Goode Co. Seafood in Houston: "Goode" Seafood Is The Keyword Here

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Nothing like eating "Goode" Seafood in a train car. 

If you're a lover of seafood and you grew up eating it as I did, then you know that it's hard getting enough good seafood. Goode Co. Seafood in Houston, TX happens to be one of my favorites seafood joints that I have fond childhood memories of. No wonder I like seafood so much, I was born and raised eating some of the best which can be found in Houston since it's only 45 short minutes from the Texas Gulf Coast. That makes it very fresh therefore good by inheritance but not a guarantee as I've been to some lousy seafood restaurants in the Houston/Galveston area which I won't mention here.

Like most times eating out, to make sure I get the most out of my visit, if one is available, I go for the platter. My reasoning is, if you're going to eat good food, and in this case seafood you might as well go all out and sample not only the fish but all the usual awesome seafood suspects. This platter just happens to include just that with shrimp, oysters, stuffed shrimp, stuffed crab, and catfish. Did it meet expectations in the quality department? You don't even have to ask, the freshness combined with the way Goode Co. Seafood fries and lightly batters their catch, is a winning a combo.

This Mexican Seafood Cocktail at Goode Co. is a starter that is hard to pass up.

There's no doubt that Goode Co. Seafood is a guarantee for seafood satisfaction. Not only is the seafood some of the best in Houston but the atmosphere is very casual and unique because it's in a train car building. I probably need to clear that up so that there won't be any confusion. This is not a building that is fashioned to look like a train car, it is a real train car. They may of added some building elements to it but I'm telling you, you'll be surprised when you see it for the first time. 

As the first seafood restaurant they opened in Houston in 1986, that makes this particular location on Westpark Drive a standout from the other seafood locations they've since opened. That's another winning combo...good food plus awesomely good atmosphere. To check out this Westpark location, along with the other Goode Co. family of restaurants, visit:  Goode Co. Seafood

Guadalajara Hacienda (Tex-Mex) in Houston, TX

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In our last post, we told you that we'd get around to sampling some Tex-Mex for our readers and as you can see, we couldn't resist long, Although, this is going to be a Livin Tejas first because it's a review of a chain restaurant. While we love chain restaurants just as much as the next person, we normally don't review them because we think they can be a little cliche. Guadalajara Hacienda on the other hand, in Houston, Texas is a huge exception to that. It exhibits originality in every department and exceeds in exceptional food.

Eating there one fine Sunday, Livin Tejas had the privilege of tasting some extraordinary above and beyond salsa and that's when we had a sneaking suspicion that the rest of the food would follow in its footsteps. It was like the salsa, which a had a really good tingling lime taste that we had never tasted in salsa before, was speaking to us. It was addicting to say the least, as chip after chip met its demise thanks to this flavorful salsa. We could go on forever about how good the salsa was, the best we've ever had as a matter of fact, but that wouldn't be fair to the rest of the delicious food.

     

Whenever Livin Tejas trys a Mexican (or Tex-Mex because the lines are blurred between those categories a lot here in Texas) restaurant for the first time and we've tried countless ones, we always start with the chicken enchiladas. We just believe they're a good test of a Tex-Mex restaurant. We always say, if they can get the chicken enchiladas right, which is a staple of Tex-Mex here in Texas, then they are likely to succeed in other areas.

   

We proceeded to order the combo plate, that consisted of a beef enchilada, beef taco, empanada, and substituted the cheese enchilada for a chicken enchilada. We also ordered a portobello mushroom stuffed with chicken....very brave. How did both how dishes stack up?

When we first tasted the chicken enchilada it was apparent that Guadalajara Hacienda cares about serving the best food possible. The reason we say this is because I almost burned my mouth at first bite. We've never had a enchilada plate at any Mexican restaurant, be served as piping hot as this one was. After that, we were thoroughly impressed with every bite as the beef and chicken enchiladas were plump, cheesy, and done just right with lots delicious Mexican flavor. A plus, and hard to beat.

Just looking at this portobello mushroom stuffed with chicken and spinach, brings to mind that we need to eat out more and be adventurous and try unique dishes on the menu. Livin Tejas was brave and it paid off because we had no complaints. 

We can't end without telling you that the service matched the food in every regard. The wait staff were very friendly and did an awesome job refilling our drinks whenever it even got close to running out, not to mention refilling the salsa; very attentive for a chain restaurant. Like big portions? You won't be disappointed here as you get great value for your money. All in all, if you ever find yourself in the Houston area, and looking to satisfy a Mexican food craving, Guadalajara Hacienda will knock you out with its salsa and keep delivering the best Tex-Mex this side of the Rio Grande. To find out locations as there are several in the Houston area, their website is a good place to start: Guadalajara Hacienda

San Jacinto: Texas Begins

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Welcome to my new blog! If you're looking for a place all about Texas or Tejas in its Spanish name then you've come to the right place, if not then you can still find a home here and maybe learn something about Texas that you didn't know. Feel free to join my blog as I explore everything Texas. In between that, you'll see a lot of western culture that you might find intriguing.

One of my goals with this blog is to show my readers something that maybe they haven't seen before. I'm trying to make this an engaging travel blog as much as it is a food blog, and with thought provoking posts all mixed in. I want my readers to walk away with a sense that they've seen something about Texas  that they can go visit on their next trip and experience for themselves.  

After some debate, in order to get some travel content to any interested readers, I thought San Jacinto Monument in La Porte, Texas would be a great place to start on a blog all about Texas as Texas actually did start here. I have feeling that if you didn't grow up in Houston like I did, then you may not know about this magnificent structure which is just 45 short minutes from downtown Houston. To be honest, if I didn't go here as a kid then I probably would not even know about the San Jacinto Monument myself. Thankfully that is not the case and I can share it with all those that don't know about what you're missing! If you're even remotely interested in history then your going to want to visit the San Jacinto Monument because it has more than enough history to go around. Without further debate I present to you the beautiful spot where Texas was born.

Many of you may be surprised to know that the San Jacinto Monument built in 1936 is about 15 feet taller than the Washington Monument which would make it 570 feet. That's the tallest column monument on the planet according to the Guinness Book of World Records! What makes this monument especially worth a visit, is that it has an elevator in it in which you can go to the top....

The reflecting pool as seen in the first picture of this post but looking down from the viewing room at the top of the monument.

Another view from the many windows at the top....looking down at a ship transiting the Houston Ship Channel

At the very bottom of the base looking up, this perspective can make you feel very small

Yes, you must look at the history when you're there and soak it all in which you can do because there is a more than fulfilling museum inside the base of the monument that is chalk full of history and artifacts and it's all very very interesting.

It's appropriate that Texas has a statue this big of Sam Houston in between two of it's biggest cities Dallas and Houston

You can find this breathtaking giant statue not at San Jacinto in La Porte but north of Houston. Sam Houston fought the battle that won Texas at San Jacinto hence why this statue was built in his honor. Moreover, it's why the San Jacinto Monument was erected. The Sam Houston Statue is a must see before you get to Houton and San Jacinto. It sets the stage.

Travel Tips: When you go to the San Jacinto Monument, do yourself a favor and go on a weekday preferably bright and early in the morning when it opens. The reason for this is because you'll have way less crowds to fight than you would on a weekend. In case, you can't tell from the early morning light in the pictures on this post, I went even before they opened at 9am (check the San Jacinto website FAQ because you never know when opening times can change).  The other advice I can share is that there is a ton more to see than just the monument itself because after all this is sacred grounds where the battle of San Jacinto was fought.