Hill Country Food Snobs

Great chicken

2008-08-27T17:23:00.002-05:00

I read this article in the LA Times on Best Rotisserie Chicken in LA and it got me thinking about some great Rotisserie Chicken.

No, I am NOT talking about the HEB chickens. I am talking about the delicious and crispy rotisserie chickens at the Shell Station on River Road in Boerne.

The Riverside Market at 491 S. Main St. offers great BBQ sandwiches and plates, a good meat market with nice thick cuts of meat, and absolutely delicious rotisserie chickens.

The chickens are in a hot box, but I have never had one that was dried out from the wait. In fact, I was advised to call ahead so they could save me a chicken. It seems they sometimes sell out before the dinner rush is over.

This Labor Day weekend, take the family to the Shell Station on River Road. Go into the Riverside Market (Inside the Shell Station) and have a good chopped beef sandwich and spicy jalapeno, or pick up some beans, chips, salad, and a couple of delicious chickens and head over the park for lunch with the ducks.

The Welfare Cafe

2008-08-03T12:49:00.004-05:00

Atmosphere: relaxed

Wine and beer list: good wine list with average bottle and by the glass pricing, high corkage fee, good beer selection.

Service: slow, slow, slow. However, this is part of the experience of eating at the Welfare Cafe. Don't expect to grab a quick meal, instead come to relax, enjoy conversation, and have good food.

The Food: Very good.

The menu includes a selection of appetizers under $15. Try the Roasted Poblano and Goat Cheese, the Potato Pancakes, or the Crab Cakes

Entree: The selection includes some chicken dishes, Chicken Fredericksburg is a favorite and the steaks are very good. The owner has a good grasp of German cuisine and the German dishes, which are so prevalent in the Hill Country, are excellent. The Schnitzels are authentic and delicious.

The fish dishes are excellent and fresh tasting. Try the "specials" they are often innovative and show the real expertise of the chef.

Desserts are uneven.

There is live music and this can be a plus or a minus. The performers often are over-amplified for the space. Many people request to sit close to the music, I do not.

The Bottom Line: Dining at the Welfare Cafe is a great experience. The food is consistently good and the atmosphere is very Hill Country. This is a good place to take friends and visitors, though I would get a sitter and leave the kids at home.

Reservations highly recommended.

The Tin Roof - Boerne

2008-08-03T00:57:00.000-05:00

Atmosphere: spacious rooms but inadequate lighting

Service: Great

Wine selection: good wine list with reasonable pricing

Food: not so good

This place held a lot of promise. Great location, and obviously a lot of time and effort went into planning the space. It's a fun place to go on the weekends with plenty of seating available in the bar while you wait for a table.

The food was OK. Nothing more. The dinner rolls were not fresh, the butter tasted off. The mashed potatoes that accompanied the steak had obviously been in the steam table for a while, they were discolored from being reheated and very heavy. I imagine they would have been very good if they were fresh. The steak was uneven: Lots of gristle for a $22 dollar steak but the herb butter was very nice.

The portions were very large. To some people, that is a plus. We found the servings much too large for one person and they do not allow splitting plates.

The service was quick and the waitress was friendly. She tried hard to please and her efforts were appreciated.

Boerne dining is generally bland and the Tin Roof will not change that, unfortunately

814 Bistro - Comfort

2008-07-31T09:30:00.001-05:00

Atmosphere: Comfortable. Try eating on the back patio. The background music is eclectic and appealing

Wine List: small list but the wines are nice and very reasonable pricing

Service: Very good. The wait staff is small but Chris and Lynn do a very good job helping you feel welcome and your needs tended to.

Food: This is some of the best food in the Hill Country.

Lunch menu has a nice variety and all the dishes we tried were fresh, flavorful and showed attention to quality ingredients.

Dinner menu is very small but we think that is a good thing. too many restaurants try to be everything to everyone. The 814 Bistro offers a selection of three appetizers and three entrees. All are very good.

Dinner reservations are recommended

Dinner per person, with wine and tip $50

Bottom line: this is a great place to enjoy an evening with friends or a quiet dinner for two. The atmosphere is very conducive to a business lunch meeting.