Hubcap Grill

Every once in a while you come across a place that really surprises you and I can certainly say that Hubcap Grill did that. After hearing all kinds of rave reviews about it, I was skeptical that it might not live up to all the hype. However, I was proven wrong. Hubcap Grill is laid back casual burger joint that doesn't serve your average burgers and fries. Served on red plastic trays and eaten at a picnic table, this place is all about the food. The burger menu has a Cheeto burger, one with bacon, bananas, and peanut butter, and a Greek burger. I decided to try the Greek burger which had lettuce, tomato, feta cheese, an olive mixture on it, and a Greek dressing. Even though it was a burger with toppings on it, they weren't too heavy and the bun was able to hold all the yumminess together. The fries are just as out there as the burgers, but I went for the Texas fries, which had chili, cheese, hot sauce and crispy onions on them. They were almost a meal unto themselves. Usually chili on fries makes them really soggy and gross, but these fries luckily didn't turn into a complete disaster. The onions added a nice textural element to the fries and the hot sauce was just a little extra kick of flavor. Hubcap Grill is a great dive to enjoy a delicious burger and fries. Thank you to everyone who kept telling me to go try it out. I am certainly glad I did.

Momma Mia is "Mia's" Delicious!

Houston is a big food city and I can honestly say I am never at a loss for places to go. No matter what you are looking for, there is some place that serves it. But sometimes you are just in the mood for some good old American food, so we headed on over to a precious place called Mia's. Named for the daughter of Johnny Carrabba's, this little house has a beautiful patio and a cozy, retro feel like you stepped into someone's home. The menu is simple, but turns the classics into something more upscale. My food exploration buddy chose the cheeseburger which also looked delicious. Feeling a bit adventurous, I opted for a meatball burger and sweet potato fries. It was served in a white, almost tub like plate rimmed in blue (a plate I had never seen before). The burger was served on a ciabatta roll with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and Jamie's secret sauce. The meatball was flattened in the shape of the roll, but it was laced with herbs and tons of flavor. It was definitely not a bland meatball! The sauce added a little extra kick and the thinly sliced onions weren't overpowering.

The sweet potato fries weren't oily and had a touch of salt. They were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I would have to say that these are some of the best sweet potato fries I have had. We sat outside on the double deck of the patio and enjoyed the beautiful weather and great food. Since they bake their own cookies in house throughout the day, there was definitely a chocolate chip cookie that was calling to us. The chocolate was perfectly melted on the inside and there was a light crunch when you bit into it. On the way out, make sure to stop by and get yourself a cup of the vanilla custard. It's rich, creamy, and silky smooth. It is the perfect way to end a delicious lunch. If you haven't been to this little gem, make sure you stop by soon because it is definitely one that you will visit frequently.

Blue Rose Cafe

I wish that we had nice enough weather year round to warrant large patios and outside seating areas at restaurants. There is just something about them that seems to make time stand still. However, for the few perfect patio weather days we get here, it's not really worth it I guess. But thank goodness, that's not the case everywhere. Blue Rose Cafe in Tulsa overlooks the Arkansas River and has a huge patio and outside bar. It has a super laid back and rocker chic feel to it. The menu is fun American food, but their specialty are the burgers. I opted for the veggie burger, which was made of rice, black beans, and cheese with some other secret ingredients and was topped with lettuce and onions. The patty was well seasoned, which was nice because sometimes they can be pretty bland. The unique thing about this was the bun. Yes, it looks like a normal bun, but it is almost like a Hawaiian sweet roll... which I wasn't expecting at all. It was good but overwhelmed the more delicate flavors of the veggie burger, so I took half of it off. This way I could really taste the burger and not just the sweet bread. The bun could definitely stand up to the more robust flavors of a normal burger though. The fries were also pretty delicious. They were a bit thicker cut than fast food fries, but not like steak cut fries and had some skin still on. They had sea salt flakes on them, which gives a hint of saltiness without oversalting them. Though it wasn't the best food I have ever had, the view makes up for it. It was a perfect way to spend a lovely fall afternoon, looking at the river and enjoying the breezy, cooler weather while enjoying a good old burger.

Fat Guy's Burger Bar

 When you go someone where new, it's hard to imagine what it will be like and for me, the 'what kind of food do they have?' thought always pops into my head. This weekend I was lucky enough to visit the great city of Tulsa, Oklahoma. I know, I know.  Not really the normal tourist destination, but honestly it was a fairly nice city. They have tons of outdoor trails and bike paths along the river and they have their fair share of cute little hot spots. They also have a pretty downtown with their baseball park of right in the center of it. Bordering the edge of the baseball park is this burger joint called Fat Guy's Burger Bar. Okay, so let me just say that it was not a super healthy place, but it sure was delicious! The interesting thing about this place was all the sauces they had for their french fries. Some of the choices were chipotle ketchup, strawberry ketchup, and parmesan peppercorn. They had a ton of toppings to choose from and a great selection of local craft beer.

I opted for a cheeseburger with lettuce, pickles, caramelized onions, and grilled mushrooms. I was pleasantly surprised to find that instead of one giant patty, there were two very thin patties with the toppings in between the patties. It made a better burger because there was a more even burger to topping to bun ration. The best part was how melted the cheese was so everything melded together very nicely. The fries had a bit of seasoning on them and there were other flavors beside just salt. For my fry sauce, I chose a roasted garlic aioli. It had a great garlic flavor, but the garlic wasn't so overwhelming that you could taste it for hours afterwards. This was definitely was great burger place and it's probably better that it's not close to me as I would probably be there too often. However, if you are in the area, you should definitely check it out!

Celebrate the Fry!

Today not only is Friday, but it National French Fry Day! It's a must that you find some type french fry to have in celebration of this very special day. I have to admit that I can't really turn down any kind of fry, but usually I try to limit myself. However, I decided that I would be bad and celebrate. I recently got a coupon in the mail from Jerry Built to try their chicken sandwich, so I figured this would be the perfect accompaniment to the fries. If you haven''t stopped by Jerry Built yet, you definitely need to. It is a custom burger place that uses fresh, local ingredients and you can really taste the difference. Plus, they have integrated some really fun technology into their restaurant and always have seasonal specials. Currently, they have grilled sweet corn and summer shakes.

But... that's not what today is about. It is about the crunchy, tender goodness that are fries. I am a fan of sweet potato fries because they have a bit of sweetness and they do say that sweet potatoes are better for you. The Jerry Built fries are crinkle cut, which makes them taste even yummier and they are fun to play with. They are cut fresh daily and are only seasoned with salt. They are simple, yet delicious, and are a perfect way to celebrate french fry day. The chicken sandwich was seasoned well and situated in between a toasted bun, topped with lettuce, pickles, and onions. I would say that it was a successful french fry day meal. Let me know where you go to celebrate. Happy National French Fry Day everyone!