I tried this Irish pub on Monday at lunch. It replaces Thai Farm Kitchen which replaced another Irish pub, so, it's a bit deja vu-y. It is half way between the high school at Princeton St on Edgewater Drive. It has been open for three months. I tried the special of ahi tuna salad for $14. They quoted $12. But, that was without fries. It was still the cheapest options. A burger was $15+ and most of the other items were reaching for the twenties. The waitress and a manager said it was their favorite item. It wasn't great. The tuna was dry as jerky. Like this is what they do with the misfired ahi pieces. It was described as the opposite - seared. It didn't make that much difference. I was just curious as to what kind of tuna salad (with mayo) that would make. Guess I'll never know. The owner said it was to be made as decribed. She would look into it. It was unreasonably salty as well. The bread was good. Semi sweet. Thick cut. Seemed a tad above store bought. The l and t were covered up by mayo, so, it was hard to tell the quality. The l seemed ok. The t seemed a bit unripened. The fries were good. Rectangular. Thinish. Pulpy in the middle. A goodly portion. They offer a typical selection: bangers and mash, shepard's pie, fish and chips, fish tacos, steak, fried chicken sandwich, etc. They spent alot on the decor. Black, gray, silver, yellow, burgandy, stained wood and steel. The ceiling has two patterns of steel structures. Plush seats. Some booths. The room is divided into a front area with the bar on the left. There is a connected rear room behind it. A half wall divides it into sections. Each seats about 40. They kept the large patio in the front. TVs at the bar. The staff (only 2) seemed a bit harried. Florida Women. Pubs aren't my bag baby. But, if you are inclined to like them, I think you'll find this one agreeable. The prices reflect the new build/investment. Though they aren't that out of line. Just hope that what you order is under more scrutiny from the kitchen. I think they are trying/sincere. It was a bit underlit. Parking is limited. It was pretty full.
*Travel Notes - Texas/Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama/Florida: I rented a car from Hertz for two weeks fo $492. I spent the first and last days here. I drove to Pensacola and stayed at the Sole Inn again for $100. I had a Rubble Rage Hot Dog (K/M/Mayo/Chili/Sri/SC and Fruity Peebles) at The Dog House. I had a too sweet wild boar sloppy joe with shoe string ff at Union Public House. I had good beer at Perfect Plain Brewing Co and Odd Colony Brewing Company. I drove the next day through Mobile. Had a good chicken shwarma with corn chowder at Mediterranean Sandwich Co and good crawfish etouffe with corn bread at The Noble South. I forget how I found out about them. I think Yelp's top ten. I also found this bbq place called Cotton State BBQ near my parking spot and picked up a bad chicken salad sandwich. I drove on to New Orleans. To the Faubourg Brewing Co. They have signs showing you the way off 10 now. Stayed at the St Charles Coach House again for $108. No charge for parking any longer. I ate dinner at Jacques Imo's (magazine article). Met a pretty tipsy Jacques Leonardi - Owner. I didn't need a reservation. Had a $70 meal of fried rabbit tenderloin, chicken fried venison with a peppercorn sauce and a side smothered cabbage and mashed potatoes. They tossed in a creme brulee. Glad I finally knocked this off the list. They are usually not open on the days I choose to be in NO. I could have lived without the rabbit. The venison was huge and delicious. I drove to Elgin TX the next day. 10 to 610 to 290. Stayed at the Quality Inn for $67. Reviews for hotels in other towns were worrisome. I drove back east about thirty miles east the next day to Lexington for Snow's BBQ. It is only open on Saturdays. It is usually ranked as number one in Texas. Some old lady does the cooking. The line starts before 8am. I got there at 9am. It took three hours to order. It was ok. I had 1/2 lb of brisket and a guy I was in line with gave me a piece of sausage. The brisket was plain and dryish. The sausage was crisp and good. I think she is also known for chicken. That was gone by 10am. Still a fun experience. I actually could have come at 11am and the line would have been gone. I will add in here that many of the bbq places I will be mentioning were charging almost $40 a lb for brisket. I drove on to Austin. Had 1/2 lb of brisket (point) at La Barbecue on Cesar Chavez St. It was oily (good), but, had too much of that dark brown layer between the fat and the meat and too much fat. Saved that later for dinner. I had beer across the street at Blue Owl Brewery. I stayed two nights again at the Holiday Inn Town Lake for $125 a night (free parking). I walked up the river on the now completed river path and up to the Capitol. Across to Red River St (quite a few places here) and had beer at Central District Brewing. I then grabbed a fabulous 1/2 bbq chicken at Iron Works Barbecue on the same street. I just ran into all those places by chance. Except La. I saw them while driving around on my last trip. I walked back to the hotel through a fun nightspot area on Rainey St. Bought wine at Rainey St Market. Drove up 35 a few miles to Pflugerville the next day. Had an ok thick cut pastrami rueben at Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue. Adding some variety. Probably should have tried anything else. It was on this show Daytripper with Chet Garner on Create TV. I will refer to it as DT from now on. I drove east through Round Rock on 70 to Taylor again. This time for Davis Grocery & BBQ (DT). It is hidden aside the railroad tracks on MLK Blvd. I had (affordable) tasty mutton sandwich and a sausage wrap (just one piece of white bread). He gave me some tasty brisket to sample. Back to Austin. I checked out the beautiful O2 Stadium (MLS) just north of town. I drove to South Congress (across the river) and got a delicious redfish boy boy with ff to go at Perla's (Yelp I think) and an ok black bean and cheese and a pork and beef tamale at Guero's Taco Bar (Yelp I think). I ate those for breakfast. No night time activity (Sunday). I drove 35S to 71E to 360N to 1N to Bee Cave Rd to The County Line BBQ (DT). I had a combo plate of a beef rib and second cut (their term for point) brisket and a salad and potato salad. The rib may be the best one I have ever had. The brisket was great too. Even the sides were good. Good value too. I drove 1S to 290W to Fredericksburg. I stayed at the Fredericksburg Inn & Suites for $113. I went just east to a new winery area. Rejected the $35 tasting at Invention Vineyards. But, got roped into a $25 tasting at Augusta Vin. Both the reds and whites were good though. I drove on to Santa Maria Cellars. It was closed. I had dinner at Otto's German Bistro (Samantha Brown's Places to Love). Had a good (pricy) duck schnitzel with kase spatzle, rotkohl, duck cracklings in a Kirsch demi-glace. Watched the BCS game. Good breakfast at the hotel (free). Drove the next morning on 87S to 10E to San Antonio. Stayed at a nice La Quinta in Downtown on Cesar Chavez Blvd for two nights at $111 a night (free parking). I was worried that this area was going be dangerous. Nope. Perfect. They are redoing the whole city. Hardly any area is sketchy anymore. This was near a portion of the riverwalk too. DT was a few blocks away. Most other hotels in town charged alot for parking. There was a HEB market across the street. I had lunch of a tasty Botanas Platter at Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery (on DT) at Market Square. Chicken flautitos, chalupitas bocadillos and quesadillas. Good value. This place is a legend. I walked through downtown to the Alamo and down the south part of the Riverwalk. Dinner from HEB. The next day I walked down the Riverwalk to the Pioneer Flour Mill and the Guenther House (magazine article). I had ok sweet cream waffles with pork sausage. I walked across to the King William District. Grabbed a delicious "Brazilian" butternut squash soup with ground almonds at Pharm Table (Samantha Brown's Places to Love). Many restaurants and shops here. Walked past Anton Wulff House to the Riverwalk all the way north to the Performing Arts Center, old Pabst HQ, Make Ready Market, San Antonio Museum of Art to this area called the Pearl (the old Pearl Brewery that is now an urban living center). Great walk. Back to DT. Had a beer at the oldest saloon in Texas - The Buckhorn Saloon (DT). Walked the inside loop of the Riverwalk. Saw Stargazer statue, St Anthony statue and Briscoe Western Art Museum (closed). Walked back to King William and grabbed some tacos al pastor and gringa (quesadilla al pastor) at Taqueria Los Cuates (the twins). Saw it earlier that day. Drove the Mission Trail the next morning. Four other National Parks missions just south of SA. Cute. The church at the Alamo (San Antonio de Valero) is the fifth. Also the Espada aqueduct. Through SA on McCullough to Hildebrand to the past their prime Taco Taco Cafe (3D+). I believe they popularized the puffy taco. Mine was a greasy mess. A Migas and Mexicana weren't much better. Empty. Up McCullough to 410 to 35N to 21E to Lockhart. I missed the exit for the Bracken Bat Cave (15 million bats). But, bats aren't there until March (same in Austin). Had dry and fatty 1/2 lb of brisket at Smitty's Market. Sausage too. Ate that at dinner. Back to 35N to South Austin (south of 71). Stayed at noisy (on 35) Comfort Suites for $103. Drove across 35 to William Cannon Rd to Bill Hughes Rd to see the school they filmed Dazed and Confused at (Bedichek Middle School). Up Cannon to 1N to Enfield Rd to see where they filmed the baseball game (West Enfield Park). Up 1N to Wes Anderson Lane to Burnett Rd to Top Notch. The drive in from the movie. Had a cb combo. Down Burnett to The Aristocrat Lounge (was Doodle Dog Lounge in the movie). Alright, alright, alright. Back up Burnett to Anderson (east) to 290E. Drove though Houston to 10E to a noisy Best Western in Rayne LA for $79. One exit from Lafayette. Don't stay there. Drove the next morning to New Orleans. Exited at North Claiborne (39) Ave and down Elysian Fields towards the river to Bywater Bakery (some show with this actor Mischa). Grabbed a breakfast gumbo. Scrambled eggs and grits in a gumbo. In an area called Faubourg Marigny and Bywater. Felt fairly safe. Back to 10E to Bay St Louis exit. Ok Cobb salad at 200 North Beach. Coastal road 90 to Biloxi. Went to the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art. Frank Gehry designed buildings. Ohr was a potter. O'Keefe an industrialist. Some other art. $8 with AAA. Back to 10E to Pensacola. Stayed at Sole Inn again for $116. Bad pizza at Papa's Pizza. Went to Ice Flyers game at the Pensacola Bay Center for $21. It was pretty full. Drove home. Lucked out on the weather. Knocked many restaurants off the list. No major travel delays. Austin had six new skyscrapers going up. San Antonio is a very livable city now. One of my new favs. Good trip. Under a bridge on the Riverwalk, they hung these giant fish sculptures. We should try that. It's funny how many public works projects they have sponsored for their residents and Bloody Dyer-ia has almost nothing that will live on after him.
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