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.

Cork & Pig - Willow Park, TX

Yay! James Good Taste is in town. I love it when my brother comes and visits because that means fun restaurant trips and more help on the ranch. He can drive the tractor, prune my trees, ride my horses, entertain the dogs and be just good company all together. It is fun. I knew the first restaurant I wanted him to try was Cork & Pig, it is one of current favorites and wanted his take.

The Frose is my favorite drink to kick things off. They have a really fun cocktail menu and a decent wine list but it is hot outside and the drink is pretty so yes, please. 

James was starving and so was I, the fastest starter was the Guacamole and it was good! The salsa was also really tasty - the server noticed how much we liked it and brought out another. 

My brother loves Hillstone in Dallas and one of his favorite dishes is the Pan-Asian Noodle Salad so when he saw a variation of it here on the menu he went for it. The "Noodle Salad" comes with Asian noodles, grilled fillet, mango, arugula, cabbage, carrots, scallions, basil, cilantro, peanuts and coconut. He absolutely loved it and even said it might be better than Hillstone! 

I ordered the Salmon with Blue Crab, isn't it just beautiful?! The Salmon is simply grilled with caper lemon butter, topped with jumbo lump crab and a healthy scoop of the best mashed potatoes I have had in a really long time. Listen as you guys probably already know, I order seafood a lot. Probably more than the average person and I can confidently say this was a high quality piece of fish cooked to the perfect temperature. There is nothing worse a farm raised, previously frozen, over done salmon. The crab was just an extra bonus, perfection.

I can recommend Cork & Pig pretty easily. You can go for drinks and sit around the lively bar. You can get reservations and sit towards the back for a celebratory meal. There are outside tables to enjoy a good food and drinks when the weather is nice. Cork & Pig is a wonderful addition to Parker County and I cannot wait to go back.

 

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! 

 

Eating through Chains - AZ

Scott and I hit the road late Monday night for Arizona for a 5 day horse show. While he drove I curled up as best as I could and napped during our drive into the desert. As soon as Scott decided to pull off the highway for a break, I instantly woke up and jumped out of the truck.

He pulled into a McDonald's and I was starting to configure what I was going to order before I even got out of the truck. I knew for sure I would grab one of their delicious Coca Cola fountain sodas. What made them extra delicious anyway? The hash browns are a salty treat, so I definitely would grab one of those but what else...

I have never had a Bacon McGriddle so I decided to go for it. It was sweet and salty with the bites of egg, cheese and bacon. I was throughly impressed with this breakfast sandwich! I am not much of a breakfast lover so this made our stop pretty much a success. Have you tried a McGriddle?

In Arizona where we are staying, it is like chain restaurant city and there is nothing wrong with that. As much as I enjoy fine dining, I also like to eat at everyday type of restaurants. They aim to please and are affordable. I hadn't been to an Applebee's in awhile so I was actually looking forward to it.

Ah, the good old Oriental Chicken Salad with extra dressing. This salad has ben on their menu for as long as I can remember and it always has been good. The dressing is creamy, but totally unique. They could bottle it and probably survive off the profits of the dressing alone. The crispy chicken with bites of shredded carrot, sliced almonds and crunchy rice noodles are just to die for.

Who doesn't love Texas Roadhouse? Have you been to one? They are the restaurant responsible for teaching your children to just throw their used peanut shells on the floor. I never understood the concept but maybe it made people feel like they were at home? Who throws peanut shells just on the floor? Ok. I am done ranting about the peanut shells, but I enjoy the salty snack waiting for me at the table as soon as we are seated. 

I was in the mood for a frosty beverage and thought a frozen margarita was just the ticket. The margarita itself was blended perfectly smooth but the mix itself was much too tart. A couple sips of the frosty concoction would leave you puckering your cheeks up tight.

My meal at the roadhouse was a very simple one. Grilled Salmon, buttered corn and loaded mash potatoes not pictured. The salmon itself was nicely cooked, maybe a little touch over done to my taste but it was nicely seasoned so it made eating it very enjoyable. The bites of corn and mashed potato were great sides and I couldn't have left more satisfied.

What chain restaurant do you just love? 

Azu Anniversary Dinner - Ojai, CA

Our Anniversary dinners are always special to me. We usually spend them at The ranch House but due to a last minute plan change we ended up at Azu. I had been there with Dana for lunch not to long ago and enjoyed it so I was very excited. We ordered a celebratory cocktail and cheers to many more years!

Our starters came up and I was excited to dig in to my Beet and Burrata Salad. The cheese was lovely but the beets shared a plate with pickled carrots hat shocked the soft texture of the cheese and beets. I could have done without the carrots and just sunk my teeth into the creamy cheese and vibrant beets. The waitress talked Scott into a Kale Caesar that he absolutely loved. 

We both ordered the Fish of the Day and were both equally disappointed in the dish. When we ordered the halibut we both assumed it would be served in a small, thick cut as that is the way it usually served. Instead it was a razor thin, flat piece that took up 3/4 of the plate. Halibut is usually flaky and easily eaten with just a fork. I had to pick up a knife and saw up a piece to put in my mouth each bite. We should have sent it back and got something we enjoyed but we were so bummed out we just sent it away after several delicious bites of mashed potato. FAIL.

I thought a dessert might turn this night around and the Flourless Chocolate Torte at the very least put a better taste in our mouthes. It was nice.

I know better than to suffer through a meal without speaking up to the waitress but it is hard to complain n a special date night with the husband. You want to appear kind, sweet and demure not a bossy lady who complains about her meal. So, we took this one in the shorts. 

Maybe I should have stuck to my favorite bacon wrapped dates and honey baked brie for dinner...

Wood Ranch - Santa Clarita, CA

Yesterday I cruised on over to Burbank to pick up Scott from the Bob Hope Airport and after many changes in flight arrival times I was getting pretty hungry. Around that airport there are not very many good food options other than fast food. So I decided to rough it, fight Interstate 5 traffic and pull into my favorite Wood Ranch for a mid day meal.

Scott was craving a salad just as much as I was and went for the Tri-Tip Chopped Salad. He has been judging the NCHA Futurity so it was nice to catch with him over a meal. The salad is the perfect amount of food for someone craving something substantial for lunch but not heavy enough to make you feel exhausted after eating it. 

If there is an Asian Chicken Salad on any menu you know I am going to order it. This Salad is very good. I am pretty picky on my Asian style salads because I have had the best one in the world at Tao' Tao's in Sunnyvale, CA. This one is completely different by using romaine, and incorporating mandarin oranges but I do love all the crunch from the nuts and puffed rice noodle.

While I was mowing down my salad I saw a plate of one of my favorite things go by... Onion Strings are so good! They are one of my favorite starters to a meal at Wood Ranch and I almost kicked myself for not ordering them! 

If you have not been to one of the Wood Ranch restaurants yet, you are missing out on a Southern California staple. Go and pig out on BBQ or order a petite lunch salad, it is all up to you! Just be sure to go... Hurry!

The Penthouse - Santa Monica, CA

Everyone enjoys a nice surprise and I received one Monday morning! I was chatting with my pal Dana and she said to pack my bags, and be ready by one because we were headed to Santa Monica to stay in a nice hotel, eat at a fabulous restaurant and discover the a part of the Los Angeles food scene. She didn't have to ask me twice, I had my errands done and was packed in two shakes of a lamb's tail.

We arrived at the Huntley in Santa Monica in the early evening and I could not get over how beautiful it was! Stunning, excellent staff and they house a fantastic restaurant at the top level of the building. How great is that?!

Our crew for the evening. I have to say we clean up quite nice! We loved this downstairs area complete with gorgeous fireplace, huge garden of mirrors and comfortable outdoor seating to enjoy Southern California's wonderful weather.

 We had a late evening reservation and were seated by an amazing spot by the window so we could overlook the twinkling lights of the city and observe he ominous blanket o black, otherwise know as the night time ocean. To liven up the party we settled on an evening cocktail of vodka and grapefruit. Light, crisp and refreshing as we perused the menu!

The chef sent out an amuse for us to enjoy and it was prosciutto wrapped asparagus drizzled with a balsamic glaze. it was salty, sweet and everything you want in a bite. I loved this start to our meal. 

We ordered the seared Ahi to start as we all were interesting in sharing a lot of our dishes. The ahi was perfect, the potato puree that it rested on was delightful as well. Everything was served cool so the pickled red onion and powdered wasabi gave the dish a kick that you were looking for.

Christian and I were all about sharing the Beet and Goat Cheese Salad. We love our beets! The variety of the cuts and colors made for a very pretty picture. We supposed to be sharing but I think I ended up eating most of it!

I for once did not order the scallops! Christian did. I did grab a bite and they were halved (my pet peeve) and set on the plate with a lot of garnish. I like my scallops served whole please!  It was served with a leek ravioli, shaved mushroom and micro greens. Christian seemed totally satisfied but it is kind of a cop out trick the eye into thinking you received four scallops when it was truly two.

 Dana ordered the Duck breast and it was a beautiful plate. With a hearty scoop of forbidden rice, also known as black rice, she ate the meat with bites of carrot, aus jus, rice and meat until her plate was perfectly clean.

Fish and beans? Sure, why not! I ordered the Sea Bass with crispy skin attached. The beans, had pieces of lardons and each bite reminded me of baked beans and went surprisingly well with the fish. I liked it a lot! I cleaned my plate and was totally done for.

I just want to send out a special THANK YOU to Christian and Dana for including me in their fun adventures and blessing me with their friendship. I am a lucky, lucky lady!

Lure Seafood Restaurant - Ventura, CA

I took my family to my favorite place in Ventura to chow down. Where everything is fresh, plentiful and all seafood, Lure! Come virtually enjoy our lunch...

After a morning playing with the horses we all declared ourselves first and foremost, famished but also a little wiped out. How about a little cocktail to treat ourselves after the hard work of plating hard? The Bloody Mary proved itself to be highly potent and a good choice if you want a little seafood snack with   a leaded cocktail. I ordered the Blood Orangtini, it was sweet and lovely. 

For the table we ordered Guacamole and Chips to start and they came out fast. It was a good thing too because we all tore into it like it was the last plate of food on Earth. We also ordered the Lobster Spinach Dip served with crostini and it too was tasty. We just kept chowing down and happily enjoying each others company.

Charbroiled Oysters! I love them. I was excited to order two plates and they all went down the hatch once they were cool enough to handle. They are always so big and tasty. Today was no exception! 

As our entree's arrived person to person I became jealous of everyone's order! First up, Sand Dabs lightly breaded with panko and sauteed with a lemon butter caper sauce. She chose her side as rice pilaf as well as a side salad that came out before her main meal. 

Look at this Louie!

The seafood on this salad was so gorgeous and plentiful. The salad itself was a large portion and did lack dressing, but they gladly will bring more on request. It was ordered x2 at the table and not one left the table without food on it. It is a large portion so beware you salad orderers out there!

I ordered this Idaho Trout Almondine and loved every bite of it! The butterflied, boneless fish is pan seared and served skin on. The almonds and parmesan coating gives a crunch to the otherwise soft delicate fish. My side is the Cilantro Corn Salsa packed with jicama, onion, red pepper and jalapeno. I love this stuff! I couple eat many more cups full! The Parmesan Potato Cake was a great second pick of sides because the smooth creamy red potatoes seared flat with butter, parmesan was a perfect pairing partner to the fish. I loved my lunch, loved, loved it! 

I left feeling stuffed but in a good way. The way that makes you feel satisfied but still comfortable enough to walk and shop. And that is exactly what we did. The weather could not be any more gorgeous in Downtown Ventura so we took advantage of the sunshine!

Jimmy's Pub - Ojai, CA

Yesterday felt totally like a wonderful Fall day. Although it has been Fall for quite sometime now, it just truly has felt like Summer. Warm, sunny days are always welcomed but I do want to update my wardrobe and dress in my favorite cozy clothes for awhile. I slipped on one of my favorite sweat shirt dresses, leopard tights, Frye boots and went on my way!

Christian, Dana and I decided to all meet at Jimmy's pub inside the Ojai Valley Inn to celebrate Dana's birthday a little early. Christian brought Veuve Clicquot to toast Dana and we were well on our way to a leisurely lunch. I did notice one thing about Jimmy's menu as it was sat in front of me, it has changed! in a much better way! It includes higher end options and more seafood! I like that!!

Christian ordered the Green Bean Salad with horseradish, onion, peaches, apples, potatoes and toasted almonds. I personally would probably never order this reading it off a menu but in real life the salad looked scrumptious. 

Dana loves her greens and she raved on this Caesar Salad. She really thought it was perfect but what surprised me the most is she doesn't like anchovies! I think that is the only part worth eating! How funny.

The soup of the day was Clam Chowder and you know I jumped all over that. The chowder was on the thinner end of the spectrum and was totally enjoyable. It really was more like a Corn Chowder which is fine but there was a lot of corn involved. I liked it but didn't finish it as I knew I had my entree coming...  

 Fish and Chips! My favorite! I was so happy to seem them as an addition to the new pub menu. I swear breakfast, lunch or dinner can be solved with an option of Fish and Chips! The fries were thin and crisp, perfectly salted. The star of the dish, even if cod and not my beloved halibut, was quality and lightly breaded. The cole slaw was nice, a perfect bite of freshness amongst bites of fried food.

What a special day! I got to spend a lovely lunch with two of my closest friends in Ojai and dine at a beautiful eatery. Fall is finally here so break out your favorite snuggly sweaters and boots guys and gals!