Willy Burger Opens Now!

(Beaumont, Texas)
Behold the "Uncle Charlie" w/$1 fried egg on top. Check it out! 

Went by there today, and boy, was it crowded! Said to have been opened only less than a month ago, this new revisionist, retro-chic burger joint has instantly become a favorite with the Westenders, including kids enjoying their precious last days of summer vacation. I ordered the "Uncle Charlie" with a fried egg, and that's my size "Large" left-hand in the picture holding the burger so you get an idea as to how enormous the thing is. Yes, you also get three strips of bacon, onion rings, and plenty of smoky barbecue sauce between the buns. As the PA overhead emphasized,"Friends don't let friends eat frozen meat patties...", Willy Burger uses only freshly-ground beef (they've got a big shiny meat grinder to prove it, too) for their generous, well-proportioned patties. About the only thing that will get better with time would be the taste of griddle, as it gets more well-seasoned with repeated cooking, the flavor of the sizzling burger patties will surely improve. So the next time you're in the neighborhood, check out this "new kid in town" (next to the old FatMac's Smokehouse) with a shiny Airstream trailer permanently attached to its side, and that would be "Willy, Willy good!"_Lorenzo

New York Pizza & Pasta

Instead of the Penne Matricana one would find in their menu, I asked for a substitution of angel hair pasta and the addition of veal, making it what I call "Veal Matricana".  The deliciously rich sauce is basically a tomato basil sauce with added garlic, chili pepper flakes, (pancetta?), and lots and lots of thick bacon.  Try it!  You will be amazed.--Lorenzo

Ron Has An Important Announcement

The coast is clear.  "It's safe to go back to Floyd's!", says Ron, after a recent visit to one of our local favorites that unfortunately encountered some problems last July.

"It was fresh, perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection!  Very tasty!  This is the best seafood in the area!", Ron adds.

Scooter Hawgs also has unofficial words from a City of Beaumont health inspector that would confirm Ron's findings.  It appears after the July 2009 inspection that led to Floyd's Cajun Seafood in Beaumont receiving a failing grade of 64, the management in the kitchen, as well as the staff have received some major improvement.  Welcome back, Floyd's!--Lorenzo 

Thai Basil, DeRidder, La.

It's not often we visit an out-of-town restaurant(?), let alone a distant Thai restaurant (the only one around here is Chaba Thai Cuisine in Beaumont); but when the place comes highly recommended by our good friends Paul and Angela Hauser of DeRidder, La, we must cross the Sabine to check it out.

Thai Basil is a brightly painted restaurant right on the corner of US-171 (or N. Pine St.) and Somerset Dr., adjacent to the Deridder Inn; but unless you know it's there, you just might miss it if you have a heavy throttle-hand.  Inside the dining area, it is inviting and warmly-lit with incandescent light, not the harsh fluorescent-type.  The staffs are energetic, helpful and polite.  I sipped on a glass of surprisingly deep and full-bodied Sweet Tea while waiting patiently for the Seafood Tom Kah Soup to be followed by Pad Thai with Shrimp. (Consider this a light-lunch for me after riding for over 113 miles!)

It was well worth the wait.  The Tom Kah is fresh and spicy, filled with generous cuts of tender and juicy squid, sea scallop, fish and shrimp.  The broth is rich, yet not overpowered by coconut milk and accented with unmistakable hints of fresh ginger and lemongrass. The simple, yet dramatic presentation, its portioning, even at half-order, gives you a sense of richness and wealth that will sure to make other guests jealous and their mouths water with regret.

Next, Pad Thai was served with crushed roasted peanuts on the side, and what a glorious dish it was to behold.  Glistening pan-fried rice noodles mildly sauced, with interwoven bean sprouts laced with thin strands of golden fried eggs and highlighted with sliced green scallions. The aroma, the steam rising off this Pad Thai is enough to make a grown man weep (and I am not even Thai)!  I couldn't help dusting this already superb dish with chili flakes; but that's just me, and for anyone else, optional.  The deliciousness is just unbelievable!

This is Heaven--nicely tucked away once, but thanks to our friends, is now discovered at this very place in DeRidder!  So the next time you're in this part of the Gumbo Belt and crave something authentically delicious and exotic (and can't afford to hop on the next jet to Bangkok), all you need to remember are two words, Thai Basil.--Lorenzo

Hamburger Depot To Open Second Location In Beaumont

We are pleased to let the world know that Hamburger Depot, arguably the "Best Export from Jasper, Texas" and the "Best Hamburgers in Beaumont", will soon be opening a Downtown Beaumont location right next to New York Pizza & Pasta on Neches St. near College. According to Hamburger Depot (Cardinal Drive location) manager, the grand-opening of this new location will be next Tuesday, the 15th of December. This will surely be the biggest and the most-anticipated event (period) in Downtown Beaumont in 2009!--Lorenzo

GEO Burrito, Nederland, Tx

Today, we visited the newly-opened GEO Burrito (a new concept by Novrozky's), located at 1629 Hwy 69 South (formerly Manning's) in Nederland. Now, if you have ever eaten at Chipotle (owned by McDonald's), it's hard not to make direct comparisons between the two; except at GEO, the interior seems more inviting, brighter and bursting with colors. A line of young, cheerful, attentive and helpful crew stands ready behind steamy-hot, freshly-prepared meats and ingredients, constructing your dishes as you order, all the while under the watchful eyes of a seasoned manager.

I ordered three tacos, carne asada, carnitas, and pollo, with refried beans and Mexican rice topped with Pico de gallo, lettuce, corn and shredded cheese, and a side of salsa verde. The tortilla of my choice, maize, of course (although GEO does offer more choices of tortillas for burritos). The tacos were tasty, juicy, and satisfying. The carne asada was particularly well-marinated and flavorful.
GEO Burrito may not be hardcore- or adventurous-enough for some of you Anthony Bourdain-type out there; but this clean, airy and energetic establishment will be Latin-enough for most, and will no doubt make the short list of places to meet friends or enjoy a meal with family in Mid-County. For Beaumont folks who like GEO, there's also a Beaumont location at 4230 Calder St (the old Novrozky's).--Lorenzo