Waco Eats News

Your sources of restaurant news will soon be diminished as the Waco Trib becomes a pay site this month. Not that they had too much restaurant news anyway. A few years ago they published a negative restaurant review about a place that had many loyal customers. These customers disagreed loud and long and probably threatened to not advertise. So no more reviews - just something called Nibbles that is like reprinting the telephone book.

The real restaurant news is in the Trib's Business Section. They tell you what is coming even if they don't tell you if it is good.

If you haven't noticed, there is a new Heitmiller's Steakhouse being built on I-35 near the Lakeshore Drive exit. There are almost as many Heitmiller's around Waco as Japanese steakhouses.

The Heitmiller's Family Steakhouse in Elm Mott is still there but is going to be removed when I-35 is expanded. This Heitmiller's was owned by K. K. and Donna Heitmiller until Jay Hinojosa bought the restaurant in 2007.

After operating his family's steakhouse for almost 20 years, Dale Heitmiller (recently deceased) opened his Original Outlaw Steakhouse & Saloon in 2008 in Hubbard, Texas.

This new Heitmiller's will be a great opportunity to upgrade the restaurant atmosphere, service and food making it the landmark restaurant it could be.

Another Japanese Steakhouse!

Waco now holds the record for most Japanese Steakhouses for a town of less that 150,000 located on the Brazos River. This unique honor is just what makes our town such a special place to live.

CURRENT JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE RANKINGS
1. Shogun Japanese Restaurant
2. Fuji Steakhouse and Sushi Bar
3. Samurai Japanese Steakhouse
4. That Place Where Friday's Used to Be

And we have Teriyaki Park, although it is not really a steakhouse and the waiters can't juggle.

I actually enjoy this type of restaurant. I even visited Japan once to find out what this food was all about. They are generally a bit overpriced but are a great place to take the family for a special occasion with entertainment. Younger kids are easily fascinated by the hibachi cooking and older kids behave because of the knives.

5 Guys That Know How to Fry

Five Guys Burgers and Fries arrived in town from the east coast and set up shop on Valley Mills Dr. between Pei Wei and Jason's Deli. Having eaten at a 5 Guys last year, I knew what to expect from this fast growing burger and potato palace (200 will open in 2010). They focus almost entirely on two items. Generously sized burgers and well prepared fried potatoes.

While not cheap, the burgers and fries are a good value. A single order of fries could easily be split between two or three people. The flexible menu of additions allows you to make any number of combination. The result is a burger that is just like you like it and probably a bit bigger that you need. Oh well somebody has to eat it.

I love the gimmick of building the room divider out of stacks of potatoes and proclaiming on a sign where today's fresh potatoes are from.

I am not ready to move their burger to the top spot on my Waco Eats Burger List but they are quickly making an impact. About my only complaint about 5 Guys, is a lack of Diet Dr Pepper on the fountain. This is something that its two neighbor chains listed above learned very quickly when they came to Waco.

GreeZy Bar and Grill

The Z Bar and Grill has taken the place of Basaberu on 6th St. It is an improvement over its predecessor and on a good day can turn out some acceptable food. The main flaw I have found on both my visits starts and ends in the deep fryer. What could be a signature dish- thick cut sweet potato fries - has consistently been limp and greasy when they arrived on the plate. Someone needs a lesson in how to properly deep fry the lifeless onion strings as well. While tasty and well seasoned, they came as a mass of soft onions sitting in a pool of fry oil. Both of these problems could have been solved by better temperature control.. The smaller matchstick potato fries came out in good shape.

One my first visit, the hamburger was large and delicious with a thick juicy patty and a trace of pink in the center. The second time around the patty was overcooked to about half its size - even though it was ordered medium. A chicken fried steak looked good but lost most of its shell immediately and suffered from too much cream gravy.

There is some promise here but more skill and consistency needs to come from the kitchen.

Although the striped booths and waitstaff shirts fit the theme, my veggie companion was offended by the actual zebra head at the entrance. He probably wasn't that happy about it either.

Czech Plus

I have visited Gerik’s Ole Czech Bakery & Deli twice since they opened at Sixth Street and Franklin Avenue. They moved things around inside the former home of the Olive Branch restaurant. A new small salad bar and some large cabinets go with the rearranged service counter.

I would give Gerik's check marks for effort and value. I think they have some kinks to work out in the counter service and a few tweaks to the menu are needed. Service has seemed a bit disjointed and confused.

As you might expect, the baked goods are first rate. Their version of the Czech bakery classic - the kolache - is one of the best. Gerik's are bigger and fluffier than most. They make great ones.

Some of the food items are strange. Weird and off tasting sauerkraut accompanied decent potatoes and sausage on a very inexpensive lunch special plate. Very good hamburgers and fries are good choices on the menu.

Give them a try for lunch but stick with the simple choices.

Muy Chewy

Since my last update there has been a lot of restaurant news to chew on. The major item is the opening of the long awaited Chuy's. Located in Legend's Crossing off of Highway 6, this Tex-Mex chain began in Austin 1982. Founders Mike Young and John Zapp produced a restaurant that sold fresh, tasty, and affordable food.

I have eaten at several different versions of Chuy's in Austin, Dallas, and Round Rock. This one has the same funky look. Old fashioned dinette sets, tropical plants (some fake) and a diverse color pallet. All have some level of Elvis connections.

The light and crispy chips are a great starter along with a variety of salsa frescas that include a creamy jalapeno one that is just spicy enough and perhaps a bit salty. I had a combo - relleno with an enchilada. Each had several options for filling and six sauce options. This means you could have this combo over 500 different ways.

Chuy's features some New Mexican green chile dishes and some with tomatillo sauce. Not something you find just anywhere. Most of Chuy's menu choices are less that $10.00. Not the cheapest but certainly ample portions. Generally good value all around. In spite of some early big crowds, the service was very good.

This is the first of several promised restaurants in the Legends Crossing development. After the famous Waco Rush, Chuy's will be a great place to enjoy a meal and a drink.


In other news, one of the nation's top rated burger chains is coming to Waco. Five Guys - Burgers and Fries has been around since 1986 when the first one opened in Arlington, Virginia. Who are the Five Guys? Janie and Jerry Murrell and their four sons (with Jerry and the sons being the original Five Guys) are the founders. Jerry and Janie had a fifth son two years after opening their first restaurant and now all five sons, (5 Guys) are now involved in the business. They now have over 450 locations in 30 states.

The menu appears to be very simple. Burgers, Fries, and some Dogs, with about 15 different toppings. That means there are over 250,000 possible ways to order a burger at Five Guys. They use only fresh, never frozen, ground beef. Fries are made with fresh potatoes fried in Peanut oil.

We have plenty of good burgers in Waco but these are very very good. Most of there locations are small so expect a line.

Nutty Not Nice

What if we had a bakery/restaurant in Waco that baked and sold fresh loves of bread each day?! What if we had a lunch stop in Waco that had great sandwiches, soups, and salads for lunch! What if we had a comfortable breakfast place that made great pastries?!?! What if we had a great place to meet and have cup of coffee/tea/cocoa with good atmosphere and good service?!!!! What would we call it? Probably not Colin Street Bakery.

As much as I want to like this import from just up the road in Corsicana, I just can't get past the wacky service, confusing layout, and the below average but expensive soups and sandwiches. With a bit of work and reorganization, CSB might be able to win me over but this looks like an expensive place to operate.

I have made four visits here (both breakfast and lunch) with the hope that CSB would get its act together. "C" is the best grade I have been able to give them so far. It is not from a lack of trying. They have a large number of staff who greet each guest and try to make you feel welcome. Unfortunately they have problems ringing up sales, finding an open register, and answering questions about some of the products.

The building itself is very nice. Comfortable chairs, video menus (which don't really go with the decor) and lovely displays of fruitcakes. You do feel comfortable in CSB. A smaller private room would be great for lunch meetings but suffers from solar gain.

I have had two different sandwiches at CSB- both were on the dry side. Ham with cheese and chicken salad were both over $5. Why can't you just make them fresh instead of wrapping them in plastic? Do you want me to think they came out of a vending machine? Arrived in a chef wagon?

I have tried two soups. One was an awful vegetable. Thin, watery, and without flavor. The cream soups have more body and flavor but are nothing special. I was expecting so much better from people who have a great reputation for baking and selling food.

My breakfast venture was a better experience. The sausage biscuit was very good. Two made a nice meal and at a better price/value. Not much of a crowd in the morning, so things were very comfortable.

Some one should tell the CSB management that Dr Pepper is a Waco drink. Can we have Diet Dr Pepper on the fountain???

Actually we have a couple of restaurants in Waco that bake and serve soup, salad, and sandwiches. Panera and Jason's both do a good job but wouldn't it have been nice to have your fruitcake and eat it to?

Summer News is Mostly Mexican

Well of course there has been some news about Waco restaurants this summer. I have been eating in other pastures during the last two months.

Locally, I visited the newish location of Trevino's in China Spring. It is a nice spot and still a reliable choice in Mexican food. I liked their food when they were in the Hewitt area. I seemed even a little better in this location. Good enchiladas and fajitas. Give it a try.

Mi Tequila on Valley Mills was a no frills lunch spot that offered a limited menu, quick service, and cheap prices. As a lunch stop, it is OK if you are hungry or in the area. It won't crack my top five but it will do for lunch.

What might effect the Top Five Mexican choices is the arrival of Chuy's. Construction is underway in Legends Crossing on Highway 6. The Original Chuy’s is on Barton Springs Rd. in Austin. Owners Mike Young and John Zapp opened it in 1982. The place was decorated with balck velvet paintings of Stevie Wonder and Elvis on a budget of about $20. They now have 14 locations. There arrival will have some impact on the local food scene. Will in be like Cheddar's? Probably not in this economy but it should be popular.

A New List

Top Restaurants

Cheeves Brothers (Temple) - Not a bargain but excellent beef and side dishes

1424 - Good choice for adults looking for a moderately priced evening

Elite Circle Grille - Nice bar and decent but not great food

Both of these are overpriced for the Waco market.

Your money is better spent in the Metroplex

The Green Room Grille

Diamondbacks

Top Chains (not BBQ or Mexican)

Cheddar's

Outback

Panera Bread Company Steakhouse

Logan's Roadhouse

Cotton Patch Cafe

Pei Wei - not a good representative of this chain's quality

Top Barbecue

Bunkhouse Barbecue (Clifton)

Rudy's

Michna's

Uncle Dan's

Unusual

Bangkok Royal (Thai) - Explore the menu.

Parks Buffet - Best country buffet around

D's Chicken - Middle Eastern in Waco

Top Burgers

Kitok's Restaurant

Zeb's (China Spring) - Hewitt branch needs improving

Fuddrucker's

Cricket's Grill & Drafthouse

Cupps - Breakfast and lunch counter

Top Tex/Mex

Don Carlos - This Houston import has its ups and downs but is a good value

Ninfa's

El Tapatio

La Fiesta

Top Italian

Rosati's

Gratizano's

I Am Depressed

Disappointment is a part of life. However, when it comes to your table served on a platter it can be depressing.

I recently visited the new Zeb’s located in Hewitt. I am a big fan of Zeb’s (see January 2009) and have enjoyed the food at the China Spring location. Unfortunately, this new location is not quite up to the standards of the original. As usual, they were overwhelmed the week that they opened. Just too many people were trying to sample the newest place in town.

After waiting a couple of weeks, I was able to visit twice during April. The burgers were good – large and juicy and served on a fluffy fresh bun. The fries however were less that spectacular on both visits. Golden but limp on the first occasion, too dark and less that hot on the second. It was clear to a veteran fry critic that the oil in the deep fryer was past its prime. Without getting too technical, after a lot of continued use, the oil can take on a darker color that it imparts to the potatoes. Serving them quickly will keep them from turning limp and losing their heat. I hope that this will be corrected soon since Zeb’s great fries are big attraction.

A recent visit to the Lake Brazos Steakhouse did not put me in a better mood. My ribeye steak was thin and cooked well beyond medium. My companion’s sirloin was unusually tough and fatty. An order of squash casserole had plenty of cheese but not much squash. It was an oily mess instead of the side dish I normally enjoy.

While not one of my favorites, Cotton Patch Café is a regular stop for several of my friends. On a recent visit with them, the CPC underperformed by confusing an order and serving my friends a dinner that had sat too long to be considered at a good serving temperature. Efforts to get this corrected by the staff were too little too late.

I hope this trend turns around soon. I can’t imagine being too depressed to eat out but stranger things have happened.