So it was less intense and I had more freedom while JL worked the tables. We had a light breakfast. By the way, we stayed at the Springhill Suites in south Austin. Not a really great hotel. One of those that uses the excuse they can't find any workers so they can't clean the room each day. Yea, right. Yet, they have no problem charging extra. That they somehow manage to do. They do the "needful" though. Clean sheets, semi-hot shower, the air conditioning works. I slept no problem. The breakfast buffet blows however. It's really bad. I was lucky to get a bagel from them. Anyway...

It's lunch time, and because I have a bit more freedom, I had time to walk across the street. We had a few options, but JL was set on Sandy's. I've never been, but it looks like the ultimate RJG kind of place! They've been serving burgers since 1946, long before the hipsters remade the neighborhood. It's a throwback to a simpler time.

I like that they have a walkup. Ordered a couple of double cheeseburgers and fries and walked it back for us to chow down. Ah - the simple pleasure of eating a well made cheeseburger. If looking for chain comparisons, I'd go with Whataburger. Similar size and style. Except Whataburger probably cleans their grill. You don't get that "1946 old grill" flavor just anywhere! JL loved it and said it was his favorite burger of the trip. If you're in the area - go here.

5/10/23 (new entry)

Texas Land & Cattle ~ Austin, Texas

Latest visit: May 2023

First visit: Nov 2001 (Dallas)

We survived our drive into Austin the night before, but we had some torrential downpours and it got a little hairy in places. But we made it. Grabbed our separate rooms and I died in the bed.

Friday was our big selling day, with guys flying in all over the world buying records like the ones we brought (some well over $1,000 each). So there was no time to leave the convention hall for lunch. We had a light breakfast at the hotel and some snacks to hold us through the day. Finally it was time for dinner and JL says "I wanna a big 'ol steak". That sounds damn good! Should be an easy ask here in big 'ol Austin. 

Not really. North of the river is downtown and they have all the expense account steakhouses. Not worth the money if I'm paying for it, but always happy for my company to pick up my tab. :-) Problem #2 is that Austin's famous 6th Street is not for us. List the issues: 1) We have a large immobile van; 2) It's Friday night; 3) JL can't walk too far (hence I'm assisting him). On top of that, South Austin (where we were), is more of a hipster area than one that caters to road travelers. So JL suggested Texas Land & Cattle. I wasn't initially enthused about the idea because it's a chain I used to go to in DFW, and I can go to other locations easily I thought. But it was getting late and we were really starving so I didn't argue the point. I always did like it! So let's go there and I'm thinking JL will love it.

It wasn't until just now - while I'm typing and researching this entry - that I realized the chain Texas Land & Cattle are no more. It's only this sole location that survived. Well... cool! Now I'm glad we did go. It's been 16+ years since I last stepped foot into a Texas Land and Cattle, and sure enough it was for a company dinner. The menu was familiar and I ordered the smoked sirloin. Always loved the sliced peppercorn crusted steak, cooked medium. It was as great as I remembered it. They gave me a "field of mashed potatoes" as well as a salad, all of which were delicious. The beer selection once again disappointed, with only one craft beer on tap. Really guys? In 2023? Ah whatever, I had two of them. JL had the big ol' ribeye. I tasted it - wow was it good! He had 3 sides, and chowed it all down. We really could not have chosen a better place to go. Service struggled but was very kind anyway. JL tipped extra because he's a generous big fella. 

Afterwards I asked him to stop off at a liquor store so I can at least grab a couple of local craft beers, which I did. I didn't want to waste the trip as the restaurants clearly weren't going to come through on that front.

I was trying to remember the first time I went to TxLC. It was with my parents in 2001! Mrs. RJG and I were visiting them for Thanksgiving. We were living in Parker, Colorado at that time. My Dad really liked Texas Land & Cattle. I think he was allowed to smoke too...

11/18/01; 12/16/06; 5/10/23 (new entry)

Scotty's Bistro & Pub ~ Coleman, Texas

First visit: May 2023

It was already a long day when we could see the storms brewing to the south. Right where we were going. We need to stop for dinner. It was late but we were both hungry, though the Taco Villa snack helped immensely. It was getting dark as well. We better pull over in the next town. And that was Coleman, a very typical west Texas charming village with old buildings that seemed to be barely hanging on. I've never been here myself, but I've been to plenty of small towns in Texas like this. Tucked away in an unassuming structure is Scotty's. Since JL was doing the driving I was ready for a couple of beers and a good meal.

Scotty's is a very unusual place for such a small town. Their theme is heavy on Star Wars and aliens. And we were there on May The Forth Be With You day, so it was their big day as it were. The bathroom alone is funky enough just to stop and see. Well the taps weren't impressive but at least they had Real Ale, something I haven't had in 5 years since we left. It was their Axis IPA which packs a punch, so only one for me in case I need to take the wheel.

I ordered the spicy chicken sandwich with fries. Good stuff here. Thick breast with heavy seasoning, but not overly spicy. JL had a big ol' burger that he loved. Washed it down with iced tea.

Neat little place in middle-of-nowhere west Texas. Worth a visit if in town or passing through.

5/10/23 (new entry)

Taco Villa ~ Texas chain : Amarillo

Latest visit: May 2023 (Amarillo - W. Amarillo Blvd @ Tascosa)

First visit: Jul 1981 (Amarillo)

We blew through New Mexico and into the panhandle of Texas. As we were beginning to circumvent the Amarillo traffic I noticed Taco Villa. I mentioned to JL how great they are. How about a quick snack? We both were on the same page. It's been 5 years since we left DFW, and that's the last time I had Taco Villa goodness. I ordered 3 crispy tacos. Happy to say everything is as good as I remembered it (except the price of course...). The salsas, the meat, and the piled high cheese. And JL absolutely *loved* them. He mentioned it a few times on the trip. We have a new convert! 

Now for some chain news: There are 5 locations in Amarillo; 5 in Odessa; 3 in Midland; 1 each in Andrews, Big Spring, Canyon, and Hobbs, New Mexico for a total of 17. They exited the DFW market not long after we left in 2018 (did we keep them in business?).

---4/19/18 update (Fort Worth)

I often would eat at Taco Villa while a student at Texas Tech in Lubbock back in the early to mid 1980s. Before we go further here, a quick history lesson. Taco Villa was a decent sized regional chain based in West Texas and was started by Bobby Cox in 1968 (Odessa). Sometime after I left college, in the late 1980s, he sold the chain to some investors. From what I understand, they ran the chain into the ground, and Cox wanted to buy back in. About 10+ years ago he bought most of the stores back, and had a friend of his buy the Lubbock locations (and a couple of other locations). So there are now two different Taco Villa's, each independently run and with different logos (and we did manage a visit to one in Lubbock recently). The branch that has ventured into the DFW area is the original one as owned by Bobby Cox.

Ask and ye shall receive right? It was only a little over a year ago that if you wanted to go to Taco Villa, you had to venture 6 hours to West Texas (Amarillo, Midland/Odessa). Then came their surprise entry to the DFW market with a new location in Benbrook (which has since closed). Much closer of course, but still a good 45 minute haul for us here in NE Tarrant.

Let's cut to the chase: We really love their old school crunchy ground beef tacos, loaded to the top with fresh meat and cheese (and a big slice of tomato). While the meat is not a strikingly seasoned one, its subtlety is instantly familiar and comforting. And you can get this meat in various other formations like chalupas, salads, sloppy joe's, burritos, quesadillas, etc.. Their hot sauce is a nicely spiced pepper blend, thick but smooth. Not hot at all, but again familiar and tasty. But if you do wish to have something with a bit of kick, this location has a homemade habanero sauce, which packs a bit of heat (sometimes more than others). If you're really bold, they actually offer whole habaneros. I've never seen anyone do that before! At one time they offered a homemade spicy green sauce, but it appears they replaced it with the habanero. Also worth mentioning, is this location offers breakfast. Not all Taco Villa's do.

--- Original 1/29/13 review (Benbrook)

You may recall that last week, while awaiting the NFL Championship games, Mrs. RJG and I journeyed a bit NW to Justin for a light lunch. And for this Sunday, it was the off-week before the Super Bowl, so we decided for a longer country drive. So we went 'a Courthousin' and a' Antinquin'. The RJG is very much an admirer of our Texas courthouses. I'm fascinated by the architecture, the isolated locations, and the history. We even own a coffee table book about them, that I've seen our guests look through intensely - and many our natives to Texas and never paid attention until now. Mrs. RJG loves the little shops that hug the square. As long as she comes home with at least one cute thing for the house, then she considers it a fun and successful trip. We didn't go anywhere we hadn't been before, but we took a slightly different route this time. On this trip we headed SW to Granbury, up to Palo Pinto and back through Weatherford. Granbury, of course, is a destination for many - and there are plenty of shops to peruse. Mrs. RJG found a large cast iron door stop, that features an early 1900's lady playing golf. Perfect, since I appreciate not only that it's a nice item - but it's useful! And we enjoyed a little Blue Bell ice cream off the square to wrap up our time there. Leaving the square, we entered FM 4 and headed north to Palo Pinto, which is a new route for us, and a very pretty drive in its own right. And besides, I had to see Lipan. Why on Earth? Because Lipan is what I call a "David Finfrock town". He has all these pet places that he picks from the state to demonstrate what the weather is doing there. And the ones he chooses must of course play to his Texan accent. LIE-PAN. There's nothing there of course, but we knew that. Palo Pinto is a great example of a magnificent courthouse in the middle of absolutely nothing. There's no commerce, but plenty of empty buildings surrounding it. If I were rich, I'd buy the whole thing and make something of it. Maybe a nice brewery? Wouldn't that be fun? Anyway, most of the county lives in nearby Mineral Wells which we went through on the way to Weatherford. Coming in east on 180, the courthouse is absolutely striking, especially as the sun begins to set.

All this to say: What better place to start the journey than to grab a nice fast food lunch at Taco Villa! Benbrook is the gateway to points west, and is the ideal spot for this West Texas chain to poke their head into the DFW market. The below was written this summer on one of our roundups. I've moved (and updated) it here to give it its own space. BTW, this has become Mrs. RJG's favorite crunchy taco place. Or as she likes to jokingly call them "tacos creespy".

Taco Villa is one of the RJG's favorite taco chains. I think I've been twice in recent years, both times while stopping through in Amarillo. Once I heard that Taco Villa was here in DFW, Mrs. RJG and I had to plan a special trip. It's a healthy 40-45 minute drive on a weekend with no traffic to get to Benbrook. So we went on a Sunday for lunch. Taco Villa has fantastic crunchy fast food tacos. I mean really fantastic with great tasting ground beef, and a very good hot sauce (though not very spicy, but great tasting). Lots of cheese and one big tomato slice round them out. Though expensive at $1.29 each, you get what you pay for. Not surprisingly the early reviews are in, and many suggest it's not as good as Taco Bell or whatever. Yawn. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have a choice! The Benbrook location is new, clean, and the quality is excellent. The fact they chose Benbrook suggests that they are nibbling away at the Fort Worth market. I really wish they'd make a bold move and quickly jump up here to Northeast Tarrant! Keller / Southlake / NRH / Grapevine / Colleyville / Hurst / Watauga could really use a place like this. :-). So it's not likely we'll visit much. But at least it's closer than Amarillo!

11/22/95; 7/24/09; 1/29/13 (new entry); 4/19/18; 5/10/23

Bob & Earl's Cafe ~ Trinidad, Colorado

First visit: May 2023

It's time for the big road trip down to Austin for the Record Show! JL and I loaded up the van full of rare vinyl and began our 14 hour journey (with no stops... which we did plenty, so call it 17 hours). It's still very early in the morning and breakfast is on our mind when we arrive in Trinidad. Where to go? Pull up the trusty Google Map app and Bob & Earl's looked like a winner. Sitting on the outskirts of the western side of town, we journeyed on over.

Walk in, and this cafe screams local, just what we both wanted! I went with my usual smothered burrito. Asked for it Christmas and they didn't ask me what that meant, so that's a good sign. I wisely ordered the "small" which is really "just the right amount". There wasn't much difference in color between the red and green. Neither were even close to New Mexico chiles but not Colorado green either. Nonetheless it was delicious with the bacon flavor coming through. Washed it down with a couple of fine cups of coffee. JL went with the traditional eggs and pancakes and devoured it with glee. 

We're off to a good start!

5/4/23 (new entry)