The Smokehouse at the Doubletree Hotel in Abilene--A new edition to Abilene upscale dining

The Smokehouse is the restaurant inside the new Doubletree hotel in Abilene which opened in late July. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. For my birthday, my date and I had dinner there in late August. 

Hummingbird cake

Chocolate cake

Previously, when the hotel first opened some friends and I stopped in for dessert in the lounge outside the restaurant called the Cattleman's Exchange. All three desserts were delectable and very large for the price which was $10 or less. Each of us took about half of our portion home with us. In addition, the lounge also serves bar food. I highly recommend stopping in for a sweet treat. I understand they have their own pastry chef. The server also told us that the restaurant employs a chef that moved to the area from New York City.

 The ambiance of the restaurant is modern with a western touch. Inside there are booths but most of the seating is tables for two or four individuals. For a date, ask for a booth. 

Chocolate chip skillet cookie

Our reservation for dinner was early so the restaurant was not crowded at all. More people came in as it got closer to 7pm. Once we were seated the server came promptly and asked for our drink orders. Upon returning with our drinks, he told us about the specials for the evening. We decided to try the appetizer for the night which was fried bread and butter pickle spears. I tend to prefer dill pickles but these were quite sour for bread and butter pickles so they had a bite to them and a slight spicy flavor. They were served with a barbeque aioli dipping sauce. I found the batter to be on the heavy side. In the future, I want to try the fried green tomatoes which are on the regular appetizer menu.

Restaurant interior

For dinner, I had the brisket plate and my companion ordered the filet cooked medium rare. Sides for the steaks can be ordered separately but the price on the menu is for the steak only. The sides that came with the brisket were pureed potatoes and broccolini. The brisket was topped with fried onion strings and a gravy. The steak was a little over $50 and the brisket plate was about $18. The website for the restaurant does not list prices but expect the meal to be on the expensive side for Abilene. Since it was a celebration we were prepared for the cost.

The steak was cooked nicely and had a good color and flavor. He said it was a little different than most "Texas" style steaks. The brisket was on the fatty side for me, but many people like that. It did indeed have a strong smoky taste (as one would expect from a place called the Smokehouse). I enjoyed the sides very much but found the gravy on the meat to have a shade of a sour taste but perhaps that was leftover on my tastebuds from the strong fried pickle appetizer. The portion was generous and I could not finish the dish.

Service throughout the meal was attentive and professional. The server was able to answer any questions we had or if he could not he found someone else who had the answer. We were pleased with the training that had obviously been done with the waitstaff before opening for business.

Sliced brisket plate

The next time I go, I will go for lunch since the price points on the lunch menu are lower and there is a greater variety of choices. The dinner menu is not large but they take pride in what they serve. You can tell that this is a chef-driven place

For most locals, dinner at the Smokehouse will be a special occasion splurge, much like Copper Creek or Perini's in Buffalo Gap. The Smokehouse has a more contemporary look inside, less rustic and Texan than either of those but still with a nod to locality in the artwork on the walls. A couple could easily spend over $100 on dinner, if you both had steaks, not counting sides, appetizers, desserts, or alcoholic beverages, so be prepared.

Filet

You can make reservations on OpenTable on the app or online. Currently, the website for the hotel does not have the menu or the prices available to check before you go. 

The Smokehouse

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/abidtdt-doubletree-abilene-downtown-convention-center/dining/

Doubletree Hotel

500 Cypress St.

Abilene TX 79601

(325) 999-1878

Hours

The Smokehouse

Monday-Sunday 7am-10pm

Cattleman's Exchange Lounge

Monday-Sunday 11am-12am



 

Monument Cafe--Cut Above Comfort Food in Georgetown, TX

The Monument Cafe is definitely worth a trip into Georgetown off of Interstate 35 north of Austin. I was headed back home from a conference with some colleagues and one of them suggested lunch at the Monument Cafe. After he told me about the great comfort food (much of it locally sourced and organic) and the scrumptious desserts, I was very game to give it a try.

Art deco coolness

As we walked in I noticed the board with the special offerings for the day, the awesome art deco light fixtures and all the black/white/stainless steel decor. It was about 1:30pm on a Thursday, no wait. Being seated right away is a rarity since normally they are pretty packed.

Hand-made strawberry lemonade

Once settled into our booth, I perused the menu and thought about ordering an omelette since breakfast is served all day but went with the special for the day which was chicken pot pie. There were also burgers, salads, sandwiches, and other home-style favorites like chicken fried steak, liver and onions, truck-stop enchiladas, or fried chicken.

Hand-made strawberry lemonade was my beverage of choice...loved that it was served with the shaker and I could get two glasses out of it.

Heavenly chicken pot pie and onion rings

Everyone at the table ordered the chicken pot pie. I had onion rings with mine and my other two companions got the macaroni and cheese. The pastry on the pie was flaky and tender and the filling was chock full of vegetables. The perfectly seasoned broth and chicken please my palate. Sometimes chicken pot pie can be bland. This may have been the best one I have ever eaten since my grandma's version. The breading on my onion rings had a black pepper twist which accented the thinly sliced onion quite well. A larger portion would have been appreciated.

Carrot cake

Despite being pretty stuffed, I had to have dessert and ordered the carrot cake though I couldn't finish it. Luscious.

Service was friendly and efficient. No complaints. Prices were fair. I didn't pay the bill but I think my meal was around $15.00 without tax or tip.


I peeked into the Monument Store that is attached to the cafe and bought some locally grown hot peppers. There was a variety of veggies, beauty and health items, wine and beer, and a deli in the store.

When driving through Georgetown, I'll have to make sure to  go again! Breakfast next time. Thanks

Monument Cafe
500 S. Austin Avenue, Georgetown, TX 78627
12-930-9586
Sun. - Thrs. 7 A.M. - 9 P.M.
Fri.-Sat. 7:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M.
http://www.themonumentcafe.com/

Navajo Grill--fine dining in Fredericksburg, Texas

The Navajo Grill in Fredericksburg, Texas, is one of the upscale dining options in that rather small but very tourist-laden city. They have dinner service only and reservations are recommended, particularly on weekends. Our reservation was at 7:30pm and the restaurant was about 3/4 full.

The restaurant is a house that has been remodeled. The ambiance was welcoming if a bit loud. The sound of conversations bounces off the wood floors or we had very loud people around us--one or the other. There is also an inviting patio area.

The service was fine but could have been a little more attentive. We had to wait a while to request fresh drinks, though the water glasses were kept filled by the bus person. Also, the plating of the food was haphazard in a couple of the dishes.

Marlin (where's the artistry?)

For an appetizer, we shared a Baja shrimp cocktail ($10) served with slightly stale tortilla chips that were supposed to be seasoned but I could not detect any on the chips. The appetizer was a roasted tomato salsa with chopped shrimp and two seasoned whole shrimp hanging on the side of the glass. The shrimp were well chilled and spicy but a bit rubbery. I liked the flavor except it was a bit heavy on the cilantro for my taste.

My husband also ordered a cup of the Santa Fe ratatouille soup ($5) which consisted of roasted tomato broth, white beans, quinoa, squash, flavored with basil. He loved it. No question, he should have had a bowl instead of just a cup.

For our entrees, I ordered the filet ($39) which was served with Yukon Gold potatoes and grilled asparagus. My husband had the Hawaiian marlin (swordfish) with it came pineapple rice and heirloom roasted carrots as sides ($34). My filet was delicious, perfectly cooked, and the sides were fine if a little uninspired. The swordfish was flavorful if a bit dry. The sides with the fish were very tasty, particularly the carrots, but not plentiful. The steak was the standout of the entire meal for me. For my husband, it was the soup.

Filet--looked appetizing

Dessert consisted of creme brulee with berries and pecan bread pudding. Both were decent but overpriced at $8 a piece.

Bread Pudding

All in all, we expected a bit more. The experience just didn't "wow" us. Perhaps they are too used to serving tourists who may never return. The Navajo Grill needs to step up their game in several areas to justify their prices.

Address: 803 E Main St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624

Phone:(830) 990-8289
http://www.navajogrill.com/

CLOSED Bonterra Blu--Creole Southwestern fusion cuisine

Bonterra Blu bills itself as West Texas Nouvelle Cuisine and it certainly is new...there is nothing like it in this area.  It is a chef-owned restaurant in the small town of Clyde about 15 miles east of  Abilene, Texas. They are open only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for dinner. Reservations are highly recommended as the space is on the small side and it has become very popular. This was my fourth trip in the past year. My husband loves it. The menu changes regularly because of the availability of ingredients so there is something different to try every time we have dined there.

The atmosphere is decorated with local art and the chef strives to use many ingredients from sources that are in the region. One exception would be the fresh Gulf seafood. We are far from the coast. Sometimes they have live music too. The restaurant does not have a liquor license so there is a set up fee if you bring your own wine. Non-alcoholic beverages are available; tea--sweet and unsweet, flavored lemonade and coffee.

Really Big Shrimp

Now for the food! The menu is divided into small plates, salads, big plates, and dessert. Small plates are intended for appetizers but can also be good as an entree for a smaller appetite. I had the really big shrimp small plate as my entree. The shrimp lived up to their title and were fresh and very tasty. Served on top of the creole mashed potatoes. I also had a Bonterra salad. It is a romaine wedge with some AMAZING olive tapenade and fig balsamic vinaigrette. Other salad choices that evening included a caesar salad or an organic greens salad with candied walnuts and goat cheese ($2 up charge)

We ordered crawfish queso with carne guisada served with fresh tortilla chips and calamari as appetizers. I often find calamari to be rubbery and fishy but Bonterra Blu's version is delicious. The Bloody Mary dipping sauce takes it up a notch. The chef using a spice blend of his own design in almost every dish. The flavors tend to be strong so if you have a delicate palate you might find it a bit overwhelming.

Beef filet with creole mashers and fried scallions

Lamb shanks with creole mashers and fried spinach

For entrees, two people at the table ordered the beef filet with creole mashers and one got the lamb shanks. The filets were very high quality with a smokey flavor and the lamb got rave reviews and is one of their most popular dishes. Other starch choices are green chili hominy or sweet potato fries. Portions are generous. However, don't skip dessert.

To round out our meal we had some cappuccino and dessert.  Creme brulee--outstanding!, mini chocolate creme brulee and deep fried bread. pudding. Decadent!

Expect to spend between $30-$50 a person for appetizer, entree and dessert.

205 South First Street

Clyde, Texas
325.513.8548
bonterrablu@me.com