Flashback

Ok out at dinner tonight I was doing the things I was always told not to do. Namely, playing with my food. It's something I've almost always done (or wanted to do) every time I had something like mashed potatoes or similar consistency. In this case it was rice & beans and there's your flashback to the old (now defunct) blog. Note the intricate detail created.

I don't always play with my food, but things with a paste/clay like consistency simply bring out the artist in me. This particular batch of rice & beans was prepared (and mostly eaten) at Don Pablo's. I love Don Pablo's, they have good cheese and onion enchiladas. I prefer the ones at On the Border, but that's a lot futher away. Although the best enchiladas I've had in the area, do not come from any of these. There is a place just west of the 28/29 intersection (on the north side of 29, about a light or two west of 28) that used to be called Catbo. It's called something else now that I can never remember (after searching for a bit it's now called Border Cafe ). It's next to a Carrabas and some other place. Anyway... they have some very good items, chiefly the Gulf Coast Enchiladas are my favorite. Shrimp and Crawfish in a cajun cream sauce, slap some jambalaya on the side and you got my attention! They also have some of the best catfish in the area, decent sized pieces and very fresh (I recommend the Tuscaloosa style). Here are some excerpts from the menu:

• TUSCALOOSA CATFISH
  A fresh catfish fillet seasoned and fried until tender. Topped with a fresh lemon pepper sauce. Savor a taste that made NewOrleans famous ........ 9.91
  
  
• EGGPLANT ROYALE
  This is a creole family tradition as served on “Royale” Street in New Orleans’ “French Quarter.” A bubbling-hot blend of cheeses, lump crabmeat and Cajun spices, served over a delicatelyfried eggplant ........ 8.76
  
  
• GULF COAST SEAFOOD ENCHILADAS
  The best of both waters! Fresh flour tortillas are stuffed with tasty shrimp, crawfish and Poblano Jack cheese, then covered in a poblano pepper sauce ........ 8.97

That last one is simply the best, unless you don't like seafood, or you happen to be allergic to shellfish... then, well.... nevermind. They aren't worth a trip to the E.R.