Rick & Carolyn's Burgers and Fries (and homemade steak fingers too) is popular with a lot of folks!

Rick & Carolyn's Burgers and Fries has been in Abilene for a very long time. They once had several locations in town but are now down to only one located on S. Pioneer Dr. between S. 1st and S. 7th streets. They are a real hometown spot with some devoted customers.

Steak finger dinner with onion rings ($2 upcharge)

As the name indicates they have burgers and handcut french fries but the items that most people rave about are the steak fingers.

The parking lot was full at 12:30pm when I arrived. It looked like a lot of "regulars" were enjoying their lunch. Orders are taken at the counter and they will bring out your food when it is ready. Service was extra friendly. Also, even though it was the lunch rush, the food came out fairly quickly. The people working were on the ball. 

My friend and I both ordered the steak fingers dinner which comes with fries. I substituted onion rings for the fries which was a $2 upcharge. They are also made on the premises. The steak fingers are huge! They are not the pre-made frozen ones you get a most fast food places.

The steak finger dinner also comes with Texas toast, white gravy, and a drink. The meal also come with ice cream but I did not have room for it at the end. I paid just over $20 for my lunch but it will easily be two meals for me. The fingers are basically a chicken fried steak cut into thirds.You can also just order a chicken fried steak if you do not want it cut up. I doubt anyone is still hungry if they finish the entire plate. It is a lot of food.

The peppery batter is thick but there was still plenty of meat. The meat was tenderized well but could have used a bit more seasoning. The same batter was used on the onion rings, which did kind of overwhelm the vegetable a bit. The slice of onion could have been a bit thicker to stand up to the batter. All that being said, I was only able to eat one piece of meat and three onion rings before I was completely full.  

By the way, the hamburgers are pretty good as well, so the next time you are in the mood for some old-fashioned homestyle fried food or a burger, give them a shot. 

Rick & Carolyn's Burgers and Fries

302 S. Pioneer Dr.

Abilene, TX 79605

325-793-2706

Hours:

Mon-Sat 11am-8pm

https://www.facebook.com/RickandCarolyns/

Whiskey Ridge in Driftwood, TX, offers "upscale casual" dining in a western contemporary enviroment. Make reservations, especiallly on the weekend.

Whiskey Ridge is a contemporary Western restaurant located in the quickly developing Hays county area off a two lane road between Kyle and Wimberley. My date and I were in the area visiting family and decided to go there for dinner on a Saturday night evening.

The restaurant is fairly new and extremely popular. Upon arrival we quickly figured out that we should have made a reservation. By 5pm, the place was already packed. There were several large groups seated (this was between Christmas and New Year's Day) both inside and outside. We decided to put our name on the list since it would take us a while to get back into town to find another place to eat. After that we headed out to the patio bar area but after not seeing a server, we decided to go around the front of the restuarnt where there were a couple of fire pits, a porch swing, and two patio chairs. We watched the sun set as we waited about a little over an hour for our table.   

Once seated on the outside patio, the server arrived quickly to welcom us and give us our menus. The menu was not huge but there were several intriguing options. Steak, of course, some interesting appetizers, upscale sandwiches, salads, and items such as a chicken fried ribeye or a Wagyu burger.

We ordered our drinks but did not get an appetizer, even though some of them were very tempting. I decided to go with the fried jumbo gulf coast shrimp ($23) for dinner. It came with cole slaw and a blackberry horseradish dipping sauce. My date ordered the center-cut filet ($65), cooked medium rare (sides were extra), and we shared an order of fries ($7).  

The food took about 30 mintues to arrive. This was not terribly surprising since the place was extremely busy. The server did check on us and kept our water filled. Fortunately, we were not in a hurry but by the time the food arrived we were quite hungry. It was getting close to 7pm and we had been at the restaurant since about 5pm. 

My shrimp were good-sized but had cooled off a bit by the time they got to the table. Perhaps waiting for my companions steak to be done? Not sure. They were tasty and not overcooked but the breading could have been a bit lighter. I did not care for the sauce that came with the dish, so I asked for tarter sauce and cocktail sauces. They did not have any tarter sauce so they brought me some hot sauce and cocktail sauce. 

The steak was cooked perfectly to order and served with a dollop of garlic butter with parsley on top. However, the server did not wait and have him cut into it to be sure it was how he wanted it. 

It was a very good steak but perhaps could have done with a little less "dressing" up so that the flavor of the meat would shine through. 

The fries were the closest thing to a McDonald's french fry that I have ever tasted outside of Mickey D's. Whiskey Ridge must have figured out the secret recipe! They came out hot and crispy with a side of ketchup.

The service was attentive and considerate, if a bit slow. The restaurant's ambiance is certainly a draw, particulary if you would like to sit on the patio when the weather is pretty. The view from the patio was of a pasture. 

The adult beverage menu was extensive. I can certainly understand why it is popular, even if there were more restuarant options within 5 miles of  the immediate area, which there are not, except for the Hays City Store & Icehouse across the road.

I would go back when I am in the area but next time I will make a reservation and/or avoid going on a weekend.

Whiskey Ridge

Sunday - Wednesday - 3 PM to 10 PM

Thursday - 3 PM to 11 PM

Friday - 11 AM to 11 PM

Saturday - 3 PM to 11 PM

https://www.whiskeyridgetx.com/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076531110232

https://www.instagram.com/whiskeyridge.tx/#

8750 W RR 150, Bldg 300, Driftwood, Texas 78619

Great Onion Rings at the Diamond R Store & Cafe in Zephyr, TX

Onion ring appetizer with yellow onions (small)

 

If you find yourself on highway 183 south of Brownwood and you are feeling a bit peckish, consider stopping in at the Diamond R Store & Cafe for a good burger, delicious homemade onion rings, or some of the other tasty options on the menu including Tex-Mex and fish. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is table service so you can rest a while too. 

Mushroom Swiss burger with purple onion rings

 

The onion rings and top notch! In fact, there are even two varieties, yellow onion which are thicker cut or purple onion which are thinner and more crispy.

Fries are hand cut too. Prices are very reasonable as well.

Hamburger and fries

Additional bonus—homemade ranch (at least it tastes like it.) 

 

 

Diamond R Store & Cafe

11801 Highway 84 E

 Zephyr, TX, United States, 76890

(325) 739-2068

 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100058924246669&sk=about

Hours

Monday-Saturday

7:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Sunday

CLOSED

CLOSED Threadgill's on Riverside in Austin, TX--Home Cookin' in the Capitol of Texas

King Ranch Chicken Casserole, spinach casserole, and San Antonio squash

Chicken fried steak (gravy on the side), mashed sweet potatoes, and green beans

On a recent trip to Austin I had occasion to go to eat with a friend at the south side location of Threadgill's. They are a long time Austin institution for home-style cooking and live music. I had long heard of it but had never eaten there.

After arriving around 12:45pm, we were seated after a short wait. The server did a decent job for us but looked less than enthusiastic to be at work. He was on top of my drink refills so no complaints that he was not in an extra jolly mood. Overall, the efficient and quick service for those folks that need to get back to work is appreciated.

I ordered the Friday lunch special of King Ranch Chicken, though I was very tempted to just get a veggie plate due to the plethora of options. Particularly items that I haven't had the frequent chance to eat since Sunday dinners as a kid at my grandparent's house. My companion went with the tried and true CFS, which Threadgill's is well-known for serving. A basket of jalapeno cornbread muffins and bread was on the table very quickly. We both chose the cornbread and it was yummy, not dry at all.

My lunch was filling and perfectly fine but not "blow me out of the water" delicious. I tasted my friend's chicken fry and the flavor of the meat came through the rather heavy breading. I admit that I prefer pan frying over deep frying when it comes to CFS due to the fact that the breading/meat ratio tends to be higher on the meat side when pan fried. It was a nice-sized portion without question. She doesn't like cream gravy so I don't know if that would have added to the experience. My friend commented on how much she liked that the sweet potatoes didn't have marshmallow or cinnamon added to them, letting the natural sweetness of the potato shine through. My favorite part of lunch was the San Antonio squash side dish on my plate. The squash still had some firmness to it and wasn't cooked into mush. I enjoyed the green chili flavor and the creamy sauce. The spinach was just fine but in retrospect I should have gone for something else, such as the butter beans or the okra.

Buttermilk pie

For dessert, I could not resist the buttermilk pie which is my absolute favorite pie of all time. The little dabs of whipped cream that were served on top added to the presentation. The pie had a thicker floury texture than other's I've tasted that tend toward a more custard-like filling. It was good pie but not as good as I've ever had in the past. My standards are sky high in this regard due to the superior baking skills of my grandma.

I think the fact that there are probably a fewer number of "comfort" or "Southern" food restaurants in Austin (in comparison to my neck of the woods) or people's nostalgia for the past are what  keep people coming back to Threadgill's. The meal was perfectly fine but the restaurant is not somewhere I would make a special trip to patronize. I do wish I had gotten those butter beans and some extra cornbread though. 

301 West Riverside Dr.
Austin, TX  78704
(512) 472-9304
http://www.threadgills.com/

Mon-Thurs 11a-10p
Fri 11a-10:30p
Sat: 11a-10:30p
Sun: 10a-9:30p
Sunday Breakfast Buffet: 10a-1p

Po Po Restaurant outside Boerne, TX--A Tasty Timewarp

Booth with decorative plates above

On a recent trip, I stopped at a place located west of Boerne, TX. It is actually in a spot called Welfare if you are looking for the sign on Interstate 10 between Comfort and Boerne. It is the Po Po Restaurant. Whenever I am in the area, it is a goal to eat there if possible. The plethora of collectible plates on the wall, the white banquet seats, the fried chicken and tranquil views. It feels like a little like a trip back to in time when I visit.

Po Po's has an interesting history. It started out as a "middle-of-nowhere" hill country dance hall in 1929.  The service, though not always speedy, is attentive and friendly. I have eaten at Po Po:s many times over the years; with friends, with family, and all by myself. On this last visit, it was a solo trip for a late lunch/early dinner as I drove into San Antonio for a conference.

View from my table

The menu is large and varied but they are well known for their delicious fried chicken. Prices are more expensive than you might expect--about $2.00 more per item than you might pay in other restaurants,perhaps because they are a bit hidden. I ordered a patty melt with onion rings ($10.99). The rye bread was perfectly toasted and the 1/3 lb patty was juicy. The grilled onions and cheese on top made for a messy lunch but it was worth it. I couldn't finish the onion rings which were hand breaded and thick cut.

Patty melt on rye with onion rings (half-eaten, sorry)

Over the years, I've had the fried chicken, chicken fried steak, catfish and shrimp, and for dessert-- bread pudding. They serve liver and onions for those in search of that meal. Pasta, steaks, seafood are available as well as a full bar. Breakfast is now being served from 7am-10:30am.

If you find yourself in the area, go ahead and take the exit and enjoy a leisurely meal at Po Po's Restaurant. They have featured lunches every weekday. 

Reservations are accepted and recommended for weekends and holidays. They close at 8:30pm Sunday-Thursday and 9:30pm on Friday and Saturday.


PO PO Restaurant
829 FM 289, I-10 Welfare exit 533
Boerne, TX 78006
 830-537-4194 
http://www.poporestaurant.com/
https://www.facebook.com/poporestaurant