Not worth it.
Maybe the one near you is good. Maybe, by the time you read this, it has improved. Maybe the chef had an off day.
It wasn't so much bad as almost completely mediocre.
We ordered an appetizer, along with our meals, which came with salads. The salads were the first course delivered.
We each received a caesar salad. The dressing was light - not bad at all, just a little sparing. I could count the croutons without having to take my shoes off, though. The salas could be said to be there just to whet the appetite, but if that was true, why were the pieces of lettuce so big? Overall I think it was just something to slap together to hold over the hungry customer for a few minutes.
When the spinach and artichoke dip arrived, I went from neutral to disappointed. They provided plates, but the dip went practically arctic almost as soon as it was out of the pot. I have no problem with the hard chips served, and could easily eat out of the serving dish, with the plate to catch drips, but none of this matters next to the taste.
I could honestly have made a better dip; the cheese was far too thick, smothering the vegetables almost completely. The taste too was too creamy; as a result it was almost impossible to taste the artichoke, except by picking it out and making sure that part got to your tongue first.
All in all, it was not well thought out, especially since it was a large and heavy starter; unwise if you want the customer to order dessert.
The pizzas we ordered arrived soon after we abandoned the dip; a very deep-dish, 'stuffed' pie apiece.
I can't speak for my mother's pie, but if you ever go, do NOT order the wheat. While the supposedly healthier (although I don't remember it being referred to as whole wheat...) crust option is characteristic for Austin, it tasted simply terrible, each bite leaving a worse aftertaste than before. Before I abandoned this as well, I tried my mother's method of forking the toppings out; sure enough, the dish improved immediately. The baked tomatoes on top were no treat either, but that crust made me wonder why the place was so packed.
Lastly, we got dessert - an Italian cream cake piece to share (someone should tell that/those waitress/es that waiting to bring the check until after inquiring if the diners want dessert is a good practice; we had to flag ours down).
This was, besides the salad, the only bearable dish in the place, really. Sugary cream-cheese-esque buttercream studded with coconut ran down the back; a decorative ridge of butter-like cream-cheese adorned the top; and a layer of vanilla icing held the two layers together. Walnuts ran along the bottom and throughout the cake; the cake on its own was not dry, but it was definitely improved by the icing. My only real complaint is that they brought us such a large piece (even for two) after such a huge meal.
In essence, if you try this place, avoid the artichoke dip, avoid the wheat crust; heck, just order dessert.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Tea
First of all, you have to understand a distinct difference between the North and the South.
If you're in the south, and you order a drink of water, there's a pretty good chance of ice cubes in it. The pitchers carried by waiters and waitresses often have a special side 'spout' that is designed to pour ice from the pitcher to the cup.
I have been told that if I order a drink in the north, it comes 'straight up', aka without ice.
This makes sense - it's generally colder the farther north you go (in the Northern Hemisphere, of course), so there's little need for ice, the opposite being true as you travel south. Apparently the Mason-Dixon line is the Ice Equator as well.
When in Texas (unless you find a restaurant trying to reserve resources, which generally warns you ahead of time), you will get ice in pretty much anything but milk and some kinds of juice.
You can of course ask for a drink without, but bear in mind that if you don't, it'll come on the rocks.
BACK to my initial subject; while we do in fact have 'gourmet' (as the grocery stores will tout it) teas, that is, things like Earl Grey, available, you should keep in mind that just because they say that does NOT mean that an English tourist will agree. But I'm talking about normal tea, Lipton packets etc. etc.
To some, the idea of 'iced tea' (which is pretty much tea on the rocks) is completely out of left field. To those of us used to 105-degree-in-the-shade springs, it is not.
There are two basic ways to get ice tea. One is to, of course, brew up a bunch of tea bags in hot water, allow to cool, and then drop a truckload of ice into it. The other way is to use special tea bags, designed to be used in cold water. However, this has a different taste than normal tea.
It's far more common to get ice(d) tea in a southern restaurant; if you want it hot, you have to specify. Most sit-down restaurants, the nice ones at least, have the option of 'hot tea' (yes, that is what you'll have to ask for!), and many have more than one flavor available. However, I wouldn't recommend it, unless it's winter or you get cold easily.
Another standard to keep in mind - and watch out for - is sweet tea. For those who are big on specific language, this'll drive you crazy - plain tea, without sugar, is almost universally referred to as 'unsweet' down here.
Sweet tea is almost definitely made so with white sugar. However, the usual rainbow-colored sugar substitutes are available in almost every restaurant, including (although much less so) Splenda. If you have dietary concerns, or simply do not like sugar, it's best to order the tea 'unsweet', and then flavor as you so choose. If you order in a restaurant without specifying, it tends to be a toss-up, so WATCH OUT!
Also keep in mind that everybody has their own opinions on sweetness. Some believe sweet tea should be impossible to move a spoon through, others prefer a more moderate taste. If you're filling a cup at an open soda fountain, which down here almost always have tea, it's a good idea to pour in just a little and then sip, to make sure the sweetness is alright.
There are a variety of specialty cold teas, many of which are worth at least one try. If you find yourself in the South, have a taste; in fact, it'll probably be preferable, considering the likely weather.
If you're in the south, and you order a drink of water, there's a pretty good chance of ice cubes in it. The pitchers carried by waiters and waitresses often have a special side 'spout' that is designed to pour ice from the pitcher to the cup.
I have been told that if I order a drink in the north, it comes 'straight up', aka without ice.
This makes sense - it's generally colder the farther north you go (in the Northern Hemisphere, of course), so there's little need for ice, the opposite being true as you travel south. Apparently the Mason-Dixon line is the Ice Equator as well.
When in Texas (unless you find a restaurant trying to reserve resources, which generally warns you ahead of time), you will get ice in pretty much anything but milk and some kinds of juice.
You can of course ask for a drink without, but bear in mind that if you don't, it'll come on the rocks.
BACK to my initial subject; while we do in fact have 'gourmet' (as the grocery stores will tout it) teas, that is, things like Earl Grey, available, you should keep in mind that just because they say that does NOT mean that an English tourist will agree. But I'm talking about normal tea, Lipton packets etc. etc.
To some, the idea of 'iced tea' (which is pretty much tea on the rocks) is completely out of left field. To those of us used to 105-degree-in-the-shade springs, it is not.
There are two basic ways to get ice tea. One is to, of course, brew up a bunch of tea bags in hot water, allow to cool, and then drop a truckload of ice into it. The other way is to use special tea bags, designed to be used in cold water. However, this has a different taste than normal tea.
It's far more common to get ice(d) tea in a southern restaurant; if you want it hot, you have to specify. Most sit-down restaurants, the nice ones at least, have the option of 'hot tea' (yes, that is what you'll have to ask for!), and many have more than one flavor available. However, I wouldn't recommend it, unless it's winter or you get cold easily.
Another standard to keep in mind - and watch out for - is sweet tea. For those who are big on specific language, this'll drive you crazy - plain tea, without sugar, is almost universally referred to as 'unsweet' down here.
Sweet tea is almost definitely made so with white sugar. However, the usual rainbow-colored sugar substitutes are available in almost every restaurant, including (although much less so) Splenda. If you have dietary concerns, or simply do not like sugar, it's best to order the tea 'unsweet', and then flavor as you so choose. If you order in a restaurant without specifying, it tends to be a toss-up, so WATCH OUT!
Also keep in mind that everybody has their own opinions on sweetness. Some believe sweet tea should be impossible to move a spoon through, others prefer a more moderate taste. If you're filling a cup at an open soda fountain, which down here almost always have tea, it's a good idea to pour in just a little and then sip, to make sure the sweetness is alright.
There are a variety of specialty cold teas, many of which are worth at least one try. If you find yourself in the South, have a taste; in fact, it'll probably be preferable, considering the likely weather.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Dr. Pepper
For those who live away from the South, this may be completely unfamiliar. That's understandable, as it's something of a local product.
Dr. Pepper, referred to by some as 'D.P.', is a soft drink that comes in a dark red can with white letters, which are underscored by a lighter red line. The diet version is vice-versa save for the line. The caffeine free version is an odd muted gold with the normal kind's coloring, and the caffeine free diet looks like the diet with a gold circle denoting its attributes.
Like all sodas, Dr. Pepper is difficult to adequately describe. It is not at all like Coke, or really any other soft drink. It has a very mellow, sweet, and fruity flavor, but is not like punch. It is not nearly as acidic as Coke, not as sweet as root beer, and not as over-flavored as fruit punch (has anyone else noticed that punch leaves a weird dry feeling afterwards, like it's dehydrating you?).
It goes down very smoothly, and is easy to both sip and chug. The diet has less body and a more noticeably artificial taste, but is still palatable. The caffeine free version is not consumed as often, but as best I can describe the flavor is closer to the original than diet. Diet caffeine free tastes like diet.
Dr. Pepper's flavor is very complex, leading to the '23' ads in the last few years. Unfortunately they have now slapped the number on the cases, which makes them seem odd to a regular customer.
Dr. Pepper is actually similar to Mr. Pibb (anybody remember that? It's still out there...), in that Mr. Pibb tastes a lot like DP and root beer being mixed with a tiny amount of Coke.
Like all sodas, the container makes a difference. Personally I think Dr. Pepper is better in glass bottles. Sometimes these have cane sugar in them, but they're so unfamiliar now I can't really tell you if they're better or worse. Of course, personal opinion is key. If you like it one way, enjoy it.
Dr. Pepper is a familiar face to those down South, and you may well find it an option someday soon, whether while traveling, or if it reaches your area. Either way, I suggest you give it a taste if you have the chance. Just a word of advice - don't let the first drink be Diet.
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