The Waffle Bus

Last month my little family and I went to the Houston Children's Museum (post on that coming soon).  After running around all morning we decided to give another food truck a try and drove on over to the Urban Outfitters in Rice Village in Houston.  I've noticed that the Urban Outfitters in Houston is always hosting a food truck and that Sunday afternoon it was The Waffle Bus.  Inside the "bus" the staff is preparing all kinds of goodness inside waffles or waffle fries.  The guy to took my order was really awesomely friendly.  It may have been because I still had my face painted like a cat from the museum and totally forgot, but I really think they are just a good staff!
My husband and I ordered the classic combo of chicken and waffles with their special sauce (which is like a spicy mayo).  I noticed as I waited for my food that they were doing everything fresh on the spot.  The chicken is buttermilk battered and fried there on the the bus.  Even noticed they were checking on the chicken's internal temperature to make sure it was cooked all the way through.  The chicken for me and my husband was the star of the show.  It was quite tasty and very moist. 
My daughters shared an order of their Cheeseburger and Chicken Fryders, which are little slider type burgers that use waffle fries instead of buns.  My husband and I got to taste at least one of each kind of Fryders since the kids didn't finish them all.  The burger was quite tasty.  Can't go wrong with beef, cheese and fries! We did notice the actual fries have a little kick to them, which my family enjoyed.
We hope to go back and give their sweet sandwiches a try, they looked delicious.

Round Rock Donuts

About two weeks ago we traveled west to Austin, Texas for a cook-off.  My husband and his friend competitively cook in cook-offs all year round and this time they thought they would give it a go in Austin.  While there we decided we HAD TO to go over and try Round Rock Donuts.  If you watch Travel Channel or or Food Network, you may have seen this donut shop featured in shows.  We saw it on Travel Channel's Man Vs. Food.  Their most popular item is their huge, "Texas-Sized" donut and orange glaze.

The Texas-Sized Donuts next to their regular donuts, which were pretty big too!

Bigger than my water bottle!

So, Sunday before we came back home we decided to give it a whirl.  The line ran outside of their small store front.  I was weary and started to think, "Can they really be worth waiting in line for?"  The line moved fairly quickly and once I was inside, I ordered my donut which was reasonably priced and waited for my order to be ready.  We didn't actually eat the donut until we got back home that afternoon.  After taking our first bites, my husband says, "I will go back!"  It really was a great donut!  They have this amazing texture that I have never had in a donut before.  We can't wait to go back!

I loved the art on the box!

Bakkhus Taverna Greek Resturant and Bar

Yummy Hummus

Here is one of my personal local favorites.  When my husband asks where I would like to go for my birthday or our rare date nights, THIS is the usually always my first choice.
Bakkus Taverna Greek Resturant and Bar is located in Kemah, Texas' Lighthouse District near the popular Kemah Boardwalk.  The area is quite popular and when you sit on the deck it kinda reminds me of eating outside in Key West.
Bakkus has cozy indoor seating or has a great deck to enjoy your meal.  They have all kinds of yummy Greek food, but my family's favorite thing to eat there is burgers.  Seriously.  Their burgers have a Greek flare to them and unique taste that I've only had at Bakkus.  I usually order one of their burgers which comes with some great crispy fries lightly sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.  I've also had their Gyros and steak on steak night and they are also delicious.  Our favorite appitizer is their classic hummus with fried pita bread (comes baked, too), which my kids love. We usually end up ordering some extra pita with it because it's a good amount of hummus. 
So next time you are in the area and want to try some great Greek food, give Bakkus a try.

My Olympus Burger

Tookie's Burgers

So, a couple of weeks ago we stopped by to eat at one of our favorite burger joints, Tookie's.  This restaurant has been a local favorite for years.  In 2008, Hurricane Ike decided to fill it with five feet of water, but after a couple of years Tookie's was restored and updated.  It came back with the same decor and the same awesome menu.  I meant to take more pictures, but I was so excited about eating a Tookie's burger, I forgot.  So this pic is of what was left when I remembered:

 
Yup, it's so good there was nothing left.  Visit their website to find out more.

Flamingos 2 Go

Just part of the display in my mom's yard

A few months ago, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I won a Breast Cancer Support display from a small, local business.  When I picked-up the display, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.  This awesome lady decided to start this business as a way to supplement her family's income, but also provide something truly unique.  Flamingos 2 Go rents out displays (known for their flamingos) to put up in your own yard or in someone special's yard.  She has tons of themes for all types of occasions.  Usually, you can go pick-up the display and set-up or you can pay an additional fee to have it set-up for you.  Please check out their website so you can see all the ways to "flock" the yard!
NOTE:  The pictures I am posting are from my mom's yard.  I wasn't able to set-up everything she provided because my mom's yard is smaller and limited by the amount of cement in her patio, but it still looked great and she was so surprised. 

A trunk full of fun waiting to be displayed

Monster PBJ Food Truck

Well, last month (it's February already!?!), we met with some friends to try out Monster PBJ on a Sunday afternoon.  We have seven kids between us all (us:4, them:3), so a cool, brightly colored food truck that severed that childhood staple seemed perfect.
Well, first thing I noticed is that not only is this truck's menu kid friendly, it's really adult friendly.  There were a lot of adult customers waiting in line, too.  The second thing is if you think this just peanut butter and jelly slapped on a couple of slices of bread, you are wrong.  These sandwiches are well, monstrous.   There are so many combos that you can use to build your sandwich.  The added plus is that all of the ingredients are fresh.  A lot of thier jellys and bread are locally made.

So, check out their website and then go check them out!  Enjoy!

Home Sweet Home

Downtown Houston Skyline

Hello and welcome to my new blog.  Those of you that know me are thinking, "Another one?!"  I know, but this is one I had floating in my head and had to get out there.  Hey, some people are into shoes, I guess I am into blogs and local businesses.  Huh?  Well, this blog is to document my family's ventures as we check out new and well-established local businesses.  I really believe that it's the small hole in the wall restaurants, the mom and pop's, your nearest corner boutique that make a town a home.
Think of it.  When you think of your hometown (especially if you don't live there anymore), what are some of the first things you think of visiting after family and friends?  It's that restaurant that has been there since you were a kid.  That corner joint that has THE best burgers.  The bar where you just KNOW all your friends hang out on a Friday night.  Those places are hardly ever a chain, they are usually an establishment run by a local family who work their tails off to give you the best experience and product for your money.  Occasionally, I will also try to show off local festivals, cook-offs, farmers markets and anything unique to the area (mostly, Houston, Texas).

So with that being said, I encourage you to try out these local places or ones in your area.  Hope you enjoy reading!

NOTE:  These posts are only my opinions. I am going to try and highlight what I think are the best parts of each place.  They are only my opinions, your experience and opinion may vary.

ANOTHER NOTE:  Please don't get me wrong, I love chain businesses, but I hope my blog helps people discover what makes their own town unique.