Lowake Steakhouse in Rowena, TX

Apologies for the long absence from posting. Life has been turbulent so I just have not had the time to post in the past few months.

The Lowake Steakhouse (formerly in the very small town of Lowake, Texas) has been around since the early 1950s and was regionally famous in its heyday. The current incarnation moved a couple of years ago over to the town of Rowena, a few miles outside of Ballinger. My assumption is the move was to take advantage of the more frequent traffic on the highway between Ballinger and San Angelo but one of the wait staff said it was also less expensive to move than to fix up the building in Lowake. Judging by the number of vehicles outside of the restaurant, they are doing booming business. People seemed to have come from miles around to eat a Saturday evening meal there. 

Bar area

I remember a family outing when I was in upper elementary or junior high traveling from Abilene to Lowake to eat at the steakhouse. My dad was in the insurance business and he often found little interesting and out-of-the-way places to grab a bite. As a kid, I did not understand the ongoing search to find a delicious, yet reasonably priced steak. However, I do remember being stuffed full and falling asleep on the hour drive back home.

Door to patio

This past weekend, some friends and I took a short road trip to go eat at the Lowake Steakhouse on a Saturday evening. We left Abilene a little after 5pm and arrived at the restaurant around 6:15pm. As we suspected there would be, there was a wait which we were told was between 10 minutes up to 30 minutes. When we picked the date to go, it did not cross our minds that it was Mother's Day weekend as well at time that area college graduations were happening. Not to mention that is was Saturday night. The place was PACKED and there were several large groups in the party room. Our wait to be seated turned out to be 25 minutes. There were other "waits" to come but that is to be expected with the crowds.

Once seated, it took our server a few minutes to come by and get our beverage order. Some of us had already gotten drinks at the bar but we needed some water and soft drink refills. We also decided to put in an order for some onion rings as an appetizer. When the server brought the drinks about seven minutes later, we ordered our meals. All the adults ordered steaks and the pre-teen got a bacon cheeseburger. Then the wait for food began. Granted we had ordered our steaks cooked everything from medium-rare to medium-well but after about 30 minutes we began to wonder about our onion rings and an update on the progress of our meal. Turns out the server forgot to put in the order for the rings. She asked if we still wanted them, we did, so they came out with the meal.

Hand battered onion rings (large size)

Several of us took shifts to head to the salad bar for the salad that came with our steaks. It was very basic selection. Iceberg lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, pickles, imitation bacon bits, a few other items, no mushrooms. Nothing special about it but it was serviceable. The ranch dressing did seem homemade.

As far as the main course, as you would expect from what I have written so far, the biggest issue with the meal had to do with timing. They were busy but it is not a good plan to go ahead and plate the sides while waiting for the meat. My fries were not hot. Others at the table had a similar issue with their fries and baked potatoes, except for the kid that got a burger. We were brought some fresh french fries since I said something about their temperature. The server did not act surprised by the comment which let me know that it was not an uncommon complaint. The onion rings were not piping hot either but the portion was generous, which is expected at the $8 price point. They were nice big slices of sweet onion breaded like a chicken friend steak. The onion rings were filling but the breading could have used more seasoning. The bacon cheeseburger pleased the palate of the kiddo in our group. It was big and the patty was fresh. 

Bacon cheeseburger with hand cut fries

As for the steaks, the menu states that garlic is featured in their seasoning. Very, very true. I tasted garlic powder, black pepper, and probably some seasoning salt. Applied with a heavy hand. This is not necessarily a detriment if the meat shines through which is did but if you aren't a garlic fan, skip the steak. The beef was of high quality.

I had a tenderloin, three others got filet mignon (bacon-wrapped tenderloin) and a bone-in rib-eye. Everyone stated their steaks were cooked to the requested "doneness". One or two would have liked the bacon on their filet to have been crispier but I find that the bacon on a filet mignon is not ever crispy as that would mean overcooking the steak. My steak was quite good but I do not mind garlic. The meat was tender and juicy. I was only able to finish about half of it, so the rest went home with me.

Tenderloin cooked medium with hand cut fries

The tenderloin and filet mignon were priced at $32.00 for 10-12 ounces. I am not sure how much the rib-eye was but the least expensive steak was a small 6-ounce dinner steak (sirloin) for $15.50. The prices were about $2-$5 higher than what I was expecting. On the menu there is KC (Kansas City strip steak) available for up to 7 people. If you have a large group, the KC options are a good bet.

Lowake Steakhouse gets high marks for the steak but they need to work on timing to be sure the sides come out hot. Nonetheless, judging by the crowd, people are pleased with what they get there.

Next time, I'll probably get a burger or the small steak and try the spicy fried pickles appetizer. If you are driving on highway 67 between Ballinger and San Angelo, it is worth a stop.

Also, they do serve beer, wine and wine-a-ritas.

12143 US Highway 67
Rowena, TX 76875
(325) 218-4025
https://www.lowakesteakhouse.com/

Perini Ranch Steakhouse--A "Texas" Eating Experience

Front of the restaurant

There was a time the you go to Perini's and get a table without a reservation. A friend told me it was the kind of place one could meet for a clandestine meal. Those days are long past. The notoriety of serving various U.S. Presidents and being named the best mail order gift of 1995 by the New York Times has made them a "destination" restaurant. People fly and drive to Abilene to eat at there. It is good, very good.

The atmosphere of the remodeled ranch house really makes the experience but unlike the old days they now have air conditioning. There was a time when the restaurant did not and they would have the windows open to let a stray breeze come in. There is also outdoor seating. Don't be surprised if you see local wild life and other animals (last time we saw a raccoon and a cat both eating peacefully outside under a buckboard wagon). Deer are also a common sight.

Located just outside of Buffalo Gap, Texas, about 15 miles from Abilene, the drive to out there to eat is pleasant. Buffalo Gap has many old oak trees.

I have eaten at Perini Ranch Steakhouse many, many times over the years and they consistently deliver a superior steak. The green chili hominy is my favorite side dish. You cannot go wrong with the ribs or bacon-wrapped jalapeno bites for a starter. I am partial to the jalapenos because, well, bacon and cream cheese. They also have quail legs as a starter.

Peppered strip steak with hominy

Perini's serves a prime rib, filet, two sizes of ribeye, a peppered strip, and a good-sized hamburger steak. For those who want something other than beef you can get grilled or fried catfish, fried shrimp, or a grilled chicken breast. I have had the fried shrimp and the catfish. Both have a kick to them and since the grilled catfish is labeled Cajun, I assume it does as well. Dinners are served with a house salad and one side dish. Sides are cowboy potatoes (skins left on), green chili hominy, zucchini Perini which has an Italian meat sauce on top, green beans, and a seasonal vegetable. There is also a chopped bleu cheese salad option if you are not thrilled about a regular house salad.

"Dusted" shrimp and green chili hominy

Many dishes, even desserts such as the jalapeno cheesecake, have a component that could be called spicy. Meals are served with a halved grilled jalapeno in case you want even more heat. This could be off putting for some people. Just ask the server for recommendations if you don't want something with jalapenos, green chili, etc...

There is no need for any type of steak sauce on a Perini steak. The flavor is heavy with mesquite smoke and seasonings. Prices generally range around $30 or more for the steaks.

My recommendation for the perfect meal there is jalapeno bites as an appetizer, a ribeye or filet (depending on how "fatty" you like your steak), a salad with ranch dressing, the hominy, and bread pudding with whiskey sauce as dessert. Don't forget the homemade sourdough bread with seasoned butter too.

At lunch, I recommend the Ranch burger. It is delicious.They also have other lunch-time sandwich options.

You know you want to go. Make a reservation today.


Phone: 325-572-3339
Website: https://store.periniranch.com/steakhouse/  (online reservations available)
Hours:
Tuesday - Thursday, 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Friday - Sunday, 11:00am - 10:00pm

Settles Grill--Big Spring Fine Dining

The Settles Grill is in the beautifully restored Hotel Settles in Big Spring, Texas. It was our chosen spot for Thanksgiving in 2016. We also stayed overnight in the hotel (see Trip Advisor for my review of the hotel--excellent place). It was great to take a break from cooking a holiday meal and head out of town for a couples trip. We had two meals in the grill and both were quite tasty.

The customer service in the grill was outstanding. We had a fantastic server who took care of everything we needed. The manager on duty was also accommodating and checked on us more than once. Our reservations were for 2pm and the restaurant was about half-full at that time. The decor was dark wood and blue accents with historic pictures on the wall.

For an appetizer we ordered the Avocado Fundido ($10) which was Queso Fresco, chorizo, black beans and tortilla chips. We dug into it before I could get a picture. Delicious and a generous portion as well.

Turkey tenderloin with fried Brussls sprouts and garlic mashed potatoes

The holiday special we chose was the apricot pecan stuffed turkey breast medallions ($16) even though there were several other choices ranging from steak to fish. We were such traditionalists! There were a variety of sides to choose from such as green chile cornbread dressing, garlic mashed potatoes, cheese grits, fried Brussels sprouts with almonds, lemon butter broccoli, or pan-fried kale.

My sides were the Brussels sprouts, which I loved, and the garlic mashed potatoes. The hubby had the green chili dressing and mashed potatoes. Roasting the sprouts really brought out their flavor. I wished for a bigger serving. The bechamal sauce on the turkey was excellent. Turkey does tend to get dry and the addition of the sauce helped it a lot. There was also had a little bit of homemade cranberry sauce to complement the turkey. There was more meat on the plate than I could eat. Compliments to the chef!

Pumpkin cheesecake

For dessert we had pumpkin cheesecake with brandy whipped cream and a little citrus sugar cookie ($7). I really liked the little sugar cookie and the whipped cream. The cheesecake had a pumpkin spice flavor but with a little overcooked.

We did go back later in the evening for another meal. My husband ordered trout and I had a salad. He loved the trout. Much too "fishy" tasting for me but he raved about it.

I recommend making a reservation for holidays or special events. We will return.

P.S. On the way out of Big Spring, we had to go to Taco Villa. My husband grew up in Andrews, Texas, so if there is a Taco Villa where we travel it is a mandatory stop even for breakfast. The one in Big Spring it the closest one to Abilene if you are interested.

 

Settles Grill

200 E 3rd St, Big Spring, TX 79720

(432) 267-7500

http://hotelsettles.com/dining/settles-grill