Carnivorous alert! It’s funny how your memory is sparked at times. Hubby was prepping rib-eye steaks for dinner last night and it reminded me of Joe Allen’s BBQ in Abilene, TX. That was where I had my ROTC assignment and as always, restaurants were high on my list of places to identify. It didn’t take long to hear about Joe Allen’s, but it wasn’t on a direct route for me getting back and forth to work. One day I drove past at a time when it wasn’t open and sort of shrugged. It was the ramshackle side of rustic and I wondered if maybe the reputation was overblown. Then a friend who was helping me get acquainted with the area took me there for dinner.

As a longtime, multi-generational resident, she explained.  Food was what mattered at Joe Allen’s, not ambience. There was BBQ and steak, and a big galvanized tub of ice for the long-neck beer bottles. The point about the steak though was it was rib-eye with a secret rub then grilled over mesquite. Period. The deal though was the steak was cut according to what you chose – from 1/2 inch to 4 inches thick. You wanted sauteed mushrooms or peppercorn sauce – go to another restaurant. You wanted a nice wine list – go to another restaurant. You wanted one of the best steaks you would ever eat and an icy cold beer – sit down and enjoy yourself. I have no doubt the BBQ was excellent, but I admit I never had anything except the steak – my friend and I usually went for the 1-inch.

Other places with stuccoed walls, timbered ceilings, good steaks, and a larger menu were closer to where I lived and where I usually met with friends. That didn’t prevent me from going to Joe Allen’s though and I was always quick to recommend it to newcomers.

As I’ve mentioned before, we have become such a connected world (well, many of us anyway), when we lose those connections, it can really upend our schedules. I’ve returned from my trip where I was plagued with multiple computer and electronic issues. Now, in all fairness, most of those were my own fault. The mishap that knocked out my travel computer was totally on me and I’ll see today if it is recoverable. The second issue of not being able to have access on my I-phone while at the hotel was probably my fault. (I haven’t told Hubby about that one yet so he can explain what I was doing wrong.)

Anyway, I returned late last night and did in fact get catfish and hush puppies in during the trip. Th cold snap that descended was only going to last a few days, but 40 degrees and mist was distinctly uncomfortable. I do realize there are plenty of other places where that would be quite welcome at the moment. On the other hand, if you’re planning a ski vacation, lots of snow is on the wish list instead. Today and the weekend will be catch-up for me with multiple tasks. Ah well, it works that way at times.

It’s not really that I’m fixated on food at the moment. It’s more a coincidence of timing that we now have another nice restaurant in Homestead. Equally important, it fills a missing piece in our culinary line-up because the cuisine is predominantly Spanish. I don’t mean Latin, I mean Spanish as in paella and genuine Serrano ham as a tapas, and cod as part of the Seafood Cauldron. There are crisp white wines and dry reds to enjoy and a full bar. I prefer to refer to it as the Hotel Redland Restaurant, although the new owners have retained the Whistle Stop Café name. The Capone Burger and chicken can still be ordered as can some pasta dishes. Although we had seafood the other night, I have been told the lamb is excellent. Yes, the table settings are pretty and Chef Loannis Valle trained in Barcelona. (http://www.hotelredland.com/)

They also feature a Sunday brunch (10-2) and if you’re looking for a Friday special, they have jazz. The dining room is charming and the staff attentive. Some of the dishes may be unfamiliar, but they will gladly describe them for you. If you have a sweet tooth, the fried ice cream looks as pretty as it tastes.

Although parking in the back is somewhat limited, there is the large lot a very short walk across Flagler. Hotel Redland is 5 South Flagler, 305 246-1904

Sports bars are not for everyone. They have their own atmosphere rather than ambience and if you’re looking to have a quiet conversation over a meal, it rarely works. On the other hand, if you want camaraderie and laughter, you’re likely to find that. Downtown Homestead on Krome Avenue is taking another swing at a sports bars after the last one encountered a series of problems that caused it to close fairly quickly. We hope Lucky’s Saloon will fare better. And speaking of fare, if you like a good burger or a nice brisket sandwich, this is the place for you. They special blend their burgers and cook them to order. The brisket is slow-smoked and it’s one of the few places where you can get Tator Tots as a side. Their sweet potato fries are excellent, too, so it’s a bit of a choice to make. The beer selection is good, the beer served appropriately cold and they have a full bar if you’re in the mood for something stronger. What makes Lucky’s different from most sports bars is they are attentive to salads and have a selection to suit most tastes. They do chicken quite well also. I haven’t tried the chili, but was told it was good.

Big TVs for sports isn’t the only draw – there is Trivia Night, Taco Night, Karaoke Night and the immensely popular Line Dancing Night, plus live music on Saturday. It is noisy, no doubt about it, so you do have to take that into account. The staff is friendly though and the prices are reasonable. Here’s a big “Thanks” for opening and do give them a try.

Gator Grill on the Way to the Everglades National Park

The restaurant business is brutal. Trying to keep costs competitive, trying to keep good help and a thousand other things (only a slight exaggeration) owners/managers have to deal with. I have nothing against chains and dine in them, but we try to patronize independent places as much as possible.  And when we see an independent making moves that are apparently good ones to improve their business, we give a little “Hooray”. So it would seem is the case with Gator Grill. It’s always been of interest that with the millions of people who visit the Everglades each year, there was literally nowhere to eat close by. The small Gator Grill that opened several years ago in what seems to have been a little store previously had excellent food, but like four picnic tables beneath the trees. Not that it wasn’t good, but unless you knew about it, the inclination was not to stop. Things have changed. The “Grill” isn’t any larger, but they’ve added a nice-size Tiki Hut with 9 or 10 picnic tables and a fan to circulate the air. With the trees still mostly in place, it’s still warm of course, but definitely an improvement. They’ve also had the exterior done with eye-catching murals.

They are positioned not far from Robert is Here as you drive toward the Everglades and with the new murals, it raises your curiosity as you approach. The single drawback, if you think of it as such, is they do make to order and they don’t hurry. If you are really hungry when you first order and there are several people already seated or in line, it’s best to grab a little packaged snack to tide you over. They are also one of the places that cook to order and if you like your burger rare, etc., – go for it.

(I posted several months ago about the Redlander Restaurant at Schnebly’s which is a more up-scale dining option not too far from Robert is Here, so there are two choices in fair proximity to the Everglades now.)