The Tasting Spoon

First things first: Ringo's is the #1 restaurant we've been asked to review. That being said, we had high expectations going into this because it came so highly recommended from friends. Come to think of it though, it wasn't so much " oh this place is great, you have to try it " as " I'm interested in hearing what ya'll have to say " about this one. There are four types of BBQ: Memphis, Texas, Kansas City and the Carolinas. Texas' meat of choice is beef, most famous being our beef brisket. Most Texas pitmasters choose oak to smoke their meats (Ringo's included) but here in South Texas our abundance of wood is mesquite. It's a sin to put barbecue sauce on Texas BBQ because the complex meat flavors speak volumes yet you find it at all BBQ restaurants. Texas barbecue sauce is a tomato-based sauce that's spicy and tangy with some sweetness, otherwise known as "sweet heat". As we approached the restaurant, we noticed...

"Pho" is often mispronounced. People tend to say Fo instead of Fuh . Out of nowhere, Pho places started popping up around Laredo and have become increasingly popular, quite like the ramen trend--although, that one never quite made it to town. We went out to Pho Oi (located off Monarch Dr. behind HEB Plus) and noticed that they only had one waitress on staff. This can usually be a sign of bad service but maybe because we went around 8 p.m. it wasn't a hindrance of any kind. Our waitress was extremely kind and attentive, even going so far as to carry conversation with us and this is something that will really stick on future visits there. Dim Sum  In Laredo Dim Sum is often had fried as opposed to steamed, though steamed is traditional. The dish was brought to our table promptly and came with five steamed pork dumplings with a side of shredded lettuce and carrots. The dumpling had a soft yet chewy bite and was steamed to perfection. Sauce was a tangy ponzu ...

El Popo's menu is quite simple having only four menu items and the prices simply can't be beat at $2.50 per burger. Side dishes are limited to chips and serrano peppers while drinks include Mexican sodas. We went to the McPherson location which is hidden behind La Carreta at the end of a cul-de-sac. Fake exposed brick, white walls, steel tables and wide windows gave a fresh vibe to our 5 p.m. evening meal. Pictures on the wall showed the restaurant's beginnings in black and white photographs and after ordering one of each burger on the menu it's easy to see why they've been around for so long. Simplicity is key to their establishment and though their location seems to be sitting in a "nook and cranny" spot, they had a steady crowd flowing in and out throughout our meal. Ternera; Wines Ternera (Top Left) The ternera was severely lacking in meat quantity. It was more bread than anything else and we were pretty disappointed as this was the ...

Red grapes Springtime is here and that means it's time to plant your gardens! (If you haven't already). Here's some tips on gardening in the Laredo heat and an update on a few plants from our newly planted garden. All plants were purchased at HEB and planted within one week [with the exception of the grapevine which has already been established for some time].    Starting from Seed When starting from seed, a good time to start planting those indoors is at the beginning of January. After the seeds have sprouted and you have young plants, it's smart to take them outside for small amounts of time to get them used to the weather (approximately 5 hours a day). Late February is ideal for planting outdoors to get a head start on spring. Halfway through our spring season the heat gets harsh on plants so it's best to get them established earlier rather than later.   Herbs Sweet Basil If planting herbs in spring, it's good to keep them in a shaded a...

                                             The food truck trend is a beloved concept embraced around the country. It seems like all major cities in Texas: San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Dallas, have had this trend going on for quite some time and with great success. Laredo on the other hand, has always been a late bloomer when it comes to trends. While we do have food trucks, the only type that we've seen around are taco trucks. Nothing innovative or creative has really struck a chord in Laredo's growing food truck community. Because people in Laredo love their tacos and it is a big seller, tacos is a way of playing it safe. Walking down 6th street in Austin you will find a variety of food trucks ranging from comfort foods all the way to ethnic food. These food trucks...

On the menu tonight:  Sashimi Platter Aguachile Yakisoba Special Vegas Roll (Fresh) Nissi Baked Roll Sushi is an art form that ought not to be taken lightly. Bright colors, bold flavors, and complex simplicity are at the foundation of an optimal sushi roll. That being said, here in Laredo most rolls on any given sushi menu favor cream cheese and avocado. Mind you, there isn't anything wrong with either of these ingredients but the lack of variety in our sushi menus leads us to believe that they're nothing but glamorized California rolls. The sushi restaurant is such a popular and profitable business and in Laredo the "Mexi-sushi" versions unfortunately end up popping up in places they hardly belong with sky-high prices for cuts of fish that aren't executed properly. Posh is by no means an example of this but during previous visits there, they too have fallen victim to a cut-along-the-grain sashimi plate. For now though, we're not taking into account...

Appetizers:  On these hot summer days, we all want something cool and refreshing. What better than having oysters on the half-shell as our first appetizer? Goes best with a cold Mexican beer--dressed. We asked the waiter what type of oysters they were and he replied "Gulf Coast". As we all know, Gulf Coast oysters are big and plump, but are less flavorful then the East Coast variety which means that salt and lemon need to be added to give it that briney flavor it lacks. As the oysters arrived, they were fresh, cold, and clean of any shell debris. To my surprise, the adductor muscle was detached from the shell which eliminates needing to scrape your spoon furiously against the rocky surface. Served with lemons and horseradish. Crab Cakes As the crab cakes arrived to our table, the sight of two lonely cakes with not much presentation took us aback. The crab cakes had a good sear, not over-seasoned, and definitely left you wanting more. It's lump crab meat which is...