I have a collection of items floating around in my WacoFork consciousness. My reporter instinct tells me to keep them in the back of my mind until I can fully flesh them out. But my post-modern, media-age evolving sense of what a blog can do tells me to spitfire a bunch of items to both inform you, dear reader, and try to collect some leads.
So here it goes. Feel free to comment or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any insights or if you just want to chastise me for being a bad reporter.
Lunch at Cafe Homestead is always a good idea. This is true for anyone in town or anyone visiting our town, but it's especially true for me as a restaurant blogger.
Because Cafe Homestead consistently offers new and enticing events and specials, like the Caribbean Farm to Table dinner coming up Sept. 1. Manager Derek Varejcka told me today that they're still looking to fill seats for the event, which will have 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. seatings. For more information and to make reservations, click here.
The Quaker Steak & Lube team has been spinning its wheels, revving up for an eventful first month (okay, I'll stop using car puns).
Seriously, though, I'm impressed by the plans in place to make the new restaurant party central for watching a ball game or just enjoying dinner. In case you're wondering, Quaker Steak & Lube is the new restaurant going up at Legends Crossing near Hillcrest Hospital and they're set to open on the evening of Sept. 12.
I felt like I needed to give you something that stirred your Fried-day imagination with both quantity and diversity.
Enter Captain Billy Whizzbang's, which provides a plethora of Fried-day variety.
Today's Taqueria Thursday is part celebration of one of my favorite taquerias and part public service announcement for those who share my enjoyment of Taqueria El Crucero.
I'll start with the PSA. Beginnin on Sept. 1, Crucero will be CASH ONLY. Start spreading that information to your friends now. If you're a Crucero regular, just go ahead and operate as if it's already cash only. I was on the way with a couple of friends today and I suggested we stop and get cash at the ATM. We decided to proceed and use plastic if necessary, but we still sort of prepared ourselves mentally.
Ever wondered why Waco doesn't have more garage-themed restaurants? Yeah, me neither. But it's cool that we have a brand new one with another brand new one on the way.
Jake's Texas Tea House opened last week. Owners Jake and Karen Black told me they wanted a soft opening. Not sure if they were being coy, but I kept hearing buzz about Jake's last week. I suppose playing hard-to-get is always a good idea.
I spoke with Freebirds regional manager Jamie Williams, who told me the World Burrito will be here even sooner than they planned.
Williams said the new target opening date is Sept. 11. When I spoke with him a few weeks ago, he was thinking it would be the following week, but apparently everything is ahead of schedule. So those of you wanting to camp out for the opening should probably start making plans. It's less than a month away.
In the midst of all the newness coming to town in the form of burrito chains, sports bars and groceries, something interesting is going to sneak in to the Valley Mills Drive shopping center anchored by Fuddruckers and Carino's.
I stopped by the space formerly occupied by Honeybee Ham where I visited with Rebecca Mann and Robin Jeep, who are part of the team opening Cafe Vibrante. This European bistro will also sell olive oil and balsamic vinegar kept in fustis and then poured into Cafe Vibrante's own bottles, specially labeled for each customer.
Sometimes on Fried-day, a little decadence comes into play. Like in the form of chicken fried steak for breakfast or a crazy wing sandwich and maybe one day I'll write about the greatness of the Carolina pork it at Frank in Austin.
But today called for a little more strategy as two factors dictated my lunch plans. My air conditioner began leaking water sometime this week. I noticed it last night when I got home from Boston (that's right, I skipped off to Boston without any of you noticing this week). And an iffy air conditioner is nothing to procrastinate about, so I called the AC folks first thing this morning. That meant staying close to the house in case they stopped by.
Halfway to my car, I realized I could not afford to leave my to-go cup sitting on the table. I needed the cup. I needed the sweet, fire-extinguising Coca-Cola.
As part of my taqueria adventure in August, I've attempted to get around to a few taquerias that are new to me. Mi Casita Express fit in that category as it's not on my beaten path but has always seemed appealing to me. This perhaps is because when I was a Taco-Bell-eating teenager, it was a Taco Bell. So I have some nostalgia tied up in that little building on Valley Mills Drive.
