Sunday 4.16
We woke up early to head to head to Texas. Our flight left at 6:55 a.m. and we got to Houston a little after ten. We met up with my dad and went to brunch at Daily Gather. We started with some very good deviled eggs and got Thomas chocolate donuts and french fries. He didn’t mind us eating his chocolate donuts, but he was none too happy about how many fries we all ate. For my main course, I had venison hash. It was good, but under-seasoned, and the eggs, though sunny side up, were a bit over cooked. I did try a new gin though, Dripping Springs. I had it both in a spritz and as a gin and tonic.
After brunch we went to Corpus Christi where we stayed with my uncle for a couple of days. He stocked our room with all sorts of things, including fresh pineapple, which I was happy to eat. For dinner, I got asked to cook. I made beef tenderloin on the grill and some asparagus with onions in the oven. I also heated up garlic bread. The steak was amazing, but the asparagus was over cooked.
Monday 4.17
Our first real morning of vacation and Thomas wanted to go to the beach. It was also planned that I would make dinner again. Over breakfast of eggs benedict, I made a shopping list. Then we headed to Padre Island. It was very windy and not really beach weather. So after a little bit we went to Virginia’s and had a cocktail and a very good crab dip. When we got back to my uncle’s I made a grocery store run to get some wine and a couple more things for dinner. I made Mediterranean shrimp pasta and served it with a baguette. It was good, but could have use more feta and some oregano. After dinner I talked with my dad and my uncle and had a piece of carrot cake.
Tuesday 4.18
We woke up to cinnamon rolls and kolaches from S & J Bakery. These were amazing. I had never had a sausage and egg kolache, and I’m sorry I didn’t take a picture of the sausage patty and cheese inside the “donut”. The cinnamon rolls were so good I think I could have eaten four. I tried to keep myself to one. But after breakfast we drove to Houston to my aunt’s house and I had to smell them the whole way. Will power won out and dinner was deli sandwiches along with some guacamole and nuts.
Wednesday 4.19
Big family dinner tonight. We tried to go swimming in the morning but the water was far too cold event though it seemed warm out. I had some nuts by the pool and then snacked on some queso.
Kelly, Thomas, and I went to the park and whie we were out stopped to get tacos and margaritas. The place was called Tacos el Patron. They also have two locations in California. We started with chips and salsa with very good and very hot hot sauces. Then we got tacos, carnitas, fried fish, and a beef tostada taco. The beef was my favorite, but all of them were great.
We came back and had dinner with my extended family, beef tenderloin, asparagus wrapped in bacon, baked potatoes (I turned one into mashed potatoes for Thomas.), and salad. For dessert my Aunt Neva made a carrot cake. It was very good because she used a pecan filling in between the layers, kind of like having carrot cake mixed with pecan pie.
Thursday 4.20
We got a late jump on the day. Our plan was to have bbq before going to NASA, but we started out to late so we ended up eating there. Kelly and I split a muffaletta and some chips which wasn’t bad. But Sreyleak said the chicken sandwich was really dry. We had a great time at NASA but were too late to go to Brennan’s, our original plan for dinner. So we stopped at Total Wine and got a bottle of gin (Fox & Seeker) and a bottle of Prickly Pear Spirits. We also used the time to figure out where to go to dinner.
We settled on The Original Ninfa’s. It was amazing. I got the tacos al carbon with steak. They say this is the taco that launched the fajita craze. I don’t know if that’s true but I can’t say no to a food with a good story. I also got quail and a brisket chili relleno. The quail was wood grilled and absolutely amazing. Of course we had chips and salsa to lead off and tres leches for dessert. It was an amazing meal with great people.
Friday 4.21
Time to go home. I ate a lot in the past two days so I just got some chips for the plane to hold me over until we got home. They were kinda like Takis but not quite. The texture was a little odd. I still ate a bunch but didn’t finish the bag. We stopped at Charlie’s in Harvard Square for a cheeseburger and fries (I also ate some of my son’s chicken fingers) and Flour for an oatmeal raisin cookie.
Saturday 4.22
I had two birthday’s to celebrate today. The first was for my niece. I had a pulled chicken sandwich and some chips there. I tried to not eat much, but I kept going back for more chicken. After that, I went to Portsmouth, NH for a birthday dinner for my friend Michael. We went to the Library where I had filet, garlic bread, creamed spinach, and french fries (they were really good but I would not have called them fries). I skipped dessert at both birthdays. I’m trying to make up for how much I ate in Texas. I had a small cheese plate before the parties, so I feel like I ate light today given the situation.
Top Three
I spent most of the week in Texas, but sadly didn’t get any bbq. I did get Tex-Mex twice which I love. I had some good beef there, but the best things I ate were:
3. Cinnamon Roll (Tuesday)
2. Tacos (Wednesday)
1. Wood Grilled Quail (Thursday)
Links:
travel bite: Houston and Corpus Christi
Dripping Springs
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Concord Culinary Lyceum 
