Texas Land and Cattle Steak House~ Branson, Missouri

We had a bike to pick up in Branson, Missouri and decided to spend some time at Branson Landing while we were there. To read more about our visit to Branson Landing click here.



Although there were many choices for lunch, we decided to eat at Texas Land and Cattle Steak House. This is a new addition to Branson Landing and we had previously seen these restaurants while out on the road, so we decided to try it out and see what they had to offer.



We were very impressed with the Texas Land and Cattle Steak House at Branson Landing! Our server was Andrew and he was very helpful and took great care of us. We both wanted a smoothie, which they don't serve, but he checked to see if they could accommodate us. Another server suggested a virgin strawberry daquari, made with fresh strawberries ~ they were excellent! Sometimes you get those daquari mixes, but this was made with fresh fruit and was some of the best we had ever had.



We also ordered steak nachos as an appetizers and they were incredible! We finished those off just in time for our food to arrive. Chris ordered the Carne Enchiladas ~ marinated, grilled steak, pico de gallo, and two cheese enchiladas with chili con carne on top ~ he said it was awesome (and only 8.99 on the lunch menu!). See pic below:

 

I had the BBQ Chicken Quesadilla with a side salad (I chose a ceasar salad and have to say, it was almost as big as a regular salad!). The BBQ Chicken Quesadilla was excellent. It was also severed with guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo ~ and at lunch menu prices, it was only 6.99. There was more than enough to fill me up. We both had leftovers to take home and heat up the next day for lunch. See pic below for BBQ Chicken Quesadilla:

 

We were at Texas Land and Cattle Steak House mid-afternoon, which is sometimes kind of 'iffy' on service and the speed in which you get your food, but we had excellent service while we were there and will definitely return next time we're in Branson.

Andrew was an excellent server. I even asked about recent flooding I had seen of the Branson Landing area and asked him how high up the water got. He showed us a couple of pictures he had on his cell phone of the water cresting and pointed out where the pictures were in relation to where we were sitting. He was very friendly and helpful and made us feel right at home. Thanks, Andrew!

El Paso Tex-Mex Cafe ~ Dallas, Texas

We stopped at the El Paso Tex-Mex Cafe in Dallas, TX on Sunday, July 6, 2008. It was late by the time we had a chance to stop and eat and we were starving! We were heading north on Hwy. 79 through Dallas and just kind of scanning the area for something still open (it was close to 10:00). Chris spotted the El Paso restaurant and it looked easy to get to and easy to get the truck and trailer in and out.

When we pulled up there were a few people sitting outside on the deck and we thought that sounded really nice. When we went inside Chris asked if they were still open and they told us the kitchen closed in 10 minutes - but, the cook said he would keep it open. How nice is that??? Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Chris ordered spinich enchiladas ~ something new on the menu. I ordered the chicken fajita quesadilla.....and we ordered the spinich quesadilla, just for leftovers later.

The food was excellent. Even though it was late and I'm sure they were wanting to close up shop and go home, they didn't rush us and the food and service were great.

Chris did say that they maybe had a tad bit too much spinich on the enchilada for his taste. We ate the rest of the chicken quesadilla the next day *cold* and it was still good!

Kudos to El Paso Tex-Mex Cafe in Dallas, Texas!

Macaroni Grill ~ Dublin, OH ~ June 25, 2008

We stopped at Macaroni Grill on Tuttle Crossing in Dublin, OH (right outside Columbus) on June 25, 2008 and had a nice meal.

It was supper time and there were quite a few customers, but it wasn't 'packed'. We were seated and served right away. I do have to say that our waitress, Nicole, wasn't as pleasant as she could have been. Usually at a Macaroni Grill, the waitress writes her name with crayons on your white paper tablecloth and is just a little on the semi-hyper side with lots of smiles and menu suggestions. Nicole wasn't any of these things - and our tablecloth remained crayon free. Chris jokingly said that with a name like Nicole (his ex's name), he should have known it wasn't going to be great. :) She was plenty nice enough and accommodating (we wanted to share a menu item and requested an extra plate), she just wasn't 'Macraroni Grill' friendly.

We had the Ramono's Sampler (Tomato Bruschetta, Mozzarella Fritta and Calamari Fritta) and then ordered the Mama's Trio to share (Primo Chicken Parmesan, Layers & Layers of Lasagna and Chicken Cannelloni) and the Insalat Blu salad (Fresh bibb lettuce tossed with toasted walnuts, red onions, bleu cheese and balsamic vinaigrette) to share.

The food was excellent ~ the right temperature, well presented, and tasty!

Salvatore's Italian Garden ~ Depew, NY ~ June 24, 2008

We ordered room service while staying at The Garden Hotel in Williamsville, NY. The people who own the hotel also own Salvatore's Italian Garden located just a mile or two down the road in Depew, NY. They offer shuttle service to the resaturant if you're looking for a nice sit down dinner. We just wanted some good food and we wanted it brought to us ~ the hotel's room service is from Salvatore's Italian Garden (don't worry, it still only takes about 30 minutes).

The food we ordered was excellent! We had the leftovers from Texas Roadhouse, so we decided to share an order of chicken caesar salad and a chicken gargonzola wrap. The salad was nothing to write home about, but the wrap was incredibly good!

The food arrived in good time. It was at a good temperature and just looked good on the plates. We recommend Salvatore's Italian Garden as a great place to eat ~ again, our's was room service, so I didn't get the opportunity to check out the atmosphere of the restaurant or the wait staff.

Texas Roadhouse ~ Columbus Ohio ~ June 23, 2008

We stopped at Texas Roadhouse on Hillliard Road on the loop around Columbus, Ohio on our way through to the Rochester, NY area.

Our service was good, as always with Texas Roadhouse. The wait staff wears t-shirts saying how much they love their job. This is a pretty good indication of a happy bunch of people. The wait staff at any Texas Roadhouse is usually happy and hyper and smiling. There is always the possibility at any given moment that they will break into a line dance or a song. If you're looking for a private, quiet place to dine, this probably isn't it. Oh, and just throw your peanut shells on the floor ~ it's okay.

Chris ordered rattlesnake bites and I tried one ~ they were pretty good. I'm just not much into deep fried, cheese laden foods. I ordered the BBQ pork and BBQ chicken combo (Chris likes to order extra so he has leftovers to munch on later ~ there is no way I could finish a combo meal by myself!) I also had a baked sweet potato with the works. Excellent! Chris ordered the Roadkill combo and also had a loaded baked sweet potato.

We give a thumbs up to this Texas Roadhouse ~ but, it doesn't quite qualify for our STOP HERE rating.

Ponderosa Steakhouse ~ Effingham, Illinois

We stopped at Ponderosa Steakhouse in Effingham, Illinois on our way through. It was about 4:00 pm on a Tuesday, so we weren't sure what to expect. Cold food? A waitress in between shifts?

What we found was actually very nice. We both just got the buffet, with no entree, so waiting on us was pretty easy. I have to say that the salad part of the buffet was great. The selection was above average ~ even had some side salads. I didn't see, however, any lite or low fat or fat free dressings ~ I got regular ranch, just not much of it. The dinner part of the buffet was okay. The food was a good temperature and looked appealing ~ on the other hand, it was just 'buffet' food: fried chicken, meatloaf, breaded fish, mac n cheese, green beans, etc. They did have a pork loin roast for a lower fat fare. They also had new potatoes, which you don't find everywhere. The dessert buffet was also nice, with a variety of choices. Ponderosa does offer sugar free choices, like spice cake and peanut butter cookies, so that was a nice added touch.

The service was where this Ponderosa really stood out. We chose to sit in the glassed in area, so we could keep an eye on the truck and trailer. It was starting to get somewhat dusky, and the cashier noticed and came over and turned the lights on for us. A little while later, the manager came out and asked us if were chilly, and turned the heat up for us. A lot of places would have asked us to move into the main dining area, so they wouldn't have to open that area up; but, this Ponderosa not only didn't bug us about moving, they came out and made sure we were comfortable for our meal ~ you don't get that kind of service everywhere anymore. Our waitress, Marissa, was very kind and came over to our table almost as soon as we sat down and then returned about 4 times to check on us and bring coffee. Normally, I only tip 10% on a buffet waitress, because they don't have to take our order, bring it out to us, etc., but I gave Marissa 20% because of her personality and attentiveness. Of course, there weren't many other people in there at 4:00 on a Tuesday evening, so things may be different if they're really busy ~ in which case, maybe you should visit on Tuesdays around 4:00??

Ruby Tuesday ~ Portsmouth, New Hampshire

We wanted to grab something to eat to take to our room at the Helmsman Inn at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard ~ get in, get settled down, and eat while watching the Superbowl. We didn't get to see the first part of the Superbowl because we didn't realize how hard the Naval Shipyard was going to be to find, or how long it was going to take to get through the gate. (click here for my post on that).

We had good intentions. We ordered from Ruby Tuesday's in Portsmouth, NH and did eventually get the food back to our room to eat and watch the Superbowl. I also have to add that Sunday is our day to eat anything.....whatever we want ~ a day off from eating healthy keeps you motivated the rest of the week. (click here for our I Love A Healthy Me blog).

Chris ordered the half rack of ribs and firewings. This came with broccoli and mashed potatoes, but he was tired of broccoli (he's had broccoli a few times the last few days). So, he asked for green beans instead and they accommodated him. I had the bistro barbecue chicken ~ I should have had them leave the cheese off, as I think it would have been just as good without it. My meal also came with broccoli and mashed potatoes...I couldn't finish my whole meal, but I did have some of the veggies and potatoes.

Our food was a little cold after all that mess getting to the room, but it was still good. The Ruby Tuesday people were friendly and helpful and our service was good.

La Fontana ~ Bloomsburg, Ohio

We ordered from La Fontana in Bloomsburg, Ohio and had it delivered to our hotel room. It was late when we ordered and we were impressed at the speed at which it was delivered ~ within 30 minutes.

When we arrived at the hotel, we decided we were hungry and should get something to eat. The hotel had a selection of menus from area restaurants and we decided on La Fontana because they had a good selection, stayed open late, and offered delivery.

Chris likes to order extra so he has something to munch on later and some leftovers for the next day. So, he ordered the regular stromboli, the chicken cheesesteak sandwich, and antipasta. I had spaghetti (no meat), which came with a salad (and I had the basalmic vinegrette dressing). So, I didn't do too bad ~ marinara sauce on my spaghetti, instead of something with alfredo sauce on it. No meat on my spaghetti, which is good because I don't always like the meat some restaurants use in dishes like spaghetti.

We liked La Fontana ~ the service was friendly; our food arrived quickly; and the food was hot and tasty.

Applebee's ~ Indianapolis, Indiana

We stopped to have supper at the Applebee's located at 7345 E Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN.

We got there around 6:30 and there was a line waiting to be seated. I don't know if this is normal for this Applebee's or if it was because it was a Friday night and the snow had ended and the roads had cleared. Whatever the reason, it was a busy place to be and we knew we would be awhile. We also knew that from my research, Applebee's has weight watchers (and low fat) menu items that we wanted to try.

Other than the restaurant being busy, it was clean and the service was good. We had a male waiter ~ he was a little preoccupied at first, but he warmed up and turned out to be pretty good.

We turned directly to the weight watchers page of the menu (the last page....go ahead, just skip all the other pages!). We ordered the Tortilla Chicken Melt appetizer ~ this is a wheat tortilla filled with grilled chicken, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, corn, and low fat cheeses. It has 480 calories and 13 grams of fat. I figure I ate 1/3 of it and Chris ate 2/3 ~ so that was only about 4 grams of fat for me from that. For our meal, Chris ordered the Steak and Portobellos which has 330 calories and 10 grams of fat. He also ordered some grilled shrimp ~ this wasn't on the weight watchers menu, but I'm sure grilled shrimp can't have too many fat grams. I ordered the Confetti Chicken, which is a grilled chicken breast covered with low fat cheeses, black bean and corn salsa, and salsa and low fat ranch sauce. Both the steak and the confetti chicken come with rice pilaf and broccoli. The confetti chicken has 370 calories and 7 grams of fat ~ so that was around 11 grams of fat for me for supper! Not bad!! When I first got my meal, I was wondering if this was going to fill me up....I'm so used to seeing huge plates of food that most average people can never finish, that when I seen a plate with just the right amount of food, it didn't look right. However, I have to say, it was more than enough. I was struggling at the end to get the last few bites. Chris said his was really good and it filled him up, too. So, go ahead and try the weight watcher's menu ~ c'mon, it doesn't hurt to try.

If you're wanting to get a good meal and still keep with a healthy diet, try Applebee's!

Shoney's ~ Gretna, Louisiana

We ate at a Shoney's at 420 Westbank Expy, Gretna, Louisisana and I have to say, we were impressed. We were there on a Friday night and they have a seafood buffet for $9.99 from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Friday nights. We got there just a little before 5:00.....traffic was so thick on the Expressway that we just wanted to go ahead and eat and allow the traffic to die down a little....this Shoney's was the easiest place we saw for us to get the truck and trailer into.

We were greeted at the door and seated by a gentleman that looked like 'management' (you know, different uniform than the rest of the employees, stayed by the register, etc.). He pointed out that the seafood buffet would be out in just a few minutes and we noticed that most of the tables had people at them that were waiting on the buffet.

I don't care for seafood, so I ordered a philly steak and cheese sandwich off the menu....it was really good. Chris had the buffet and he said it was great. We also had coffee and dessert.....we should have shared a dessert, because they were huge portions that neither one of us could finish!

Our waitress, Ruby, was excellent. Very nice, very attentive, and very helpful. She had a way of making you feel like you were an old friend that came by for dinner. We love a waitress like that ~ thanks, Ruby!

Other than the food being excellent, the service and the people were excellent as well. We found some of the most friendly people we've ever met in the Gretna, New Orleans area.

JB's Chinese Buffet ~ Crestview, Florida

We stopped at JB's Chinese Buffet in Crestview, Florida around 6:00 pm on a Thursday night. The place was nice and clean. Even though they had quite a few customers, there was plenty of seating for quite a few more.

We sat where we could see the TV and catch up on the news while we ate. We ended up at a large table for 8, but as there was plenty of other seating available, they didn't ask us to move.

Our waitress was friendly and came over right away. We ordered some sodas and then headed for the buffet. The labeling above the entrees could have been better ~ some had no labels, some labels were situated where you couldn't tell what they went to, etc. If you've ever been to a chinese buffet, you know those labels are very helpful!

I didn't see any general chicken or orange chicken (my two favorites), so I had some sesame chicken which was very good. I also tried some black pepper chicken and it was really good as well. Chris had some sushi, some mussels, and some cashew chicken. We both had ice cream afterward.

Overall a good place to eat. Nothing that sets it apart though.......and the labels need fixed!

Bianca's Ristorante Italiano ~ Fort Myers, Florida

This is an exceptional restaurant! Wow! Try Bianca's Ristorante Italiano in Fort Myers, Florida ~ you won't be disappointed!

Our friends, Bill and Stacy, bought this restaurant about a year ago. While in Naples to visit them, we stopped in to try out the cuisine. I have to say, friends or not, we were absolutely impressed.

We arrived around 4:15 on a Tuesday and they were almost at having a wait to be seated. They open at 4:00, so the fact that by 4:15 they already had nearly every table full ought to speak volumes.

We ordered appetizers: stuffed mushrooms and artichoke heart casserola and both were excellent. You also get homemade garlic rolls when you are seated....and they are scrumptious! Chris ordered the frutta del mare and I ordered the chicken portofino.....both were awesome. Huge portions.......trust me, you'll go away absolutely stuffed. Bill wanted us to try his pizza, so he had them prepare a meat lover's pizza, and it was excellent.....despite being completely full, we managed to share a piece, just to try it. We had coffee......and of course, a slice of chocolate cake (like we needed more food!) and this piece of cake was HUGE.......if you have dessert, order one and share! I saw a man order carrot cake and I think they brought him a quarter of a round cake!

The food was exceptional.......the service was exceptional........Bill makes it a point to visit every table and every customer, to check and make sure your experience in his restaurant is the best you've ever had. He also welcomes comments and if there's something he can do to make things better for you, just let him know, he honestly wants your feedback. And, how many places do you go where you get that kind of attention?

I listed to other customers as they talked and ate.......all very positive comments about the food and the service. Bill and Stacy's customers are happy and keep coming back for more. In the restaurant business, that says a lot.

So, next time you're in the Fort Myers, Florida area, stop in at Bianca's and get a bite to eat. Go hungry and prepare to be impressed. Bianca's is located at 16251 N Cleveland Ave Ste 3, Fort Myers, FL 33903 Hours of operation: Tuesday through Thursday 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm; Friday and Saturday 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm (closed Sunday and Monday)

Doc's Beach House Naples/Bonita Springs, Florida

We ate supper at Doc's Beach House while visiting friends in Naples, Florida. As we were driving down the road, we noticed that the place looked absolutely packed....that's a good sign. May have to wait a few minutes for something to eat, but all those people can't be wrong.

We met a group of people in the parking lot and asked how the food was. They said the pizza was unbelievable!

When we got inside, we got seated right away, despite being packed. The service was great......our waitress came over right away and was very attentive. (if you read my posts under 'We're Hungry!' you'll notice that attentiveness is a big plus with us).

We ordered hot wings and jerk wings as an appetizer. They brought them out a lot quicker than I thought, so that was a plus, too. Chris ordered a fish sandwich basket and I ordered a cheeseburger. The fish sandwich basket came with fries; the cheeseburger came with chips - and both came with cole slaw. (I've had better cole slaw, but it wasn't too bad).

It seems the pizza is the 'thing' to order, but it has a 40 minute wait. That's a long time in restaurant time and if you're hungry..........but, they say it is well worth the wait. From looking at it on other tables, it looked deliscious!

As I said, the cheeseburger comes with chips. Our friend ordered a cheeseburger as well, and didn't realize this. He mentioned it to the waitress, and she said she could put in a 9-1-1 order on fries. I'm not sure if that costs extra, but his fries were out in about 5 minutes. So, there is that little extra there also.

We didn't order dessert or anything, so I can't offer any advice on that.

The food was good, the service was excellent, and the prices weren't too bad either.

Two Friends Patio Restaurant ~ Key West, Florida

We liked Two Friends Restaurant so well that we ate there twice on Sunday!

We first ate breakfast there on Sunday morning. We happened to park the motorcycle right in front of the restaurant and was just getting off the bike and looking around when a gentlemen suggested that we move the bike down just a little since it was technically in a bicycle parking spot. While Chris was moving the bike, the gentlemen handed me a coupon for free coffee, free soda, or free key lime pie with the purchase of an entree. **several of the restaurants have people who stand outside them and hand out coupons in order to get you to come in and eat. Take a few minutes and stand outside and read the menu....often times, somebody will walk up and give you a coupon.

We had been over to the Bistro and knew they were serving brunch. We also knew that it was $35.00 per person and included champagne. Champagne for breakfast???? And, trust me, we don't eat $35.00 worth of bacon and eggs between the two of us, let alone EACH!

So, we went into Two Friends and just really enjoyed breakfast. We ordered french toast (no butter), the fruit medley with yogurt and granola, and a bagel with cream cheese. We shared everything and left full and happy....and not overwhelmed with greasy bacon and heavy foods. The guy outside told us that Two Friends is usually full every week day at breakfast time. I can see why.

We had a great waitress.....friendly and attentive. We got our meal quick and our food was hot and very visually appealing. The atmosphere was open and airy.

After walking all over Duval Street and Key West, by 5:00 pm or so, we started looking for a place to eat lunch/dinner. We read several menus, went down to the historic seaport district and all the way back past Mallory Square......and we ended up back at Two Friends. For one thing, we really liked it; for another, as Key West prices go, it was very reasonable.

We got there around 6:00 pm and they were busy, but not too busy. We got seated right away, with no waiting. We requested a seat where we could see the game, and they gave us a perfect table for seeing the TV. Our waitress came to get our drink order right away and was great about checking to see if we were low on refreshment while we were eating.

Chris ordered the lobster combo and he said it was excellent. It must have been, because he ate it all (and he had shrimp and oysters not too long before we ate supper). I ordered the New York strip steak, which comes with a baked potato (you can also have the option for french fries or rice pilaf). The steak was cooked just right. The food was served quick and was just the right temperature.

We had each been given a coupon by guy outside the door before we went in. We each had a piece of key lime pie (free with the coupon!) and coffee. I have to say that the key lime pie at Two Friends was the best that we ate while in Key West.

Again, our waitress was great. Very friendly and attentive.  The atmosphere was great. If you want quiet and intimate, there is a dining area for that. If you want to get a little more loud or watch the game, there's the bar area for that.

We didn't karaoke, but they advertise karaoke every night and it can be seen live from their webcam. How fun is that?!

We definitely recommend Two Friends when you visit Key West!

Red Fish, Blue Fish ~ Key West, Florida

We ate at Red Fish Blue Fish just off Duval Street in Key West on Saturday night. We had a quite, intimate atmosphere in the garden area. There was also the option of sitting in the bar area with the game on, but we wanted some quiet.

We weren't too terribly hungry, but knew we needed to eat something. Chris ordered 'dolphin bites' from the appetizer menu. I don't know that they were actually dolphin like we think ~ the menu said they were 'mahi mahi' which is a cold water dolphin-fish. He said they were excellent.

I had the chicken ceasar salad and it was really good. It was more than I wanted to eat, so if you're hungry this salad is big enough to fill you up!

We each had coffee and shared a piece of key lime pie. One thing about Key West....you can get key lime pie anywhere and everywhere!

The service was great at Red Fish Blue Fish and we received our meal quick and nicely served. Atmosphere was great.....whether you want quiet or bar/game time.

We recommend Red Fish Blue Fish on Front Street (just off Duval Street) when you visit Key West.

No Name Pub ~ Big Pine Key/No Name Key, Florida

We went to Big Pine Key to pick up a motorcycle and ended up right around the corner from a little place called 'No Name Pub', which is out on No Name Key, Florida.

This was a great place! We were there around 3:00 pm and there were actually quite a few people eating. It is a small place, but the service was good and the food was even better.

The tables are wooden and all have a square pedastel in the center that stands up about 6" to 8". When you order pizza or something that has to be shared (in our case nachos), it's brought out on a wooden platter and placed on the pedastel. This is great for pizza and the like!

We were planning on eating when we got to Key West, but we needed something to hold us over till later in the evening. I guess it should be noted that I am slightly hypoglycemic. If I go too long without food or wait too late in the day to eat, I get really, really cranky. I get a headache and just real edgy and irritable. When I'm like that and Chris asks me what I want to eat, I don't care.....cardboard anybody? This is also when I make bad food decisions. I'm more likely to order a big ole greasy cheeseburger, which is something I wouldn't normally eat.

So, this is why we stopped to grab a bite, and why we ended up ordering nachos to share. But, they were GOOD! They were piled high and had some kind of chili/salsa/pico de gallo and beef and cheese......it was very good, and very fattening! Gotta get back to eating healthy....soon!

Our waitress was great. She was very attentive and energetic. She was friendly and offered suggestions on what to try.

We would definitely recommend this place!

Applebee's ~ Royal Palm Beach / Wellington, Florida

We ate at Applebee's in Royal Palm Beach (Wellington), Florida on Friday, January 11, 2008. We were there right around 6:00 pm, so dinner time.

Overall, we gave them a great rating. Way to go Royal Palm Beach Applebee's!

The restaurant was clean and the noise level was just right. We were greeted at the door by a very friendly and smiling greeter. That just kind of sets the tone when you get smiles and friendly right off the bat. Two or three employees greeted us as we walked in ~ again, a good sign.

We were seated and waited on by a girl named Chrissie and she did a great job. We couldn't decide on drinks, so asked her to check back, which she did and in a timely manner. We weren't sitting there wondering if she forgot about us ~ she was right back at the table in just the right amount of time.

We asked for a few more minutes to look over the menu. Again, Chrissie came back in just the right amount of time. She was very friendly and pleasant and smiling the whole time. Like it was her pleasure to serve us.

It didn't take long at all to get our meal and it came out hot and looking delicious. Chris had the burschetta burger and garlic fries. I had the quesadilla burger and fries. Our burgers were cooked to order ~ Chris's medium well and mine well. They looked very presentable and appetizing. The quality was great and the taste was excellent.

The restaurant and restroom were clean and fresh. There was a bigger crowd by the time we left, and the staff was a little busier, but they all appeared happy and friendly and were working hard to take care of their customers.

Overall, we definitely recommend tihs Applebee's!