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REVIEW: Outback Steakhouse in the Forum

I already forget where it was we were headed but we ended up at Outback Steakhouse tonight.

You can't go wrong w/ Blue Moon Beer.  Love their giant mug.

Appetizer, the bloomin' onion, already documented here in my first Instant Review:  greazzzy.

House Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing: very tasty and fresh.

Medium Rib-eye Steak:  too well marbled.  Big glob of fat dead center of the steak made it instantly, almost, unappetizing.  When I dug around the fat I was happy with the actual taste of the steak.  Juicy and full of flavor.

Balloon Man, I guess his name was probably Bruce, was fluent in Spanish and rattled off the list of objects and animals he could create.  He was telling all of this to the three year old across the aisle and not to me.  Boo---I wanted to see if he could make a Chow Chow balloon doggy dog?

2.5 Stars out of 5

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REVIEW: FORD Holiday River Parade & Lighting Ceremony

Pix are here.

I was trying to think why I had never been to the Holiday River Parade in all my 15 years of living in San Antonio and then it dawned on me:  I am always away during the Thanksgiving Weekend.  Not away this weekend because I will see my mom and my bro on December 11th when he graduates with his PHD. Congratulate him why don't ya?  @TMarkM

They are selling tix for the parade but since these are desperate times, we opt for the part of the river where seating is free.  This part of the river only has a couple of the river trees lit up but hey, it is free and we camp out on a bench and have a pretty good view.

So it's super cold.  Well, it's cold for San Antonians so I dig out gloves and a wool cap.  My bald head gets cold easily. 

The parade was cool and all.  Got to see local fave @TheCletoShow as he was Grand Marshall.

Honestly?  I will probably skip this parade next year if I am in town.  I'll opt instead for the Fiesta Night parade in spring weather and not this parade in colder weather.

3.14 Stars out of 5

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REVIEW: My Own New Mexico Style Stacked Enchiladas

In order to expand my stomach for tomorrow's gorge fest, tonight I feast on a steamin' greasy plate of enchiladas. 

With New Mexico red chile sauce; big chunks of chuck hamburger meat and a trio of assorted shredded cheese all stacked (estilo Nuevo Mexicano) on corn tortillas, this meal tonight served it's purpose.  Side splitting good.

With a side of jalapeno tamales from Delicious Tamales, review to follow tomorrow, this meal was oh so good.  I had to roll myself to the living room for the Spurs game.

4.8 Stars out of 5

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REVIEW: Tip Top Cafe

Thanks to the pricey prices @ Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, we ended up at this favorite tonight for a far better meal I am sure.

Obligatory Onion Rings and Chicken Fried Steak are always superb.

Pineapple Upside-down Cake was a bit on the dry side.

Waitress was slow and old as usual but heck when you've been working there for 50 years, you'd be slow and old too.

4.2 Stars out of 5

PS:  Have always giggled that the bathrooms are on the outside in this restaurant. 

         

Click here to download:

REVIEW_Tip_Top_Cafe.zip (5623 KB)

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REVIEW: The Blind Side @ the newest Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

Note to Sandra Bullock:  I forgive you for "All About Steve".  This is the kind of movie you should make going forward. 

This movie was just shy of being sappy and a degree less of being over sentimental and enough feel good to make me recommend it to my friends.

Things were just too safe and too perfect for my own protection.  I needed a bit more grit but left with the first 'feel good" of the season.

Note to Tim McGraw:  more Tim McGraw next time.

Movie:  3 Stars out of 5

So we went to the new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema @ Park North.  The original @ Westlakes is just too far from where we live to make the trip worthwhile. 

It's always nice to be able to drink beer with your movie but then again we already can do that @ Rialto or @ Bijou movie theaters in our hood and as I found out today, for a lot less.

Seems the menu was a bit on the pricey side so we only got beer (blue moon) and queso w/ chips instead of eating there as we planned.  These are desperate times after all.

Still it's nice to have another movie option.  We usually wind up @ AMC 24 because I like the extreme stadium seating.  The seating @ Alamo was equally nice as they have a mini aisle for the waiters that spreads out the rows and makes it so that you have no view obstruction like you find @ Quarry Market Cinemas. 

Theater: 3.2 Stars out of 5

PS:  They had these quirky old timey ads and promos going on before the movie started including one that promoted their Beer Growler ala ipod commercial style.  Cute.

PPS:  it's always disengaging to enter a theater during the brightness of day and then exit during the darkness of night.

PPPS:  It's difficult to take pix of your food in a darkened theater only on an iPhone with no camera flash.

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REVIEW: The Barn Door Restaurant #saladdressingtweetup

Got invited to this #saladdressingtweetup at the Barn Door on North New Braunfels and since it's just down the street from me, I had no excuse not to attend.

Met @Janellerp; @bkearney and @MomonMars and had a great time. These girls were a lot of fun and are a must follow on Twitter.

Had the rib eye steak and it was full of flavor.  Last time I was at this restaurant the rib eye steak was not as tasty but tonight it was melt in your mouth delicious.  I ordered the smaller rib eye but as you see it filled my entire plate.  Everything at this restaurant is of a generous portion.

But of course we came here for the salad dressing.  I made the mistake of calling it Green Goddess to the waitress.  The correct name is Creamy Garlic dressing and of course it is divine. Bernice called it Happiness on a Plate when accompanied by the handmade rolls as tweeted here.

This restaurant is definitely a mainstay in San Antonio.  Prices are reasonable and I recommend you try this place if you have not been lately. 

4.4 Stars out of 5

PS:  5 Stars out of 5 for the company and new friends made.

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REVIEW: A Dong

The Beavis and Butthead in me wants to go: "Uh huh huh huh, you said dong."

This Vietnamese Restaurant is now in the Forum and since we were in the area and it's new, we gave it a try.

Of course I had the pho with assorted meats.  One of the phos on the menu had fish balls.  Insert Beavis and Butthead joke here.

My pho was really tasty although it could have been more stove hot for me.  Plenty of assorted meats.

The garnishes were fresh: lime; mint; cilantro and jalapenos.  What?  No beansprouts. The dipping sauce was fresh and handmade.

PS:  A progression of Asian peeps made it into the restaurant throughout the evening.  Always a good sign.

3.8 Stars out of 5

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REVIEW: Earl Abel's

Again, was trying to make it to Thousand Oaks Restaurant on Austin Highway but there was not ONE open parking spot.  By default we ended up at Earl Abel's.

Papas were dry.  Pork Chop was thin. Grape Jelly? Eggs were dry.

Highlight of the breakfast was a Brent Barry sighting.  Who knew he still lived in San Antonio.  I wanted to say Hi and maybe get a picture with him but in the end didn't want to disrupt his family time.

Brent is tall.  Duh?

2.2 Stars out of Five.

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PIX & THOUGHTS OF THE ROCK 'N' ROLL SAN ANTONIO MARATHON.

If I had entered the marathon, I would still be running it right now.

Really?  Who schedules a run @ 730A on a Sunday?

Missed this thing last year when I slept in on a Sunday and woke up to the news that they had a winner already and it was only 930A. 

Seriously though, this thing was super fun.  The announcer was super funny and made the wait super fun.  Wish I didn't get stuck in traffic and miss some of the bands.

Next year we all run?  We have a 365 days to get in shape---right?

Pix are here.

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REVIEW: Waffle House---Austin, TX

OK I want to know why San Antonio, the seventh largest city in the nation does not have a Waffle House? 

At IKEA again Friday night.  Designing a kitchen is arduous work.

Hungry and not wanting to eat at the IKEA cafeteria again, we stop at Waffle House near the airport.

Had the All Star Breakfast:  2 eggs over easy; toast; hash brown; bacon and of course the waffle.

First thing I noticed when they finally bring my waffle is that the waffles are now thin.   So wrong.

Meals here are always good and quick.  Our waitress repeatedly reminded us that she was new and working a different shift.  Oh Wanda the Waitress.

4 Stars out of 5

   

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REVIEW_Waffle_House---Austin_T.zip (1253 KB)

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