Mac's Speed Shop

Finally a blog post from home.

Tonight, Mac's Speed Shop in Charlotte, NC with the fam.

Mac's is a blend of Biker Bar, Beer Bar and BBQ joint. They have an awesome selection of beers, and some of the best BBQ you will find in Charlotte.

On the menu tonight:

Appetizer: Tabasco Fried Pickles




Main Course: Chicken Wings





Split the order up with VTX Chipolte, and Smokin Burn Out. Wings have an awesome flavor. They are Not fried. They are first smoked and then grilled.

A cool hang out. Great food and reasonably priced.

They have 3 locations in Charlotte. Tonight we ate at the Sandy Porter location.

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Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill - Austin, TX

Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill is housed in a part of the old Waterloo Compound, an original
grouping of some of the very oldest commercial buildings in Austin. Located where the pre-
Austin 1835 settlement of Waterloo was established, Moonshine is steeped in the early history of
the city.

Between 1952 and today, the building has been operated by a number of small businesses and
has seen many careful restorations. Established in 2003, Moonshine is the second restaurant to
occupy the space. The Hofheintz-Reissig Store, as it is officially known, is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is an important part of Austin’s cultural and architectural heritage.

Moonshine serves up great cooking with an innovative take on classic American comfort food

Appetizer:


GRILLED ARTICHOKES with Pimento Pepper Sauce









Main Dish:


MOLASSES & CHILE CURED PORK CHOP with Bourbon Apple Sauce

BAKED MACARONI
with Pimento Cheese & Bacon Gratin

FRESH VEGETABLES



Dessert:


WHITE CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING
with Raisins, Pecans & Bourbon Sauce










Drink:


MOONSHINE
Shot of White Lightning spiked with peach

HARD LEMONADE
Vodka, Mint,& Fresh Lemonade with a
splash of Paula’s Texas Lemon



Extremely flavorful food, excellent service and a cool atmosphere. The pork chop and baked macaroni are excellent.

Food: ****
Service: ****
Location:303 Red River Austin, TX 78701

Fonda San Miguel - The Best Mexican Food I've EVER Eaten

Fonda San Miguel was founded in November 1975, in Austin as one of the first restaurant's in the United States to serve exclusively the Cuisines of Mexico (drawing on seven various regional cuisines in Mexico).

It features classic Mexican cuisine prepared with authentic recipes and numerous ingredients from the restaurant’s on-site organic garden.

Appetizer:

Guacamole

A great recipe combining avocados, tomato, onion, cilantro, serrano chili's, and lime juice.






Main Dish:

Cochinta Pibil

This is a traditional pork barbecue of the Yucatan Peninsula, where for centuries it has been cooked in pits lined with hot stones and banana leaves.

The pork is basted in an achiote rub, and cooked inside a banana leaf. It is served with 2 sauces. A chipolte sauce and a creamy habanero almond sauce which is truly remarkable. It is served with rice and beans, and corn tortillas.

This is an amazing dish - and a great recommendation from the bartender.

Drink:

Silver Coin Margarita:
1.5 Oz of Watermelon Infused Tequila (Made from half of a 12 lb Watermelon and a 1 liter bottle of Patron Silver)
3/4 Oz of Cointrreau
1/3 Oz fresh Lime Juice

This may not be for everyone - but I though this was fantastic. My new favorite Margarita.





In my travels, there are two types of food I pride myself on sampling. Barbeque and Mexican.

This was the Best Authentic Mexican food I have ever eaten.

Food: *****
Service: *****
Location: 2330 W. North Loop Austin, TX 78756

Prejean's - Award Winning Cajun - Lafayette, LA

One of my favorite Cajun restaurants. Located in Lafayette, LA just a couple miles from I-10 just off I-49. Prejean's has been around since 1980 and serves a great combination of cajun seafood, steak, wild game and a plethora of Gumbo's.

Appetizer:

Shrimp Sassafras
Two jumbo shrimp stuffed with pepperjack cheese, grilled Tasso, wrapped with apple wood-smoked bacon, breaded and fried and set in Crawfish Cardinale cream sauce.

Amazing. Anything wrapped in bacon tends to be good - but this is a fantastic dish. One of my favorite appetizers anywhere!



Gumbo:



Chicken & Sausage Gumbo - a three time world champion gumbo.

I have eaten the Smoked Duck & Andouille Gumbo as well. Both are fantastic.





Main Course:


Soft Shell Crab Imperial
Jumbo soft shell crab stuffed with crawfish dressing, fried and finished with crab butter cream, grilled Tasso and served with rice dressing and grilled asparagus.





All of the dishes were very well done and extremely flavorful. Prejean's is a must stop location anytime you are in Lafayette.

Food: ****
Location: 3480 N.E. Evangeline Trwy. (I-49)
Lafayette, LA 70507

Great Food Truck Race - Hodge Podge

The Great Food Truck Race - Atlanta, GA.

A treat today as we found out that the Food Network Show - The Great Food Truck Race, was in Atlanta, so we decided to go check it out.

Chef Tyler Florence is the host of the show, and the first episode will air Sunday, August 14th. The last truck standing wins $100,000!





The Menu:
Ribeye Taco's
Fish Taco's
Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken Taco's
King Crab Dip
Truffle Tator Tots
Fruit Cup




Truffle Tator Tot's - Tot's cooked in a truffle oil. Tator Tot's are one of those bad for you foods I have to say I am guilty of loving. Nice flavor cooked in the truffle oil.











Rib-eye Taco's - Marinated Rib-eye - topped with sweet corn slaw and BBQ Sauce.

Very flavorful. Slaw was excellent.










Fish Taco's - Marinated White fish, topped with Georgia Peach Slaw and Lemon Aioli.

Fish was cooked well. Slaw was good. Good dish - but I thought it lacked something. Maybe a different sauce could have kicked the dish up a little bit.







The Challenge of the truck today was to serve food to the mass's without the main chef being there. Of course, Food Network picked a 95 Degree "Hot-Lanta" day - and had the customer's baking on the pavement. You could tell that this affected the Service as the line was long - and service was slow. The girls in the truck seemed to do their best and served with smiles on their face.

Hodge Podge Brings their culinary talents from Cleveland, OH, serving "Midwest" Comfort Food.

Parrain's - Grilled Mahi

Appearing for the 2nd time on the blog, Parrain's in Baton Rouge. Tonight on the Menu - Grilled Mahi - topped with grilled shrimp and pecan pepper jelly. Served with garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus.


As always, I am never disappointed when I eat at Parrain's. I have eaten dozens of meals here, and have never had anything bad. There specials are always unique and good.








I am not normally a dessert person - but I had a hard time passing this up:



White Chocolate Bread Pudding.

Unbelievable. I hate to guess the amount of calories in this, but it was pure bliss. A true bucket list item.





Location: Baton Rouge, LA.

Darrell's Special - An Incredible Sandwich

I have to think long and hard before I come up with better sandwich's that I've ever had. This was a recommendation from my friend and fellow large mammal, Chris Wooley.









Darrell's Special. Po-Boy made of three kinds of meat (ham, turkey, roast beef) topped with a roast beef gravy. Topped with 3 kinds of cheese, lettuce and spicy jalapeño mayo. This sandwich could be nicknamed the big messy. You will have to be careful or you will be wearing it.

Located: Lake Charles, La.

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Location:W College St,Lake Charles,United States