Foodie Friday (Chocolate eggs & Barbed Rose Burger Bar)

I had ordered a couple of custom chocolate eggs for the kids using my Houston Entree voucher (if you like trying new restaurants in the Houston area you may want to consider signing up for their offers) at Expressions Fine Chocolate.

The lady got every detail from their favorite colors for the ribbons to the type of chocolate to use. She called yesterday and said they were ready.  Wow!  They were much larger than I had expected!  These were going to be Easter gifts but we decided to give them to the kids early instead of trying to hide them until Sunday.

 I'd say the eggs were a hit. :)
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Chuck's strep throat is getting better but now my throat is sore and I don't feel too great.  And who wants to cook when you don't feel so hot?  I had another Houston Entree voucher. This one was for Barbed Rose. 

The interior of Barbed Rose is fancy shmancy. Reservations recommended.  People still go wearing jeans. It's upscale food in a casual atmosphere.  The outdoors "burger bar" is very casual. Shorts welcome. Biker parking. TV playing things like "Thrillbillies" where rednecks do stupid tricks.  Food is the same as the indoor dining room.

I have no idea what's on TV. A chick fight?  I just wanted to show you what it looked like in the outdoor dining area.

Casual attire. Bar in the corner. Ceiling fans to keep you cool. Friendly staff.

Very casual.

Some of the fancier items on the menu

There is an old depot that trains still pass. No travellers await. A different era.

Charlie patiently awaits his first taste of alligator.

Fried alligator with crystal-bacon aioli. The kids loved it.

My Ice and Blue salad with Barbed Rose's own homemade bacon.

Rachel got a philly cheesesteak. Chuck got steak and fries. Charlie got a kobe beef hot dog on a pretzel bun. The best hot dog I've ever tasted in my life. Incredible.

My buffalo burger with homemade mustard, provolone and homemade bacon sans top bun.

They had never heard of a mint julep but googled it and made one (or two) up for us. First one was on the house since they learned something new.  I thought everyone in the South knew about mint juleps! Delicious and refreshing on a warm spring evening as the sun sets, a train lumbers by, and a breeze softly blows.

Ahhhhh. Bring me anothuh, ma'am.

Bananas Foster bread pudding served in an iron skillet.

It did not survive.

The bartender came by to tell us about the specials. A chocolate raspberry martini. Divine.

A sweet father/daughter moment. 

 A great evening with the family.  Then it was home with us to watch "Thrillbillies". Never heard of it? You're not missing much unless you like to watch rednecks do stupid stunts and get hurt.  I could not understand half of them so Chuck and Rachel translated for me. Hilarious.  I grew up in east Texas but these guys seemed to talk gibberish to me.

A shot of Nyquil and I was off to la-la land. :)