Fish Taco Friday

Here is a first for Meatetarian Eats: A post without a photo of the food. This, y'all, is why 99 percent of the time I have a camera with me.

Friday just happened to be one of those 1 percent days when I didn't, and oh, does it pain me now!

I was en route to Charleston, South Carolina, to visit my "baby" brother, Barret. He's about to graduate from the Medical University of South Carolina as a pharmacist, and will make approximately WAY MORE money than his older, wiser, shorter sister ever will. I had planned out exactly where I wanted to eat and to a certain extent, what I'd order when I got there.

But those plans went the route of epic fail as soon as I got on the road Friday. In case you live in a rock (or just don't live in Georgia), Labor Day weekend 2015 was the weekend that a million extra people decided to come into our state capital for Dragon Con, Georgia Tech football, Atlanta Falcons football, Georgia State football, Atlanta Black Pride Weekend, Vice President Joe Biden ... and that's just the ones I can remember. It was a shitshow and getting out of Atlanta was just as bad as getting in. After spending an extra hour on the road to Evans, I decided to take an evening pit stop and spend the night there instead of go another three hours.

Photo from BirdDog Grille

Long story short, this pit stop brought Aunt Robbie (you'll remember her from our visit to De Novo) and I to a relatively new place in town, BirdDog Grille. I'd heard mixed reviews about it, but it was someplace neither of us had been. We figured what the heck, at least we'll get a good beer out of it if nothing else. This was the point where I decided to leave my camera at her house. Such a bad decision.

I don't know what on Earth these people ate who didn't like it, but we had experiences 180 degrees separate from each other. This place is a great little gem for Columbia County!

After much laboring over the extensive menu (there are wraps, burgers, dogs, paninis, sandwiches), I narrowed it down to the Peanutbutter Bacon Burger and the Dirty Bird wrap. Then when the waiter arrived to take our order, I did the natural thing and absconded the regular menu for the fish taco special.

I wasn't expecting much. Fish tacos from affordable restaurants are notorious for being the smaller tortillas with three bites (or a tee-tiny fillet) of fried fish with like, three dashes of cheese, a massive handful of iceberg lettuce and a generally amazing salsa of some sort. So when it came to the table, BirdDog's fish tacos exceeded all expectations.

First off, I got not one ... but TWO massive tacos. These were the big kahuna eight-inch flour tortillas, crisped nice and folded over grilled fish fillets. I'm not sure what kind of fish it was, but there appeared to be a lot of mahi mahi on the menu, so I'll assume it was that (still working on eating enough fish to be able to tell the difference between them).

They had lettuce, yes, but not enough to overpower your bites. They had fresh tomatoes, sliced in half so you could clearly see how bright red and sweet they were. And oddly enough, shredded cheddar cheese that was melting on top of the grilled fish. I don't like cheddar - it tends to have almost a mealy quality when it's not melty enough - but the cooks fixed this one up right.

The best part about these fish tacos, aside from the sheer size of them, was the sauce. It was white, creamy and spicy, almost a riff on a tarter sauce. I know from other items on the menu that there's a special BirdDog Sauce, but I'm not sure that this was it. Clearly I should have called the restaurant to address these questions before writing. Hindsight, guys.

Anyway, the sauce was so good. It was the perfect amount, too: just enough to add flavor to every bite and still seep out of the back of the taco all over my fingers. Not to steal the thunder from a certain fast-food chain, but that was finger-lickin' good. Sauce remnants that I didn't lick off my phalanges landed on the plate, so I got to dip my homemade chips in there, too. The chips were great texture-wise, though I did have to add a sprinkle of salt on top. Aunt Robbie had the BLT with avocado added, which was good (although not quite up to par with the one I ate at Folk Art).

I was so surprised when I dashed inside that though the patio (did I mention that we have a place in Evans with a patio now?!) was full, there was hardly anyone inside. On a Friday night! I'm not entirely sure what's wrong with my home county that there's a 45-minute wait at the two Applebee's, but not even the hint of a line at this place that has good food, a freakin' patio and is owned by a guy who graduated from Lakeside High School. We don't get that opportunity very often to support a local kid (term used loosely) opening a good restaurant that's not part of a chain.

Did I mention the patio yet? Having a patio also means that there's a chance to hear great music by Augusta-area talent. On Friday it was Bethany & the Southside Boys. I must say, there are few better ways to enjoy a fish taco than on a patio during a warm late summer night, drinking a cold beer and hearing the raspy, soulful sound of this crooning band reminiscent of Joss Stone and Janis Joplin.

Worth the pit stop.

The Meatetarian Eats Dallas

The Meatetarian did a lot of traveling during the past few weeks! Today I’m taking you for a brief jaunt into the city that was named after me.

That’s right: Dallas, Texas.

This trip was for my annual Mary Kay Seminar, so most of our dining was done during the conference … but arriving a day early meant I was able to partake in a couple of the city’s finer eats within walking distance of our hotel.

Ellen's Southern Kitchen

Ellen's came highly recommended from our concierge. I thought I wasn’t hungry enough for soul food, but the group I found myself with that afternoon was from Boston, had little experience with “Southern kitchens” and I decided to indulge the girls’ fancy.

At this restaurant I found a sandwich that rivals the Carnivorgasm in height. And of course, being the Meatetarian, I ordered it.

The towering open-face meatloaf sandwich

It was a hearty open-faced meatloaf sandwich. There is a slab of juicy beef meatloaf covered in thick, hot brown gravy, on top of a piece of toast. All of that mama’s kitchen cookin’ is then stacked on top of a generous scoop of silky mashed potatoes.

As if that’s not enough to sink your teeth into, there’s stuff on top of the meatloaf too. I guess it’s served open-face because it’s hella hard to get another piece of bread to stay on top of a fried egg, crispy fried onion rings and grilled pepper rings, huh?

The lunch feat before me was most impressive. I ate every bite, down to the last scrape of mashed potatoes doused in a mixture of gravy and egg yolk. Whoever decided that meatloaf needed to be topped with ketchup clearly missed a grand opportunity to make fried eggs and gravy topping a food trend.

My favorite thing about this meatloaf is how juicy it was. Texture-wise it was more like eating a hamburger patty, since meatloaf – notoriously restaurant meatloaf – can come out dry, crumbly or both. This healthy slice stayed together despite me eating it with a fork and heaping it with all of the other stuff that came on the “sandwich.” Needless to say, I did not have room for dessert, and wasn’t sure I’d have room for supper, either!

Wild Salsa

Funny story: the group I was with for dinner asked the hotel valet how far “Wild Bill’s” was. We got that cleared up mighty fast after the looks they gave us and then rented a stretch Hummer for a half-mile drive to the most authentic Mexican restaurant I’ve ever eaten at.

The atmosphere at Wild Salsa is cool. There is no other word for it, as cliché as “cool” sounds. The lights are dim. The decorations are tequila bottles, Dia de los Muertos skulls and a palette of warm colors. It’s close quarters inside and yet I didn’t feel crowded. I’ve never been to a Mexican cantina, but I feel like Wild Salsa did a good job recreating one.

If you remember from my visit to The El Felix earlier this spring, you know the love I have for Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisine. The flavors are bright, fresh and balanced. With a big kick.

Having eaten enough lunch to feed a family of four, I settled for lighter fare and went with what sounded the most exotic: a tongue taco.

Have I ever eaten tongue? Nope.

A taco that's easy on the eyes ...
and heavy on the tongue.

Have I removed it from a bovine carcass during a meat science lab and been impressed by how much meat was on it? Yup.

Was I excited to relish the flavor of tongue on my tongue? You betcha. I was bouncing with anticipation, because trying a new meat is such an awesome experience for me.

Oh, y’all. I don’t know how I’ve never eaten tongue before.

It is the carnivore’s version of tofu (and yes … I have eaten tofu.) – tender, smooth, not at all spongy. Which makes sense, when you think about it being such a strong muscle in life. This tongue was marinated, giving it a great subtly spicy beef flavor. Since marinating is a way to tenderize meat, that probably added value to the great texture these cubes had.

Also on the taco was a spicy tomatillo salsa and pickled red onions. The chefs at Wild Salsa did an excellent job putting together spice, salt and sour in each bite. I will say, I like a little spice, and it seemed like a few dishes ordered by my tablemates might have been on the lotta spice side – so check with your server before you order something that may get clear your sinuses!

The side dish of cilantro rice also deserves an honorable mention. Normally I like rice salty, and this rice was not. However, it was fresh and had that great unmistakable essence of cilantro cooked in it and sprinkled on top. Given the intense flavors on the taco, it was great to have such a mild-mannered side dish next to it. Overall, dinner was a great balance of personalities that worked well together – just like the women in the company we were in town to celebrate.

The Meatetarian Eats AMI: Part 1

Never heard of Anna Maria, Florida? Then y'all got some researchin' to do. My family discovered Anna Maria Island last summer and I'm forever glad we made it a regular trip. There are SO many good places to eat here!

Over the next two days, we're going to walk around the island and I'll point out a few of my favorites and why you should get here when you can.

The Donut Experiment
By far, my absolute most favoritest (Yes. It's a word.) place to eat on this island, and also potentially the state of Florida. Here's the concept of The Donut Experiment, which was formerly known as Anna Maria Donuts: You go in and fill out an order form for your doughnuts, selecting the icing and topping combo of your choice. Take it up to the counter, hand it over, pay for your doughnuts and coffee, then hang out until they call you with your order. Simple as pie. This place is good and is therefore always packed. And like any other place that hand-makes you fresh doughnuts while you wait, it is so worth it.

You can't walk down Pine Ave. and not smell the luscious, sweet odor of freshly cooked cake doughnuts. It draws you in and then you're faced with a potentially life-changing choice: "Do I want caramel icing with sea salt, or should I go for the big one and bring home a Sriracha doughnut?" The answer, clearly, is both.

I only managed to make it to TDE (unofficial abbreviation) thrice during our most recent trip, but dang y'all. I could've easily eaten here every single morning that week. Let me show you how much better my breakfasts were than yours:

Out of these three, the favorite was key lime. This includes a good dip in creamy white frosting, a dunk in crumbled graham cracker and a zig-zag of key lime syrup on top. It's what would happen if you made a dessert that is a layer of key lime pie on top of a layer of cake. In other words, magnificence! I stuck to the "one way" doughnuts on this trip, which means you order them and you get it how it comes. The special one-way this week was caramel delight, which I ordered despite having no idea what I was about to be presented with. As you can see, it's chocolate icing, crispy toasted coconut flakes (which were great, by the way; I'm not a huge coconut fan, but I loved this addition!) and a drizzle of caramel. It's hard to go wrong with chocolate and caramel. That final one is the Sriracha, and it is the definition of "spice is nice." The moist cake doughnut is smothered in a rich peanut butter that melts on contact with the piping hot doughnut, sprinkled with chopped peanuts and then a layer of peppery Sriracha hot sauce is drawn on top. There is nothing sweet about this breakfast except your mouth crying out for sweet Jesus as you chow down -- both because it's spicy and because you can't get over how good it is.

Poppo's Taqueria
Second favorite place in Florida ... which just so happens to be right next door to The Donut Experiment. They share a porch.

I love pork tacos these days, and Poppo's does not disappoint. All of their food boasts such amazing flavors that one moment there's a taco on your plate and about three seconds later you look around and wonder where the heck your lunch went because you ate it that fast and already want more. I love the Classic concoction, which is pork with cilantro, diced red onion, hot sauce and lime on a corn tortilla. That hot sauce has a good kick, but I absolutely crave it when it's on top of succulent, melts-in-your-mouth pork and the burst of freshness from the cilantro.

To be honest, Poppo's may have the best carnitas I've had the pleasure of eating. Carnitas is a Mexican way of cooking pork by braising or roasting it before shredding. It's just so juicy here. I don't know what they put in it, but the pork tacos here are crave-worthy. In fact, I typically get a second taco (seriously; finishing one will leave you wanting more, so you're gonna want two at a minimum). That one is pork (duh) full of slaw, cheese, pico, cilantro and a drizzle of sauce. Having this taco is what made me start to like red cabbage -- yes, I realize it took me 25 years to appreciate red cabbage -- because the slaw is honey and lime marinated red cabbage. Can we talk about food that makes me hungry?!

Thankfully in Atlanta there's a Willy's, which is the closest I can get to pork tacos of this caliber, but it just ain't the same as being outside at Poppo's, eating a freshly made taco with carnitas juice running down your fingers and dripping on your plate and swallowing a tasty craft IPA from local Big Top Brewing to wash it down.

Rod & Reel Pier
If you don't do doughnuts for breakfast (at which, I must inquire what on Earth is wrong with you!), I recommend the bike ride to Rod & Reel Pier. There are two piers on AMI -- one is City Pier, which is larger and home to bar food, apps and brews; and the other is Rod & Reel. It serves food all day, but what I've been most impressed with is breakfast.

You go upstairs, sit down and have a view of the Gulf of Mexico while you eat. There are fishermen downstairs on the dock, the St. Pete bridge in the distance, a solid look at Egmont Key State Park and plenty of open water to watch for dolphins, rays and all other manner of sealife as you chow down on eggs and bacon. I recommend the omelettes of all varieties: they're pretty much the size of an infant so you might want to pay the $1 price to share it with someone! The pancakes are amazing too. Light, fluffy, almost cake-y in flavor, and they're served hot with powdered sugar on top, which caramelizes as the pancakes cool. You can also be healthy(er) and get fresh berries or fruit served on top.

This trip I tried out the bacon, egg and cheese biscuit sandwich. Sandwiches are an essential part of my diet, so it's hard to resist the offer of one full of fried egg, salty bacon and melty cheese. Rod & Reel breakfast is comfort food that'll keep you full until dinner, at which point you can return for fried grouper.

Tune in tomorrow: I'm taking you on a stroll to some other tasty treats you can devour while in this beautiful island community.

Cinco de Taco

Like every fast food junkie who's hit up T-Bell at 3 a.m. in an effort to fulfill the desires of post-drinking food needs, when I heard the chain was offering free biscuit tacos on Cinco de Mayo, I jumped at the chance. I forced myself to wake up early (because the nearest Taco Bell is in the exact opposite direction of my office), make myself presentable and join the throngs of 20-somethings arriving promptly 7 a.m. to see whether or not we'll deign to be so-called "breakfast defectors."

By "throngs of 20-somethings" I mean me and the one other car that showed up at 7:02 a.m. The throngs are the ones who rolled out of bed at 10, assumed that only hungover college students cared about free food and marched en masse to Taco Bell only to realize that they  had been duped by those of us who have jobs, must be awake before 7 a.m. and hang on to every reminder of our inebriated college past by taking advantage of free food whenever offered. So, by the time the throngs arrived, there were no free biscuit tacos left for them, and now they're doing what kids do these days and posting mean things on social media.

Meanwhile, as these young things were sleeping, innocently assuming there would be free food awaiting them in three hours, I moseyed into my office, bacon-egg-cheese biscuit taco and bacon-egg-cheese A.M. Crunchwrap in hand, excited to celebrate this mostly American holiday with some very American things: fast food, free fast food, bacon and biscuits.

The A.M. Crunchwrap: bacon, egg, shredded cheddar and a hashbrown patty,
all wrapped up in a flour tortilla.

I began with the A.M. Crunchwrap. As my bestie and favorite fellow 3 a.m. T-Bell frequenter Gena knows well, I am a mad fan of the Crunchwrap. The regular Crunchwrap Supreme is a layer of beef, sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce and various other taco toppings stacked on a flattened hardshell taco, all wrapped in a huge soft tortilla. Dip that into some sauce and you've got one of my top five fast food items! Now, there are no vegetables in the A.M. Crunchwrap. It is carb and protein loading to the max. You've got the flour tortilla still, but this time it is wrapped around a hashbrown patty and topped with chopped bacon, scrambled egg and the signature Taco Bell shredded cheddar cheese, plus a kick courtesy of some sort of jalapeno cream sauce.

It tasted good. Like, I would go back and get it again after approximately three days of jogging around the neighborhood twice a day good. I liked that the bacon was crumbled, because you didn't have to worry about only taking one bite and suddenly the whole strip is coming out ... and then you're left with naught but egg and cheese. The scrambled eggs weren't bad. They didn't necessarily taste like something a Michelin star chef would put out there, but they weren't rubbery or hard and were sufficiently salty. Alas, the sauce (and for some reason this always happens with Crunchwraps) ended up all in one corner, so it wasn't until I was two-thirds done with my breakfast that I even realized there was sauce in it. And that was a shame, because the sauce gave a freshness and a zing to the salty flavors of the protein and carbohydrate ingredients! So, note to self, next time I'm ordering an extra tub of that on the side for dipping.

The issue I have with the A.M. Crunchwrap is the "crunch" part. In the regular menu Crunchwrap, that tortilla shell crunches quite satisfactorily when you chomp down, plus the iceberg lettuce and the tomatoes give a little bit more texture. The morning variety, sadly, does not provide that same experience. Though putting a hashbrown inside is a good idea in theory, it's easy to execute poorly. There was no satisfactory crunch from a crispy fried shredded potato patty. It was as if someone hadn't let the oil get hot enough in the fryer before dropping them in, so they absorbed too much oil and came out greasy. Fix that issue, add some more of that sauce, and this ain't a bad way to start the morning if you don't want to spend a fortune at Panera for a "healthy" carbohydrate-laden breakfast or are tired of your regular Chick-fil-A and McDonald's fare.

Onto the real reason why I showed up at Taco Bell at 7:02 a.m.: the biscuit taco. Yes, I got the bacon here again (there are sausage varieties of both), but if you've been following me, you undoubtedly read my post about bratwurst and thus my diatribe against breakfast sausage. So, bacon it is!

I knew it was going to be tough to convert me, a Southern born-and-bred woman who grew up on soul food and fresh-made biscuits cut with a jar top, to something like this. But I tried to go in with an open mind, and hey, it was free. Plus, it looked cute! Great packaging -- a little cardboard taco shell holder that claims "The world is your biscuit. Devour it." I unwrap this delicacy and think, "Heck yes, I will devour you."

Then I took a bite.

Bad news, y'all. Despite its promising exterior, the biscuit taco was lackluster.

The bacon, egg and cheese biscuit taco, wrapped in its signature packaging,
along with the day's receipt for "a Cinco de Mayo miracle."

The biscuit part of the taco is interesting. The inside is crumbly and gives you the mouthfeel of a biscuit, but the outside is almost rubbery. I mean, I understand that food science was involved here and Taco Bell had to figure out a way to get a soft, buttery, typically not flexible biscuit to bend into a taco shell shape, but it's by no means my favorite thing on the Taco Bell menu.

The construction of the biscuit taco was pretty genius: like a regular taco that has ground beef topped with stuff and cheese on top, the biscuit taco featured ground meat (bacon, in my case), the same scrambled eggs as on the A.M. Crunchwrap and again, that shredded cheddar.

Y'all I'mma be cleaning bacon off my desk for a while. The half-inch thick generous helping of crumbled bacon did not want to stay in the biscuit taco. It was messy. Not something I would recommend eating in the car while driving.

Do I appreciate Taco Bell feeding me for mostly free (I bought the Crunchwrap)? Yes.

Would I call myself a "breakfast defector" after this morning? Nah.

But if I ever do need to break out of my traditional spicy chicken biscuit boredom (not sure that sort of boredom exists; I really like spicy chicken biscuits) and have a few spare minutes to wait for a perfectly fried hashbrown patty to stuff in an A.M. Crunchwrap, I'd go back and grab one. They do say variety of the spice of life, especially when that variety comes with a side of spicy jalapeno sauce.