Saturday, April 21, 2007

Food Happiness in Amarillo, TX

Every now and again I am struck by the fact that I live in the Panhandle of Texas - not the oasis of civilization but a good place in its own right. And today while driving home from my favorite bakery the following food thoughts lingered in my mind, making Amarillo an even sweeter place to live.

1. I love Great Harvest Bread Company. Once you begin eating their bread, you just don't want anything else. It is a hefty investment per loaf, but every bite is so yummy!

2. Basil Docs Pizza is such a joy - sheer joy I tell you. The pizza is perfect. The crust has the right crunch-o-meter to bread texture level. The toppings are fresh and good for you. The combinations creative. The salad is sensational. Besides, I love the urban-loft feel of the place. The most interesting thing is who would expect to find such a treasure alongside Snowhite Bakery on Civic Circle?

3. Cafe Bella has such a tranquil and trendy interior. I love that it too is hidden behind a shopping center and when you discover it, you feel like yelling "Ahoy there, me hearties - I have found the loot." Okay, that may be too much, but it is a great find. The chicken avocado sandwich makes my tongue do little jigs.

4. OHMS makes one of the meanest Shepherds Pie's I have ever eaten. And now readers, I know my Shepherds Pie and trust me, this one is YUM-O!

5. Roosters Cafe can make a green salad with fruit and grilled chicken like no other. It is immersed in Vidalia Onion dressing which brings the entire combination together in perfect harmony.

6.Village Bakery, Franks French Bakery and Belmar Bakery each have little sweet treats to delight the tastebuds.

7.And now finally, the shrine of Pei Wei demands our attention. The lettuce wraps are so compelling that I find myself thinking of them randomly during the day. Talk about texture perfection - this is the pinnacle. Each bite has rhythm: the crunch, the crew, and a full burst of flavor...crunch, chew, aah, crunch, chew, aah....

8. Carolina's Woodfired Italian is such a treat also. The pasta and pizza is loaded with fresh veggies and awesome sauces. The Greek Salad is so refreshing and delicious that you feel like boarding a plane to Athens.

9. Then there are the "special occasion" places that are local and lovely - BL Bistro, Randys, Lincolns, Zen 721, Macaroni Joes - to name a few.

I know it is probably not completely normal to blog about food options, but who knows when one of you may need to travel to Amarillo and need food recommendations.

8 comments:

kendanley said...

When Lera got to town this week, the first place she wanted to go - besides seeing her mother at BSA -- was Doug Henk's Pit Bar-B-Que near 45th & Tekla.

A yankee does well to ease into their fare with the Frito Pie, packaged at quarter, half or full plate options.

susan said...

After you & I talked about Basil Doc's, Lon & I HAD to try it. So, on a rare Friday night with no children and nowhere special to be, we decided to check it out. Good thing we got there when we did because we grabbed the last two seats in the house, at the bar. Minutes later the crowd had swelled to SRO. Even Lon, who was skeptical, had to admit that was the BEST pizza he had ever eaten! Also delicious was the warm focaccia with olive tapenade appetizer, yuuuuum!!! The place is so warm and intimate, it really has a great vibe. We saw lots of people we knew, it kinda felt like "Cheers!" So, thanx for the great tip!

Amy S. Grant said...

John and I stopped off in Amarillo once, before you or the Bouchelles were even there, and we ate at a wonderful Japanese restaurant with a funny name. (I think it started with a K.) I am surprised that one is not on the list! Is it still there?

Arlene Kasselman said...

Amy, you must be talking about Kabuki. Yes, it is still here and they have a gorgeous new buildiing - it is really quite a spectacular place.

dutro said...

El Tejavan Messican restaurant. Genuine south-of-the-border, and the best around.

Arlene Kasselman said...

Dutro
My husband would completely agree. El Tejavan is his absolute favorite for authentic Mexican food. He especially loves the Tomatillo salsa(did I spell that correctly..)

Josh Kellar said...

Yes, I think I have eaten at a few of those places. And by the way, there is absolutely nothing wrong with blogging about food. Except now I am hungry and still have 2 hours before lunch. Thanks a lot.

~JK

Frank Bellizzi said...

Arlene, just saw this one and have to chime in.

First off, I've been in Amarillo just over a year now, and have only seen and heard about, but haven't been to, about half of the places you mention here.

Glad to get your recommendation about Basil Docs. Actually, I gave up on pizza after moving away from Connecticut. But if BDocs is that good, I'll have to try it.

Michele really likes Leal's. Macaroni Joe's is cool too.

Oh, and there's this not-fancy, inexpensive, Mom and Pop type Tex-Mex place on S. Georgia called Mi Familia. Tried it? We like to go there every once in a while.

Anyway, loved this food post and will be back to read it again before going out.