Dinner Destination: Riven Rock Ranch, Fredericksburg Trip, Part 2

We started out the day, Friday, with a stop at the Becker Vineyards in Stonewall, right outside Fredericksburg.  We've been buying their wines for years and even belong to their wine club and get new wines shipped to us every few months.  I wanted a bottle of their Vintage Port to make some port wine caramelized pecans.  Steve wanted to get six bottles so he could take advantage of the 10% discount for 6 bottles or more.  He really liked the 201l Albarino, a white wine made from Albarino, native to northwestern Iberia.  Apparently this was a very popular wine and supply was low.  He also got a couple bottles of the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, one of my favorites.  When we first started going to the Becker Vineyards the tasting area was just a little counter, but now there is a huge tasting room.  They have a selection of good cheeses, meats, crackers, etc. to put together a nice wine, cheese picnic.  Now that's an idea for future trips!

New Tasting Room

Original Tasting Room

Becker Vineyards, Stonewall, Texas

We originally wanted to just go to Kerrville to see the Texas Furniture Makers show/exhibit, but then added the other places for food sampling.  I had read about the Bear Moon Bakery Cafe in Boerne, known for it's Jalapeno Hogs (sausage kolaches with local sausage) and other baked goods as well as their gourmet soups, salads, and sandwiches.  Since we had the disappointment of Rather Sweet Bakery closing we were looking forward to discovering a new place to pick up some of our favorites.
We arrived in Boerne, which is really a nice town with a main street similar to Fredericksburg, but more like it was 20 years ago before the big Houston and Dallas money came to town.  Lots of antique stores, small gift shops, local businesses and little old fashioned cafes line the street.  I loved the Kiss the Cook kitchen store, an old house filled with chef supplies and kitchen stuff.  I couldn't resist buying a stack of 6 inch round Emile Henry enamel baking dishes like the ones our bed and breakfast uses for the delicious Santa Fe eggs we had for breakfast.  (See blog entry Oct 2010 visit to Fredericksburg for description of breakfast.)
The Christmas Shop was full of fun decorations so I had to buy a few snowmen for my collection and a Russian nesting doll filled with Christmas ornaments for my daughter. 


We finally made it to the Bear Moon Bakery Cafe which was packed for lunch.  I asked for a Jalapeno Hog, but they were all sold out.  Too bad.  We ordered off the lunch menu and tried the White Bean Chicken Chili and a "Mentalist" sandwich.  Weird name for a sandwich of smoked turkey on wheat bread with avocado and basil pesto mayo.  The bread used for the sandwich was fresh whole wheat, nuttly and really quite good and the chili was fair.  On our way out we purchased a few cookies for Steve to snack on and a "world famous piggy" to sample for breakfast tomorrow  Well, I might try a bite or two, but just in case my personal trainer is reading this.....

After a visit to the Texas Furniture Makers exhibit where we saw some beautiful handcrafted mesquite, walnut, and maple furniture and discovered the table we wanted was around $15,000.00, we realized we needed a new car more than a new table and gave up on the table plan, but it was nice to look.

Riven Rock Ranch

After a stop back in Fredericksburg, we headed to Comfort to the Riven Rock Ranch.  I read about the Terrace Grill when I did a search on places to dine in Comfort and it sounded pretty nice.  Riven Rock Ranch is a working ranch located above the Guadalupe River with a bed and breakfast, event pavillions, and restaurants. Reviews were very positive so we decided to give it a try.  It was a beautiful facility, although on the overcast, rainy night it was hard to really see it all. We were seated in front of the outdoor fireplace, protected from the elements by a plastic "wall".  There was a very powerful outdoor heater near our table so we were toasty warm throughout the dinner.  Our server, Dorinda, was friendly and helpful.  She went through a very detailed description of all the specials, and suggested her favorites.

Chicken Fried Quail Legs

We ordered the Chicken Fried Quail Legs for an appetizer, served with house made jalapeno jelly and mascarpone cheese.  They were hot, spicy, creamy, crunchy and everything you could ask for in an appetizer.  Definitely worth the drive to Comfort just for this dish.  The spinach salad with honey vinaigrette, bacon, quail eggs, and red onion with cashews was also a winner.  The fresh, young spinach was dressed just enough for all the flavors in the various ingredients to stand out. 

For my entree, I ordered the Mixed Grill of Colorado elk, Axis deer and wild board sausage with cheese and jalapeno, and quail served with Yukon gold potaotoes and cauliflower/brocolli.  Steve ordered the Filet with Herb Butter and Gouda mashed potatoes.  Both entrees were top notch, served piping hot, on hot plates, seasoned properly, moist and tender.  No complaints here.  I would definitely go back.  Dessert was the chocolate pot de creme.  It was served very hot, not the usual cold or room temperature I was expecting, so not my favorite dish tonight.

Mixed Grill

Filet with Herb Butter

Chocolate Pot De Creme

Back to Fredericksburg for a busy day on Saturday.

Saturday morning started with our Bed and Breakfast, herb scrambled eggs with the potato vegetable hash and turkey sausages, breakfast. The breakfasts are always very good, but hard to finish.   I always end up saving parts of it for snacks later.  After breakfast we stopped by the St. Nicholas Market in the Marketplatz in the center of Fredericksburg.  This is a two day event where all sorts of vendors selling gift items, many imported German and some Russian items.  We were able to find some unique gifts before starting out on the home tour.

The home tour of seven homes started with the home of General Michael Hagee, who is from Fredericksburg and retired here.  What a beautiful home!  In fact, all 7 homes were unique and a pleasure to tour, (well, mostly--there were a couple we didn't care for).

We had to run back to Becker for wine glasses to replenish our home supply so while we were there we found out as wine club members we could have free tastings.  We tried some different wines including a very nice Cabernet Syrah Reserve we will probably buy sometime.

 



Cottages at Limestone on Main breakfast

At the St. Nicholas Market

Home of General (Retired) Hagee, Commandant of the Marine Corp

a new, but old style home on the tour

The inside of this home reminds us of ours.

We can't resist going to The Nest.  We've been going here since 2001 and it has not changed a bit, unlike most things in Fredericksburg.  There are always specials but the menu has not changed and the soup of the day is always the best dish. 

The Nest

French Onion Soup

House salad

Atlantic salmon with citrus butter sauce and rice

Shrimp with Citrus Sauce

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Fredericksburg Trip, Part 1

Giant Pyramid Candle in the Marketplatz

We set out for Fredericksburg on on Thursday, December 1st, to stay at our favorite B & B, Cottages at Limestone on Main, and relax a few days, shop, go on the annual Christmas Tour of Homes and enjoy the local cuisine, of course.  The drive to Fredericksburg via state highway 16 seems short and pleasant since Steve does the driving and I catch up on reading.  A stop in San Saba at the Oliver Pecan Company is always a must this time of year when pecan season is at its peak.  We buy bags of cracked pecans after sampling the season's choices.  This year we bought 20 pounds of "Desirable" pecans, or I should say Steve bought them along with a couple jars of Dumas Walker Texas Strawberries (pickled jalapenos, sliced very thin) and a book called The Texas Hill Country that I threw in at the last minute.  The pecans are sweet, chrisp, and perfect.  We will use them for salads, pecan brittle gifts, baking and just cracking them and eating.
Once we arrived in Fredericksburg we had a couple hours to shop on Main Street before check in time.
We walked to our first stop whenever we go to Fredericksburg, the Rather Sweet Bakery and Cafe, to have a light lunch and buy some cookies (for Steve, of course).  We stood there open mouthed when we saw it no longer existed.  I later found out it closed and will re open in 2012 as "Sugar and Smoke".
We happened upon the Rather Sweet Bakery when it was a tiny new establishment in 2001 and over the years were so excited when Rebecca Rather published three cookbooks and became so famous.  I have made so many of her recipes with great success it is so sad to see her business gone.
We went over to Main Street and ended up at the Bejas Grill, a southwestern restaurant where we shared a very nice Angus burger with green chiles, bacon, cheese, and avocado.  Their crispy fries were excellent.  I had a cup of the soup special of the day, a sweet potato chipotle soup, which although tasty, had a strange chunky texture.
We did some shopping on the beautifully decorated Main Street where there are so many unique stores that sell home decorating items, Christmas things, gifts, etc.  I found some things for my holiday table centerpiece at one of my favorite stores, Devinely Designed, and browsed in Linens & More, a great place for all sorts of kitchen and bedroom linens.  One of my favorite stores is Der Kuchen Laden, a huge, rambling kitchen store with every gadget you could imagine.  Rustlin' Rob's is also fun, a store that sells sauces, relishes, spices and has samples of everything they sell set out with baskets of crackers.  You can taste everything, which can get pretty filling, so don't go before a meal.
Phil Jackson's Iron and Granite Store is also a favorite place. We have some beautiful pieces we've bought for the last 11 years, including my favorite, a lazy susan made of the local pink granite on our kitchen table. Then we always buy a hand decorated Christmas ornament from the Christmas Store.
After unpacking and resting a bit, we went to our dinner destination, The Navajo Grill.  This restaurant has been around for many years and keeps getting better.  We started with a cranberry cocktail and fall cocktail with Frangelico, both quite tasty and refreshing.   I had the eggplant tomato soup to begin.  Not bad, but a little too much cayenne burning the back of my throat was not pleasant.  Steve's Romaine salad (a southwestern Caesar salad) was nice, though.  My entree was outstanding.  I had the Bone In Pork Chop, a double cut Niman Ranch pork chop, grilled perfectly with pear chutney, ancho mashed potatoes and caramelized garlic greens. The pork was so juicy and flavorful. The Paso Robles Wild Horse Cabernet Sauvignon was just right with this dish.  Steve's Hot and Crunchy Shrimp--a chile and almond crusted shrimp on a bed of ancho mashed potatoes with a cilantro dipping sauce, was pretty good, but not as good as the pork.

Niman Ranch Pork Chop

Hot and Crunchy Shrimp





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Izakaya Event, Fort Worth Japanese Society, November 20, 2011

 Fort Worth Japanese Society Izakaya Pub Luncheon Menu

Yakisoba

Takoyaki with Octopus, Shrimp, or Cheese

Sunomono with Wakame

Spicy Stir-fried Edamame

Regular Edamame with Sea Salt

Yakitori

Yaki Onigiri

We had the above menu at a recent lunch event for the Fort Worth Japanese Society.  I am on the board and the events committee so earlier in the year when we were thinking of monthly lunch ideas I mentioned the Izakaya Pub.  In Japan an izakaya is typically an establishment where people stop for drinks (place for sake is the literal meaning of izakaya) and food.  The food varies but you might compare it to Japanese "tapas", small plates of many types of food.  I had read that lately the izkaya food is being served at daytime restaurants in Japan, not just sake/beer bar type places, so I thought it would be fun to serve a selection of these foods for a luncheon.  The board members liked the idea so we came up with a plan.
Sam and Elishia brought lots of red lanterns to hang (red lanterns are often outside the door of izakayas) and along with other members decorated the building.  Elishia wrote signs in Japanese and English to hang over each station (table) where the food was being prepared.  We had Sam, John, Michael, Cameron, and my son, Glenn outside preparing yakitori.  John also prepared lots of takoyaki batter and Akiko and Mikako spent the entire time making takoyaki.  Sonya sliced a dozen English cucumbers and made the sunomono, and spicy edamame for those who wanted it.
I was at the yakisoba station and cooked it as quickly as I could.  Fortunately I had done most of the work prior to the event so I had a big container of cooked chuka soba, and containers of vegetables and pork, already cooked.  I just had to heat oil, toss in the vegetables, meat, noodles, and sauce.
We estimated around 55 guests, so there was a lot of yakisoba to cook!
Yakisoba Recipe

1 pound pork loin, frozen slightly and sliced, then cut into thin strips

sprinkle lightly with low sodium soy sauce and 2 T sake

1 c mushrooms, shiitake or white, sliced

½ c vegetable oil

4 oz cabbage, cut into 1 inch wide strips

Small carrot, cut into thin sticks

½ green pepper, cut into thin sticks

1 c bean sprouts

½ c onion, cut into thin strips

8 oz chuka soba, cooked according to package directions (DO NOT OVERCOOK!)

Sauce:

1 T sake

1/3 c chicken stock

1 ½ tsp soy sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

1-2 tsp Worchestershire sauce

½ tsp sugar

White pepper to taste

Soy sauce, to taste

or used bottle Yakisoba sauce, 2 T per serving

Garnish:  Benishoga (pickled red ginger)

Aonori or strips of nori (seaweed)

Heat a wok or skillet and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil.  Cook  the pork and remove.  

Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet and stir fry the vegetables on high heat for 1-2 minutes.  Remove.  Cook enough for 2 people at a time by adding a tablespoon of oil to the hot pan, some pork, vegetables and noodles.  Add sauce, adding more to taste.  Serve with pickled ginger.

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Santa Fe in the Fall

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Mango Tomatillo Papaya Salsa

Day 1, Tuesday:  After a very long drive from Fort Worth we arrived in Santa Fe.  Our only food stop along the way was at Red Robin in Amarillo.  I happen to like their chili and there is not much to choose from in Amarillo, unless we wanted to stop by the Big Texan Steak Ranch and try the 72 ounce steak dinner.  When we arrived in Santa Fe we checked into our hotel, The Chimayo De Santa Fe Hotel on the Plaza.  Tune Up Café was our destination, a place we saw on a DDD episode a couple years ago.  Former Café Pasqual chef, Jesus Rivera, started it in an old gas station.  I love his papusas and chile rellenos, so that’s what we had for our appetizers.

Jesus and Charlotte Rivera, owners of Tune Up Cafe

We weren’t disappointed in our entrees either, mine the special, Chipotle Lime Mahi Mahi with Mango, Tomatillo, Papaya, Jalapeno Sauce with a bright green Cilantro Rice, and well-seasoned Black Beans.  My two glasses of wine, one ordered by mistake, didn’t hurt my mood.   Steve’s Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas were spicy, saucy, and just right. 

Day 2, Wednesday:  Tecolote Café was our choice for breakfast.  Steve is crazy about their Huevos Rancheros so that’s what we had.  Their green chile sauce has a spicy kick to it.  The bakery basket filled with blueberry muffins, chocolate chip muffins, and biscuits is a nice touch. 

Plaza was cool and sunny every day we were there.

We planned to skip lunch but I wanted to sample Roque’s Carnitas, from a food cart in the Plaza.  This guy is famous and has been featured on TV, in newspapers and magazines and was on the Food Truck Race episode filmed in Santa Fe.  Sorry to say it was not that great.  Bland meat, too raw onions and peppers in a tortilla.  My weeknight fajitas made after working all day are so much better, so we don’t know what all the fuss is about.  I also wanted to try the famous Fritos Pie at the Five and Dime.  Best Thing I Ever Ate featured it recently.  Lukewarm canned tasting chili on Fritos with raw onions and cheese served in the Fritos bag, is not the stuff of my dreams.  OK, we tried it, into the trash it went along with the half eaten carnita.

Galisteo Bistro and Wine Bar

Galisteo Bistro was my pick for dinner based on reading up on top restaurants in Santa Fe.  It was also my way to get a break from New Mexican chile food, but don’t tell Steve!  We were pleasantly surprised at the atmosphere, a quiet, cozy place with an open kitchen.  While waiting for our table I was watching the chefs prepare the food and I had flashbacks of working the line at culinary school.  Everything was ready to go, chopped and prepared, stored in little containers in a cart.  Each dish was made to order in hot skillets with fresh sauces and herbs.  We were seated right next to the kitchen so I could watch the chef prepare our orders.  We tried a small plate, the Chipotle Shrimp, spicy shrimp, seared and served with a couple very nice sauces, great for dunking the chewy bread.  Steve wasn’t interested in my Cheese Flight with Double Cream Brie, Chardonnay marinated raisins, dates, and toasted pinons, but I convinced him to try a bite.  It was a true taste bud teaser and he couldn’t stop eating the little crostinis.

Salad with Cajun Seared Tuna

Cheese Flight

Chicken Saltimbocca

Mud Puddle

With my glass of Paso Robles Cabernet, I was definitely enjoying this bistro.  My Citrus Dressed Field Green with Roasted Orzo Salad and Raspberry Vinaigrette and a Cajun Seared Yellowfin Tuna was light and satisfying.  The tuna was perfectly seared and the components of the salad were crunch, smooth, creamy and bright.  Steve’s Chicken Saltimbocca was pan roasted, layered with fresh sage, prosciutto, fontina, with a nice brown butter madeira sauce, served with some Vegetable Orzo Confetti.  It was hot, savory, and prepared just like the classic versions I’ve tasted, but the sauce added a deeper dimension to the dish.  We ended our meal with the Mud Puddle, a layered coffee ice cream, chocolate crumbs, and mocha mousse concoction, topped with whipped cream and toasted almonds.  I love that dessert.  I think I’ll copy it and make it myself sometime—isn’t that the greatest compliment?

We stopped at the Cantina, Casa Sena, to listen to music and enjoy an after dinner drink.  Seems the staff are all quite talented and they took turns singing show tunes while the piano player accompanied them.   Very nice.

Day 3, Thursday:

Café Pasqual is one of my all-time favorite restaurants.  A few years ago I was introduced to their Huevos Rancheros and chile sauces.  I bought their cookbooks and started making some really good food.  This time of year the crowds were gone and we were seated right away.  Our waiter said we looked familiar and asked if we were at Galisteo Bistro the night before.  He is a waiter there too!

Cafe Pasqual's Pappas Fritas

I had the Pappas Fritas, a dish I’ve never tried but one I had seen someone else eating and had plate envy last time we were there.  Red potatoes are sliced and sautéed until crispy around the edges.  They are placed in a bowl, on top of a corn tortilla, covered with green chile sauce, melted jack cheese, topped with two over easy eggs, some scallions and sour cream.  Yum, yum, yum.  Steve’s bacon, egg, and green chile quesadilla was sad in comparison so I shared my huge bowl of goodness with him.  Did I say I love Café Pasqual?

Breakfast Quesadilla

On our way to Taos for a day trip, we stopped at Chimayo.  Chimayo is known for Chimayo red chiles and weavers.  We stopped at Ortegas to pick up some more coasters (our German Shepherd ate most of the ones we bought before).  We were told the chile hook up was in the museum shop next door.  We spoke to the woman there and she told us that Chimayo chile powder was hard to get, very rare and very expensive.  $80.00 per pound!   We had promised to bring some back for Anthony at La Choza in Azle,  so we got 4 ounces for him, and 4 ounces for us.  Seems that the true Chimayo chile seed has been mixed with other seeds and there has been a recent effort to purify the seed.  The DNA of the Chimayo chile is used to verify the real thing.  Can’t wait to make something with this chile powder!

The real thing--Chimayo red chile

Taos is a quaint, mountain community, very artsy and nice to walk around in due to lots of streets closed to traffic.  The weather was perfect for strolling around and seeing the sights.  The Plaza was small, lots of shops and interesting characters.  One interesting character was the guy at the “great noodles” cart.

He had a small cart, a big wok on a gas burner fueled by a propane tank, ice chests filled with his ingredients, and a bunch of metal bins with vegetables, etc.  Sauces were in old Sriracha bottles on his cart.  Hmm, this was very interesting.  He had quite a selection of Asian noodle dishes.  Although we had lunch plans I had to try one of his dishes as part of my food research, right?  We order the Red Curry Coconut Rice Noodles with Vegetables.  I watched him make it and saw that he makes each order, one at a time, and it takes a while to cook all the vegetables and noodles.  He packs it all in a Chinese take-out container, tops it with chopped peanuts and scallions.  We shared a few bites of this research, but saved room for the real lunch.

Graham’s Grill with Lesley Fay

Lunch in Taos was at Graham’s Grill, a highly rated restaurant featuring Chef Leslie Fay, trained in the Napa area in California.  We sat in the patio with the sun warming us and ordered sandwiches.  Steve had his first Green Chile Cheeseburger of the trip and I had a Wild Salmon BLT with Chipotle Aioili.  Both were served on fresh bakery brioche buns, cooked just right with fresh vegetables, crispy sweet potato fries and handmade sauces.  We were ready to head back to Santa Fe. But first I purchased Lesley Fay’s cookbook. 

Jambo Café was our choice for dinner later.  The café was rated #1 in Santa Fe in numerous ratings and although it was out of the way, on Cerillos Rd., we decided to try it.  After all the new Mexican food a Caribbean African café sounded pretty good.  I had the special, Jamaican Jerk Pineapple Shrimp Skewers With Curry Basil Brown Coconut Brown Rice with Sauteed Spinach.  Steve had Hummus and Coconut Shrimp.  I also tried the Butternut Squash and Black Lentil Soup.  The shrimp skewers were spicy and exciting, if you can use that term for food.  The sauce was indescribable, full of spices and herbs with a range of tastes I could not even identify.  I wanted to keep eating that dish until everything on my plate was wiped clean, not my usual behavior.  The chef is very good at this unimposing strip center restaurant and I can see why the place gets such high ratings.  I think we need to come back for lunch tomorrow.

Chef/Owner Ahmed Obo

Jamaican Shrimp Skewers

Coconut Shrimp

Hummus

Day 4, Friday:  I sent Steve to Starbucks for a sandwich so I could skip breakfast and have an appetite for lunch at Jambo Café.  I wanted to try the Organic Jerk Chicken. 
We planned to continue on our Chocolate Trail before lunch and then go to Las Golindrinas Living History Museum after lunch.

Cooking ovens and well

After stopping at Kokowa Chocolates, Chocolate Smith, and HC Higgins Chocolates we had lunch at Jambo Café.  My Jerk Chicken was good, but not as good as last night’s shrimp skewers.  It was something I could easily make at home and was  bit of a let down after the fantastic meal last night. 

Our last dinner in Santa Fe was at Café Pasqual’s.  We had to wait a long time for our reserved table, about 25 minutes, but finally sat down.  We had the special salad, Field Greens with Buffalo Mozarella, Proscuitto, Fresh Dates, Tomatoes, and Honey Vinaigrette with Carta de Musica (a special thin flatbread on top).  It was an excellent salad.  My entrée was the Yellow Fin Tuna with Rice and Spinach, am altogether forgettable dish.  Steve’s Barbacoa Tacos, though, were outstanding, full of flavors, complex and interesting.  We got out of there and headed to La Casa Sena Cantina to have an after dinner drink and listen to some show tunes.

Grilled Yellowfin Tuna

Dos Tacos Barbeqoas

James Eustace, hand crafted bracelet, anniversary gift from Steve

Outside our hotel, Cuban band playing lively music, lots of dancing

Saturday morning, time to head back to Azle.  We went to Cafe Pasqual's for breakfast before heading to the Santa Fe farmers market. I wanted to try the Huevos Barbacoa Con Chile D'Arbol Salsa and it was really good!  Steve had pancakes--he was through with chiles for awhile.

Huevos Barbacoa con chile d'arbol salsa

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