Food Review: Willy Burger

I've heard of Willy Burger being one of the best restaurant in Beaumont, TX, and I finally decided to go to see if the rumors were true. The results definitely blew my mind, and I'm going back for more in the future.

My friends (left to right) Tammy, Isaac, and Lucas at Willy Burger

I was automatically transported back to the 40's as soon as I step inside the restaurant because of their vintage diner theme. I love every inch of it as it made me feel nostalgic like I was actually living in that era.

Their menu was filled with goodies from burgers, beer to funnel cakes. My three friends and I decided to order different burgers and split them between the four of us to try; I ordered the Hee Haw burger with a side of sweet potato fries, my friends Isaac and Tammy ordered the Kung Fu burger with a side of fries topped with shredded cheddar cheese and bacon, and our other friend Lucas ordered the Booty burger with a side of regular fries.

Beside burgers, Isaac also ordered a root beer float and a cup of Shiner Bock. They both tasted great and made for great appetizers.

It only took about five to ten minutes when our food was ready. I'm pretty sure they made these burgers with love because they look phenomenally out of this world. My mouth was watering when I saw them and couldn't contain my excitement for when I'm able to eat them.

 

Hee Haw burger with sweet potato fries

It took me a minute to comprehend all of the flavors that was in this burger at the first bite. The burger was topped with homemade pimento cheese, a fried green tomato, fresh lettuce, crispy bacon strips, and it was smothered with red pepper jelly. The number one thing that stood out to me most was the sweetness of the red pepper jelly balancing while complementing the savory burger. Plus, the sweet potato fries were outstanding on its own as well. It was very slightly seasoned with salt to where I could still taste the sweetness of the potato.

 

Kung Fu burger with fries topped with shredded cheddar cheese and bacon

The burger that Isaac and Tammy ordered has an asian kick to it, hence the name, the Kung Fu burger. This is my favorite burger out of the three because of its spice. This burger is topped with an Asian slaw, crispy bacon strips, chopped white onions, sliced jalapeno peppers, two slices of pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Sriracha mayo. The cheesy, crispy, and salty fries were a splendid bonus with this spice-delight burger.

The burger that Lucas ordered was quite special because of a added bonus cajun twist. It took my friends and I a quick minute to figure out what made this burger so different than the rest. Then, we realized that there was boudain that topped this perfect masterpiece, and everything cliked. The overpowering spice that we knew from every southern comfort food was blended within this burger, and it made it all the better. The burger is topped with melted cheddar cheese, creole mustard, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, jalapeno, and the main focus, fried boudain. Every bite that I took made me feel so warm and loved inside that I was smiling from the first bite to the very last.

You can't really go wrong with the classic burgers and fries combination, but Willy Burger took that boring combination and added different amazing flavors that will  have your tastebuds twisting in happiness by the end of your meal.

Eating a good meal is great but being able to share that meal with your close friends was even greater. We didn't know it then, but we were making memories of a lifetime in that moment sharing amazing food and laughter that we will remember for the rest of our lives.

Address: 5535 Calder Ave, Beaumont, TX 77706

Food Blogging

Food Review: Indianapolis, The Capital Grille

January 10, 2018, was the day that I first stepped foot down from a plane into, what I call one of the Northern states of America, Indianapolis. I'm from Texas, and I haven't gone remotely anywhere up North. Colorado was the closest to the "North" that I've ever been, yet it's no where close to what I'm experiencing with Indianapolis, at that moment.

The first thing that I noticed was the significant difference with the weather. It was cold with the sun nowhere to be seen. Already, I missed the hot and humid weather of Texas. I braved the cold getting into the Uber and my stomach grumbling for the fourth time since I left Indianapolis International Airport reminding me to feed it.

I settled down into our hotel room alongside my roommates, Brianna Schmidt and Klara Pilling. That weekend, I got the honor of attending the National Panhellenic Conference as a representative for Lamar University's College Panhellenic Council as VP of Judicial Affairs, Klara as VP of Recruitment, and Brianna as President.

Like every tourists, we Yelped what Downtown Indianapolis has to offered us for dinner, and The Capital Grille pulled all of our attention with the promising of good food, according to the reviews. We headed towards our destination by foot due to the short distance between our hotel and the restaurant. Cold was an understatement as rain droplets fell onto us with the promise of snow, soon.

 

As we stepped inside the restaurant, I immediately felt myself adjusting to the warm temperature that the restaurant has to offer. The restaurant was dimly lit giving away the vibe of intimacy while the theme itself carried a sense of sophistication with it.

Within seconds, we were shown to our table by the maitre d' even without a reservation leaving me feeling satisfied, already. The waiter was a very entertaining man with the right amount humor that leaves a smile on my face every time he came by the table, without stepping over the lines. As quickly as he came with the menus, he was gone the next. He was there when the time was right and left no room for unsatisfactory, just how I like my waiters.

I ordered the chef's choice of seared tenderloin with butter poached lobster tails and paired it with a glass of sweet white wine, Selbach 2016.

The sweetness of the of the lobster tail went so well with that of the Selbach. Of course, the main act of the night was the steak itself. Every medium-well pieces of steak delicately melted as soon as it hits my mouth. There was something so complex yet so simple about the flavors that was battling in my mouth. The steak and lobster were so well seasoned that it didn't need any extra flavors on the side.

Three glasses of wine and a full stomach later. We found ourselves indulging in the creme brule that carried the right amount of sweetness with variety of fruits decorated upon its sugar-coated top layer. Even with a full stomach, it didn't take us long to make this amazing dessert disappeared. As they say, there's always room for dessert.

Throughout the night, our wonderful waiter made sure our water glasses were filled and we were happy with our meals. We shared our stories and made a new friend. Time flew by, the next thing I knew we were out of the restaurant with big smiles and warm stomachs bracing the cold weather of Indianapolis once again.

Food Review: Baytown Seafood

Baytown Seafood have been satisfying all of my crawfish cravings for many years now. I was in the mood for crawfish today, so naturally I went to my favorite place. Their restaurant is kind of a hole-in-the-wall type because it's so hidden. It took me a long time to get used to finding the place due to its obscure location.

The first thing you're going to noticed when you enter the restaurant is how cliché their theme is. They have a fisherman vibe going on with their pink and blue neon lighting. It makes me feel nostalgic every time I visit. They have fish nets, plastic fish, paddles, and foam life buoys that adorned the restaurant's wall.

It was close to empty because it was only a Wednesday night, so we were seated right away. Crawfish isn't the only thing on the menu that was deliciously good. I recommend trying their fried catfish, grilled salmon, and oysters. However, the spotlight is fully focused on their mouth-watering crawfish today.

Me and my friend ordered 5 pounds of crawfish, $25.99 (seasonal price), to share between the two of us. I also ordered a side of shrimp fried rice. Our waiter was really tentative, and he was only an arm's reach away anytime we needed something. We got our food within 10 minutes of ordering, and I was not happier in my entire life than the moment that the plate of crawfish was set down in front of me.
The crawfish platter came with a sliced lemon, their special dipping sauce (spiced mayonnaise), corn, and red potatoes. I didn't waste anytime digging into my steaming platter of food. Even when my fingers were burning, telling me that the food was hot, and that I should wait.

The crawfish was mostly average in size. Their shells were hard, an indicator to me, that it was fresh. Plus, I hardly found any small ones in this particular platter since crawfish season is in full swing. The crawfish was so well-seasoned that even after chewing for a few minutes, there would still be spicy flavors remaining on your tastebuds. There was enough spice in the seasoning that you wouldn't be huffing and puffing between each crawfish, but it would leave a temporary burn on your tongue one second and gone the next.

Another one of their specialty would be their shrimp fried rice. This isn't your ordinary and greasy Chinese shrimp fried rice. You could tell with the very first bite. There's a cajun twist to fried rice, and it made it all better. Each bite would make me think of the fresh smell of the ocean, and it would bring a smile to my face every time.

Overall, if you're looking to try a new seafood place with great services and even greater food. Then, I would recommend you "craw" over to Baytown Seafood.

Address: 4830 Twin City Hwy, Groves, TX 77619

Food Review: J Wilson's

Last Friday night, I tried JWilson’s in Beaumont for the first time with a group of friends. We all planned to go out for dinner but wanted to try something new. One of my friend recommended JWilson’s because she enjoyed their food and atmosphere the last time she went.

JWilson’s is located across Paige Seafood right off Gladys Avenue and W Lucas Drive. The rain splattered on our windshield as we pulled into the parking lot. The exterior of the restaurant looked like an abandoned warehouse. One wouldn't think that this place was a restaurant in the first place, but the inside was a different story.

Overlapping voices bombarded me as our group stepped inside of the restaurant because it was packed. The place was dimly lit giving off an intimate vibe. The restaurant has a simple rustic yet upscale theme with various of highly priced paintings hung all around. The prices of each painting was attached on the side. Presumably for customers who like to wine, dine, and buy.

There was a bar in the middle of the restaurant where the older crowd hung out. Whereas, on both sides of the bar were dining areas offering guests the option of either a booth or a regular table. This would be a great place for a family dinner, or a hang out spot to catch up with friends over drinks.
We waited for about 20-30 minutes for our table since it was a Friday night. However, the restaurant lacked a waiting area, so we stood the entire time.

Once seated, our waitress handed us two menus: dinner and drinks.

It took me a whole 20 seconds to find the item that I wanted. Hunger can do that to you. I ordered a medium well seared 10 oz flank steak and couldn't help but got a glass of Deakin Estate Moscato - Australia on the side.

While waiting, our waitress was kind enough to keep our glasses of water filled and didn't bother us more than thrice throughout the whole night. The glass of moscato was so sweet and crisp keeping me occupied while I waited for my food.

15 minutes went by until I finally saw the waitress heading towards our table with a tray of food. In that moment, I was basically a kid in a candy story goggling the food on that tray hoping that she won't keep walking to another table. Thankfully, the food was ours as our waitress placed my plate in front of me. The steam coming off of my food was enough to make me salivate.

My food was served on a cast iron plate platter. The steak was cooked exactly how I liked it, medium well. The seasoning of salt, pepper, garlic, and parsley combined giving the steak just the right amount flavor without having any steak sauce on the side. Underneath the steak was sautéed jalapeño and white sliced onions enhancing the flavors of the steak even more. The steak was tender enough for my knife to run through it effortlessly with each slice. Each pieces melted in my mouth coating my tongue with its flavor bringing a smile to my face after every bite.

The steak came with potato wedges seasoned with salt and pepper. However, they could do better with a little less salt on them. I didn't touch my ketchup that much since the potato wedges were already over-seasoned. Also, there was refreshing coleslaw with a hint of citrus on the side cleansing my palette in between each bite of steak or potato wedge.

 

Overall, I enjoyed my experience with JWilson's and would definitely return in the future. If you're looking to try out a new restaurant in Beaumont where you can unwind after a busy day with great food, drinks, and company then JWilson's might be the perfect place to go.

Address: 4190 Gladys Ave, Beaumont, TX 77706, USA

Food Review: R Taco

I'm a taco lover so I was pretty excited to find out about the new taco restaurant opening next to the place where I work, H&M.

I took a friend of mine to try this new restaurant, R Taco. The first I noticed was their name. I was intrigued as to what the letter 'R' stood for. From the outside, the restaurant looked simple, yet the color theme they chose made it noticeable for people passing by to want to come in.
Upon entering, this man who stood near the door was kind enough to open the door for me. At first, I thought he was just a customer because he didn't say much after I thanked him. One thing I noticed was the stitched word 'Rusty's' on his shirt. I didn't think much of it and went on to look at the menu that was hung on the wall next to the cash register.

My eyes then shifted to a picture next to the menu. All of a sudden, everything made sense. The owner's face stared back at me and his name is Rusty. The 'R' stands for Rusty. Realization dawned on me, I just met the owner without realizing it.

We stood in line not long until it was our turn to order. They had a good variety of items on the menu for everyone to enjoy. The menu includes handmade tacos, breakfast tacos, dessert, beer, and margaritas. I got three tacos including chips and salsa. The employees seemed happy doing their job because they all greeted me with a smile.

I got the chips and salsa within 5 minutes of ordering. The salsa was warm with a little kick of spice, just the way that I like it.



The three tacos that I got (left to right): #8 Baja Shrimp Taco, #9 Rusty Taco, and #2 Roasted Pork Taco on corn tortillas. Also, there were three hand-made sauce available from mild, medium, and hot. Which I got all three to try.



My favorite out of the three is definitely the #8 Baja Shrimp Taco. It comes with crispy or grilled shrimp, the option that chose, with creamy Baja sauce, red cabbage, cilantro, and a sliced lime. The shrimps were well-seasoned, the Baja sauce gave it a kick with its spiciness, and the citrus from the lime topped it off perfectly.



If you're a pineapple lover the #9 Rusty Taco would be perfect for you. It comes with achiote pork, pineapple, onion, cilantro, and a sliced lime. The first bite that I took was filled with flavors all battling one another. The sweetness from the pineapple and the citrus from the pork and lime combined made my taste buds danced with the different flavors.



If you don't prefer pineapples on your pork taco then I'd suggest ordering the #2 Roasted Pork Taco. It comes with pork that has been rubbed with coarse pepper, sea salt and garlic, then roasted and served with cotija cheese, pickled red onions, and a sliced lime. For this taco, I had to add hot sauce to enhance the flavors a bit because it was kind of bland. This is my least favorite taco out of the three because it wasn't as flavorful as I thought it'd be.

Overall, I had a great first experience at R Taco. I got my food within 5 minutes of ordering, and the service was good as expected. If you're looking for a cheap and fast taco place, then I'd recommend you try R Taco.

Address: 4215 Dowlen Rd, Beaumont, TX 77706, USA