Family Visit...The Last Chapter

...Yes, our family visit has come to an end.  My cousin Nathan and his better half, Janice, have returned to the comparatively frigid north, up in the Great Lake State of Michigan.  But before they departed there was a bit more exploring to do and a lot more food to consume!

For dinner we took Nathan and Janice to our favorite Mexican Restaurant in nearby Madisonville Tennessee.  Sol Azteca is in a non-descript building located at the bend of US Hwy 411 and an overpass so the restaurant doesn't exactly stand out to the passerby.  

Janice posed for Nathan standing beside this imaginative "Day of the Dead" figure.  At my stage and age I don't celebrate this particular holiday...  I would prefer "Day of the Living" or "Rejuvenation Day".

Sol Azteca is a large restaurant and we weren't the only customers having a late dinner.  Nevertheless, this photo gives you an idea of the decor in the dining room/area.  

Sol Azteca makes the best Chorizo and Cheese Dip that we've found anywhere in the area! ($10.99) I borrowed this photo from a previous post because by the time we remembered to take a photo all we had to show of this appetizer was a bowl scraped clean of any contents. 

Here are two of our entrees... Laurie only ordered a simple quesadilla.  Note how 'small' the portions were!  I have no idea what the name is of the first entree shown above.  

But the second one was mine.  It was the Burrito San Jose...a big burrito filled with pork and steak and then topped with chorizo sausage, then sided with Mexican rice and cheese covered refried beans... ($13.25) It was a 'meat lover's burrito' for sure!  I managed to consume the burrito and all that meat...but failed when it came to the 80% of beans and all of the rice.  Excellent!

And of course, we had to have a photo of Nathan and Janice at Sol Azteca.  Other than Laurie's sister Bonnie and her husband Bill, we don't get too many visitors and we really enjoyed Janice and Nathan's time with us.

Sol Azteca Mexican Grill is located at 4263 US Hwy 411 in Madisonville Tennessee.  They are open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week.  Phone: 423-545-8080.  Website: https://solaztecamexgrill.com/.    

So...what else did we do and where did we go?  

One stop was in Lenoir City Tennessee where we spent quite a big of time looking for deals at the Good Neighbor's Shoppe.  This upscale and well run store offers nice recycled clothes for both adults and children, books, jewelry, furniture, home decor items and more...at great prices.  Check out this charitable retail operation at https://www.gnshoppe.org/.

Next it was The Shoppes on the Square in downtown Loudon Tennessee.  This store features individual booths that offer clothing, collectables, furniture, antiques, art, books, decor and much more.  Website: http://www.theshoppesonthesquare.com/. 

Our final stop for the day was at the Sweetwater Valley Farm complex near Philadelphia Tennessee.  Hence the photo shown above!  This large dairy farm offers tours of the farm's operations including milking and cheese making.  This tourist attraction also features a restaurant that served a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches and dairy products; a gift shop and; a cheese shop with samples and a number of other gifts.  We loaded up on a variety of cheeses... Website: https://sweetwatervalley.com/.

If you haven't been exposed to enough food already, you might appreciate this photo of Nathan's that caught yours truly in the process of grilling some nice big pork 'steaks' slathered with Famous Dave's Rich and Saucy BBQ Sauce.   

Yes, this is a sight that Laurie and I rarely see... Sunrise over Tellico Lake.  We normally go to bed late and get up late...8:30AM or 9AM.  But, Nathan and Janice had a long drive ahead of them...all the way home from Loudon County Tennessee to Genesee County Michigan.  They had to get an early start and Laurie took the opportunity to take the photo.

But, we were responsible for making their trip home a tad longer!  We'd touted the Buc-ee's travel center in Richmond Kentucky...and apparently Janice and Nathan had carefully listened to our favorable comments.  They'd never been to a Buc-ee's.  Later we learned that this stop added 1 1/2 hours to the trips duration. 

Buc-ee's stores are not your traditional gas station/quick stop along the highway.  The stores are huge and the variety of items is stunning.  Just the food selections offered will blow your mind.  No trucks, clean bathrooms and low gas prices.  You can learn more about Buc-ee's at https://buc-ees.com/.     

...Nathan and his bride finally made it across the Ohio/Michigan state line.  The lighting was already dimming.  Note the almost bare trees while here in East Tennessee, we were pretty much 'greened out'.  Laurie and I do like Michigan, especially in the summer.  I was born there, I regard Jackson Michigan as my 'home town', and I lived in the state for the first 25 or 26 years of my life.  I graduated from Michigan State University and we have enjoyed a number of vacations in this, the Great Lakes State.   

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Local - Mostly a Variety of Dining Choices

...Time for another short break from our road trip last October that took us through 7 different states.  The focus this time is on food...from 3 different restaurants, but also Laurie's new "phone friend" and a new neighbor.

Laurie and I are always looking for quality pizza, something that we have struggled to find here in East Tennessee. (Suggestions are welcome!) For us the best pizza in the area can be found at the Tellico Grains Bakery in Tellico Plains Tennessee. (Lunch Only - website: https://tellico-grains-bakery.com/)

But we've continued to search.  FYI, our definition of quality pizza includes the generous use of toppings, a distinctive red sauce and a firm but thin crust.  Of course, everyone has their favorite types of pizza... It's a personal preference.

So we recently had a pizza at a 'new to us' restaurant, Corner Pizza.  Apparently, it has been in business for a while.  Corner Pizza is located at the intersection of US Hwy 11 and US Hwy 70 at the northern edge of Loudon County.  We ordered out 'touchstone' pizza, the one we use to compare with others.  Italian Sausage and Pepperoni.  Corner Pizza's version was very nice indeed.  Our mistake was that we went with their standard crust, a bit too thick for our taste, but we failed to note that a thin crust pizza was available.  We shall return in the near future for another taste test!  Website: https://www.cornerpizzalenoircity.com/. 

Recently we returned to another restaurant that we've 'discovered', Sol Azteca, a Mexican Restaurant in Madisonville Tennessee that we really like.  We went with another couple and we tried a couple of entrees that we hadn't tried before.  Shown above is their Polo Coyoacan, grilled chicken breast topped with chorizo and shredded cheese.  It was accompanied by Mexican rice, refried beans with more cheese...and tortillas.  Both members our group that ordered this entree were very happy with their meals!

For my entree, I decided to go for the Burrito San Jose.  This large burrito was filled with pieces of pork and steak, then topped with chorizo and cheese.  As you can see, Mexican rice and refried beans were also included.  There was plenty of meat involved but I didn't think that that steak/beef and pork mixture was ideal.  Next time I order a burrito it will be all about the steak or perhaps, chicken.  FYI, I mixed the chorizo in with the beans and cheese...and it was a very tasty side dish!

Sol Azteca is now our 'go to' Mexican restaurant in the area...and we 10 or more choices within 15 miles of our home.  Sol Azteca is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/solaztecamadisonville/. 

Now for a bit of cuisine from India.  I'd previously written about our positive experience at The Spice Hut in Lenoir City.  On this occasion we were accompanied by a couple that hadn't eaten there before, with the male half of the couple planning a photographic excursion to India.  He wanted to sample some Indian food so he would have some idea of what he might be eating on his trip.

One of our starters or appetizers was this order of Chili Cheese Naan.  Fresh bread/naan with fresh chili and cheese topped with butter and roasted in the clay oven. ($5.99) Everyone seemed to really like this version of naan, but I didn't think that it was very distinctive, more like a cheese pizza and I couldn't really detect any chili flavor.

Our second appetizer was an order of Punjabi Aloo Samosas.  Filled with a potato and peas stuffing, these flaky crust creations were served with a tangy tamarind and date sauce. ($4.99) Everyone really enjoyed these treats...with that sauce kicking them up a couple of notches.

I can't recall what this dish was called on the menu.  It is Tandoori Chicken with an assortment of vegetables.  While the diner who ordered this for dinner did enjoy it, she felt that the amount of chicken served was pretty skimpy.  

Looking at the online menu, Tandoori chicken is nowhere to be found.  The menu is one of the shortcomings of this restaurant.  The online menu doesn't provide descriptions of the majority of offerings listed.  The menu provided at the restaurant provides zero descriptions of the dishes, but if you want to take the time and you have a smart phone, you can pull up some information on your phone.  This is definitely not customer friendly...and the servers are not very helpful in this regard.  When ordering, you are sort of on your own.  In the future, I'll just research 2 or 3 Indian dishes on line to determine what I want to order.

Our future traveler to India decided to order the Crispy Honey Chicken. ($16.99) This entree wasn't described on the menu.  However, as per an Indian's input on line, this is basically an Chinese style recipe with a sweet flavor and some mild spices...but the Indian version is spicier and has a bit of moderate heat.  Note the pickled vegetables.  This wouldn't be my choice but Bob has a much broader palate than I do and he did enjoy his meal.

Both Laurie and I went for entrees that we knew and really enjoy.  Her choice was the Butter Chicken, or murgh makhani. ($16.99) This Indian dish originated in Delhi India and it is a style of curry that is made with chicken and a spiced tomato and butter sauce.  As during our previous visits to The Spice Hut, Laurie was very happy with her dinner!

As is my habit in Indian restaurants, I ordered the Lamb Vindaloo. ($19.99) Basically it consists of chunks of lamb and potatoes with a spicy sauce.  It was excellent.  Note: All of these entrees come with a large bowl of what I think is basmati rice, in my case great for soaking up all that sauce with chunks of potato or lamb.   

Diners at The Spice Hut are offered a level of spicy 'heat' with every entree.  The range goes from 1 to 10.  Laurie was happy with a 4 and I chose a 7, perfect for my taste.

Do not be deterred by my comments on the menu.  The Spice Hut does serve good food...but a little research is needed by diners unless they are familiar with Indian cuisine.  Also don't panic when you drive up to the restaurant...which shares a large space with a fireworks store, convenience store and gas station.  The restaurant is nicely separated from the rest of the businesses.  

The Spice Hut is located at 1204 US Hwy 321 in Lenoir City Tennessee.  It's just west of Exit 81 off of I-75.  They are open daily for lunch and dinner.  Website: https://spicehutind.com/.

Moving on from all that food.  This photo shows Laurie with her new friend Zane at the Verizon store in the Turkey Creek Shopping Center.  Zane helped her with a major challenge...moving from her Samsung Smart Phone to an iPhone from Apple.  While she's still learning...and leaning on others to help her with the transition, Zane provided a lot of basic assistance.  For the first couple of days after the change, I just hid out for my own mental well-being.  Great progress has been achieved.

Introducing our new neighbor... This is Terry and she just moved into the new home that is located directly behind us in Loudon County.  She is a 'crafter' and a retired member of the US Military.  A common bond with us is that she's also a collector...of a variety of items she loves.  Much to my liking, she counts philately as one of her hobbies.  Welcome to the neighborhood Terry and thank you for your service to the USA! 

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Another Mexican Restaurant...and Perhaps the Best One!

We have an almost overwhelming number of Mexican restaurant dining options in our semi-rural small town setting.  I can think of eleven or twelve different restaurants serving Mexican style cuisine within a 20 minute drive from our home.  Many of them are above average.  Laurie had her favorite and I had my favorite...but to be fair, a couple other Mexican restaurants were also in the running for favorites.

But recently, we found a Mexican restaurant that we both agree is our favorite...at least for now.

This is the Sol Azteca Mexican Grill in Madisonville Tennessee.  Like almost all local Mexican restaurants in our area, Sol Azteca is family owned.  The owner/chef has been cooking/creating for the public for over 10 years.  We've passed the restaurant many times on our way south through Madisonville over the last several years.  Probably due to the restaurant's location in the corner of a sweeping curve by an overpass on US Hwy 411, we'd never really noticed it or managed to remember seeing it.  This is despite Sol Azteca having been in business for about 8 years!

On our first visit, we arrived a bit early for dinner...and the full bar lacked any customers.

Basically, the lack of early diners and patrons was also evident in the dining areas as well.  While Sol Azteca has colorful decor, it is less over the top than some of its local competitors'.  It is a bit more subdued.  

Like in almost all Mexican dining establishments, our server (Kevin), brought a basket of tortilla chips and salsa to the table.  What was a bit different was that he provided a bowl for each of us for the salsa and he brought a carafe of salsa...which meant we didn't have to ask for more salsa later in the meal.  Subtle...but a nice touch.  The salsa had a little 'bite' to it, but it is mild enough for most diners.

OK...our favorite Mexican style appetizer is Chorizo Dip with our chips.  Our biggest complaints about this style dip generally are: 1) it was too runny; 2) it lacked enough chorizo sausage bits, and 3) it was too bland.  Sol Azteca's Chorizo Dip featured none of those negative points.  It is the best version of this appetizer that we've had in several years, and it was plentiful too. ($9.99) 

As this was our first visit to Sol Azteca, Laurie stuck with her usual tried and true menu item.  This was her Quesadilla Rellena. ($9.99) This very large flour tortilla was grilled and then stuffed with chicken, cheese and beans. (beef tips are another option) The tortilla was then served with Mexican style rice, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream.  She was quite happy with this oversized quesadilla!

I stayed within my tried and true comfort zone as well when ordering.  I ordered the Burrito Deluxe, 2 burritos, one filled with chicken and one with beef, plus beans and then topped with grated cheese, lettuce and sour cream. ($9.75) It came with a red sauce but I opted for a green salsa.  I'm not into sour cream so Laurie, who loves sour cream, was the recipient of my serving, adding it to the dollop on her plate.  I also enjoyed my meal...so what logically came next? 

Note: Like several other Mexican restaurants in our area, Sol Azteca has a 'salsa bar' where you can replenish your salsa or sample a wide range of alternate salsa toppings.  They range from green to red and from mild to 'call the fire department'!

The answer to the question posed above is that we revisited Sol Azteca, this time bringing our neighbors, Steve and Sue, California 'refugees' who managed to 'escape' to a relatively laid back East Tennessee and it's moderate climate.

No repeat photo but once again we ordered the Chorizo Dip as an appetizer.  It was well received by Sue and Steve.  For my entree this time I wandered a bit from my norm.  This was the Camarones a la Diabla. ($15.25) Diabla for sure...as the sauce with the shrimp was very spicy hot indeed.  However, while it may not appeal to everyone, the 'heat' was right for me.  Laurie was happy too...in that I'm OK with but not crazy about guacamole so she was able to score the slices of guac that came with my meal.  While I did wrap some shrimp in the soft tortilla wraps that came with my meal, I decided that I preferred them straight up with a little lettuce.

Laurie went for the shrimp for her entree as well... This was her Camarones Cremosos. ($15.49) In this instance the shrimp were cooked with mushrooms and then they were served with Mexican rice, lettuce, tomato and sour cream.  She was very happy with her meal, enjoying both the plentiful shrimp on the plate as well as more mushrooms than she could eat.

I'd never seen a 'bowl' dish like this before in a Mexican restaurant.  Sue's entree was Sol Azteca's Classic Burrito Bowl. ($9.99) The bowl was filled with grilled chicken, black beans and Mexican rice with Pico de Gallo and avocado slices...all topped with the Mexican cheese dip.  Two thumbs up!

Steve went 'all in' with a Classic Fajita Plate. ($13.99) This combination of steak strips and shrimp was grilled with onions and bell peppers then topped with cheese.  As you can see, this platter of food was accompanied by a plate of Mexican rice, refried beans, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes and soft tortilla shells.  Despite having come from California with it's many Mexican restaurants, he gave high praise for his dinner.

Sol Azteca Mexican Grill is located 4263 US Hwy 411 in Madisonville Tennessee.  This restaurant is open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week.  Website: 

https://www.solaztecamexgrill.com/.  This restaurant is also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/solaztecamadisonville/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for dinner!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

New Restaurant and More

Back home in East Tennessee… Not too much happening but we did go out for dinner and couple of times. 

El Senor took over and remodeled a building close to I-75 on TN Hwy 72 in Loudon.  It has served as the location for several different restaurants in the 14 years that we’ve lived in the area.  The exterior and the parking area have been refreshed…and it’s hard to miss the visual that is El Senor when driving past it.

Inside El Senor, there is plenty of color with matching decor everywhere!  It is almost ‘de rigueur’/required to see a portrait of Frida Kahlo in Mexican restaurants these days…and El Senor is compliant as regards this trend.  Plenty of other paintings, posters and colorful décor cover the walls.  Even the table tops and the front of the bar are highly decorated.  The only items lacking ‘color’ are the chairs and the seats in the booths.  Actually, those bland items, actually prevent color sensory overload… The effect is that this is a ‘happy’ and upbeat place to be.

We did imbibe… I had my usual Miller Lite ($4.07) while Laurie opted for a 20 oz. Lime Margarita. ($10.25) Laurie thought that her Margarita was a nice change from the usual…

Of course, our server brought us the usual corn chips and salsa.  We stepped it up a bit with an order of Choriqueso…cheese sauce topped with some spicy chorizo sausage crumbles.  It was excellent, one of the best we’ve had lately.

A total of 9 different appetizers are offered.  I made note of the Buffalo Wings, 10 for $13.99, which I will compare to another restaurant in my next post.  Tex-Mexi Egg Rolls ($9.49) and Shrimp Ceviche ($13.99) were a bit unusual and worth noting.

For her entrée, Laurie went ‘vegan’!  She ordered the Quesadilla Vegetariana stuffed with spinach and mushrooms. ($11.32) She topped it with a bit of the red salsa and she was a very happy camper.  Mushrooms don’t ‘happen’ at home…

El Senor has a huge menu.  In addition to the appetizers, burritos and quesadillas, there is a large selection of vegetarian offerings, nachos, steak, pork, seafood, chicken, house specials, combos, fajitas, salads and much more.

For my dinner, I ordered the Burrito Carnitas. ($11.93) My 10 inch flour tortilla was filled with shredded pork and then topped with cheese sauce and salsa verde/green sauce.  It was a very good burrito and there was enough cheese and green sauce to mix in with my rice too!

We were very happy with our dining experience at El Senor Mexican Restaurant.  It is hard for a Mexican Restaurant to really stand out in our area.  I can think of 3 or 4 other Mexican dining venues within 15 – 20 minutes of our home that also offer quality Mexican food.

El Senor Mexican Restaurant is located at 10058 TN Hwy 72 in Loudon Tennessee.  Phone: 865-657-3777.  Website: Home (google.com).   

Now onto our home and a family photo…

A prolonged cold snap this past winter resulted in the death of the 2 boxwoods which stood sentinel by our front entrance.  We recently replaced them with a pair of Japanese Cleyera Japonica.  These new bushes can get quite large but they can also be pruned to keep them from overwhelming the space.  The leaves change colors with the seasons and with age, so we’re expecting them to accent the entry to our home.

A couple of pluses include the fact that Japanese Cleyera Japonica are low maintenance plants…except for pruning…that is mostly pest and disease-free and they’re also deer resistant. 

The two planters between the new bushes are home to a selection of colorful flowers chosen for Laurie by our local plant expert at our local hardware, lumber and garden center.  They just keep blooming and don’t require much attention...other than water depending on the weather.

I thought I’d end this post with cuteness!  This is Elliot Jane, Laurie’s youngest great grandniece.  Elliot is holding her bunny, whose name is ‘Pistachio’.  With those ‘shades’ on, the bunny is looking really cool…

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave    

Food, Shopping, Spending and more Food

…continuing with our visit with Laurie’s family in St. Louis Missouri.  We were out and about with Laurie’s sister Bonnie and her husband Bill.  We dined, shopped, gambled and then dined again.

This post might be just a tad longer than usual…

Bonnie and Bill like taking us to some of the long time restaurants, diners and dives, that they’ve enjoyed over the years.  Amighetti’s has been a fixture in the St. Louis area for many years…since 1916.  Of course, with the Italian “Hill District”, Italian cuisine of every type can be found in the area. 

This new location, (now 3 in total), at 5390 Southwest is referred to by many residents as the “Top of the Hill”.  New owners, Italian of course, bought Amighetti’s in 2016 and then they acquired Hank’s Cheesecakes, another local favorite, in 2021. 

I like that fact that Amighetti’s retained the old sign for Hanneke Hardware when they took over the building.  Hanneke Hardware was located here for many years, opening in 1927 and finally closing in February of 2015

The hardware store ‘look’ continues inside Amighetti’s.  The front of the concrete counter is clad with wooden doors mounted sideways.  The pitted surface of the counter looks like one where customers placed their various hardware items for purchase.  Another feature that stresses the ‘aged look’ of the restaurant are the barn wood sculptures that hang from the ceiling.  In the end, the interior look is industrial. 

Customers line up and place their orders and when your food is ready, as I remember, you pick it up and head for a table.  Basically, Amighetti’s is a popular sandwich shop that serves other items as well.  Go through the “Exit” door in the second photo and you’ll find a large showcase full of Hank’s Cheesecakes…with more than a dozen flavors!

Many St. Louis residents consider the Amighetti Special to be the best sandwich in town.  It consists of ham, beef, salami, brick cheese, lettuce, pickles, tomato, onion, pepperoncini and Amighetti’s special dressing. ($6.49 half/$10.79 whole) I forget who ordered the 'side' salad but the restaurant is certainly generous with all that cheese on top!

I can’t identify the sandwiches that we ordered as per the photos above…except for the last one, my Italian Roast Beef with cheese and house made gravy. (Whole $11.49) An important factor with any of these sandwiches is that the bread is from Amighetti’s.  It’s fresh and crusty while being soft in the middle.  

But, it’s not all about sandwiches!  Amighetti’s also has a number of starters, salads, soups, sides and pasta offerings.  The latter includes lasagna, spaghetti and tortellini.  They also offer a sandwich that I’ve never had…a Wild Salmon Meatball creation.

Everyone seemed pleased with their selection.  But, as frequently happens, I was an outlier as regarded my sandwich.  It was OK but I wasn’t really impressed.  Of course, my problem might be that I was thinking an Italian roast beef sandwich from Chicago, probably not a fair comparison.

Amighetti’s Hill location is at 5390 Southwest Avenue in St. Louis Missouri.  For more about this local favorite, and to view their extensive menu, go to Amighettis – St. Louis' Signature Sandwich.

Our next stop was at Cool Stuff Period, a home furnishings, antiques and décor items, creating a weirdly wonderful and interesting store.  Given its location and signage, you could just drive by without noticing if you didn’t know about it.

The following photos are intended to give you an idea about the variety and scope of the decorative and functional items feature at Cool Stuff Period.

Cool Stuff Period/aka Cool Stuff.  This imaginative store is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  Like the store and what it sells, the days that they are open for business are a bit ‘different’.

This is a great place to find unusual décor and furniture too.  Check it out at 5707 Manchester Avenue in St. Louis Missouri.  Their website is at Welcome to CoolStuff. (coolstuffperiod.com).

Weakness set in and we decided to briefly visit one of the casinos that can be found in the St. Louis area.  Bill knows where these money sapping entertainment centers are located…as well as which ones might yield a payout.  So we stopped at the River City Casino and Resort at 777 River City Casino Boulevard in St. Louis Missouri.

We were at the casino for a little bit more than an hour.  Laurie and I dropped less than $100, a ‘win’ in our estimation…but thanks to Bonnie knowing when to quit, she and Bill left with a few extra dollars in their pocket.  I did note that there was good ventilation which helps those of us who don’t smoke…and there was a large non-smoking area with a bunch of slot machines.

River City Casino features all the usual games for those who like variety…although I did notice mechanical ‘dealer’ for black jack players.  Find out more at River City Casino in St. Louis, MO.   

Our next dining opportunity was this little St. Louis restaurant.  El Potro Restaurant serves a variety of Mexican and Central American dishes, including a number of seafood specialties.  Bill really likes this place and Yelp reviews give El Potro 4.6 stars out of 5.0.

Other than this large imaginative and colorful horse on one wall, laid back industrial would best describe the dining atmosphere.  FYI, El Potro is translated as “the foal”.

We started with the obligatory gratis basket of corn chips with a mild salsa.  No photos…but a couple of mojitos ($7.00 each) and dos cervezas ($8.00) “might” have been ordered to accompany the chips and salsa.  Guacamole was also ordered for the table.  Since I don’t and can’t consume guacamole, I can’t comment on it…but it was completely consumed by the time we were done.

The ladies weren’t very hungry after the chips and guacamole, so they spit the order of Tacos de Pescado/fish tacos. ($14.99) I ordered the Burrito de carne Asada/steak, beans, rice and cheese with cheese melted on top. ($15.99) It was just OK…nothing special.

Bill is really into seafood!  So, he ordered the Coctel Vuelbe Ala Vida. ($22.99) This creation is a cold soup of shrimp, octopus, snail, oysters, onion, tomato, avocado, jalapeno and cilantro.  It’s served with crackers and lime wedges.  Bill was content with his seafood feast...

The service at El Potro was sporadic and uneven.  It took a long time for Bill to get his food.  I just was underwhelmed…

El Potro also operates a market under the same name next door to the restaurant.  It offers Mexican and Central American groceries and other items.  This restaurant is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.  It’s located at 6922 Manchester Avenue in St. Louis Missouri.  Phone: 314-256-1400.  Website: www.elpotrostl.com.

Only one more post to follow for our St. Louis family visit… Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave