Hungry Howie’s is a pizza chain, originally from somewhere in the mid-west. They have a location on the drag, and it has recently risen to the top of my favorite fast food pizza delivery places. Why? Because of the flavored crust. At Hungry Howie’s, for no additional charge, you choose a flavor to add to your crust. Flavors such as ranch, garlic and herb, and Cajun are just a few of the choices. My favorite is garlic and herb crust. Towards the end of your already delicious slice of pizza, a delightful surprise awaits you: a crispy yet still soft crust filled with pungent garlic and flavorful herbs, offering a flavorful and unique ending to an otherwise ordinary pizza delivery experience.

Okay, enough. The Suitor and I ordered wings from there the other day. Here is what I think:

How do they compare to wings from Dominoes? It’s tough to say. These wings were not coated in any spicy buffalo sauce, even though that was the supposed flavor I ordered. Instead, the flavor was baked in and, although not as dominating, still provided a flavorful kick after the second or third wing. Dominoes’ wings on the other hand, were sloppy and spicy, just how I like them, right off the bat. However with Hungrey Howies, it was nice not being covered in sauce for once, and the chicken was cooked to a perfectly crisp perfection with no distracting and disgusting blubbery fat, which is conceivably expected from fast food.

I do recommend these wings. It’s a good buy. They’re cheap, they’re delicious, and you won’t look like a slob eating them!

Boulevard has killer weekly specials, like two for one burgers on Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays, two for one chicken fried steak on Wednesdays and Sundays, and all you can eat catfish every Friday. They also have bargain drink specials almost every day of the week. The interior is quaint, with no embellishments. What you see is what you get. And what you get is GOOD food.

First, we ordered queso:

Queso at Boulevard Grill

The queso is fantastic in every way. I would be so bold to say that it is better than the queso at most Mexican food restaurants. It has a smooth and creamy consistency, with no fake cheesy taste. Unlike general queso made with Rotel, this one had no lumpy peppers or jalapeno, instead the spices were discretely melded with the rich cheese.

Next I ordered the Buffalo Wings and The Suitor ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger, with the idea that we would cut the burger in half and split the wings.

The wings are crispy, non-greasy, and easy on the taste buds. They definitely require an infinite amount of napkins or paper towels because they are drenched in hot and spicy buffalo sauce.

The burger was also out of this world. The Suitor chose a wheat bun (good for him!) which was slightly sweet, evocative of those sweet Hawaiian rolls available at the grocery store.

The patty was perfectly cooked and juicy. Normally, this is served with the typical lettuce and tomatoes, however The Suitor isn’t keen on veggies so he opted out.

The crunchy bacon added a flawless textural addition to the overall burger. It wasn’t greasy or floppy in any way. It was melt in your mouth-just killed the pig and fried it up-delicious!

The burger is also served with a side of fries, which are nothing to write home about. They’re typical fries. Probably once frozen. They have a slightly spicy seasoning on them, but they taste like store-bought fries heated up in the oven-not quite crispy and more on the soft side.

The Boulevard Grill is a must try. Because of its exterior appearance, it’s hard to foresee the deliciousness waiting inside. It had been in business for many years without much publicity, so the food must speak for itself.

Boulevard Bar & Grill

3616 Far West Blvd Suite #116

Sun-Fri 11am-12am; Sat 11am-1am

512.345.3103

]]> http://krazyrose.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/boulevard-bar-grill/feed/ 0 Katie-Rose CIMG2580 CIMG2581 CIMG2582 CIMG2584 CIMG2586 CIMG2585 http://krazyrose.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/12-days-of-christmas-at-sikara-co/ http://krazyrose.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/12-days-of-christmas-at-sikara-co/#comments Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:01:42 +0000 Holly Golightly http://katieroseknows.wordpress.com/?p=751 ]]> December is here, and so the shopping madness begins! The crowds, the price comparing, the money fluttering out of the bank account… What if I said none of this had to be the case? What if I said you could find perfects gifts in the comfort of your own home while relaxing on the couch. No price comparison needed because these are one of a kind gifts, no money fluttering out of the bank account because of a secret special savings opportunity?

It’s not exactly secret, but it is a savings opportunity. Sikara & Co. Jewelry is having a promo called “12 days of Christmas” in which from now until the 12th of December, a new product will be featured with the opportunity to receive an extraordinary discount. Today, for example, is the first day and their most popular item is 25% off. Rather than $80, the Classic Large Swirlys are now only $60… $20 more in your pocket! But it lasts just for one day.

And for a sneak peek at tomorrows deal:

After an intense two weeks of dish review frenzy, Dishola achieved its initial goal of 1000 dishes… and then some! A well received flurry of taste bud approved dishes enabled Dishola and Whole Foods to donate 1002 meals to Meals on Wheels. The Austin community as well as surrounding communities proved to have Austin’s homebound at the type of their priority list.

Dishes such as Lamb Sliders from Trio, Little Stinkers from Black Sheep Lodge, Spinach Scallop Salad from Whole Foods Market, Black and Tan cupcakes from Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop, and Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Pizza from Tony C’s Coal Fired Pizza are just a few of the most recent 1000 reviews posted on Dishola. Because of this user driven community, 1000+ more people will be fed, thanks to ordinary foodies like YOU.

Directly on west 6th, you step down a few stairs into a cozy restaurant with an intimate setting. I immediately fell in love with the snug milieu and the friendly hostess. I studied the menu carefully. The waitress raved about the french fries, which helped limit my options as now I just HAD to taste these “amazing” fries for myself. I settled on the Croque Monsieur, both because I didn’t know how to pronounce the name and also I had never ordered a dish like this before.

Although this was technically a work lunch, I was determined to snag a few shots. I didn’t have my camera with me, but thank God for technology because my phone provided the images you see below (even though they are lacking in quality):

We were first served with soft, aromatic bread. I desperately wanted to eat the whole basket, but somehow I limited myself to not even one whole slice. The bread was incredible, but unnecessary when I saw the size of my meal:

The Croque Monsieur is apparently as big as my face. When reading the description on the menu, it is totally incomprehensible to think you’ll be served a huge open-faced sandwich. Granted, I have no regrets. Why? One word: Gruyère. Far from neatly placed on toasted rye bread was a hearty portion of shaved country ham with toasted mustard and bechamel, then smothered in melted Gruyère cheese. I was no where near able to finish this gourmet sandwich. The slightly sweet, yet salty and nutty Gruyère complimented the lip-smacking country ham impeccably. To make matters worse, the fries were out of this world. Before my review of Roaring Fork Fries, I had never tasted fries comparable. They weren’t quite thick cut fries, but they weren’t shoe string fries either. They were crunchy and perfectly seasoned and salted. The best, BEST part was their ketchup, which is mixed with Cajun spices. Their Cajun ketchup really left a unique impression on one’s palate… the kind that makes one yearn for more!

I was overall overly satisfied with my visit to Bess Bistro. The atmosphere at lunch time is warm and hospitable with plenty of room to talk business or simply visit with friends. The staff was attentive and informative when it came to choosing what to order on the menu.

My next goal is to visit Bess Bistro on a busy Austin night in hopes of glancing a peak at Sandra Bullock herself. What would I say to her? “Yummmm.”

Bess Bistro On Pecan:

www.bessbistro.com

500 W 6th St Austin, Tx 78701

I was cordially invited to a pre-Thanksgiving holiday dinner at their french country home, not knowing fully what I was in for.

To start, I was greeted with several appetizer dishes. The first was actually prepared by my best friend, which obviously has inherited the cooking-gene.

White Bean Dip

This White Bean dip recipe is originally produced by Giada De Laurentiis from the Food Network. I looked up the recipe and found all the secrets:

Cannellini beans, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, Italian parsley, salt, and ground black pepper. My friend however added slightly more parsley in order to give it a greener color. Then Barbara chopped up some red bell pepper to give it a festive touch. This dish would be perfect (and easy) for entertaining during the holiday season with it’s red and green color scheme. They served it with an array of crackers, pita chips, and little crostini bites for dipping.

Also, my friend’s father made his very own, homemade, beef jerky and turkey jerky

On the Left: Beef Jerky On the Right: Turkey Jerky

It is truly amazing to me when someone can produce something homemade and so tasty. Apparently the sou chef marinated the beef and turkey for 12 hours, then slowly smoked it for another 15 hours. The turkey jerky sat in a super secret marinade recipe which Barbara invented herself some years back. It had an extremely unique, and slightly sweet flavor.

Another appetizer, whipped up and ready for all of us hungry heathens to dine on, was jalapeno, stuffed with oyster, and wrapped in bacon.

Jalapeno poppers with oysters wrapped in bacon

These little guys were awesome! But beware, they are also potent. The jalapeno was crisp and provided a nice crunch along side the oyster, which added an interesting texture against the crispy bacon. These do have an overwhelming spicy flare, and a few seeds seemed to have escaped the eyes of the cook so some were more lethal than others.

Frog legs, jambalaya, and corn

Next up? The main event. You probably wouldn’t have guessed it: Frog Legs. This is just one of many unusual meats I have eaten in the Beery household. For a small time period, we had an “exotic meat night” tradition at The Beery residence. I’ve tasted everything from savory shark to mouth-watering ostrich. I am fortunate to experience meats like antelope and wild boar cooked to a toothsome creme de la creme.  For Thanksgiving, in true Cajun style, frog legs ordered from Quality Seafood Market materialized before our hungry eyes. It seemed to me that frog legs are the exact median you would expect from an amphibious creature. Though they tasted like chicken, the meat itself had a delicate consistency, similar to fish but not quite flakey. Plus, they’re eaten like chicken wings… what’s not to love?

Frog Legs

Check. Cross that one-off the bucket list please. The side dishes were no pansy-shmanzy side dishes either. The first was a wholesome jambalaya, which I cook all the time because I can do it in a crock pot. This was no ordinary jambalaya though. This delicacy included spicy andouille sausage, chunks of tender ham, and unsuspecting alligator! This was a winner.

Jambalaya and Corn

Corn accompanied this substantial side dish. It was so mouth-watering I specifically asked for the alluring secret. The answer? In short, sautéed corn with green and red peppers, then salt, pepper, touch of garlic, and cream. The cream seductively deluged the frog legs as they laid their helplessly. It was all hopelessly unforgettable.

As if we hadn’t all already over eaten, there was of course an elegant dessert table all set out. It held the classics such as gingerbread men and fudge, but it also had the single most weakness that I possess. My kryptonite: Cheesecake. Caramel Cheesecake. I am constantly on a food safari for the densest and richest cheesecake. This one is the winner. It was by far the best cheesecake I have ever eaten… and let me tell you, that is A LOT of cheesecake. No one at the table could stop oohing, awwing, and moaning with each and every bite of this heavy dessert.

This was by far an unforgettable beginning to Thanksgiving. I think the Beery family could give Dai Due Supper Club a run for its money. I have experienced many “firsts” at the Beery home, and I am never disappointed. Thanks to their infinitely welcoming open arms, I have formed many palatable memories around a table filled with friends.

It’s connected to a generic Hyde Park corner store, and hardly looks like a deli or catering company. However, when you step inside, the aromas of fresh bread and savory sliced meats enlist all of the senses.

I glanced at the menu, saw the word Cajun, and immediately knew that’s what I wanted to order.

The sandwich was fantastic! It completely deviated from the normal turkey sandwich your mama used to make. Inside the two sourdough slices were layers of lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeno, and Cajun turkey- which added its own spicy flare to this lunch time dish. I particularly loved the jalapeno spread richly coating the insides of the sourdough bread. It appeared to be mayo based and it added a nice fiery spunk to the already spicy sandwich.

The only thing better than this sandwich was the upbeat and friendly staff. They turned sandwich making a piece of entertainment.

]]> http://krazyrose.wordpress.com/2009/11/28/fricanos-deli/feed/ 0 Katie-Rose CIMG2575 CIMG2576 http://krazyrose.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/red-onion-potato-and-goat-cheese-pizza/ http://krazyrose.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/red-onion-potato-and-goat-cheese-pizza/#comments Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:51:51 +0000 Holly Golightly http://katieroseknows.wordpress.com/?p=640 ]]>

Today’s itchy fingers recipe is Red Onion, Potato, and Goat Cheese Pizza. I say itchy fingers because when I get fidgety and bored, I cook. I baked. I create things. Todays little bundle of joy is something I’ve never even eaten before, so I thought it would be a fun little adventure.

Ingredients:

• fingerling potatoes (I just used red new potatoes, I never follow the rules)
• olive oil
• red onion
• refrigerated pizza dough
• mozzarella cheese
• goat cheese
• garlic
• thyme

One thing I need to make very clear, is that I did not follow the recipe. Huh? you say. It’s true. I hardly every follow recipes down to their exact measurements. I do things my way. Deal with it.

I first boiled the new potatoes until they were soft. Then I drained them and let them cool for a few minutes before slicing them.

I always keep generic dough in the freezer, I can make thin crust pizza and a variety of other things when I want. I rolled out the dough place it in the oven, and let it cook halfway. I sprinkled the mozzarella over the crust and placed the potato slices neatly on top. I think crumbled goat cheese evenly all over. I scooted the pizza into the oven until the crust was golden and the cheese was melty.

I sliced up the little pizza into finger food bites, and my roommate and I dined on this scrumptious carb-lover’s pizza.

This is why: because they’re actually quite good. These are the regular hot wings, they have a notch higher, but these were quite spicy. I enjoyed their sloppily good flavor. The ranch was quite good too. Now I understand, wings that are cheap and tasty…. what any good late night food is made of.

So there you have it. I’m embarrassed. A self-proclaimed foodie, an ambassador for Dishola, and this is what I’ve been reduced to. But it was soooooo worth it.