Paw Paw's Catfish House (Bastrop, Tx)

Ok, so I have a confession to make. The Mr. and I ARE NOT fish fans, and especially NOT catfish fans but this weekend we finally bit the bullet and decided to give Paw Paw’s a try! My little ones like fish a whole lot and I like to expose them to new things so we figured someone in our group was bound to like something!
First, I have to say what an adorable little spot! They have done a really great job of decorating this place, and they treat it with pride which believe it or not, is not always the case around here. The people at Paw Paw’s really have tried to go the extra mile. They have even strategically placed a little wind up fishing game at each table to keep the kidlets occupied while you eat. Mine enjoyed it so much we had to go buy one on the way home!

Like I said before, us adults do really do fish…but no worries we found plenty to eat! Brandon ordered the Maw Maw Burger, and I ordered their Grilled Chicken Strips. (I’m trying to watch my waistline before our cruise next week!) We had the kiddos split the Paw Paw’s Platter, which has Catfish and Shrimp, French Fries and Hushpuppies. Everything was delicious! We had one minor issue with our Burger, but the manager was so quick to jump to and rectify the problem we were extremely pleased. The Chicken was cooked very well; it was moist and looked really nice! The batter on the fish wasn’t too heavy, and my favorite thing in the world was the Hushpuppies! I think I may just order those and a beer next time I go! The plates also came with southern green beans, and coleslaw which were also amazing! They have successfully added their own little twists to some very traditional sidesMy only suggestion would be to ask for the Grilled Chicken to come blackened. I didn’t, and the only seasoning on them seemed to be salt and pepper. I appreciate simplicity, but Chicken can be VERY bland on its own and I notice they had a blackened Catfish. I doubt it would be too much trouble to throw a little of that, on that Grilled Chicken next time I go. However the fact that they even offer something that isn’t battered and deep fried is a big time plus!

Anyway, go give Paw Paw’s a try if you haven’t already! You’ll be pleasantly surprised, and don’t be afraid to take the kids! It makes me feel like a huge success if they’ll eat something that even I won’t touch, so I think Paw Paw’s will become a family hit in the little birdie household! Don't forget to tell them a little birdie sent ya!

What's for dinner? Sesame Lemon Chicken!

Obviously my family LOVES to eat out, but we can't do that every night...and actually we cook quite a bit in my house so I thought y'all might like to try this new recipe I found in my new Food Network magazine! It was relatively easy, and I changed a few things but it was still delicious! Anyway here it is!

The recipe:



 

Here's what you need:



 



You do have to grind up your spices...and a re-purposed baby bullet works perfectly! ;]] All you do it rub it on the chicken, and then broil each side for 10 minutes. I began mine on HI to get it nice and hot then turned it back down to LO to cook the chicken.



 

And voila! It came out great! Nice and moist, really lemony!. ;]] I think next time I will toast my sesame seeds a little longer, because they weren't very strong...but still very tasty, and really pretty healthy! A GREAT midweek family dinner!

Jalisco's Taqueria (Bastrop)

Ok, so I know we said we were going to Baxter’s next, and we fully intend to by Sunday…but today we went to Jalisco’s Taqueria for brunch and the food was so good how could I NOT talk about it??? My husband and I went together, and we ordered the same thing and actually it’s my FAVORITE thing on the menu! Chilaquiles!! Oh! My! Gosh!

Do you know what Chilaquiles are??

Basically, they are tortilla chips soaked in enchilada sauce, baked, and then they sprinkle cheese on top. I remember watching Diners Drive Ins and Dives one night, and Guy was trying Chilaquiles…I was like “What???” Chips soaked in Enchilada sauce?? Sounds like MUNCHIE food to me, and umm…fattening?? Well…what can I say?? Yes…yes it is but it’s also delicious! We went to Jalisco’s Taqueria as soon as it opened and this was the very first thing I tried on their menu, it’s absolutely sinful! The chips are always tender but not soggy; the enchilada sauce is really tasty and just spicy enough. They sprinkle Queso Fresco on top. it comes with refried beans and potatoes, and you can get the perfect bite with one full swipe of your plate. MMM

We also ordered a pork tamale each and those are just as delicious! The pork is perfectly seasoned, and their nice and piping hot when they come to the table. Their house made salsa bar is the perfect companion for ALL of their dishes! I don’t know what they do at Jalisco’s Taqueria to make their food so amazing, but I would say it’s my favorite Mexican “Restaurant” in town. I just can’t wait for their bigger restaurant to open, I have a feeling we’ll be spending a lot of time there!

Kay's Cafe (Bastrop)

Well we took y’alls advice and had dinner at Kay’s Café last week, and we were pleasantly surprised with a home cooked meal and incredibly friendly service. We’ll be back visiting Kay sometime in the near future! We’d driven past Kay’s many times, so we knew exactly where to go and find them. From the outside we had expected a large cafeteria style restaurant, so imagine our surprise when we first walked in! They share the building with Twister Cheer Company, and the actual dining room has a total of maybe 10 tables…but we’ve experienced many “holes in the wall” and I wouldn’t exactly put Kay’s in that category.  We ordered Pot Roast, and a stuffed Burger. Both had amazing flavor and tasted like something Mom had just made for dinner. I felt as though my roast was a little dry, but they served it with gravy and that had an amazing flavor and solved the moisture problem right away. The hamburger was actually quite incredible. It was juicy, and cooked well. It was stuffed with Cheddar Cheese and had the perfect balance of crunch with their fresh and ripe veggies piled mountain high on top. We also ordered dessert, actually 3 of them to take and try at home. We ordered the Peach Pecan Cobbler, the Banana Bread, and the Berry Cheesecake. I will say that I had wished the desserts had been freshly made. Ours had been made a day or two previously and then refrigerated and you could definitely tell. The Peach Pecan cobbler tasted really great and had a great texture, but unfortunately the cheesecake had separated and was inedible. Aside from desert however, we really enjoyed our time. We sat next to a table of about 8 adults who obviously frequent the spot, and Kay’s has a real crowd of fans in Bastrop. We could definitely see why when we were served…the staff is incredibly friendly and there is real love in their dining room, reminds me of visiting an old Aunt’s house, or with a friend’s mom. I can’t wait to go back and try their meatloaf!