Bad photos of food – stuff we ate in Texas

I commented to a couple people that it was sad how forward I was looking to our trip for the food we would be having. Don’t get me wrong, I would go to someplace were very boring food just so I could see my family, but the fact that they live someplace with my favorite foods, well, that’s a double bonus. Add to that, the fact that I had been doing the blogging weight loss competition since the beginning of the year, let’s just say it was time for some yummy food and vacation is not a time for dieting (though we did a very good job exercising the first week – the second week, not so very much – bygones). So bring it on – we were going to enjoy ourselves.

Keep in mind, food blogger I am not and most of the time were so happy to be eating it would be mid-meal before I thought to take a picture so many of these things you will just have to imagine and trust that they were indeed delicious. (I apologize in advance to Heidi for this show of gluttony in one of her most favorite places in the world – I love you, friend, but it must be done).

Our first night in Corpus called for a visit to Silverados, hands down my very favorite BBQ place EVER (of course, I haven’t been to very many, but this place is so good, we went twice in the five days we were there). I had brisket, chopped BBQ and smoked sausage with mashed potatoes and corn fritters. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Liam ate a quarter-pound of smoked turkey and put away two cornbread muffins. Jack ate Lays potato chips and apple sauce.

Our second trip to Silverados I had chopped BBQ and pork ribs and thought I would be virtuous and get a side salad with my mashed potatoes (only because corn fritters weren’t in the menu that night). Wouldn’t you know the only thing I didn’t eat was my salad. Sorry salad.

Not pictured from Corpus:

• Hot tortillas, fresh made by an adorable little Asian lady at the HEB
• Lunch at Jason’s Deli – wish we had one up here in Michigan (I ordered the same thing I got two years ago: 1/4 Muffaletta and cup of french onion soup)
• Dinner and Snoopy’s (fish tacos and homemade hushpuppies)
• Breakfast at Andy’s Country Kitchen (hot blueberry muffins and eggs Benedict; so good my parents went there again less than a week later the morning they left Corpus for Houston)

Then we were off to Houston to stay with my brother and his family the rest of the trip, stopping at the infamous Buc-ees on our way for snacks and Buc-ee Nuggets.

Dinner that night was a shrimp boil – and I peeled and de-legged all my own shrimp all by myself (I can’t think about it too much, but I can do it). The boys, of course, had chicken nuggets.

I’m realizing that the bulk of what we ate in Houston was not captured on film, but it is worth mentioning two places that we went on Saturday night with Marty and Lynn: Leon’s Lounge and Onion Creek. If ever you are in Houston, check them out.

Leon’s Lounge is “Houston’s Oldest Bar” and has every ounce of character you’d imagine that comes with. Plus they make killer cocktails. I enjoyed the fanciest Bloody Mary I’ve ever had, garnished with (among other things) a slice of sausage and a pickled okra, and a Whiskey Smash (Maker’s Mark, mint and a splash of lemon).

Onion Creek is a place we went last time we were in Houston and I could go there weekly – it’s got a huge outdoor seating area, sandwiches, burgers and pizza – lowkey but still feels hip and happening (which is ideal when the youngest in our group was nearing 35).

We also had breakfast that morning at the place Simon dreams about – Taqueria Arandas – for breakfast tacos with chorizo. The only downside to that breakfast is that you are full ALL day, which is a problem when you want to eat more yummy food at some point, which is why we didn’t eat dinner until nearly 9 that night.

When my parents came into town, we happily ditched our kids with them for the day and headed down to Galveston for the day. I did a quick online search and found a Houston Chronicle article listing the 10 best restaurants in Galveston and picked the one that didn’t serve seafood, BBQ or Mexican: Mosquito Cafe. Best decision ever of the day. These photos do not even do the food 5% justice, but they are all I have, aside from a picture of an empty plate where our devoured Lemon Dream Cake had been sitting.

Shown above: my Turkey Divinity (oven roasted turkey with melted brie, hickory smoked peppered bacon, grilled apples, red leaf lettuce and garlic-herb mayo on a french baguette)

Simon’s lunch: Salmon Club (fresh grilled salmon filet with hickory smoked peppered bacon, balsamic onions, red leaf lettuce on toasted wheat bread and chipotle sauce on the side)

Since we were going big or going home, we decided to stop at Pappasito’s on our way home – Simon’s first time there. Let’s just say we ended up taking more food home than we were able to eat – though we gave it a valiant effort. Below is the worst picture ever of our queso, but lo was it good. And they set it on fire tableside so it was also fancy.

And we can thank my brother and SIL for introducing us to Pimm’s Cups. Look what I was able to find in Michigan, imported all the way from the U.K. so we can make our own cocktails! [Honorable mention: Saint Arnold’s Santo beer]

So that was how we ate our way through Texas, along with some stops at Chick Fil A and Sonic. Liam and Jack were happy as long as they had burgers (Liam), chicken nuggets (Jack) or fries (both). Next time we will work on broadening their horizons.