Bodacious BBQ: Longview

When I got my first job, every Wednesday we would head to a BBQ joint on Division Street in Arlington, Texas.  I loved this BBQ place for the Postman sandwich- chopped brisket and chopped sausage.  Imagine this- it was named after the Postman that would come in and order. 

This BBQ joint was my first taste of Bodacious BBQ.

Years later, when I see a Bodacious BBQ, I will always stop.  On this day, I'm grabbing a late bite at the Bodacious BBQ on the Loop in Longview.  I grab up my new usual: chopped beef with a side of cole slaw.

As expected, the freshly chopped beef is in surplus and filled with smoke.  Bodacious's BBQ sauce is served on the side.  It is the perfect balance for me- just a little bit more tang than sweet.  It is on the watery side, but still just the right consistency to coat the beef and to wet the bun.  The cole slaw is sweeter than sour and mayonnaise based. 

Overall, Bodacious BBQ takes me back to the days when I was younger.  To date, it always satisfies my craving for BBQ.  If you are in East Texas, I can guarantee you can find a Bodacious BBQ.  They've grown and franchised quite a bit since starting in 1965.

Bodacious BBQ
1300 W Loop 281
Longview, Texas
(903) 759-3914

Tyler Bodacious BBQ Website:
http://www.thebodaciousbbq.com/

The Noonday Store: Noonday

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged about my Tasty Texas Travels.  Sometimes you just fall out of rhythm, but what a great way to start back with a good ol’ hamburger from the Noonday Store.

Located just outside of Tyler in Noonday, this gas station/convenience store has been serving up hamburgers and comfort food for the last 20 years.  Short on space and jam packed with people, the Noonday Store offers a food journey from hamburgers to country comfort food to even a fresh meat market.  Note to self, pack a cooler on the next trip because this beef was some of the best looking that I have ever seen.

Place your order, try to find an open spot where you are not in the way, and watch the magic of their kitchen.  Buns come out buttery golden with the condiments eagerly getting in line.  Then, the burgers- oh the burgers!

All I can say is TASTY!  I only imagine how well seasoned the griddle is- this is truly one of the best burgers in Texas.  A third pound of pure beef, seasoned to perfection, lettuce and Noonday onions overflowing, mayo and mustard oozing, and the cheese gooing- do I really need to say more. 

Did I mention the buttery bun?  The French fries are hand cut style.  Cooked to perfection, and just salted enough.  Overall, pure perfection and stomach satisfaction!

If you are anywhere near Tyler, you’ve got to stop in at the Noonday Store.  It’s truly an experience.  Everyone inside makes you feel like you are one of the locals- kinda like Cliff from Cheers.  It’s a place where everyone seems to know your name, and if they don’t, they’ll just make it up!  Check it out because it is truly a Tasty Texas Travel!

The Noonday Store

16822 State Highway 155 S

Tyler, TX 75703
(903) 534-9498

Victoria's Tru Thai Asian Cuisine: Victoria

Tonight, I am in the mood for Thai.  Two places pop up, so I decided to go with Victoria's Tru Thai Asian Cuisine.  Located in an older building on Business 59, you walk into a small clean restaurant with the sound of running water and filled with oil paintings of Thai farmers in their rice fields.

The menus are located under the plexiglass on the table, and it is not extensive.  They have a lot of curries which I will have to come back to try.  I had read that their Pad Thai was good, so of course, I move in that direction.    I order vegetarian Pad Thai: pan fried noodles with eggs, peanuts, green onions and bean sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, and carrots!  Your meat options include chicken, beef, or pork. The meal comes with soup and an egg roll, but I passed on this evening.  You can hear the owner's wife back in the kitchen clanging on the pots making your meal to order, so the excitement begins.

The only thing I can say about Victoria's Tru Thai's Pad Thai is that IT IS THE BEST PAD THAI THAT I HAVE EVER HAD!  The vegetables were super fresh.  The Noodles were wider glass noodles filled with seasoning and taste.  The bowl was huge, and it was hard to stop eating this delightful dish.  It was truly bliss.  I did have a funny eureka moment though...I thought the bigger pieces of the sponge like ingredient was tofu, but then I realized that this egg hater was actually eating chunks of egg. 

In the end, my experience was incredible.  I spoke with the owner regarding Thailand and an upcoming trip.  He was extremely friendly and provided great insight to the Country and Culture.  All the while, I could hear his wife banging away in the back for the next lucky food recipient.  When I am back in Victoria, I will definitely return to Victoria's Tru Thai Asian Cuisine, and I encourage you to give it a try too.

Victoria's Tru Thai Asian Cuisine
811 E Rio Grande St (Business 59)
Victoria, TX  77901
361/572-8851

Tumbleweed: Gladewater

My last night in Longview, I decided to drive West to Gladewater for dinner.  There's a new place in town, and it certainly is the talk of the town.  Not impressed by the sterile brown brick building, keep going inside to find a heavily wooded room with booths and tables- you can't help to feel the energy with the outgoing, energetic waitresses bolting around like bees.

Tonight I ordered a 6 oz filet with mushrooms and mash potatoes.  The fried mushrooms and onion rings coming out of the kitchen looked beyond tasty.  But, then it arrived.....

I dove into the mash potatoes because they looked like they were right out of a box, but to my surprise they must have had white cheddar cheese in them!  Excellent taste and wonderful consistency.  Next the bowl of mushrooms- boring, no taste, poured right out of the can- very disappointing especially when some Lea & Perrins or red wine can do wonders!  I would skip the mushrooms next time.

Finally the real winner: the 6 oz beef filet.  It was cooked more medium rare than medium, but it had a great seasoned flavor.  The meat was super tender.  Overall, it was an excellent steak.  And, the best part is that it was reasonably priced. 

Overall, when I am back in the area, I know where there is a great little steakhouse with great service.  I would get there early because of their popularity.  In the end, you will walk out a happy customer from Tumbleweed Steakhouse.

Tumbleweed Steakhouse

1103 West Upshur Avenue

Gladewater, TX 75647
(903) 845-5320

http://tumbleweedsteakhousegladewater.com/

Floyd’s Cajun Seafood and Texas Steakhouse: Beaumont

I haven’t been to Floyd’s in a really long time.  In fact, it was Don’s Seafood the last time I was at this location in Beaumont.  I remember not being overly impressed by Don’s, so I am hoping for a little more from Floyd’s.

Originally, I tried to come at 6 pm on a Saturday night, and the wait was over an hour at 6 pm.  I am in Beaumont, and it is Lent.   I came back at 11 am on a Sunday before the church crowds usher in.

As soon as I sit down, my drink order is taken and delivered.  A huge basket of French garlic bread is placed on the table.  As I am drooling and crying at the same time, I ask the waitress to remove it- I can’t even imagine how many Weight Watcher’s points are in it.  I decide to max out my points with a cup of chicken and sausage gumbo and grilled shrimp with seasonal vegetables.

The chicken and sausage gumbo comes out with a dark watery roux.  The roux was perfect- not too strong, but not too weak- actually, pretty perfect!  Small pieces of sausage and chunks of chicken breast happily swim in it.  This gumbo totally rocks.

Next, my grilled shrimp come out.  Good-sized perfectly skewered shrimp grace the plate.  Lightly seasoned and perfectly cooked although a few of the shrimp had a gritty sand taste to their texture!  The seasonal vegetable medley was nothing more than steamed zucchini, squash, carrots, and colored bell peppers with absolutely no seasoning at all- overall, a healthy non-event.

In the end, I heard that the crab bisque was beyond bliss too, but to me, it has some hard competition with Floyd’s gumbo.  Plus, the service was great.  Overall, when I am in the mood for seafood and in Beaumont, I will return to Floyd’s- Les es les bon ton roulette!

Floyd’s Cajun Seafood and Texas Steakhouse

2290 IH-10 South

Beaumont, Texas 77707

409/842-0686

http://www.floydsseafood.com/

Thai Orchid: Corpus Christi

I’m always on the look out for new Thai restaurants.  Tempted on returning HuDat or Drunkn’ Noodlez, I venture out to a new place in Corpus called Thai Orchid. 

I must emphasize, “DO NOT JUDGE THIS BOOK BY ITS COVER!”  From the outside, the neon lights and the shady strip shopping center, just cries out illegal massage parlor.  But, once you walk inside, you are transported to a immaculately clean, nice restaurant.

Once seated, the service experience has begun.  The wait staff provides the utmost attention beckoning to every need, and taking pride in their accomplishments.  If all establishments were as attentive as Thai Orchid, the world would be a better place.

Having a pot of jasmine hot tea, I order my usual spring rolls and Pad Thai.  The spring rolls come out beautifully presented.  Filled with fresh lettuce, carrots, shrimp and vermicelli, I plunge them into a sweeter than nuttier hoisin sauce.  Overall, thumbs up for these spring rolls.

The Pad Thai arrives.  Thin strips of chicken accompany the bean sprouts, vermicelli, and scallions.  Overall, this was above mediocre.  I prefer my pad thai with more taste, and I get a little weird about the meat in it.  Actually, when I was finished, I had a plate of chicken leftover.  The waitress asked if everything was ok because it seems that I didn’t like the chicken.  She went over and beyond to make sure I was a satisfied customer.  Ultimately, she said that they would be happy to make it with more vegetables if I wanted to go that route in the future.

In the end, I will return to Thai Orchid.  The food was above average, but the service is the real winner here.  In fact, I would return for that alone.  Check out Thai Orchid the next time you are in Corpus Christi because it is truly a happy ending.

Thai Orchid

4501 SPID

Corpus Christi, TX 78411

361/854-5888

Tom's Burger & More: Elmendorf (San Antonio)

Today, I found myself on the Southeast side of San Antonio looking for a place to eat.  Unfamiliar with the area, I stopped into Tom’s Burger and More.  They offer a variety of food from today’s special-spaghetti to the usual fare of burgers and fish and shrimp combos.

Today, I order the usual fare: a cheeseburger combo.  My burger and fries arrive- the fries are thick cut but not as thick as steak fries.  They are golden brown, but lacking crispness and taste.  They weren’t great, but still very edible.  The burger was a decent thickness, seasoned well, and tasted great.  Fresh tomatoes, onions, and lettuce accompanied it.  The bun was rich, fresh, and buttery.  Overall, Tom’s serves up a really good burger. 

But, then there was another white packet on my tray- dessert?  Yep, it was a fried apple pie.  I am not a purveyor of fried pies besides the Mrs. Baird kind that my mom used to eat in my early childhood.  In my tastes, the pie dough was odd in consistency it was bubbly and flaky.  I can’t say if this is how real fried pies are or not- the inside tasted just like apple pie filling from the can.  In my opinion, I can skip the fried pie the next time.

Overall, when I am back in the Southeast San Antonio Elmendorf area, I would stop back in for a burger at Tom’s.  The no frills place is filled with hard working people, so Tom’s must be doing something right.

Tom’s Burger and More

13950 IH-37 South

Elmendorf, TX 78112

210/633-0143