Heather Lucier Stanley

Alan and I went for Happy Hour at Mad Dogs British Pub with a couple of Austin friends we met in our running group! We had already eaten earlier at Paesanos-Riverwalk and were ready to celebrate our successful completion of the San Antonio Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon! What better way to celebrate than at a bar on the San Antonio-Riverwalk.

Mad Dogs is a fun bar. Alan noticed that it was slightly smoky. He mentioned that San Antonio does not have the same law as Austin and people can smoke in the bar. He could smell the smoke in the bar and on the patio! I did not notice it, so it (1) may not have been strong or (2) my sniffer was not working or (3) my mind was elsewhere! I think #3 probably wins; I was thrilled the race was over and I wanted to socialize!

Mad Dogs has an extensive beer list; it is a pub! Instead, I ordered a glass of La Crema Pinot Noir. I rarely feel like drinking beer. I am familiar with La Crema and it always pleases!

If you can overlook the cigaratte smoke, Mad Dogs is a relaxing bar on a Sunday afternoon to hang out and talk with friends!

Love it for many reasons! This is the third time that I have dined at the Parkville, Missouri location with friends and family. I have been satisfied with my food on each visit. You cannot go wrong here! On prior visits I have ordered the hummus (lunch) and the beef tenderloin (dinner). On our most recent visit over the Thanksgiving holiday, Alan and I each ordered a salad and shared the Reuben! From my write up of Schilo’s, you know how much I love Reubens!

The Nick’s Salad had mixed greens, bacon, red onions, marinated tomatoes, blue cheese and kalamata olives, tossed in a Tuscan vinaigrette. It had adequate crunch from the bacon and onions and robust flavor from all the ingredients mixed together. The serving size for a small was generous!

Nick and Jake’s makes a helluva good Rueben! I would recommend it to Reuben lovers and that says a lot! The Reuben was generous in size and when I saw it, I thought, smart that we shared it. Sharing food can save money when you eat out. Alan and I share food on occasion, if neither of us is ravenous. We both ate a hearty lunch earlier in the day at the Gingerich Dutch Pantry and agreed on a smaller dinner.

The marbled rye was grilled and complemented the corn beef. The corn beef was not too lean, it had enough fat in it to make the sandwich satisfying. The sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing added to the overall flavor of the sandwich, but did not overpower it.

Nick and Jake’s makes homemade potato chips! I love good potato chips! I recommend these chips; they had a nice crunch and earthy flavor.

Nick and Jake’s has reliably good American food. It is a place that I can dine and consistently find something on the menu that I feel like eating. So far, all my choices have pleased me! Try it out!

A great discovery! When we travel down a road less traveled, we sometimes discover a hidden gem along the way. The Deutsch Apple Bakery is a diamond in Blanco. It is in small red building with a tin roof, at the end of RR 165 and Loop 163. If you are in the mood for a scenic drive from Austin to San Antonio and/or a satisfying breakfast/brunch/lunch, visit The Deutsch Apple Bakery. On our way to the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Half Marathon in November, we stopped in to check it out.

Every once in a while, I enjoy quiche! The Deutsch Apple Bakery serves quiche for breakfast/brunch/lunch. The bakery offers two quiche options: spinach and bacon or ham and mushroom. Both quiches were moist, yet firm, not runny; they were the right consistency for quiche! The crust was generous and homemade – but of course, it is a bakery! Delicious!

The Deutsch Apple Bakery is also known for their apple pecan muffins! As Alan put it, “I think it is the best muffin I have ever had!” He is not a muffin eater, so that says a lot! For people who do not like muffins, it is worth a try.

In the large glass pastry case, the bakery displayed a variety of items for your choosing: apple pie, pumpkin pie, apple pecan cake, apple pecan muffins, chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, etc. Based on the season, they have different items!

Have breakfast/brunch/lunch! Try an apple pecan muffin!

I must say, I am really blessed. I have a husband who is leaning towards considering cooking one of his hobbies. I know he considers running a hobby and grilling a hobby, but now cooking too? I am lucky!

If I do a Week In Review: Alan’s grilling and cooking efforts, here it goes:

Sunday: Friend’s house
Monday: Grilled and smoked pork ribs
Tuesday: Grilled NY Strip and green salad.
Wednesday: On our own!
Thursday: Chicken ravioli pasta tossed in olive oil and spices!
Friday: Capellini pasta tossed in olive oil with fresh tomatoes and shaved Parmesan cheese
Saturday: Grilled and smoked pork ribs

On most evenings, I’ll make my own green salad to complement the entrée, but sometimes Alan makes me a salad. He has started hand grating the Parmesan cheese for the salads and the pasta.

This may or may not be a typical week! This is the first time I have analyzed it! But when I did, I realized that Alan grills or cooks often because he likes to do it. He makes the food for himself and asks me if I want any. Whereas, I do not like to cook, but will cook occasionally, out of guilt, perhaps!

For the two short stints that I was macrobiotic or vegan, I cooked and enjoyed it. And shortly after a close friend launched What To Cook When, I found it fun and exciting trying out some of her recipes; she is a creative cook and she loves cooking. But now, I cannot come up with a good reason to cook: anything I want to eat I can buy at the store prepared already! Is it as healthy? No! But it works for me!

I love Reubens! More than hamburgers? Yes! Hard to find in Texas? Not as prevalent as in other parts of the country. Low demand, low supply. In Austin, neither Manny Hattan’s or Katz’s beckon me to return on a regular basis: I have made better Reubens at home! That says a lot.

From 1990 – 1992, I worked at Amer’s Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan; part-time during school and full-time in the summer. Amer’s copied Zingerman’s, a nationally known deli. Zingerman’s is probably the best deli outside of New York City. Read about it and try it!

The University of Michigan accepted 40% of its students from out-of-state and most of the out-of-state students were from New York and New Jersey. Not all New Yorkers or New Jersians have a discerning palette for Reubens, but those who ate deli food regularly did.

The most important ingredients in a Reuben are: (1) the quality of the corned beef and (2) the bread. It is hard to mess up Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing. Schilo’s [pronounced She-Lows] made an average Reuben. The chef toasted the bread; I’m used to the bread being grilled. The quality of the bread was good, however. The corned beef was lean. The amount of sauerkraut added flavor: not too much, not too little! Unfortunately, the Reuben had hardly discernible Swiss cheese in it and no Russian dressing. Alan noticed this too!

I’d eat at Schilo’s again for the pea soup and the German potato salad. Schilo’s is known for their homemade pea soup. I ordered a cup of this soup. It is homemade and hearty. It was not overly salty. I like to taste the peas, not the salt. Salt should bring out the taste of the other ingredients in a dish; it should not overpower the other ingredients. It should also not be in such large quantity in a dish that I must consume glass upon glass of water to not feel thirsty.

The German potato salad is the best that Alan and I have tasted: tangy, mustard, mustard seed, firm, not crumbly potatoes! I know German potato salad; I had a German speaking grandmother who made it. If you want authentic German potato salad in Texas, Schilo’s is the place to go!

The atmosphere of the deli has character. Considering we sat at the bar, the service was average! Compared to other delis where I have eaten, it is reasonably priced. Downright cheap!