Beyond East Texas
Health Camp (Waco, TX)
Posted by BEVO | Filed under Beyond East Texas, Community, Dining
Stopped here after the Summer Games of Texas swim meet in Waco. If you have designs on going to this place, go early….because it fills up quickly and the seating area is pretty small.
This Waco institution is a no-frills burger-and-shakes place. I’ve not had the shakes but they sure sell a lot of them and every one I’ve seen looks delicious.
For my latest visit, I went with the Steak Sandwich. It is served piping hot and is a far cry from its counterparts at the chain fast food places. I also had an order of tater tots. They were good, but were a bit more “onion-y” than I had anticipated. I presume a batch of onion rings had been fried up ahead of my tots order.
My oldest went with the grilled chicken sandwich, which he said was good. My wife joined my other two kiddos in getting the cheeseburger.
So that’s five sandwiches, two orders of tots, and drinks all around for about $40. Yep, told you it was pricey….but you won’t be leaving hungry, either.
But, again, it’s a Waco institution and it’s “on the circle” … the traffic circle, that is … which makes for an entertaining driving lesson for those future drivers in the car with you. So for a dining adventure before, during, and after….stop by Health Camp.
Blind Tiger (Shreveport, LA)
Posted by BEVO | Filed under Beyond East Texas, Community, Dining
My wife and I managed a weekend getaway to Shreveport and chose to eat at the Blind Tiger our first night in town because it was within walking distance of our hotel.
My mission was clear — Cajun food or bust! We started off with an order of Crab Cakes. They came three to an order, each the size of a hamburger patty, with a creamy rue and some small crawfish. The flavor was absolutely outstanding! Crispy on the outside with warm, sweet crab on the inside and not the least hint of a fishy taste. WAHOO WARNING: This appetizer (or “appe-Tiger” as they call it) could easily serve four adults or maybe a family of five…so don’t overdo it right out of the chute.
For supper, I went with the Red Beans and Rice. It took up the entire plate and was served with an enormous wedge of cornbread. My wife had the Chicken Bacon Swiss sandwich, served with battered french fries. It, too, covered the plate. In both cases, we ended up eating only half at the restaurant and taking the other half back to the hotel. WAHOO WARNING: Seriously, each of these entrees could easily feed two people.
At this point, we were soundly stuffed. Yet, I still hadn’t learned my lesson. So I ordered not one, but TWO slices of cheesecake and had them boxed up for the walk back to the hotel. We didn’t even peek at the cheesecake until we got back to the room. And, as the Wahoo could’ve told you, WE SHOULD HAVE SHARED A SINGLE SLICE! This wasn’t your Sam’s Club cheesecake, either. Each huge slice of traditional cheesecake came with a container of chocolate drizzle, caramel drizzle, and a dollop of whipped cream. It took us two nights to polish those off, too.
So, in short, we had an appetizer, two entrees, and two desserts for $44 (including tip) and could have easily fed 4 or 5 people. If you leave this place hungry, it’s your own fault. But chances are, you’ll leave saying “Wahoo!” Oh, and be sure to tell the Wahoo howdy on your way out.
Remington Suite Hotel & Spa (Shreveport, LA)
Posted by BEVO | Filed under Beyond East Texas, Community, Hotels
After running kids to sporting events all summer, my wife and I finally managed to squeeze in a getaway for the two of us. Having stayed in dozens of nice, but cookie-cutter-like hotels in recent months, we wanted something “grown up” and different that didn’t have “casino” in the name (this is Shreveport, remember). The Remington is exactly what we wanted!
The staff is very friendly and accommodating, the hotel is very quiet (only 22 suites!), and the polished, beautiful look that begins in the lobby extends all the way to the rooms, too. Fellas, if you’re a romantic Neanderthal like me, you can pick up some serious romance points by taking your gal to this place. Spacious rooms, beautifully decorated, marbled bathrooms, jetted tub — the works! We stayed in a Deluxe Suite which has a King bed in the bedroom and two love seats with fold-out beds in the living area. (This room would’ve easily accommodated our family of five.) Nice refrigerator for storing the leftovers from the restaurant down the street, good microwave for re-heating them for that late-night snack, and they even have an in-room Keurig for you coffee-drinkers!
The Remington is just across the bridge from the Louisiana Boardwalk where you can take in movies, shopping, more restaurants, etc. And here’s where you can prove you’ve scored some romance points with your wife — if she likes The Remington, she’ll let you visit the Bass Pro Shop at the Boardwalk. Mine did!