Showing posts with label Chuys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chuys. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
The Chuy's Culinary Tour
Since I have become a major stockholder and part owner of Chuy's restaurants (you didn't think I could pass up that opportunity, did you?), I am wondering if the time has come to visit each and every one of my locations. You know what they say: "If you have seen one Chuy's, you have seen one Chuy's."
So I have done some digging and it looks like I'm going to have to get busy. At this point in time, early October, 2012, there are 38 Chuy's Restaurants in 8 states:
Texas has 24 locations - Austin (5), Houston area (7) Dallas-Ft Worth (6) San Antonio (2), College Station, Lubbock, Waco and Tyler one each.Tennessee has 5, Kentucky/Indiana has 4 (soon to have 5), Oklahoma has 2, and Alabama, Georgia, and Florida each have one each.
Obviously, the place to start is right here at home, and I'm ashamed to admit that there are 2 local Chuy's that I have not been to - the one out on IH-35 toward Round Rock and the one on William Cannon, way south. Before, it just didn't make sense to pass a Chuy's only 2 miles from the house to visit one 18 miles away, but now I think it's important that I check on my investment, don't you? Shoot, they are probably expecting me, don't you think?
I've been working on the route, and it's harder than it looks. I may have to get AAA to work out one of those route maps - it's a lot of driving to cover all 38 cities. Maybe I need to get an RV and then the little woman and I can hit the road and start chowing down on Creamy Jalapeno dip and Chuychangas (with queso) nationwide. We could just stay out there until the job is done. Come to think of it, if
By the way, the market has been kind of up and down lately, so my 2 shares have earned enough for... well, uh... okay, you get free queso during happy hour. I'm in! Who's coming with us?
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Monday, August 24, 2009
Enough said...
Except that Mom (not a fan of hot hot dishes) says "There's nothing I can eat here for the next three weeks!"
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday Meanderings
Wow. 105 degrees or hotter since Wednesday. Makes you appreciate the A/C. However I didn't understand the weather thingy on a local channel that said, "Temperature - 103; heat index feels like 102."
A blog that Barbara reads explained the rules for playing "Swat Bug" recently. This particular blogger has ultra-competitive boys so the rules have to be very finely drawn - like for instance how you deal with the Volkswagen Dealerships along the route. We reminisced about our Swat Bug playing days when the kids were young and then we moved on. At least I did. Barb has taken the game to heart now like she never did during the old days. Every few miles now she yells "SWAT BUG!!" and pokes me in the arm. I'm sure she'll rebut this, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Went to Chuy's last Monday night, as is our custom, and asked for a particular server. While the brand-new hostess was looking up this server's tables, Barb walked over to a table that she knew was in the server's group. When the hostess caught on, she said something about "We must have been here before." Barb said, "After coming every Monday night for 20 years we do know our way around." To which the hostess replied, "Ohhh, that's so sweet. It's like a date night."
True. Monday night is date night. And so is Tuesday night and Wednesday night, and... Then there are the Monday morning and Friday morning breakfast dates. And sometimes we even have dates at home and eat together there as well.
During the ballgame the other night Orel Hershiser was talking about chewing sugary bubblegum when he was pitching and it was very hot and sweat created problems when gripping the ball. He admitted drooling just a bit so the ball would get slightly sticky. But he was quick to point out that he always used gum made in the USA so he could look the Ump in the eye and declare truthfully that he was not using "a foreign substance" on the ball.
Bumper sticker: "Pflugerville - between a rock and a weird place"
On some prior trip to California Pizza Kitchen we received a "mystery discount" coupon; bring it back and get the discount under the scratch off label. We've done this before and received a nominal 10% discount, but the other night the mystery reward was "Dinner for two up to $40." Whoo Hooo! With careful planning and dessert we owed .26 cents on our ticket. I love free food!
A blog that Barbara reads explained the rules for playing "Swat Bug" recently. This particular blogger has ultra-competitive boys so the rules have to be very finely drawn - like for instance how you deal with the Volkswagen Dealerships along the route. We reminisced about our Swat Bug playing days when the kids were young and then we moved on. At least I did. Barb has taken the game to heart now like she never did during the old days. Every few miles now she yells "SWAT BUG!!" and pokes me in the arm. I'm sure she'll rebut this, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Went to Chuy's last Monday night, as is our custom, and asked for a particular server. While the brand-new hostess was looking up this server's tables, Barb walked over to a table that she knew was in the server's group. When the hostess caught on, she said something about "We must have been here before." Barb said, "After coming every Monday night for 20 years we do know our way around." To which the hostess replied, "Ohhh, that's so sweet. It's like a date night."
True. Monday night is date night. And so is Tuesday night and Wednesday night, and... Then there are the Monday morning and Friday morning breakfast dates. And sometimes we even have dates at home and eat together there as well.
During the ballgame the other night Orel Hershiser was talking about chewing sugary bubblegum when he was pitching and it was very hot and sweat created problems when gripping the ball. He admitted drooling just a bit so the ball would get slightly sticky. But he was quick to point out that he always used gum made in the USA so he could look the Ump in the eye and declare truthfully that he was not using "a foreign substance" on the ball.
Bumper sticker: "Pflugerville - between a rock and a weird place"
On some prior trip to California Pizza Kitchen we received a "mystery discount" coupon; bring it back and get the discount under the scratch off label. We've done this before and received a nominal 10% discount, but the other night the mystery reward was "Dinner for two up to $40." Whoo Hooo! With careful planning and dessert we owed .26 cents on our ticket. I love free food!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Monday Meanderings
Rethinking Mexican Food. Not to worry - Chuy's is still numero uno - but we were in the neighborhood the other day and stopped at Pappasita's for lunch. We've been to Pappasita's before, but it has been a long time; it's simply not located on our normal foraging routes. We really enjoyed it - stuffed ourselves silly with just lunch entrees. For sure a dinner would require one or two take-home boxes. More of a Mexican food menu rather than Tex-Mex.
The really memorable part of the lunch was when the waitress set Mom's lunch on fire. Mom ordered Queso Fundido, which is Spanish for "Your cheese is on fire." So was the serving tray but the fellow at the next table sacrificed his napkin to save us.
They are promoting a Plato de Padre plate for Father's Day. It's supposed to be dinner for two, but the waitress said "Bring friends." Sounds like a Birthday/Father's Day plan to me, but I'm sitting by the fire extinguisher, just in case.
On the subject of food, we discovered yesterday that Marie Callender's serves a pepper-crusted Tri-Tip. Appropriate for a California-based restaurant chain, don't you think? It was excellent, by the way.
Mom dropped me off at Wal-Mart the other day so I could run in and get something. Meanwhile she would wait in the car till I came out. Normally, we call each other on the cell phone when we come out - saves circling the parking lot. So I'm outside, trying to find Mom's cell number in the bright sunlight, fumbling with the phone when I hear "Ahem" from Mom - sitting in the car right in front of me. I was busy, okay?
Finch season must be about over in this area - very few finches feeding (say that three times fast) these days. I did see a new bird the other day - thought it was a mockingbird until I noticed a very long curved bill. I learned it was a Curved-Billed Thresher.
Overheard conversation about an overheard conversation: "We were on the observation deck of the Washington Monument and heard this guy say, 'That octagonal building over there is the Pentagon.'"
And I leave you with a link to a hilarious audio track. It will self start when you click on it.
The really memorable part of the lunch was when the waitress set Mom's lunch on fire. Mom ordered Queso Fundido, which is Spanish for "Your cheese is on fire." So was the serving tray but the fellow at the next table sacrificed his napkin to save us.
They are promoting a Plato de Padre plate for Father's Day. It's supposed to be dinner for two, but the waitress said "Bring friends." Sounds like a Birthday/Father's Day plan to me, but I'm sitting by the fire extinguisher, just in case.
On the subject of food, we discovered yesterday that Marie Callender's serves a pepper-crusted Tri-Tip. Appropriate for a California-based restaurant chain, don't you think? It was excellent, by the way.
Mom dropped me off at Wal-Mart the other day so I could run in and get something. Meanwhile she would wait in the car till I came out. Normally, we call each other on the cell phone when we come out - saves circling the parking lot. So I'm outside, trying to find Mom's cell number in the bright sunlight, fumbling with the phone when I hear "Ahem" from Mom - sitting in the car right in front of me. I was busy, okay?
Finch season must be about over in this area - very few finches feeding (say that three times fast) these days. I did see a new bird the other day - thought it was a mockingbird until I noticed a very long curved bill. I learned it was a Curved-Billed Thresher.
Overheard conversation about an overheard conversation: "We were on the observation deck of the Washington Monument and heard this guy say, 'That octagonal building over there is the Pentagon.'"
And I leave you with a link to a hilarious audio track. It will self start when you click on it.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Dinner at Victoria's Secret
Okay, here's the deal. The other evening we're dining at Johnny Carino's and they seat us next to a party of 9 or 10 women and 1 guy who may have had some identity issues, and it's obvious they are having dinner and a small wedding shower - we can see a number of wedding-style gift bags on the adjacent table. Their meal is ending as we begin ours, so our salads and their gifts come out at the same time. Now I am seated so that I am looking at the entire proceedings so I cannot help but see that this is a lingerie shower.
Y'all - there was more material in my napkin than in the sum aggregate of the gifts! They kept hauling these wispy little things out and holding them up and ooohing and aaahing and giggling about them and then looking to see if I was watching. I'm trying not to, but there's only so much attention you can pay to a Caesar salad; I mean after you've counted the croutons a few times there's nothing left to look at!
Now I'm not opposed to wispy lingerie -as I recall it serves a very useful purpose. I am opposed to every head turning with each opened gift to see my reaction. I thought about staring them down but there were more of them than there was of me. And I do think they crossed the line when they opened up the bag with little cop-style hat and the handcuffs.
Just one more reason to limit our eating out to Fran's and Chuy's. The only time I saw handcuffs at Chuy's was when the INS raided the kitchen and everybody was gawking then.
Y'all - there was more material in my napkin than in the sum aggregate of the gifts! They kept hauling these wispy little things out and holding them up and ooohing and aaahing and giggling about them and then looking to see if I was watching. I'm trying not to, but there's only so much attention you can pay to a Caesar salad; I mean after you've counted the croutons a few times there's nothing left to look at!
Now I'm not opposed to wispy lingerie -as I recall it serves a very useful purpose. I am opposed to every head turning with each opened gift to see my reaction. I thought about staring them down but there were more of them than there was of me. And I do think they crossed the line when they opened up the bag with little cop-style hat and the handcuffs.
Just one more reason to limit our eating out to Fran's and Chuy's. The only time I saw handcuffs at Chuy's was when the INS raided the kitchen and everybody was gawking then.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Stop sharply - restrain passenger
Tonight on the way home from Chuy's (yes, it's still Hatch Green Chile Festival!!!) traffic caused me to step on the brakes sharply - and my right arm immediately shot out to help restrain the passenger in the front seat. Now that reflex action came from a relatively short period in my life, when we were driving a big Buick Electra with bench seats and our children would be with us in the front seat. They were fastened - somewhat - to a belt looped around the seat back, but we got in the habit of reaching an arm out to prevent a child from tumbling.
Now most of you know how old those children are now, and I can guarantee you that they don't have that reflex action because the law hasn't allowed unrestrained (or relatively so) children in the front seat for many years now. So I guess that's only a reflex of Mom and my generation and earlier. The years we spent with young children not buckled securely into seat belts were only a handful - but tonight, a full 35 years later, I put my hand out. And I guess I will until you take my car keys away from me.
Now most of you know how old those children are now, and I can guarantee you that they don't have that reflex action because the law hasn't allowed unrestrained (or relatively so) children in the front seat for many years now. So I guess that's only a reflex of Mom and my generation and earlier. The years we spent with young children not buckled securely into seat belts were only a handful - but tonight, a full 35 years later, I put my hand out. And I guess I will until you take my car keys away from me.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Monday, August 27, 2007
A Chuy's Retrospective
We don't know for sure how long we have been eating at Chuy's. More than 20 years we estimate. Nobody at the restaurant itself knows how long this particular location has been open - they've only been there a few months. Or sometimes only a few weeks. One indicator of the passing years is the annual Hatch Green Chili Festival; three weeks of chilies roasted in an open pit in the parking lot and added to old and new recipes alike. Everything is just a little hotter during Green Chili Festival - my kind of food.
Somewhere along the way I started picking up the theme buttons and sticking them on the bulletin board. I probably began the practice as a means to dog Rob after he went away to school. We were eating at Chuy's and he was not. That was hardly fair, I admit - he was the one who drug us in there the very first time and told us to order a ChuyChanga with Queso sauce. Still a family favorite.
I didn't put much effort into the buttons at first, so there are gaps in the collection and they don't start until 1996 - 11 years ago.
Somewhere along the way I started picking up the theme buttons and sticking them on the bulletin board. I probably began the practice as a means to dog Rob after he went away to school. We were eating at Chuy's and he was not. That was hardly fair, I admit - he was the one who drug us in there the very first time and told us to order a ChuyChanga with Queso sauce. Still a family favorite.
I didn't put much effort into the buttons at first, so there are gaps in the collection and they don't start until 1996 - 11 years ago.
The 8th Chili Festival, and the oldest button in my collection
1997
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004 - a weird year; no buttons, just match boxes.
2005
2006
And tonight's reminder of another great culinary adventure. Sorry you weren't here, Rob.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)