Lubbock

(From March 2012)

We felt like royalty, ensconced in a cherrywood booth at this elegant Asian fusion spot. No more tacky buffets for us! The Golden Bridge Roll—a trestle of fried crab, mango, and avocado, ribboned with shrimp tempura and salmon roe—was almost too beautiful to eat, but that made it irresistible. Next up, classic General Tso’s chicken: the glaze was unexpectedly sweet, and, appropriately, the rice came sculpted in the shape of a heart. Don’t miss the crispy duck. We could eat here once a week for a year and not sample all the dishes. Beer & wine.

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(From January 2011) This is a family diner, and customers are treated like kin: Our waitress kindly stacked our purses in a chair because, according to her, handbags on the floor bring bad luck. To start, chips, guacamole, and hot sauce (a smoky recipe), followed by the hearty caldo de res aswim with beef, cabbage, potatoes, and a little ear of corn. Traditional Mexican entrées get a twist here: A spicy red sauce topped the meat enchiladas; shredded beef, a tender alternative, filled the tacos and burritos; and creamy queso, not grated cheddar, smothered the cheese enchiladas. For dessert, try the sugary sopaipilla. Beer.

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(From May 2011) Cross the porch and enter Espuela, where saddles, tack, feed bags, and album covers (Crystal Gayle, Kenny Rogers, Glenn Campbell) decorate the walls. Friday nights, it’s an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet, but we’re partial to Saturday supper and Sunday lunch. The steaks are famous (hesitate and your feisty waitress will tell you how to order it), and the catfish and chicken-fried steaks are equally good (both coated in a kicky black-pepper batter). On the side: a crisp salad, a baked potato that will warm your heart (and is about the same size), and buttery rolls. The slices of chocolate meringue pie, creamy as sweetened condensed milk, are so huge you should share—but you won’t. BYOB.

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(From July 2011)

Stashed inside an unassuming strip mall, Galvan’s has an at-home atmosphere that says family owned: folksy four-tops, clean wood floors, and the friendliest service we’ve encountered all year. This is the cafe where you become a regular. The food is simple and delicious: rice and beans done right, no fancy ingredients added; enchiladas served piping hot and stuffed with melted cheese, chicken, or beef; and chiles rellenos with a unique corn dog breading. The carne guisada, our favorite, is tender beef tips in a robust stew, served with fresh tortillas. Top it off with a sopaipilla—fluffy, sugary melt-in-your mouth bliss—served as fast and hot as everything else. 

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(From January 2012)

Giorgio’s is downtown lunch at its best. We’re enamored of the Italian awning, the no-frills tables and chairs, the old-fashioned red-and-white-checkered floor, and, of course, the food. Hearty meat, gooey cheese, and tomato sauce are tucked into the flaky, homemade crusts of the calzones as well piled on the pizzas, which you can get by the slice or the pie (New York–style, with a crust so delicate it folds right up in your hand). Lunch specials are a good bet, like a slice, a salad, and a drink for only $5.50 or lasagne, garlic toast, and a drink for $6.25. And with prices so low and food so beloved, you can expect a line out the door. Thank goodness it moves fast!

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(From March 2012)

While not of the franchise with a similar name, this place does sell spiral-sliced hams and smoked turkey. But what is widely overlooked about this country shop is that it operates a fine soup and sandwich kitchen. We created our own sandwiches from a selection of meats, vegetables, dressings, and fresh-baked breads and had them warmed on the grill. The Texas minestrone served on Wednesdays and Saturdays is a must, as are the luscious oatmeal-cranberry cookies.

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(From March 2012)

Clean and sleek, Healthy Essentials looks like a trendy spa. Sure, it carries several lines of supplements and vitamins, as well as healthy snacks, but it serves lunch too. We loved the chicken tortilla soup, the ladle full of fresh-tasting chicken, corn, and beans, with just the right kick to the broth. Ditto for the Harvest salad, featuring mixed greens, whole-grain rice, chicken, raisins, and a light vinaigrette. Our favorite was the tomato-and-mozzarella sandwich, dressed up with a tangy pesto. The variety of smoothies, coffees, and teas (and add-ons) will make your head spin.

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(From May 2012)

You might expect to bump into the Fonz and Richie at this malt shop, with its checkered floors, mint-colored vinyl chairs, and Wurlitzer jukebox equipped with bubble-lights and records by Elvis and the Everly Brothers. Year-round, there are 24 flavors of ice cream, including half a dozen Italian ices. We like their light lunches: “hop” dogs, turkey and ham sandwiches, and “sweet” BLTs with thick brown-sugar-glazed bacon. The roasted pepper-Gouda soup made us so deliriously happy we went back the next day looking for more. Save room for a malt or shake from the only true soda fountain in town.   

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(From December 2010) If really great food brings you to tears of joy, take a whole box of tissues to this place. You’ll peruse vintage photos hanging on clotheslines, wonder about the old screen doors lining the walls, and sip tea from mason jars. Nothing is ordinary—chicken-fried steak is a tender ribeye with a dazzling bacon cream gravy; a spicy buffalo chicken sandwich balances lip-tingling fire with a slaw of celery root, pear, and Gor-gonzola; and the creamy jalapeño–cheddar cheese grits are heaven-sent. The olive oil cake is a triumph, moist and slightly grainy with a sweet-tart punch of balsamic strawberries. Where’s our hankie?

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010, 5:05 pm
carla says:
Wonderful! So good!!!

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(From March 2011)

The servers here are down-home friendly and the ambience rustic. And the second you open the door and get a whiff of J&M’s smoked brisket, sausage, turkey, and ham, your mouth will commence to water. In the winter, they fire up the woodstove and serve their famous chili, and there’s plenty of other kinds of meaty goodness, like barbecue burritos and barbecue Frito pie. You’ve got your choice of the usual sides, but we’d suggest the skin-on mashed potatoes with white gravy, pinto beans (with a dried-chile kick), and crispy fried okra. Don’t forget the cobbler: a sugary crust layered with piping-hot fruit. BYOB.

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