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

Floyd's, Great China Fail Inspections

Floyd's Cajun Seafood, one of our favorite area seafood restaurants, and Great China, arguably the oldest Chinese restaurant in Beaumont, both received failing grades initially from Beaumont health inspector today.

The news that Floyd's flunked the inspection did not come completely as a shock to me for two reasons. First, from the previous inspection, Floyd's only earned an "AVERAGE" rating from the Beaumont Health Department (and perhaps for this exact reason, the inspection sign was not posted prominently for the public to see until they were walking out the door). Next, the fried oysters served to me about one month ago were lumpy, mushy, and had the consistency of cottage cheese. At the time, I merely attributed those facts to the oysters being out of season (months without "r's") and didn't think much more about it. In hindsight, I should have returned the questionable oysters as soon as the irregularities were discovered (since Floyd's oysters always tasted juicy and fresh); but with only less than one-hour lunch and no time to spare, I ate them anyway with quiet displeasure.

These are the details from today's Leger's Restaurant Report Card:

Inspector Lee checked out Floyd's Cajun Seafood on I-10 South. She found oysters, beans and raw fish at unsafe temperatures, chicken was thawing in standing water, and there were numerous flies in the kitchen area. Floyd's received a failing grade of 64 but was able to make improvements before opening and raise the score to 84. Floyd's didn't have to close.

(As for) Great China Restaurant on Calder. Inspector Lee found chicken, noodles and rice at unsafe (temperatures), the inspector saw egg rolls dropped on the floor and then an employee pick them up and put them in a cooler, the wiping cloths were not in sanitizer which is necessary to kill germs. The inspector found so many serious problems she forced the restaurant to close for several hours until the problems were corrected. Great China Restaurant on Calder received a failing (grade of) 59; but has since improved and reopened.

There's no guarantee that on any given day you can be sure to receive a meal that's not only delicious in taste, but also prepared according to sanitary standards required by law. Thanks to the diligence of the dedicated health inspectors hard at work everyday, most of us not only can feel good about dining out, more importantly, we can go home, unaffected by food-borne illnesses and stay alive. Safeness of the food that we consume, should always outweigh its taste. When you eat out, your safety is really in the hands of others, and I do mean many others, so choose where you eat, wisely.--Lorenzo

L & T No More!

L & T Vietnamese and Chinese Restaurant, arguably the oldest Vietnamese restaurant in Beaumont is no more. Passing by the site the other day and noticed the sign had been updated (when, I don't know) and now reads "L & T Pool Hall". How sad?! Where are we going to get our Vietnamese food now? Pho Four Seasons now appears to be the only game in town.--Lorenzo

Novrozky's Now Serving Aka-ushi Burgers

The expensively delicious Kobe beef is a type of Aka-ushi (Japanese meaning "red cow"), prized for its exceptional tenderness, wonderful flavor, and incredibly rich melts-in-your-mouth marbling. A local burger chain, Novrozky's Hamburgers, now regularly serves burgers made with high-quality Aka-ushi beef produced right here in Texas. If you haven't tried it yet, please go check it out. I believe you would agree that Aka-ushi burgers at Novrozky's are not only some of the tastiest around, they may actually be good for your health.--Lorenzo

(*Sample photo of Aka-ushi rib-eye courtesy of HeartBrand Beef)

Old Address, New Restaurant

Pancho Villa's has newly opened where Rio Rita once operated on Crockett St, Beaumont. More details later.--Lorenzo

Quality Café Reopens In Spring 2009

Scott Lawrence of KFDM-TV Ch. 6 reports that the Downtown Beaumont landmark, Quality Café, will reopen early 2009. Hurricane Rita had dealt the building with much damage; but the Danna family plans to bring the business back to the glories of the 20's and the 30's (said during the TV interview). Let's hope the food will be worth the wait, too!--Lorenzo

Sartin's West Destroyed In Morning Blaze

According to KBTV Ch.4, the popular west-end Beaumont restaurant Sartin's West, famous for its BBQ crab and Cajun fare, was destroyed today in an early morning fire possibly caused by an electrical problem. Click here to read the complete report. For those of you who still remember, Sartin's occupies the location where Cody's used to be. There's another Sartin's restaurant on College Street near 11th in Beaumont (now renamed Issac Lee's after a possible lawsuit), and another one also wears that name Sartin's in Nederland (ex-wife's). Both are still in business; however, the former is not directly related to the one burned down today.--Lorenzo

*Update (2009):  Sartin's West has risen from the ashes of the 2008 fire, like a phoenix in the fairy tales, and re-emerged at a new location @ 1990 Interstate 10 South in Beaumont.  The Scooter Hawgs have yet to find an excuse to check it out...

Spindletop Reopens

Many of you have dined at the Spindletop Restaurant in Downtown Beaumont and were much disappointed when it closed earlier this year.  I for one was sad because I was very fond of the tender and delicious Chicken-fried steak there.  Well, guess what, it's back!  Chef Chuck Harris, 31 of Beaumont, a man with obvious culinary credentials, has decided to give it another go under the new name "Spindletop Steakhouse and Continental Cuisine".  Read all about the excitement HERE.  Can't wait to go there soon!--Lorenzo  

Joe's Pizza & Pasta

Things have really cooled off a bit.  I mean it both in terms of the weather turning wintry, and the turnout of riders diminishing for the weekly club rides.  I guess it also has something to do with obligations, price of gas in decline, and of course, it's all about choices. 

Ed showed up at Rao's on his newly-overhauled Scarabeo (finally) and he was stoked; except after a cup of strong coffee each, our behinds were still frozen at the cafe's outdoor patio.  Like they say, it's about dinner time and the powerful, piercing, northwesterly gusts forced us to seek shelter and a warm, nourishing meal at Joe’s Pizza & Pasta.  That delicious, rich and creamy chicken with artichoke and angel-hair pasta dish they called “Chicken Consentini” really hit the spot for me.  The light salad with the house dressing and fresh rolls were ample accompaniment to the dish also.  We headed back out after this quick meal and it would be another 100-miles or so in this sunny, cold and windy November day before the ride was done.  Did anyone mention the Rainbow Bridge?

Joe's Pizza & Pasta has good food at reasonable prices, attentive and upbeat staff and we recommend it with an enthusiastic 3-scooter rating:   

Joe's Pizza & Pasta

4318 Dowlen Rd

Beaumont, TX 77706

Get directions

Mama Jack's, Kountze

After a nice ride from Beaumont to sinkhole in Daisetta and then over to Kountze for lunch. There were not much to pick from so Mama Jack came in as first pick.

The menu was all-you-can-eat steam line. There was a very good selection of vegetables and three meats. They also had a good selection for desserts including soft-serve ice cream. The fried chicken was pan fried well done and was good. The only drawback was the food was not seasoned very much. Some onion and peppers would

have improved the veggies.

I would not drive to Kountze to eat at Mama Jack's; but if I was in the neighborhood and needed lunch, Mama Jack's would be fine. Three scoots.--Ed    

New York Pizza And Pasta

(Downtown Beaumont location.)

We ordered the 18-inch "supreme" pizza and it was plentiful for four hungry scooter hawgs, each with a glass of iced tea. The combined ticket was just $24.00. Throw in the tip and you still had a very inexpensive meal. Tea was tea, and I can not evaluate tea unless it is really bad. The pizza on the other hand was very, very good. I would have to say it was the best that I've ever tasted. I do not know why there are any other pizza places in Beaumont. Five scoots for quality and price from me.--Ed How do ya say "Cheesy" in Italiano? Questa pizza ha così tanto formaggio!

Pam and Mike enjoying.

The 'Hawgs stretching out after yet another satisfying meal.

The 'Hawgs lean heavily towards Italian.

How Refreshing! (La Morenita revisited)

Get your very own agua de sandia at La Morenita.

Good things really come to those who wait. If I had left in haste, perhaps just a few minutes earlier today; then I would have missed out on this large, delicious, refreshing, cooling cup of agua fresca. Thanks to my little hesitation, or deceleration brought on by yet another satisfied devouring of La Morenita's triple-meat burrito created by Sandra and the nice ladies behind the counter, I was fortunate enough to linger and to catch a glance of the fresh agua de sandia (watermelon) being made and decided to stay for a cup, a large cup ($1.99). This is definitely the best thing one can have on a hot day like this. "Make it fresh everyday!", Sandra told me. I was so glad to be reunited with a simple pleasure from the days of living in San Antonio. "Another cup for my friend!", I called out. "Coming!", said Esmeralda behind the counter. I quickly paid Erica; rushed the drink to my friend, Dale, who was also working hard outside today; and just like a chain reaction, it rekindled his childhood memories. "My mother used to make this (in Louisiana); except a little sweeter...", exclaimed Dale. Wow! One simple, refreshing drink; two distinctive cultures, linked. How great is that! (map)--Lorenzo

Floyd's Cajun Seafood's

(Picture this. In rapid succession, and in this exact order.) "Who picked this restaurant?"; "Was this your idea?"; "This has got to be the best food we've had around for a long time..."; "As good as Gaido's...", said Ed, numerous times. I hope our guests-of-honor from Houston's United Scooter Riders, Becky and Marie, would agree that Floyd's Cajun Seafood's impressed us very much this Saturday.


Risen from the ruins of the post-Hurricane Rita site formerly known as Don's Seafood, Floyd's has an unassuming, yet impressive array of marvelous offerings. Combined with friendly, courteous service, and unpretentious yet inviting atmosphere, Floyd's has captured my imaginations since its opening. From the beginning, I have watched, and tasted with great pleasure the consistency and the single-mindedness of the cautious rise of this quality establishment.

Catfish & Oysters with Floyd's Signature Potatoes. Deeelicious!

Really, you don't have to hear it from me. To better illustrate our experience at Floyd's, let's bring in the "panel of experts" as they describe, in their own words, how they've enjoyed our little get-together at Floyd's this Saturday:

Marie had the Crawfish Etouffee with Fried Crawfish.

Lindsay said, "The white lump crab meat bisque was perfect. Delightful, creamy taste! The dirty rice was a bit spicy but I was pretty full and just could not eat anymore."

Ron said, "The Chicken and Sausage Gumbo was the best I've ever had!"

Dev said, "(My husband) John and I split the Seafood Platter and he really liked the Fried Oysters! I luv Floyd's Signature Potatoes for the spiciness; but with that I've tried Stephen's Onion Rings, OMG, they are to die for! I mean the best I've ever had, I hafta say the Onion Rings impressed me the most! I ate catfish and that wuz good but fish is fish to me when dipped in tartar sauce! So I'll speak for John and myself, we'd give Floyd's 5 scooters for SERVICE, AMBIANCE, PRICE AND FOOD QUALITY." Then she added, "'Who picked the place', Ed said 'Kudos to whomever chose Floyd's.'" (Kudos indeed.)

Stephen savors the highly-regarded Seafood Gumbo.

Stephen had this to add, "I am not a big fan of Floyd's fried fare, but in my opinion they make some of the best seafood gumbo in Southeast Texas. A nice medium viscosity, flavorful not-too-dark roux, a generous portion of shrimp and crab, served with perfectly cooked rice. Aieeeeeeee...! The one fried item I do REALLY like from Floyd's is the Onion Rings. Thinly sliced, lightly battered and seasoned with Cajun spices and perfectly balanced with real deep-fried sweet onion flavor. Cooked just enough to crisp the batter and cook the onion slightly, releasing their sugar but not overpowering the raw onion 'bite'. C'est bon!"

And finally, Ed told us what he really thought about Floyd's, "The food was very good and the price was right. I had grilled catfish with red beans and rice. Rice was cooked correctly. No grains sticking together and not over-cooked or under-cooked. Beans had sausages in them for flavoring and were to my liking; however, the beans were a bit over-cooked but still very good. The catfish had very good seasoning and only one place on fillet where the meat was thinner and it was a little over-cooked. This was to be expected when the meat varies in thickness. That is my take but it was an easy five-scoots."

Floyd's Cajun Seafood's received our highest rating of 5 scooters:



Keep up the great work, Floyd's! Can't wait to go back again!--Lorenzo

La Morenita Meat Market

(The Beaumont location)

A working man's meal!

The beauty deep inside. Delicious!

Simply the most AWESOME custom-made burritos between Beaumont, Texas and Santa Ana, California (where I used to live and work); or anywhere-else for that matter. At a mere $3.99 a pop, it is the absolute bargain of the 2nd Bush Administration, period! Order a delicious cup of Horchata to wash down your tasty, satisfying burrito for only 99 cents more; then you can take the rest of that garbage you've been eating and calling "Mexican food" and trow (yes, I do mean trow) them to the dawgs! Two locations, see MAP.--Lorenzo


La Morenita Meat Market sits on the NW corner of 11th St. & College St.-- site of the former Pancho's Mexican Buffet, which went under before Hurricane Rita. (See Poncho's sign still stands.)

Cure for the over-celebrated: La Morenita also serves an unbelievable menudo on Saturdays and Sundays for $4.99/bowl. Their tacos are no slouch, either; $1.29/ea. In this photo, taco de lengua (i.e. cow's tongue).

A close-up of the luxuriously irresistible bowl of menudo. Admittedly a taste which must be acquired, menudo enjoys a large following especially, but not exclusively to the over-imbibed. Also in the older cultures, in order to honor the slain animal (and not being wasteful), one must consume the entire animal, including in this case the stomach chambers of the cow, i.e. tripe (the main ingredient in making menudo) .

Immeditely north of La Morenita stands the enormous, popular Beaumont landmark "Ken Doll" of Ken's Muffler Shop. Gloriously repainted after Hurricane Rita of 2005.

A close-up of the "Ken Doll" reveals that he sports a single left earring. Tres, tres chic!
Go ahead, take a video tour of La Morenita Meat Market:

Robert's Meat Market & Steak House

What a great Saturday we've had! The fantastic weather, new friends from Houston, Rockport, Lake Jackson and from here locally, the great food, the good vibes. And who can forget the BRIDGES and a quick trip to Louisiana and back! Thought I would get this album out first while the hearts are still pounding; with more arriving later.--Lorenzo

Thank you, everyone for making it such a wonderful day riding and sharing amongst friends. Each one of you was beautiful in your own way.
Finally, Robert's Meat Market & Steak House received SCGT's highest 5-scooter rating. Volume, quality, taste, and friendly service, too. Thank you Ed, for making the arrangement. Great choice!--Lorenzo

Cowboy Red's Bar-B-Q

Ron and Ed "Scare Bear". From last Saturday's ride. Read on for more...

This Saturday's ride took us out to Sabine Pass, another part of our area still rebuilding after the destructions of Hurricane Rita in 2005. Weather was just fantastic and the sunshine made me feel all warm and comfy. The winding roads minus the cagers provided some of the best rides we've ever had so far. "Where are we gonna eat?", Ed asked. Well, as you can see, we ended up at Cowboy Red's Bar-B-Q. Let me bring it to your attention: If you haven't tried their hamburgers, boy, you're really missin' out!
Cowboy Red's Bar-B-Q received the SCGT (Five Scooters!) rating.
Wish you were there!--Lorenzo


Ed showing off his new topcase LED brake light. Very cool!

Sam Houston's statue at Dick Dowling Park, Sabine Pass. Artist: Douglas Clark.

Offshore rigs are refurbished at Sabine Pass.

Well-fed riders are happy riders.

Al-T's

Earlier today, RG, Scare Bear, Ron and I rode down to Winnie through the wide-open fields under the big blue skies around China, Texas. We were truly blessed with fantastic weather in the 70's. Having that warm sunshine baking my back provided some relief for a mild case of cabin fever.
Lunch was less than spectacular at Al-T's (fried shrimp was flavorless and etouffee portion was way undersized); yet I am sure that's only a reflection of the shear number of great restaurants to which we have become accustomed in our area. The important part was the ride, not the destination. Scare Bear surely would disagree.
Al-T's received the SCGT (One Scooter) rating.
Returning to Beaumont, Scare Bear and I went for a quick little birdwatching over at the Cattail Marsh at Tyrrell Park (which is now closed for renovation). To see a run down of our fun day in the sun, simply watch the following video. Make sure to come to our next club ride for a more hands-on experience of what we are all about. Cheers!
By the way, a Scoot Happy Chinese New Year to you all.--Lorenzo