I went to this French bakery on 434 (behind a 7-11) near Lake Brantley HS on Thursday at lunch. I grabbed a Le Paris Brie ($12.50) and Altamonte Cross ($3.50) to go. The baguette was wonderful. Did you know it means baton and is the most modern of the breads? The ham was ok. Thick. A touch smoky. The butter had a bit of a contaminated flavor. Probably from being in the fridge too long. The brie was a bit bland. It resuscitated a bit after warming up to room temp. The Cross was pleasing. An soft, x shaped, yellow, risen, "donut" with a vanilla cream icing. They had around six to eight other sandwiches starting at $11 Nothing special. Pate (pork), salmon, tuna, etc. Around three omlettes. Maybe two salads. Three quiches (tiny). Around a dozen pastries. All more than $4 except the one cookie. A few seats. Not much panache. They are out of Northern France. I expected a bit more. I go often enough to Europe that I can get the things they pawn off to Americans as luxury items (with associative mark ups) cheaply at any supermarket. I'm mean like 2E for a whole container of pork pate or a full round of the cheap brie. A longer baguette for under 1E. So, I get a little ticked off at these mark ups. But, I guess a Subway meatball or cold cut sandwich is around $8 now. You decide. That baguette was pretty terrific though.
*Travel Notes - Texas/New Mexico/Arizona: I flew to Dallas on Frontier (over a half hour late leaving each way for no reason) for $98. I flew there because flights and/or car rentals were way more to AZ or NM. This was just a filler trip. I rented (my choice) a car from Hertz for a week at $364. It was brand new. DFW is so much better than Houston. Before I left, I consulted Texas Monthly's Best BBQ and Best Bites of '24 lists. The first place I drove to was their Best Bites selection (beef ribs) in Ft Worth called Ribbees on Seminary Rd off 35 a few blocks north of 20. Their momma spot is called Goldees. It was the #1 rated. Not open on the days I was in town. Ribbees had a two rib special with ff and a roll. The ribs were tasty. Not much meat though. About half the size of the ribs I've always seen. The crinkle fries were great. I think I got here by taking 183 west to 35 south. It was confusing leaving the airport. I then took 35S to Austin. I stayed at the Woodspring Austin (Expedia 8.8) at 290 near 183 for $71. I ate nearby at some chain called Bill Miller BBQ. Some good fried chicken.
The next day I awoke too early to do any of the spots in Austin. So, I drove 35S to 123 to Seguin. There I had excellent (but they kind of fucked me with a very fatty middle piece of the point) brisket at Burnt Bean Co. $16 for 1/2 a pound. They had a Michelin plaque. #4 on the TM list. Nice place. Next to City Hall. Longish line because they move so slow. If I hadn't thought I was going to two more places (spoiler alert - they fell through) that day, I would have tried more. I drove from there to 87E to Cuero. Passed Juan Seguin grave site. I popped in (not on any list) for a poor, dry brisket taco at Smolik's Meats and BBQ that cost $7. Onto Victoria. I was supposed to try Mumford's from that PBS Daytripper show. I picked the one week they take a vacation. On the way out, I espied a place called La Vaca BBQ. It had some awards listed from a few years back and a Southern Living article. I decided to quench my anger with some of their food. They plied me with samples of brisket (best), chili, sloppy joe, pulled pork and pork steak (that was also a thing at Burnt Bean). All good. I bought the bargain 1/4 chicken for $5 and the disappointing (old) pork ribs at $13. I had intended on trying a PBS place in San Diego, but, they closed at 3pm and there was no way to make it. So, I turned north on 183 and 111 and connected with 10. I took that back west towards 35. I took 46W on top of San Antonio (New Braunsfels) to see that area and escape any SA rush hour. I stopped at a Bucees in Luling on the way. Tried some dark chocolate almonds, cookie and the cheapest soda ($1.19 large) any place in the US. It was almost night by the time I reconnected with the 10. I chickened out and accepted a shit hole motel called Executive Inn in Comfort for $89 (rack rate). I could have gone to the next exit. But, after that it really was no man's land.
The next day I drove the rest of 10 that I had never driven. Stopped in Fort Stockton and Van Horn. Through El Paso (getting too big) and Las Cruces NM. Stopped in Deming and slept at a Motel 6 in Lordsburg for $83 (rack rate).
The next day I continued on to Tucson AZ. I stopped at the Airplane Boneyard just south of town at S Kolb Rd and E Irvington Rd. It was in the movie Can't Buy Me Love. It is restricted, but, you can see it from those roads. So many planes! I then went one block south and a few towards Tucson to the Pima Air & Space Museum. Didn't pay to go in. Back to 10 and south on 19 to 12th Ave and Irvington to Pecheron Mexican Grill. It was on Food Paradise. They said they had a real restaurant elsewhere. The internet gave me this address. It was a food truck. I had a Sonoran hot dog for $4.50 and a Percheron Taco for $4. It was made with Diezmillo (they said this meant shoulder meat) beef on a crust of mozzarella. They called burritos burros and hot dogs - dogos. Sold something called coyota with ice cream. From here I drove south about twenty miles to the Titan Missile Museum at West Duval Mine Rd. The tour to the underground silo was sold out and the $7 topside entry wasn't worth it. Back to Tucson and a Motel 6 (Expedia 7.8) at Ina Rd for $101. It was next to a train track. I drove south to Speedway Blvd and got a green chile pulled pork plate with mac and cheese and potato salad at a new bbq place called Bashful Bandit Barbecue for $20. I tried to try a place on 3D called Chef Alicia's. It didn't open early enough for me.
The next day I took 10 back east. Stopped at exit 268 for Omar's Hi-way Chef. On Food Paradise. I had their Texas Breakfast Sandwich for $14. It was basically two open faced grilled cheeses with two sausage patties and two eggs with home fries or hash browns. I was possibly going to stop in Tombstone (again) or Cochise Stronghold, but once I start passing assholes on the highway, I can't fathom doing it twice. I got off in Las Cruces on 70N. Stopped at a Ice House Brewing Co for a four pack at $13. Stopped atop a hill overlooking a Missile Testing Facility at Tularosa Basin. There are a few on this road. It was important to the space race. Past White Sands NM (been) into Alamogordo. Stopped at their Space Museum. Didn't go in. I think it cost $7. Good view of the town from here. Near here is where they did the A Bomb Trinity test as seen in Oppenheimer. Sporadic tours. North to 82E. Got some garlic pistachio nuts at McGinns Pistachio Land. Took this route because I had never driven it. It was good. The first town is Cloudcroft. It had a little ski resort. Side Note - I didn't do north NM because they haven't received much snow so far. I stopped in Artesia because it was getting dark. Stayed at an ok Comfort Inn for $110 (rack rate). It was smart to stop here. It was the nicest town.
The next day I drove on through Hobbs to Seminole TX. This whole area of NM is oil or natural gas fields. It stunk up the place. I'm not sure how people can live here without brain damage. South on 385 to Odessa. Ate a shitty lunch at Hacienda Vieja for $17. They charged for chips and using a cc. On to 20. Stopped in Abilene. Stayed at a shitty Sleep Inn for $96 (rack rate). Had dry brisket, mashed potato like potato salad, seasoned spuds and dry cornbread at Betty Rose's Little Brisket for $18.
The next day I stopped at the athletic fields at Abilene Christian University. There was also a college there called Hardin Simmons or something. The weather changed that day, so, I just drove through to Dallas. Onto 30 and off at 360. Stayed at a good Best Western Plus on 360 (Expedia 8.8) in Arlington for $99.
I returned the car the next day at flew out. No real issues. Didn't accomplish much. Ate McD's $5 Meal Deal around five times. Gas was near $3 in AZ. A quarter less in NM. Fifty to seventy five cents less in TX. Spent $220 in gas. Airport parking was $120. Total Cost = $1605.
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