It's so crazy that the one year anniversary of driving across the country with my step-mother and mother to move to Orlando is coming up and I'm definitely feeling nostalgic. The two cross country treks were unlike anything else I had done and make me encourage anyone that has never done a long road trip to try it out. I've done trips to Disneyland from Tucson with my best friend but that cannot compare to the 28 hour (straight shot) journey. With that being said, Texas is the longest part of the journey which is why we got to enjoy some great foods in different parts of the state coming to and going from Orlando.
K-Bob's Steakhouse- Fort Stockton, TX
This was the first stop in Texas and we decided to go with a cowboy style dinner when we were in the middle of nowhere. In New Mexico we dined on plenty of Tex-Mex so we wanted to change it up when arriving in Texas. Fort Stockton is right off of the highway and is pretty much a hub for truck drivers and history of the wild west. One notable attraction is Paisano Pete, which is the mascot for the town and is a statue of a roadrunner made of recycled materials. Anyway, K-Bob's Steakhouse is about your average chain steakhouse. Pictured above is the 8 oz sirloin, the campfire with the surf your turf addition of four shrimp. My two sides that I chose were the garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. There are other options than steak such as country fried steak, pork ribs, or seafood options. Looking over the menu, there aren't many vegetarian options so if you're stopping through the area be wary of dining here and look into another restaurant option.
K-Bob's Restaurant: 2800 W Dickinson Blvd, Fort Stockton, TX 79735
Casa Rio- San Antonio, TX
Next stop on the tour de Texas was San Antonio for two days. Our tolerance for Mexican food was rejuvenated so we needed to try the food that Texas is best known for, Tex-Mex. We were walking on the San Antonio River Walk searching for a place to eat lunch in the humidity when we stumbled upon this gem. Casa Rio is the first business to open up on the river in 1946 in hopes to make delicious Tex-Mex and to benefit from the beautiful water scenery. Pictured above is the green chicken enchiladas plate with two chicken enchiladas topped with monterey jack cheese, tomatillo sauce, and sour cream with spanish rice and refried beans on the side. Another great option from the menu is the regular plate since it is a bit of everything and comes with a cheese enchilada, tamale, chili con carne, mexican rice and refried beans on the side. Unlike K-Bob's, there are some vegetarian options including the vegetarian enchilada plate which is a cheese and vegetable enchilada topped with Santa Anna sauce with refried beans and rice on the side. Sit under one of the colorful umbrellas and soak up the beauty of the river walk at this great Tex-Mex location.
Casa Rio: 430 E. Commerce St, San Antonio, TX 78205
Paesanos Riverwalk- San Antonio, TX
Italian food and a beautiful view of the riverwalk? What's not to love. Paesanos definitely had a great backdrop right off of the sidewalk of the riverwalk. It may take away from the privacy aspect of dining but it also makes the experience unique and more fun to people watch and also watch the tour boats go by on the water. Aside from the riverwalk beauty, this place is a great stop for Italian food. I started off with a caesar salad but there is are some great alternative appetizer options such as the shrimp paesano, parmesan crusted artichoke hearts, or the Mediterranean salad. Pictured above is my entree which is the linguini with clams which is simply linguini pasta with clams in a creamy sauce. There are other great pasta dishes such as penne all' arrabbiata, veal and sage ravioli, or stuffed shells. Not feeling pasta then there are some hearty meat options like lemon peppered salmon, prime dijon marinated pork chop, or the 14 oz New York strip. Vegetarian, gluten free, or vegan? Paesanos Riverwalk has an entire menu dedicated to those with these dietary restrictions.
Paesanos Riverwalk: 111 W. Crockett St, San Antonio, TX 78205
San Lorenzo Mexican Restaurant & Cantina- Houston, TX
Next we journey into the return from Orlando portion of the Texas adventures, or in short time for more Mexican food. We wanted to experience new Texas stops that we didn't see on the ride there so we ventured to Houston. Aside from being the birthplace of the queen, Beyonce, Houston has many interesting tourist spots. Johnson Space Center is located in Houston, which is NASA's location for conducting research and training for spaceflight. If you want to learn more about space and exploration then visit Space Center Houston for more about the past and future of space exploration. While in Houston, stop by this delicious Mexican spot for some delicious dishes. Pictured above are the camarones rancheros which is diced shrimp sauteed with jalapeños, tomatoes and onions on top of tortillas served with sliced avocado. We ordered the Mexican guacamole for an appetizer which is diced avocado mixed with onion, jalapeño, tomato and cilantro served with chips and it was definitely a delicious starter. Not feeling the seafood? Check out the carne guisada, which are tender beef tips cooked in their homemade Mexican sauce served with guacamole salad and tortillas. As for vegetarian options, this place probably won't be the best option possible since there are many beef/chicken/shrimp options on the menu.
San Lorenzo Mexican Restaurant and Cantina- 3020 Marina Bay Dr, League City, TX 77573
Hotel Paisano- Marfa, TX
Last stop on the tour de Texas (part II) was the tiny, artsy city located in the middle of pretty much nowhere called Marfa. One tourist destination of this town is the Chinati Foundation, which is a center for contemporary art. The use of simple man made items like concrete into art pieces make the Foundation a destination for many art enthusiasts. Another quirky aspect about Marfa are the Marfa lights which are ghost lights that have been seen around route 67 by the city and have been speculated as a paranormal phenomenon. Anyway, if you're looking for a place to dine in Marfa then stop by the beautiful Hotel Paisano. For an appetizer we got the fried artichoke hearts that are lightly dredged and deep-fried artichoke hearts served with a chipotle ranch, which are definitely recommendable. Pictured above is the extremely delicious pistachio fried steak, this is a fried sirloin steak topped with jalapeño gravy served over mashed potatoes accompanied by the vegetable of the day. If you're not feeling fried food then I ordered the bacon penne which is penne pasta, chopped bacon, basil and parmesan, topped with a red tequila cream sauce which I also opted to get shrimp added to. Vegetarians rejoice, there are options on the menu for you. One option is leslie's cheese rellenos, which is two asadero stuffed rellenos with spanish brown rice, street corn, black bean hummus, and avocado crema.
Hotel Paisano- 207 N. Highland Ave, Marfa, TX 79843
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