Casey's

The hubs and I spent a great day at Galveston State Park and worked up a huge appetite, so we were happy to find a casual sit-down place called Casey's. The promise of 20 beers on tap lured us in -- and yes, we did enjoy some of them -- but we were surprised and delighted by how delicious the food was.

We started with the mozzarella sticks, which were basic but tasty. I had the Gulf Coast burger (also known as a Po Boy burger) with waffle fries. This was a very nice beef patty topped with lettuce, tomato, and fried shrimp and crawfish in a remoulade sauce. If you don't think that sounds appetizing (WEIRDO), take my word for it, and give it a try. The seafood really shown without overpowering the burger, the meat was juicy but didn't make the seafood soggy, and the homemade bun it was served on was still warm and very tasty. A creative, filling sandwich.



For whatever reason, my husband decided we needed to see the desert menu. We ended up sharing a piece of the key lime cheesecake. Like my sandwich, this dessert combined two classics without ruining either of them. Do you like cheesecake? Do you like key lime pie? If so, you'll like this. I did.



Our server was very sweet and attentive. We certainly never wanted for anything while we were there, and honestly -- we're both so full that we're still hating life right now, hours after our meal. Go to Casey's with a big appetite and an open mind. You won't be disappointed.

Special Out of Town Edition: American Grocery Restaurant

Sorry it's been so long, blog fans. It's been quite a year so far! We're building a house, still working full time, and basically trying to get our feet on the ground after the holidays. We did have some really good sushi at Kubo's and some pretty decent sushi at Sushi Hana but I honestly couldn't bring myself to write about fish again.

Last week, my husband was out of town and had a great meal, and I asked him to guest blog. So, without further ado, here's "The Husband Who Ate Houston" and his review of American Grocery in Greenville, SC. Enjoy!

Once I found out I had to be in SC for work, a co-worker told me that American Grocery was the best food he had eaten in a while. So, after a short (and quite pleasant) walk down Main Street in Greenville, I arrived outside AGR. The outside was fairly non-descript but inside the setting was classy and quite cozy. My waiter was quite helpful and friendly in a way that apparently most people in Greenville are -- which is to say they seem to genuinely enjoy talking with you.

I started off with a Pig on the Porch. This delightful little cocktail consists of bacon-infused bourbon and ginger ale. I had to say this was one of the best cocktails I have had in some time. The bacon flavor in the bourbon made it finish off quite smoothly and with just a hint of bacon on the palate.

For starters, I had the crispy pork belly. I had seen pork belly cooked on Top Chef before but had never had the opportunity to actually taste it. I must say this was the highlight of the meal and one of the best foods I have ever eaten. It was crisp without being tough (I could, and did, cut it with my fork). The pork belly tasted like the most flavorful bacon I could imagine and yet was so tender it was almost like eating a steak. The dish also came with crisp apples, grits, and pecan-bourbon maple syrup. The grits were perfectly cooked -- and I'm not even a huge grits fan -- and the syrup was absolutely amazing. (You might note that AGR loves three things: (1) local meats, vegetables, and beer, (2) bacon, and (3) bourbon. I can get on board with all of these things.)



Next, I had the Split Creek Farms Goat Cheese salad with a mustard vinaigrette. Now, I think mustard is a fine condiment but I wasn't crazy about it being on my salad. It wasn't bad -- but not great either. The pecans in the salad were very well done but, in the end, it was just a salad.

Finally, for the main course, I had a Confit of Local Rabbit with baby carrots and hunters sauce. The rabbit was tender, tasty, and the outer skin just a little crispy. Overall a very good dish. My only complaint on this dish was the farro verde -- which I thought distracted from the simplicity and tastiness of the rabbit more than it added.



If you are ever in Greenville, SC and you want an excellent meal from start to finish, definitely make your way down to AGR -- you won't leave disappointed.