Category Archives: Dining

Frio Hill Country Grill

 

I talked McGator into trying a new place for lunch today. It’s not easy to do: he likes his regular neighborhood haunts where the waitresses know what he is going to order before he even sits down and indulge him by  stepping and fetching fast enough to keep his tea glass filled to the brim. He is a very confident and pleasant man, but for some reason, the thought of initiating  restaurant staff and breaking in a new booth makes him a little testy.

  • McGator (turning on engine): Where is this place? How far am I going to have to drive?
  • Me (pulling me directions up on Yelp): It’s just around the corner. 5 minutes, tops. Just go down Mueschke.
  • McGator: Which way down Mueschke? I need to know which way to turn once I get there.
  • Me (still waiting for the little swirly on my I-screen to stop revolving and give me directions)We’re not even out of the driveway yet. It’s at least 5 turns from here, and you know the way. Don’t worry;  I’ll let you know when it’s time.
  • Mcgator (pulling out of cult-de-sac) Ok, it’s time. Which way am I gonna turn on Mueschke?
  • Me (intermittently  watching swirly): Ok, stop. You know I can’t read in the car. I will get you there. I just need to pace myself before this swirly makes me car sick. Or hypnotizes me.

    Frio Grill, 16410 Mueschke Rd, Cypress, TX 77433

     

    We arrived at Frio Hill Country Grill in less than 15 minutes, and were very surprised to see it sitting in a neatly groomed field in full view of the road. We had driven by it hundreds of times , not realizing it had been hiding behind some overgrown shrubbery for the last 100 years, where it was built as a ranch house  way back in 1907 before being reborn as a  restaurant. I was about to point out there was plenty of parking in the back  when McGator suddenly swerved to squeeze into the last available space in the front lot. A low hanging branch screeched across the roof of his brand new truck he purchased five years ago, and he shot me an accusing look. Sigh. Like that was my fault.

Okra Planks

McGator forgot about the tree branch as we approached the shaded picnic tables on the inviting outdoor patio  studded with corn hole and horse shoe pits. “This would be a nice place to bring the grandkids,” he conceded. We opted to sit inside since  there was a chill in the breeze,  and the hostess led us to a high table by a window in the main dining room. The view of the neighboring cattle serenely grazing in the sun complimented the pleasantly spare and rustic décor.

The menu had some enticing entrées, but I decided to stay light for lunch and settled on  the chicken tortilla soup with an order of the okra planks to share with McGator. The okra weren’t bad;  dusted with cornmeal and lightly fried (is that really possible, or am I indulging myself) with an accompaniment of creamy Tabasco sauce, I decided they counted as my green veggie for the day. I especially appreciated that they had not been dredged in salt and pronounced them healthily seasoned, but McGator went on a search for some salt and pepper shakers which were conspicuously missing from the entire dining area.

 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

My soup had nice flavor with  lots of chunky chicken floating in the cascabel chili infused broth. The menu promised the inclusion of fresh avocado pieces, but instead of mingling with the carrots and corn as I expected,  I found a single anorexic slice languishing on the rim of my bowl.

 

Mcgator went healthy and ordered a portion of nicely cooked and flavorful Mango and Citrus Flame Grilled Mahi Mahi, drizzled with a delicious mango chutney. He pronounced the mahi mahi worthy of ordering again, but remained non committal on the French fries. We both decided our included slices of garlic bread were too limp and soggy to be worth the calories, and left them partially eaten.

Mango and Citrus Flame Grilled Mahi Mahi

 

We treated ourselves to a shared scoop of the prickly pear sorbet, presented with a tumbling mix of berries. It was light and refreshing with a delicate flavor I could not place, so assumed it must be the essence of prickly pear.

We left thinking that the Frio Hill Country Grill was a nice addition to the local restaurant scene. Our meal was good, and we felt encouraged to come back and try some of the other items listed on the menu that was varied enough to satisfy  meat lovers and health nuts to traditionalists and foodies alike.

 

Having a Swirl as an Uptown Girl

Juniper picture window IMG_4078I settled into my temporary home in Juniper’s first floor guest room with relish. The three story Dallas townhouse she and Big B purchased is situated in the neighborhood of Oaklawn, an eclectic mix  of midcentury homes, 60’s era apartments, and newly constructed townhouses. The floor to ceiling picture window in the second floor living room offered a leafy view of the 60 foot pecan tree shading a sidewalk that led to fabulous eating, shopping and entertainment. I was looking forward to living the life of an Uptown Girl almost as much as the birth of my first grandchild.

The townhouse was on the market and subject to frequent last minute showings to prospective buyers, so we were not in the mood to evacuate every last cooking utensil off the counters each day in order to maintain that impersonal hotel staging that realtors love to show off. Our meal prep was limited to throwing together a quick salad or yogurt parfait from the refrigerator staples, so deciding where we would go to dinner was a daily highlight.

Our go-to absolute favorite was Eatzi’s Market and Bakery, around the corner and a quick two block zip down Lemmon Avenue. Eatzi’s motto is “Chef’s Meals for the Taking”, and we certainly took advantage. Sometimes we brought our dinner home to eat, and other times we enjoyed our meals  outdoors sitting at the wrought iron cafe tables on the patio, acting like we were sitting in a French bistro.

Eatzi’s is a feast for all five senses, beginning at the door,  where tantalizingly aromatic tendrils of baking  wrap around you and lead you through the vestibule stacked on one side with puffy white sacks of flour and on the other with  large ovens filled with crusty and golden loaves of bread. Then the swells of opera music pull you through into a  cavern dominated by a large, circular deli case filled with mounds of food attractively displayed on varying heights of platters and bowls. And yes, cavern, because by this time you have forgotten that you are in a non-descript building sitting in the middle of a large city parking lot, and have instead stumbled into a wondrous chamber filled with edible treasure.

The aisle divides and circles around each side of the main deli counter, where chefs decked in traditional toques, white jackets and black checked trousers stand smiling, waiting to serve up whatever dish catches your eye. The aisles are quite narrow, so shoppers find themselves gliding and swirling  past the twice baked potatoes, roasted meats, and salads, gently swinging their shopping baskets around and behind so as not to become entangled with each other. Fresh fruit selections are displayed along the right wall, sandwiched between the pastry and sushi cases. The back wall features assorted sandwiches made with the freshly baked bread, salads, and dips, and an antipasto counter serving up cheeses, meats, and olives.

The left side of Eatzi’s features the made to order sandwich and salad counter, coffee bar, and a grill featuring daily specials whipped up on the spot by more smiling chefs. In between the aisles are shelves stocked with crackers, wines, chips, chocolates, and even fresh flowers.

We sampled our way through many of Eatzi’s entrée choices such as grilled salmon, , or roast chicken, accompanied by various sides of kale, sweet potato, or quinoa salad before eventually settling on favorites: Juniper’s preferred selection was the brisket quesadilla, which we would bring home to heat up on the stove while snacking on pesto hummus and crackers. I frequently opted for an assortment of tapas: olives, cheeses, and dolmas, which I would pair with a selection of crackers and glass of wine. We invariably ended our meal with a scoop of tiramasu or chocolate mousse. Stretching out on the couch in the evenings with our girly foods and watching the neighbors stroll down the sidewalk through the big window was a perfect way to end the day.