Oak & Third - Mineral Wells, TX

Mineral Wells, Texas - Home of the Crazy Water. The "Wellness Capital of Texas" received this title when in 1881 locals noticed a woman drinking from a mineral well and claimed it calmed her "crazies". You can buy this water here today! Sounds like a simple solution for a big problem, water does really make the world go round. Located inside the Crazy Water Hotel is the restaurant, Oak & Third and this is where we had lunch today.

Blue Crab Arancini 

Blue Crab, Prosciutto, Risotto, Gruyere

Charred Lemon Aioli 

Okay, obviously I had to try these. They were on the shareables menu and I did not share them, in fact I ate them all. To be fair, I offered in between stuffing my face but maybe Scott noticed me enjoying myself too much to break up all of my joy? They were hot, salty and I love mayonnaise based sauce. Did I really taste crab? Not too much, but it didn't disappoint me because of all the other savory ingredients taking center stage. I really enjoyed the dish.    

Southwest Cobb

Grilled Chicken Breast, Roasted Corn, Black Beans, Cheddar, Tomato, Cilantro, Ranch, Tortilla Strips.

Scott ordered this salad because it has been hot, hot, hot in Texas. He found the salad to be refreshing, the vegetables were fresh and the ranch dressing was the "good ranch", everybody knows that is the kind not served out of a shelf stable bottle. He had one critique, he really wished the chicken was served warm. I have no doubt if we had asked if it could have been served that way or even sub out the protein it could have been accommodated (for a price upgrade of course) because we spoke to the chef on our way out and he seemed like a really kind guy.

Braised & Crispy Pork Belly

Brussel Sprout Kimchi, Fish Sauce Caramel

Okay, I don't normally order something like this. You guys know me, I am seafood girl but today I just went for it. It was like pork candy! I did share these with Scott and he said this would be great served over his salad. Clever! The kimchi was a nice touch, it made me feel like I wasn't being too glutenous eating almost an entire bowl of pork. Order this if you ever were curious about trying pork belly.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Soaked Date Cake, Butterscotch, Smoked Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Our waitress talked us into dessert and I am not sure we needed it. We were content with our lunch but let her twist our arm. It tasted like Christmas and that made me happy, I loved all the warm spices in the cake. I was content after a few bites because I was getting full and it was plenty sweet. it felt like that was all I needed to feel satisfied. The smoked ice cream was unique, I have never had anything like it before. It balanced the super sweet butterscotch and made it a nicely balanced dessert.

We had a lovely lunch at Oak & Third located in the Crazy Water Hotel. If you have time after lunch, go check out the shops in lobby - They also have Rickhouse Brewery that I cannot wait to try as well. The hotel is so beautiful and has so much to offer to the town of the Mineral Wells. I will be back for a dinner review! 

Stay cool Texas! And don't forget to drink water to keep the "crazies" away. Lol.

Whiskey Cake - Las Colinas, TX

Hi! This is me, fresh off a flight from California. Scott Good Taste picked me up from DFW and wanted to surprise me with a new restaurant because that is my love language. I have never heard of Whiskey Cake but it sounds fun, as well as the neighbor restaurant - Mexican Sugar.

Upon entering I noticed the air conditioning was excellent. I was warned that Texas was on fire - especially since experiencing a very mild California climate, so the Arctic air was a blessing. The restaurant was decorated beautifully. It gave modern cabin vibes, I liked it.

They had a Crab Cake on the appetizer list. I am sure this is one of the reasons why Scott picked this restaurant for me to try. He knows I love them. I am not sure if I have ever disliked a Crab Cake but I can certainly tell you this was not my favorite one. It was very wet and cool in the center, I wasn't grossed out or anything but it was just way too cold. The combination of the remoulade, cold lemon and room temperature hot sauce squeeze bottle made the temperature too chilled for something to be served hot. 

Fry me up some Green Tomatoes and serve them up hot, please! And they did just that. They were take a bite and try in breathe in air between weird open mouth bites hot! My favorite temperature. Salty and tangy and all the things that brought me joy. The best order of the night.

Call me boring because I always order the Fish and Chips. Boring Melissa Good Taste, I will take it. Beer battered wild Atlantic haddock, hand cut fries blah, blah, blah. You know I liked it but to be honest, I was getting full and was getting sick of remoulade. The same remoulade was served with the Crab Cake and Fried Green Tomatoes so I was kind of tired of flavor. Could I have asked for ketchup or Ranch dressing? Yes, I could have but I asked for a box instead. It would have a date with my air fryer the next day for lunch.

Scott ordered the Wood Grilled Steak Salad which included: sliced flat iron steak, house greens, roasted tomatoes, pickled onions, Gruyere, buttered croutons and a horseradish vinaigrette. He was excited about eating a few fresh vegetables because he had been eating like a bachelor cleaning out the pantry and freezer while I was gone. He mentioned his steak was chewy and ate around his salad until he claimed he was full. He didn't take his leftovers home.

We were both tired and ready to go home but we couldn't leave without the restaurant's namesake: Whiskey Cake, so we got it to-go. After an uneventful drive home we unboxed our dessert and grabbed two forks for further examination. Sticky toffee cake, bourbon anglaise, spiced pecans and vanilla whipped cream is what came out of perfectly boxed containers. It was fine. I think it is a dish better served fresh so the warm cake melts it toppings together for a - moist - bite. At home, it was just meh. We didn't think the calories were worth it so we tossed it. How mature of us. 

Over all I cannot recommend a visit. The service was friendly but the food was just ok. If you do find yourself there please order those Fried Green Tomatoes. And then maybe wander next door to Mexican Sugar and give a margarita a try for me! 

 

Inaka Fusion - San Juan Bautista, CA

Melissa Good Taste always goes back "home" to San Juan Bautista at the end of June and that means I get to check out the current local restaurants in the area. I love Japanese food and when I heard it was also fusion I thought, "How cool, let's go!". The inside is modern and clean. We were sat instantly and greeted warmly. Off to a great start!

I ordered a beer on draft without perusing the rest of the cocktail menu...

Our waiter suggested B&R Farms Apricot Sake and I though "Yee-haw! Why not?!"  This is dangerously good. Sweet, potent and all the things that make you enjoy a night out. Order this!

First up were the Crab Rangoon Nachos. I will admit I didn't imagine them to come out looking like little raviolis but they were excellent! They were deep fried wontons filled with crab and cream cheese filling - that alone would make them delicious but the addition of both the sweet chili sauce and the citrus aioli made them out of the world. Order these!

       

Obviously I am a sucker for a deep fried wonton because the Thai Chicken Tacos also caught my eye. Stuffed in the taco shell was lemongrass chicken, cabbage slaw and sriracha aioli. Their sauces really put each dish over the top. This is also another must order.

      

We veered over to the Sushi menu and decided on the Raiden Roll. Spicy salmon, cucumber, macadamia nuts, unagi, avocado and shredded bonito. It read to be delicious and I really love macadamia nuts so I was really excited to try it. It was good - maybe ask to leave off the bonito flakes if you try it. I think it might have taken away from all the really fun flavors it already had going on. There were other sushi rolls on the menu that I really want to try next time, specifically the Sashi Tataki Roll and the Johnny Tsunami Roll.

  

Molten Lava Cake? Don't mind if we do. The perfect ending to a fabulous dinner. Chocolate cake, a ooey gooey hot center, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and fresh black berries. Ok-aaaay now that was exactly what we needed to cap off a fun evening.

San Juan Bautista is a small town that certainly benefits from a restaurant like this. The restaurant business is tough and I want to support them so I can go back and visit on my next trip back home. Not only was the food delicious but the service was also really attentive. There are things other than sushi and small appetizers on the menu in fact, steak and pasta dishes as well so don't let a picky eater deter you from giving it a try. I will be back and if you go say Melissa Good Taste sent you. 

Cutting + Cheesecake - Arizona

Greetings y'all! This was pretty much my Arizona "Jump Start Your Year" Horse Show outfit. It was chilly willy in the mornings so you know I had on layer upon layer. Bloggin' from our Ford 650...

I couldn't stand not taking a photo of these two dudes. Bobby and Scott have been friends for over 20 years. I love this photo.

Lunch at the horse show took a few trial and error runs but by the last day we finally got it right. They had a Pulled Pork Comb - Which included a sandwich, fries and a soda. I asked for the bun to be left off so I could make it a forked up meal. With each bite I snagged some sweet pork, a french fry or two and had it sauced up with ketchup and mustard. Now that was a meal. Washed down with Mountain Dew. Oh ya...

And for dinner? Why not another chain? On the scale of chain hood I would say Cheesecake factory is on the higher end. I have always had a good meal here and always left totally satisfied.

For dinner I had the Salmon Genovese and it was amazing! I was so pleased with order and ate every single bite. The salmon was a wonderful medium rare and rested on a bed of pearl couscous. The pool of almond pesto was so tasty, I wish I ordered a side of it so I could eat it up with a spoon. The sun dried tomatoes, green beans and artichoke hearts were all vegetables I could deal with. Order this and order this now. Delicious!

 How can you go to the Cheesecake Factory and not get a piece of cheesecake?!  I decided to go with the original version and was perfectly happy. Sometimes the toppings mask the taste of the good, old fashioned cream cheese so I was happy with my decision on keeping it classic. I was supposed to share with the table but I think I mowed down the most of it.

I love the Cheesecake Factory!

Christmas Day - San Juan Bautista, CA

On Christmas morning my Mom woke up peacefully to wander downstairs to make a hearty breakfast at an easy pace. As we did not need to do our usual Santa present madness this year as it was just us big kids to entertain. Christmas ham, hash potatoes and sunny side up eggs fueled us for a relaxed day ahead. 

We opened a few presents after breakfast. It was fun for me to play Santa and look at the faces of family as they opened each package. I would have to say, Scott was the best gift giver - my Mom cried with tears of happiness! Now that is what Christmas is all abut, making family happy!

My Dad got tons of books so he tore into them and starting reading after breakfast.

My Mom got started on squeezing lemons for her Lemon Meringue Pies...

Piping the meringue...

And finishing them off in the oven!

I got started on the prep work for our Shrimp and Scallop Puffed Pastry topped with Garlic Cream Sauce. New recipe...

Garlic, shallots...

Mushrooms... Chop, chop, chop.

I even made my Oven Baked Risotto recipe. It is a winner every time.

Too big of an Le Creuset pot for just 8 serving of risotto but it did the job.

James request these Stuffed Peppers at every holiday meal. Bacon, sausage, cream cheese, green onion... Easy peasy.

Dinner is served! It is not the most visually attractive meal but it tasted like heaven. Rich, creamy and totally the right amount of food. Everyone cleaned their plate and there were no left overs... Now that is the perfect sized meal.

Butter and cream live here.

Two of Santa's favorite elves!

Christmas Eve 2014 - San Juan Bautista, CA

I love, love, love going back home for Christmas. My parents are always the kindest hosts, cook the best food and make you feel so welcome. When I pulled into the driveway on Christmas Eve my Mom's house was already beautifully decorated and her cooking was in full swing.

Our table settings used to set for 30+ people but now they are usually set for 8. It is way less hectic and a much more enjoyable experience for my Mom I am sure.  

This Santa has been a part of every single one of my Christmas holidays. My Mom thinks he was born in the 1950's, I just like his jolly spirit. 

My Mom was making eclairs when I walked in. She then stuffed them with custard and whipped cream. She is just an amazing cook.  

 While she was making the desserts, I took a selfie.

Lol. True story.

Christmas time is always the best time. 

We didn't put out too many appetizers because we didn't want to be stuffed for dinner. My Mom was so kind and made me my favorite Chicken Liver Pate, I ate this until dinner was served and was perfectly happy. 

My sweet Dad. 

It has been a Christmas tradition to have soup and crab the night of Christmas Eve. My Mom would make clam chowder and sometimes split pea soup and then serve up hot buttered rolls.  

It is perfectly filling an a nice segway into the next day's full cooking agenda. I love soup so it is always is a favorite for me!

Cracked crab from Stagnero's in Santa Cruz is the only way to go for a fresh seafood platter. The crab was sweet, fresh and totally meaty. 

As you can see, we had a totally mellow night. It was pretty much heaven in my book...