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.